Gojira @ O2 Academy Glasgow 15th February 2023

Posted on February 19, 2023 by coralmccallum

On Wednesday evening, Boy Child and I boarded the 525 to Glasgow. Gotta love a train ride with juvenile delinquents rampaging and thinking its funny to chuck balls of wet toilet paper at folk…

Once off the train, we headed for the O2 Academy, our destination for the evening.

So, who were we off to see this time?

France’s finest metal band – Gojira!

The rail Gods were shining on us and Boy Child managed to snag me a nice wee rail spot safely to the left while I visited the merch stall. (Gojira- £40 for a t-shirt is a tad pricey….just saying)

First band on stage were Employed To Serve. Hailing from Woking, these guys are fronted by Justine Jones. While Justine’s vocal style is not really to my taste, Employed To Serve did an awesome job of getting the rapidly filling room moving. It’s not too often that the opening support act gets the mosh pit open and crowd surfers coming over by their second song. In their allotted 30 mins Employed To Serve had everyone fired up…not that this Glasgow crowd needed much encouraging. Job well done, guys!

Dull Ache Behind My Eyes – Employed To Serve @ O2 Academy Glasgow 15/02/23 – YouTube

Next on stage were a band I was excited to finally see live- Alien Weaponry. Hailing from Waipu, New Zealand, these youngsters brought something unique to the stage with their “Maori metal”. All three members of the band have Maori heritage and all bar one song on their set was performed in the Maori language.

From the opening haka at the start of Raupatu, these boys had the crowd in the palm of their hands.

Raupatu – Alien Weaponry @ O2 Academy Glasgow 15/02/23 – YouTube

Alien Weaponry stoked the energy levels in the room to even greater heights, encouraging the fans to mosh and splitting the crowd for a wall of death. From the stage they took great delight in the steady flow of surfers who were streaming over. (Security had to draft in some additional staff).

Seven songs weren’t enough. Hurry back, boys. Glasgow’s overdue a headline show!

Hatupatu – Alien Weaponry @ O2 Academy Glasgow 15/02/23 – YouTube

Around this point in the evening Boy Child disappeared off into the crowd ready to mosh through Gojira’s set. He’d been pacing himself.

It was 9.30 before the mighty Gojira stepped out on stage amidst blinding lights and swirling mist to open their ninety minute set with Born For One Thing from their current album Fortitude.

Born For One Thing – Gojira @ O2 Academy Glasgow 15/02/23 – YouTube

This was my first experience of seeing a Gojira headline show and it had been more than six years since I saw them a couple of times supporting Alter Bridge.

Right from the off, Gojira were at full speed. There was no let up in the face melting pace! True, Flying Whales gave the crowd surfers (and security) a few minutes of breathing space.

Flying Whales – Gojira @ O2 Academy Glasgow 15/02/23 – YouTube

No Gojira set would be complete without it and other firm favourites including The Cell, Silvera and L’enfant Sauvage followed.

There are no weak links in the Gojira machine. Front man Joe Duplantier is a man of few words so there’s not much conversation with the crowd.

From the rear of the stage, his brother Mario Duplantier was doing his best to “talk” to the fans at one point thanks to two handwritten signs saying “Louder!!!” and  “Here we F**king go!”. That familiar Glasgow chant interspersed the set.

By now security staff in the pit numbered more than a dozen and were working furiously to catch the constant stream of surfers, including the Pit Troll.

Towards the end of the main body of the set, Joe asked Glasgow if they had brought their singing voices. Daft question! He coached the fans through the requirements of The Chant, not they needed much coaching. The fans almost raised the roof off the O2 Academy as the silver foil confetti rained down. (Note to self- foil confetti turns the venue into a skating rink!) The Chant is one of my favourite tracks from Fortitude and live, it certainly didn’t disappoint.

(credits to the owner emmockladdie via you tube)

The Gift of Guilt rounded off the main set.

Curfew was looming so Gojira didn’t waste much time before stepping back out for a two-song encore of a song Joe said they rarely played, The Way of the Flesh followed by Amazonia. Awesomeness.

Hot, tired, sweaty and covered in silver strips, the Glasgow fans headed wearily out into the night.

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Black Stone Cherry @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 30th January 2023

Posted on February 3, 2023 by coralmccallum

For the third time in five days I set off for Glasgow. 2023 Gig Season had got off to an exhausting start! Chauffeured by Boy Child and accompanied by Mr A we set off up the M8, braving the rush hour traffic again as we headed back to the science centre car park.

This time though as we walked across the bridge over the River Clyde we turned right at the end and headed towards the OVO Hydro arena.

Doors were at 6pm and when we arrived at 5:45pm there was a surprisingly short queue.

So, who were we queuing up to see?

Black Stone Cherry!

Ok, technically this is a co-headline tour with The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry but in reality, it was those boys from Kentucky that we were there to see.

Despite Boy Child’s best efforts, we didn’t snag a rail spot but one row off was good enough for me.

There was one support act for the evening, Canadian trio Danko Jones. We hadn’t stumbled across him since he opened for Volbeat back in Sept 2019. With the venue steadily filling up, Danko Jones exploded out on stage with his inimitable attitude. There’s an air of aggression to Danko Jones style but it works. There’s also an air of playfulness at the start of Lovercall. The half hour set disappeared all too quickly, but it was job done. Danko Jones had those present revved up for the evening ahead.

I’m going to confess something at this point. Apart from the obvious two songs, I’ve never listened to The Darkness. Those two obvious songs aren’t among my usual listening but when I watched the Taylor Hawkins tribute show from Wembley, it was two members of The Darkness that caught my eye- Justin Hawkins and drummer Rufus Taylor.

Love them or loathe them, there’s no denying that The Darkness put on a spectacular show. There were fireworks, sparklers, flames and then there was that ball of hi-energy himself, Mr Justin Hawkins.

Dressed in a furry jacket, Justin won the Scottish fans over by opening the set with Welcome Tae Glasgae.

