BEST OF 2012: PART 3 - THE GIGS

WE LOVE A GIG AROUND HERE,
WE SAW 98 THIS YEAR....HERE ARE THE BEST 20. BEST AT TOP, 20TH AT BOTTOM

Band	Venue	