Welcome Tae Glasgae – The Darkness OVO Hydro Glasgow 30/01/23 – YouTube

A couple of songs later, the fur jacket was discarded and stripped to the waist, Justin Hawkins was working that stage. That guy barely stands still!

Solid Gold – The Darkness @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 30/01/23 – YouTube

Oh…and Rufus Taylor then discarded his shirt too…. I may have been distracted for a few minutes…. was there still a rock show going on?  LOL

Mid-set, Justin disappeared off stage for another costume change, re-emerging in a multi-coloured lycra jumpsuit….. words fail me…..

As The Darkness prepared to play their penultimate song, Justin Hawkins asked everyone to put their phones down and their cameras away and to just enjoy a few minutes with the band. The penultimate song was I Believe In A Thing Called Love… and all the phones were out of sight.

The Darkness closed their fourteen-song set with Love On The Rocks With No Ice.

Much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed their performance and could easily be persuaded to see them play live again…never thought I’d be saying that.

As the road crews flocked on stage to turn things around, a huge white curtain was brought down to hide the change over from prying eyes.

Shortly before 9.45pm the lights went down. Shadows were moving behind the curtain… shadows that looked kind of familiar….

As the curtain fell to the opening bars of Me And Mary Jane, once in sight of the ecstatic Scottish fans, the boys from Kentucky were in full flow.

There’s no messing about with these guys. From those first notes, the energy levels had been set and set high.

Since the arrive of Steve Jewell on bass, Black Stone Cherry have a subtly different vibe on stage. The newest member of the group has now been well and truly welcomed to the family and is quickly establishing his personality on stage.  There are moments when he just oozes mischief.

Me And Mary Jane was swiftly followed by Burnin’ from the Family Tree album. An awesome opening pair to kick off their fourteen-song set.

Burnin’ – Black Stone Cherry @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 30/01/23 – YouTube

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen Black Stone Cherry live over the years. They never disappoint!

Tonight’s set was a carefully balanced mix of old and new, with something to suit everyone.

Three of my favourites made their appearance in the first half of the set. Taking it back to Folklore & Superstition, Black Stone Cherry treated us to Soulcreek, followed by the stunning Blind Man then In My Blood from  Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea.

One thing that really stands out here is the energy on stage. Its hard to match Ben Wells for energy- he is the human version of the Duracell bunny – but Steve Jewell is giving him a run for his money – a run all the way round the stage. Even Chris Robertson is getting in on the act more than usual.

Presiding over proceedings from behind his drumkit is the one and only John Fred Young. There were a few gremlins in the mix with his set up this evening but he never missed a beat all night.

There was one brand new song on the setlist, and that was the latest single Out Of Pocket. If this track is a sign of things to come off the next album, roll on the release date!

Out of Pocket – Black Stone Cherry @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 30/01/23 – YouTube

Chris Robertson had asked the Scottish fans earlier in the evening if they had brought their singing voices. Of course they had! Cheaper To Drink Alone followed on from Out Of Pocket and Glasgow sang their hearts out along with Chris. The extended live version of this song really is party time and its great to see the boys having as much fun as the fans. The party atmosphere continued as John Fred had his moment in the spotlight. He treated us to a spectacular Animal-esque drum solo. Awesome stuff!

As he introduced the next song, Chris thanked the fans for their support with it on their previous visit to Glasgow, explaining that performing this had helped him to come to terms with the passing of his father. The song….Things My Father Said. There is so much emotion in the lyrics to this song. It’s beautiful and sung straight from the heart. With tears in many fans’ eyes, Glasgow sang clear and loud for Chris and for the late Papa Steve. Tonight’s version was a little harder and heavier than last year’s more mellow rendition and personally speaking that helped me to keep the emotions somewhat in check.

White Trash Millionaire lifted the emotional levels back to stratospheric heights that were maintained by the mighty Blame It On The Boom Boom. The main set was rounded out with the Black Stone Cherry classic, Lonely Train.

There was only time for one song in the encore. Peace Is Free has been retired for this show and we ended the night with Black Stone Cherry’s cover of ELO’s Don’t Bring Me Down.

Nothing could bring us down! Awesome night again in the company of those boys from Kentucky.

Til next time…..

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Anchor Lane @ G2 Glasgow 28th January 2023

Posted on January 29, 2023 by coralmccallum

For the first time this year, Boy Child and I boarded  the train to Glasgow on Saturday …no, not the 5:25 but the 4:08.

Why so early?

Because we had VIP tickets for the album launch show we were heading towards and needed to be there for 5:30.

So, who were we off to see?

The one and only Anchor Lane.

On Friday, the Glasgow based up and coming band released their second album Call This A Reality and the headline show  in Glasgow’s G2 was the launch party/gig. The VIP ticket option afforded the lucky few an acoustic set before the main show, hence the early start.

By 5:30 we found ourselves in a modest queue that was duly escorted inside and upstairs to the Attic for Anchor Lane’s acoustic slot. This was a stripped back sonic delight.

Anchor Lane opened their seven-song acoustic set with Stutter, the first single from Call This A Reality. Hearing the boys play live in the raw was incredible. Personally, I feel there is nowhere to hid with an acoustic set. These three young musicians grabbed the opportunity and ran with it. The talent of all three of them shone through as did their personalities as they gave the assembled fans an insight into how some of the songs came about. I was delighted that one of my favourite tracks Nitroglycerin made the set.

The boys brought the acoustic proceedings to a close with their current single I Don’t Have Another Soul To Pour.

Wonderful stuff.

And even better,  we didn’t have to go back outside into the cold when it was done. Instead, we were escorted back downstairs to G2 and granted early entry to the main venue. Happy days!

There were two support acts on the bill for the evening.

First on stage were Blue Nicotine, another Glasgow band and alias of front man Aidan Kelly. They delivered a solid half hour set, reminding me at times of Biffy Clyro. To be honest, there were a few sound issues throughout and it was a struggle to hear the vocals on some songs. Definitely a band to watch out for in future.

Next on stage were North Atlas… well, eventually they were out on stage. One technical issue after another wreaked havoc with their planned set. So, in the interests of fairness here, I’m applying my Thumper Principle until I’ve given them a fair chance. What they eventually delivered was great…short and sweet. Until next time.

(As I was writing this up earlier, I spoke nicely to Alexa and asked her to play North Atlas. Loved what I heard… now to hear it live one day.)

Praying that the gremlins were finally out of the works, I waited with bated breath for Anchor Lane to step out onto the small stage.

At 9pm in a swathe of blue pulsating lights, Anchor Lane took to the stage to open their headline show with Stutter, from the new album Call This A Reality. (Have I mentioned it already?). The electric version of Stutter was a million miles away from the acoustic version we had enjoyed some three hours earlier. Awesome start.

Front man Conor Gaffney asked “Are you ready?” as they started Stutter. The capacity Glasgow crowd most certainly were! Anchor Lane set out at a blistering pace. One last lingering gremlin wiped out their bass tracks but this was swiftly and professionally rectified as they moved into their second number, Ministry, another superb track from the new record, before rounding off the opening trio with the title track from the new album Call This A Reality.

Stutter – Anchor Lane @ G2 Glasgow 28/01/23 – YouTube

Anchor Lane were playing a blinding set…literally! Those lights were brutal!

This was the third time I’d seen Anchor Lane play live but only the first chance I’d had to see them headline. What really shines through with this band as much as their musical talent is their personalities and that something as a music fan that I love to see.

Front man Conor Gaffney is brilliant and had everyone in the room in the palm of bis hand from that opening cry of “Are you ready?”. A rare talent indeed. As for his energy…he could give the Duracell bunny a run for its money!

Guitarist Lawrence O’Brien seemed to have grown in confidence on stage since I last saw Anchor Lane when they supported Skindred back in 2021. Thanks to a pillar in the middle of the stage , my view of him was partially obscured but as he stepped forward to the edge of the stage you could clearly see and hear that he was in his favourite sonic playground.

And let’s not forget drummer Graeme Newbury, Anchor Lane’s engine room, sitting smiling out over proceedings from behind his drum kit. Super talented and again it was a delight to see the drummer engaging in the on stage banter along with the rest of the band. So often the drummer in a band seems a little bit cut off from the fans at the back of the stage.

Anchor Lane’s set was a balanced mix of old and new with a handful of fan favourites from their debut album Casino making an appearance on the set.

Honey – Anchor Lane @ G2 Glasgow 28/01/23 – YouTube

Highlights of this hi-energy show for me were Nitroglycerin, The Mischievous Song and the final song of the night, I Don’t Have Another Soul To Pour.

The Mischievous Song – Anchor Lane @ G2 Glasgow 28/01/23 – YouTube

Awesome gig! These boys deserve to go far as they pour their heart and soul into their shows.

Til next time, guys.

Go check them out. You can thank me later.

Anchor Lane | Facebook

Anchor Lane – Call This a Reality? (slinky.to)

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Dirty Honey @ SWG3 Glasgow on 26th January 2023

Posted on January 29, 2023 by coralmccallum

Oh! First gig of the year and this girl was excited!

Chauffeured by Mr A and accompanied by Miss Rose Wine, I headed towards Glasgow on Thursday evening. Having parked at the science centre, we set off on foot towards the venue for the evening – SWG3. En route we increased our number by two as we bumped into Mr and Mrs McI. Great to see them both.

So, who were we all braving a chilly January night to see?

The incredible Dirty Honey!

When we arrived, there was a small-ish queue…  but it didn’t look like quite the right queue. Let’s just say that the attire of some of those queuing didn’t fit in with the Dirty Honey vibe. A quick enquiry by Mr McI and we discovered that there were two queues muddled together. The other one was for Bongo’s Bingo….go Google that one for yourself because I don’t even want to ask LOL

There are three rooms in SWG3 and for the first time, I found myself upstairs in the Warehouse. Great sized venue. Holds about 500. Nice and intimate…if a tad chilly at the start of the night. It was a short rail, so we missed out on a rail spot – damn- but settled ourselves one row off rail. Happy days!

There was only one support act – Danko (the band) from Denny near Falkirk. Initially, I wasn’t sure about these guys. The dress code on stage was an eclectic mix. At first I felt that these guys were akin to a wedding band but we’ll chalk that up to nerves. I was concerned that the bass player was going to take the spotlight out at one point with his guitar. He may resemble a young Pete Townshend but no need act like him with such a low ceiling overhead. All that said, Danko (the band) played a solid opening set.

The venue had filled up quickly, everyone eagerly awaiting the arrival on stage of Dirty Honey.

The boys from LA took to the stage at 8:30 to a rapturous welcome from the capacity crowd. Dirty Honey opened their fifteen-song set with the awesome Gypsy from their self-titled debut album. From the instant he stepped on stage, front man Mark LaBelle had the Scottish fans in the palm of his hand. Gypsy was followed by Break You and Heartbreaker from their debut EP.

There is SO much talent in this band. Ok I may be biased here. I love these guys!

Last time Miss Rose Wine and I had seen these guys back in June we had been at bass player Justin Smollian’s side of the stage. Tonight, we were in front of guitarist John “Fucking” Notto. Boy, can he play! One of the joys of a small venue is that you can fully appreciate the skill and talent of the band up close. I could watch John Notto play all night.

I feel I should also thank him for accepting and wearing the Mark LaBelle-wannabe in front of me’s hat… and keeping it on stage for the remainder of the set. Note- if you insist on wearing a hat to a show, keep it on your head and don’t erratically wave it in front of everyone else’s face obliterating their view of the stage.

There were so many highlight moments in Dirty Honey’s set that I’d be here all night singing their praises.

 Mark LaBelle has an incredible voice. His vocal talents really shone through in their cover of Aerosmith’s Last Child. Stunning performance.

Probably my favourite Dirty Honey song made its appearance mid-set- Down The Road. The lyrics, the vocals…oh the whole thing touches the soul. Love it.

For the first time I got to hear these boys play Let’s Go Crazy. I’m not a huge Prince fan but Dirty Honey delivered a spellbinding version of this classic track. This was promptly followed by another of my favourites, California Dreamin’.

Dirty Honey know how to work the stage and the room. Each of them spent time playing or singing to all sides of the room, ensuring that everyone felt a part of the show.

All good things have to come to an end and Dirty Honey rounded out the main body of their set with When I’m Gone.

They weren’t gone just quite yet….

A few minutes later they returned to the stage for a “wee half” (a small whisky to those non-Scots reading this) and one final song, another of my favourites, Rolling 7’s. Awesome stuff!

It’s been brilliant to see Dirty Honey play twice in such an intimate room. These guys deserve to be headlining arenas so I suspect, and in a way hope, that the days of the smaller Dirty Honey are numbered.

Til next time, guys.

As we headed back to the car, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Dirty Honey boys had ventured downstairs in SWG3 to join in with Bongo’s Bingo…

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2022 – the musical memories

Posted on December 31, 2022 by coralmccallum

It’s reached that time of year when I reflect back on the gigs I’ve squeezed in during the year. For the first time in a few years, it’s all felt quite “normal” – and I use that word with caution as I wholly appreciate that things can still change.

The musical year started back in February on a rather stormy night with The Rock Orchestra at Glasgow’s O2 Academy and it ended on an icy cold night in December with Volbeat at the OVO Hydro.

In between there was a diverse range of bands this year Halestorm (3 times), Skindred, Eric Gales, Dirty Honey, Architects, Biffy Clyro, Christone Kingfish Ingram (no photos from that one), Mammoth, Shinedown, Ghost, Within Temptation, Brian Fallon,Tremonti, Cardinal Black, Florence Black (twice), The Pretty Reckless, Those Damn Crows and of course Alter Bridge (twice). There were others in between and many great support acts too – and some not so great support acts…I’ll name no names.

The photos below are the edited highlights of a great year’s gigs.

It all kicks off again in January and so far 2023 is looking pretty good music-wise.

Thanks for supporting this music blog. It’s much appreciated.

I’d also like to thank my “gig buddies” – you know who you are.

Have a fabulous New Year when it arrives and may 2023 be kind to us all

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Volbeat @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 15th December 2022

Posted on December 19, 2022 by coralmccallum

It was icy cold as Boy Child chauffeured Mr A and I up the M8 towards Glasgow for our final gig of the year. The traffic was no kinder than the weather but we finally parked at the science centre before continuing our journey to the OVO Hydro on foot.

So, who were we braving sub-zero temperatures to see?

The mighty Danes – Volbeat!

Fortunately, the queue to get into the arena was short as was the wait for doors to open at 6:30pm.

When we entered the arena bowl we were met by a huge horseshoe shaped runway that projected out from the stage to about two thirds of the way back across the floor. It seemed excessively huge and only served to split the crowd into three section, with the VIPS in the centre “posh” pit. (There were very few people in there at this point) we secured a spot one row off the rail halfway down one leg of the runway…right in front of two of the confetti cannons!

First band on stage for the evening were Napalm Death. That fact could explain the frighteningly low crowd numbers at this point. Thumper Principle duly applied, and we’ll move swiftly on….

The “posh pit” was still practically empty (there were 13 folk in it – Boy Child counted) so it wasn’t a surprise when a member of staff walked the barrier of the main standing arena passing out VIP wristbands in an attempt to fill it.

The people in front of us were given wristbands and left so we got our rail spots. Happy days!

By 8:00pm the crowd numbers had begun to increase. The lights dimmed and the Imperial March intro tape boomed out.

Skindred were in the room!

Almost instantly the atmosphere in the crowd sparked into life as Skindred opened their nine-song set with Stand for Something.

As frontmen go, Benji Webbe is up there with the best of the best. He oozes charisma and “cheeky” …Ok in your face! – charm!

Rat Race with a snippet of Wonderwall and a “Benny Hill” moment followed before Benji organised the crowd participation for the ever-popular That’s My Jam.

Rat Race and That’s My Jam – Skindred @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 15/12/22 – supporting act for Volbeat – YouTube

(note – there is rather colourful language in this video)

Another set highlight was Kill the Power.

Using the runway to its full potential, Skindred had the crowd fired up before closing out their all too short set with Warning and the obligatory “Newport helicopter” moment. Loved it!

The “posh pit” still wasn’t full…. Yup, you guessed it. A member of staff did a second sweep of the rail offering out VIP wristbands in a final attempt to fill it before the headliners came on. If I had been someone who had paid full price for the “posh pit”, I’d be somewhat disgruntled by now…. but I totally get that they couldn’t leave it with only about 100 folk in it. Perhaps the hint there is that an arena the size of the OVO Hydro didn’t need the massive runway in the first place. A short centre runway would have sufficed…..just saying…

At 9:20pm with still slightly disappointing crowd numbers, the lights dimmed once more. (In total the venue was perhaps half full and that includes seating)

Flashes of white light pulsed and the crowd erupted as Volbeat took to the stage to open their set with the mighty The Devil’s Bleeding Crown. Awesome set opener!

The Devil’s Bleeding Crown (show opener ) – Volbeat @ovohydro Glasgow 15/12/22 – YouTube

By the time Michael Poulsen stepped up to the mic to address the fans a few songs later, he had a confession. He was suffering badly from a heavy cold and begged the audience to help him out for the evening. As he started Lola Montez, it was clear that he was feeling the effects.

Both bassist Kasper Boye Larsen and guitarist Rob Caggiano were using the runway to full effect, covering a lot of ground during each song.

The stage itself, dwarfed by huge video screens showing live footage from the crowd and band thanks to several cameramen placed in the pit, seemed miles away. The whole set up left a bit of a disconnect between the crowd and the band in my humble opinion.

Last Day Under the Sun followed and was definite set highlight moment. Awesome song.

A couple of songs later and an acoustic guitar was strategically positioned behind the mic at the centre point of the runway. The bulk of the crowd however was behind it…  Pausing to chat to the fans briefly about his young daughter’s taste in music, Michael treated us to a snatch of I Only Wanna Be With You before launching into the fan-favourite, Johnny Cash-esque Sad Man’s Tongue.

With his voice coming and going, the Scottish fans did their best for the rest of the night to help him out.

Volbeat closed off the main body of their set with Seal the Deal and The Devil Rages On.

Seal The Deal – Volbeat @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 15/12/22 – YouTube

As the confetti settled, Volbeat came back out for their encore. Much to my surprise, they delivered a four song encore (why not add a couple of those on the main set, guys?) opening it with Let It Burn and finally rounding the night off with Still Counting.

The cannons fired streamers out over the fans and I’m pretty sure Michael Poulsen was celebrating that he’d made it through their shortened set.

I may have come across as quite critical of this show but it was still a great night with Volbeat. I hope it was a combination of bad weather and the rail strike that led to the lowish numbers… Volbeat also came across as just a little road weary. It’s been a long run for them but the usual Volbeat energy was missing. I can’t help  but feel if the show had been in Barrowlands with no runway it would have been a better night with a better atmosphere…just  my humble opinion.

Covered in streamers and confetti we headed off back out into Narnia.

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Alter Bridge @ Resorts World Arena Birmingham 11th December 2022

Posted on December 15, 2022 by coralmccallum

Having flown to Birmingham the day before on a beautiful crisp sunny December day, gig day dawned misty and icy cold….

I was staying out near the airport so my journey to the Resorts World Arena involved a trip through the airport, a ride on the monorail shuttle link to Birmingham International then what felt like a 10 mile hike through the NEC complex- all in search of Alter Bridge!

Again I was doing the VIP Soundcheck Experience (well, you only live once and its Christmas and I’ve been a good girl…) Around 70 Alter Bridge fans were gathered at the designated entrance by the pre-arranged time. It was great to see more “AB Family” friends, some of whom I haven’t see for several years and also great to connect with several that until then I’d only see on FB.

There was a few minutes delay once we were inside the building before we were allowed to enter the arena bowl for our soundcheck experience but we could still hear Alter Bridge working through their pre-show checks. As soon as we were advised that we could enter the bowl, the majority of folk rushed straight to the rail. Personally, I enjoy the soundcheck view from slightly further back, drinking in the whole stage lighting effects. I also love watching the guys at work like this and enjoy hearing the three or four songs or parts of songs that they checked.

Once the “class” photos had been taken, we were ushered back outside into the freezing temperatures to wait for doors opening. If only we’d been allowed to wait in the foyer area inside…

When we were finally allowed back in at 5:45pm, we lined up for a few minutes before being granted entry to the arena bowl. One brisk power walk across the vast floorspace and my rail spot for the night was secured. Happy days!

At 6:55 pm the lights dinned and opening act Mammoth WVH took to the stage. I was standing further to the left than I had been in Glasgow earlier in the week so had a great view of guitarist Frank Sidoris and bassist Ronnie Ficaro and of course the super talented Wolf Van Halen. Half an hour just isn’t enough, although these guys crammed seven songs into it. Wolf’s dad is never far from his thoughts. Introducing Think It Over, Wolf commented that it had been his dad’s favourite. Loved it.

Think It Over – MammothWVH @ Resorts World Arena Birmingham 11/12/22 – YouTube

Highlight song again for me was Distance, closely followed by Don’t Back Down.

Distance – Mammoth WVH @ Resorts World Arena Birmingham 11/12/22 – YouTube

Wolf, when’s that headline UK tour happening?  HINT!

I need to explain something briefly here. To my left on the rail was a huge Arejay Hale fan and she’d arrived for the show armed with various homemade signs to hold up during the show. She’d begged a few of us to help her to hold up letters during Arejay’s drum solo. So armed with a letter U, I waited patiently for Halestorm to take to the stage.

Around 7:50 pm the lights went out and Lzzy’s dulcet tones screamed out “You are my kingdom! This is my cathedral!”

As she stood centre stage in a single white spotlight, Halestorm stormed into The Steeple. Such a powerful set opener!

It was closely followed by Wicked Ways and one of the set highlights for me Love Bites (So Do I)

Love Bites (So Do I) – Halestorm @ Resorts World Birmingham 11/12/22 – YouTube

I’ve seen Halestorm live many times over the past ten years or so but they have been awesome as the main support for this Alter Bridge tour.

My highlight song was Familiar Taste of Poison. Love love love this one!

Next was Arejay’s drum solo. Time for those signs! I’ll be honest, I had my doubts about whether he would notice them, but he did! Part way through his solo, they caught his eye and his wee face lit up like a kid’s on Christmas morning. He looked SO pleased! And what’s not to love about an Arejay Hale solo?…. and those “big sticks”. So glad he never tosses them into the crowd!

The remaining members of Halestorm returned to the stage to deliver a blistering Back From the Dead, title track from their current record.

The ever popular I Get Off and I Miss the Misery rounded off their awesome ten-song set.

I Get Off – Halestorm @ Resorts World Arena Birmingham 11/12/22 – YouTube

As the band waved their farewells, Arejay jumped down into the pit to thank “Little Miss Halestorm Fanatic” and to collect another sign asking for a Kemikalfire show. Taking the sign with him, he returned to the stage. Lovely to see a super-fan’s night being made.

Incredible set and despite the chilly temperatures in the arena, the crowd was now on fire, ready and waiting for Alter Bridge.

Shortly before 9:00pm the lights went out once more, the intro tape played, the lights pulsed around the stage…. Alter Bridge were in the room and they opened their almost two-hour set with an explosive Silver Tongue from their current album Pawns & Kings.

Everything about this tour has been on point. Sound. Lighting …and the set itself. Tonight’s sixteen-song setlist was packed with fan favourites, although I’ll confess, I would have liked to have seen one or two more from Pawns & Kings added into the mix. With a back catalogue spanning seven albums Alter Bridge would have to play for three hours plus to pull out everyone’s first choice of song.

Addicted to Pain from the Fortress era followed Silver Tongue and then one of my personal favourites from AB III, Ghost of Days Gone By. Love that one.

Ghost of Days Gone By – Alter Bridge @ Resorts World Arena Birmingham 11/12/22 – YouTube

A couple of songs later, another one of my favourites from those AB III days made a return to the set- the spellbinding Slip To the Void, the first Alter Bridge song I ever heard (truth).

Slip To The Void – Alter Bridge @ Resorts World Birmingham 11/12/22 – YouTube

Then it was another step right back to the One Day Remains era as Alter Bridge played the emotional Shed My Skin. Goosebumps moment.

Up next was Mark Tremonti’s turn to take over the vocal chores. The soundcheck experience had delivered a big hint as to what song he would opt to go for…Burn It Down. Such a powerful song live and great to hear it mid-set.

Burn It Down – Alter Bridge @ Resorts World Arena Birmingham 11/12/22 – YouTube

There was only one acoustic song on the setlist- the emotional In Loving Memory. Not a dry eye on the rail. Such a heartfelt ballad. Wonderful song.

And just to keep the emotions flowing freely down the cheeks, it was followed by Blackbird. No Alter Bridge set would be complete without it. It’s a song that the band admitted during the Q&A was the most challenging to write but also a favourite to play.

Oh, how to follow that?

Pawns & Kings, title track from the current album followed. First time hearing this one and I hope it finds its niche in the set for tours to come. (I’ll admit to having a smile playing on my lips during this one. It was listed on a recent setlist as Prawns & Wings…. I’ll leave that image there.)

Pawns & Kings – Alter Bridge @ Resorts World Arena Birmingham 11/12/22 – YouTube

After a mighty version of Isolation, Metalingus was the anthem of choice to close out the main body of the set. Since the introduction  of the Metalingus bounce/mosh, this song has been rejuvenated and is a fun highlight of the night with Myles coaxing the fans down into a crouched position….then holds them down there for what feels like forever! Great fun but not so much fun on the knees!

There was time for two songs in the encore – Rise Today and then standard set closer Open Your Eyes.

Two hours had gone by in the blink of an eye.

I could wax lyrical and totally fangirl over the musical talents of all four members of this band. There is so much talent on display out on stage every night but most of you know I adore these guys so instead all I’ll say is thank you to Myles, to Mark, to Brian, to Flip and to everyone who made these shows happen.

Counting the days to the next tour already.

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Alter Bridge @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 6th December 2022

Posted on December 9, 2022 by coralmccallum

On a rather chilly Tuesday, I set off alone up the M8 heading towards Glasgow’s OVO Hydro arena (again!)

This day had been a long time coming!

Anyone who follows this blog knows only too well what a huge Alter Bridge fan I am so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that I was heading to the arena early for the VIP Meet & Greet Experience. (This should perhaps be re-badged as VIP Soundcheck Experience as its still being conducted on a socially distanced basis for this tour sadly.)

Shortly before 2pm some forty-five fans were gathered at the designated door to start the VIP experience. Having been issued with our laminates, we were ushered inside out of the cold then once everyone had been security checked, we were taken into the arena bowl. When there are so few of you, the space feels vast!

On stage, Alter Bridge were hard at work running through their pre-show checks. I love watching this behind-the-scenes part of the show. We were lucky enough to hear segments of several songs along with the banter and debate that surrounds the preparations before it was time for the Q&A with the band. While Myles opted to complete a couple of additional guitar checks, Brian even treated us to a joke, worthy of being found in any cheap Christmas cracker (groan…)

With our group photos taken and signed posters distributed, we returned outside to wait on the doors opening.

It was a chilly three-hour wait but also a chance to catch up with “AB family” friends so the time passed remarkably quickly.

At 6.15 we were granted our early entry to the show. There was time to visit the merch stall (yes, I spent a small fortune) before we were allowed to enter the arena bowl to take up our rail positions for the show itself. A rarity but I opted to head for centre front. Happy days!

At 6.55 the first band for the evening took to the stage. The honour of opening the show fell to MammothWVH. Half an hour was way too short! Wolfgang Van Halen absolutely oozes talent (well he is Eddie Van Halen’s son) but he also oozes a warm friendly humble charm. It was great to see Garrett Whitlock (formerly of Tremonti) on drums and Frank Sidoris (from SMKC) on guitar.

Mammoth opened their set with the song Mammoth.

Mammoth – MammothWVH @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 06/12/22 – set opener – YouTube

Highlight songs out of the seven on the setlist were Distance and set closer Don’t Back Down.

Wolfie, we need a headline show! (HINT)

The main support act for the evening were the mighty Halestorm I love these guys!

With the stage plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the Halestorm logo, Lzzy’s distinctive vocals soared out over the crowd as the band opened a powerful set with The Steeple from their current album Back From The Dead.

The Steeple – Halestorm set opener @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 06/12/22 – YouTube

Halestorm were on fire!

Lzzy commanded the stage as if they were the headliners and swiftly had the huge Scottish crowd in the palm of her hand.

The band’s ten song set was all too short. Highlight song for me was A Familiar Taste of Poison. Love that song.

A Familiar Taste of Poison – Halestorm @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 06/12/22 – YouTube

No Halestorm show would be complete without Arejay’s drum solo and those “big sticks”!

Halestorm rounded out their set with I Get Off and the ever popular I Miss The Misery.

Awesome!

Have I mentioned that I love these guys?

After a slick turn around, Alter Bridge took to the stage around 9:10, slightly later than billed I believe. With the stage plunged into darkness, initially the lights pulsed, darkness descended once more as the intro began. Gradually the lights came on around the stage and the cheers erupted as Alter Bridge stepped out to open their set with Silver Tongue from their current record Pawns & Kings.

Silver Tongue – Alter Bridge set opener @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 06/12/22 – YouTube

Huge video screens dominated the stage backdrop, playing various animation scenes. I’ve said it before, I’m not generally a fan of video screens and these did miss the mark a little for me. I find them too distracting.

The production on this show is however the band’s most spectacular to date. The lighting throughout was fantastic (unless you were a photographer trying to get that perfect shot) as was the sound quality.

Ok I’ll admit I am more than a little bit biased here. I love this band, especially Myles Kennedy. He could be up there singing nursery rhymes and I’d be happy.

Their fifteen-song set was a delicately balanced mix from their back catalogue but surprisingly only two songs from the new record made the cut. However, that said, it was awesome to hear so many old favourites.

After almost nineteen years together, the Alter Bridge machine is a precision beast. From the engine room, the power house, of Brian Marshall and Flip Phillips, to the riffs and solos from Mark Tremonti to the spellbinding vocals and guitar by Myles Kennedy, no one puts a foot wrong. Everything just works.

The first stand out song for me was Ghost of Days Gone By – a personal favourite. This was followed a couple of songs later by Shed My Skin. Great to see this back in the mix.

Cry of Achilles from the Fortress era has found its niche in there too.

Waters Rising (H2O Rising as it was referred to at soundcheck) saw Mark Tremonti take over on the vocal chores for a few minutes, ably demonstrating how comfortable he’s become as a vocalist over recent years.

Waters Rising – Alter Bridge @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 06/12/22 – YouTube

This was followed by Sin After Sin, the only other song from Pawns & Kings to get an outing.

It would have been great if timings has been kinder to them and they could have added in a couple more from the current record but c’est la vie…

Alter Bridge calmed things down for a few moments after Sin After Sin as Myles and Mark performed a beautiful acoustic version of In Loving Memory. Such a poignant heartfelt song. A truly special moment.

Only one song could possibly follow that….Blackbird. Breathtaking vocals. Stunningly beautiful song and highlight of every Alter Bridge show.

Blackbird – Alter Bridge @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 06/12/22 – YouTube

Playtime came with Metalingus a couple of songs from the end of the main set. The die hard fans knew the drill, understanding and immediately obeying Myles’ hand signal to crouch down.  Held down there for so long I’m pretty sure there were many prayers offered up for knees and hips to hold out! The Metalingus “bounce” is fun and its clear from the smiles on the band’s faces that they get a kick out of it too.

Open Your Eyes rounded out the main body of the set.

Sadly the sands of time were running away from us all too quickly so there was only time for one quick encore song. It had to be…the familiar strains of Rise Today rang out over the arena. The Scottish fans sang their hearts out as they had done all night.

Picks were thrown (missed out on any of those), drumsticks were tossed then the coveted set lists were peeled from the stage to be passed to the fans.

I was delighted to be given Myles’ setlist. New prized possession. Thank you, sir.

The perfect ending to a perfect show.

Till next time, guys.

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Shinedown at O2 Academy, Glasgow 30th November 2022

Posted on December 3, 2022 by coralmccallum

For the final time for 2022, accompanied by Mr A, I boarded the 525 to Glasgow on Wednesday evening. No – it’s not my last gig of the year yet. Still got 3 to go, all things going to plan but this is just the last one that’s city centre.

So where were we off to?


We were heading to the O2 Academy to see Shinedown.

This would be Mr A’s first Shinedown show. Having counted back, I think it was my ninth (there have been a few) but it would only be my second Shinedown headline show. The first was way back in Feb 2012 in the same venue.

This evening’s show was sold out. (If Brent Smith’s to be believed, he commented later in the evening that it sold out in 14 seconds……hmmm….)

The venue itself seemed crazy busy compared to normal but we found a suitable spot for the evening just about 3 rows off the rail.

First out on stage, a few minutes before 7pm, were Zero 9:36. These guys were a new name to me, and a bit of research has revealed very little about the members other than they are fronted by Zero aka Matthew Cullen who hails out of Philadelphia. Their set echoed with influences of Eminem and Linkin Park, and they crammed 9 songs into just over 30 minutes. The growing crowd seemed a little divided in their support for Zero 9:36 but I really enjoyed their set. Pleas from Zero to open a pit fell on deaf ears but to be fair, very few opening acts manage to achieve that in Glasgow.

Zero 9:36 delivered a good solid set and I’d happily give these guys a second chance. Check them out online and judge for yourself.

The main support act for the evening were Asking Alexandria. The still growing crowd appeared to appreciate their 10-song set but these guys are not for me. Thumper Principle duly applied….

At 9pm, the lights went out and the room was filled with Shinedown’s intro music Welcome and 2184 before they opened their 19-song set with The Saints of Violence and Innuendo from current album Planet Zero. Instantly the packed room came alive. The set opener was followed by Devil from Attention Attention then the current album’s title track, Planet Zero. What a start!

There was a certain energy to this show. Brent Smith’s a charismatic front man and make no mistake, this set is scripted and choreographed to within an inch of its life but the secret to Brent’s charm is that he makes it sound fresh and new every single night. He had that capacity crowd in the palm of his hands from the moment he stepped out on stage.

The entire set was a well-balanced mix from their current album and their back catalogue. They quickly took it right back to the very start early in the set and  played a stunning rendition of 45. That one is one of my all-time favourite Shinedown songs. Glasgow were asked if they’d brought their singing voices with them…daft question, Brent! …of course, they had!

Current single Dysfunctional You followed and went down well with the Scottish fans.

Mid-set Bully was another stand out song and a pivotal moment that just upped the energy levels a few notches.

One of my key highlight songs was Second Chance, from their magnum opus The Sound of Madness. Love this one. And yes, the fans still had those singing voices with them.

Diamond Eyes (Boom-lay Boom-lay Boom) almost raised the roof off the O2 Academy. The Scottish fans were loving it!

Next it was the turn of guitarist Zach Myers to take over the vocal chores for one number, ably accompanied by Eric Bass on acoustic guitar and vocals plus Barry Kerch on tambourine and drums. Zach said he’d been asked via Instagram not to play that particular song but that he was going to do it anyway. Of course, he was! And yes, it was a cover of Oasis’ Don’t Look Back in Anger. Well, he likes it, and the crowd humoured him. It’s a song that definitely goes down well but it goes down much better in Manchester than in Glasgow, Zach. (hint)

There were only 3 songs left on the set but before I get to them….

Much as I love Shinedown, Brent Smith frustrates the life out of me at times…well, about 40-50% of the time. Stop hiding at the back of the stage to sing, sir!  Stop turning your back on the crowd to sing! It does nothing to “enhance” the performance. (read into that what you will.)

Both Barry Kerch and Zach Myers are two of my favourite musicians to watch but by far the hardest working and most talented guy on stage is bassist, guitarist, backing vocalist and pianist, Eric Bass. He’s also the most energetic. An incredible unsung talent.

So, we had 3 songs left… three more opportunities for Glasgow to test those singing voices. First there was the brilliant Call Me and then this was followed by my absolute favourite Simple Man. Love that song SO much!

The Sound of Madness brought things to a close. Another awesome song and a clear fan favourite.

Proceedings were momentarily paused for a medical emergency in the crowd. Shinedown swiftly pulled the plug while security and first aid staff expertly handled the situation. Great job by the O2 Academy staff.

At the second time of asking The Sound of Madness sounded just as sweet.

There is no denying it – Shinedown put on a great show.

It’s never goodbye, it’s just til next time….

Oh, and those Michael Myers heads are creepy as f**k, Zach!

Want to experience it all for yourself – here you go (by sheer coincidence this was filmed from directly behind me)

Shinedown – O2 Academy, Glasgow 2022 (Full Show) HD – YouTube

Credits to the owner Chris Hunter – via You Tube

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Within Temptation & Evanescence at the OVO Hydro, Glasgow 17th November 2022

Posted on November 19, 2022 by coralmccallum

Even earlier than usual (4.30pm) Mr A and I set off for Glasgow on Thursday. This time I was accompanying Mr A rather than it being the other way round. This outing was his suggestion. Fighting his way through the delightful rush hour traffic on the M8, we headed towards Glasgow Science Centre before walking the rest of the way to the OVO Hydro for the doors opening at 6pm.

So, who were we braving mile after mile of nose to tail traffic to see?

A co-headliner show with Within Temptation and Evanescence.

Ok…here come the confession… I don’t really go for symphonic metal and don’t listen much to either of them. However, with an open mind, I took up my position for the evening beside Mr A just one row off the rail and off to the side (explains the more panoramic photos that go with this blog)

First out on stage at 7pm were Veridia who hail from Nashville TN. Fronted by Deena Jakoub, these guys played a solid seven-song set. One of the highlights of their half-hour set was Poppies. Loved the eye-ball poppies on their backdrop too. The other highlight moment came a couple of songs later when Amy Lee from Evanescence came out to play piano and to accompany Deena on the emotional I’ll Never Be Ready. Fabulous song. It was also awesome to see the headliner happily playing with the opening act of the night. Well played, Amy Lee.

Check Veridia out. I think you’ll be surprised.

Co-headline shows are always a bit of a lottery for me, especially if you prefer one band over the other. As I mentioned, I wasn’t overly familiar with either headliners, but I had secretly hoped Within Temptation would be last out. It wasn’t to be.

At 7:50 the lights went out, celestial vocals soared out over the crowd as the huge video screen lit up and the lights exploded, Within Temptation took to the stage to open their ninety-minute set with See Who I Am. The clarity of Sharon den Adel’s vocals was spinetingling. I did start to wonder if I was at a rock show or had I strayed into a middle-earth version of Phantom of the Opera. Either way, I was hooked!

See Who I Am (set opener)- Within Temptation @OVO Hydro Glasgow 17/11/22 – YouTube

I’m not usually a fan of video screens but the production on this set was out of this world. From the huge mask/head at the back of the stage, to the dazzling lighting, smaller circular mobile screen/spotlights, to the dazzling lighting effects and the pyro, this all worked to perfection. Very very slick.

It’s nigh on impossible to single out highlight moments from this fourteen-song set. Stand outs, if I have to call out a few, were Angels, Supernova and the dramatic All I Need that saw Sharon soar on a swing high above the stage.

All I Need – Within Temptation @OVO Hydro Glasgow 17/11/22 – YouTube

Mother Earth brought things to a close with a definite Tolkien vibe to the visuals.  Fantastic set.

Now, how to top that?

Turning the stage around took time… well, there was a hell of a lot to do in not a lot of time and the road crew did a stellar job. It’s all too easy to overlook the efforts the crew go to each night to help create the magic. They are a well-orchestrated machine in their own right.

It was 9:45 before the lights went out. Lights pulsed at the back of the stage. A triangle of light pulsed then the soaring vocals of Amy Lee filled the arena as Evanescence took to the stage with a 3,2,1 countdown before opening their ninety-minute set with Broken Pieces Shine. (Yes, I know curfew is meant to be 11pm in the arena -oops)

Broken Pieces Shine (set opener) – Evanescence @OVO Hydro Glasgow 17/11/22 – YouTube

Less symphonic than Within Temptation, Evanescence still fall into this genre but there was something of the spark  missing for me here. Amy Lee has a fantastic voice and is an accomplished pianist but (Evanescence fans, please don’t hate me) everything began to sound very similar. Great similar… but similar all the same.

One key highlight song for me mid-set was the stunning Far From Heaven.

Another highlight moment saw all three vocalists from the show come together to sing Use My Voice. So much talent all in one spot. Brilliant!

Bring Me To Life brought the sixteen-song set to a close a good few minutes after curfew.

(Amy Lee had stopped the show for a few minutes until security reached someone in need of assistance in the heart of the crowd. Fair play to her for making sure her fans were ok rather than pressing on with the set.)

It had been a spectacular evening of incredible vocals but, if I’m being totally honest here, I wish Within Temptation had been last on. Their set and slick production far out-shone Evanescence’s and stole the show for me.

I’d also like to sing the praises of the security staff from the OVO Hydro. Never in all my years of attending gigs have I seen so many folk keel over! (I really hope the young girl who was beside us was ok. She went down very suddenly and was out cold.) There had to be half a dozen people pass out or take ill in our area of the arena. The security guys did an awesome job ensuring everyone got out of the crowd safely and received prompt attention. Great job, folks!

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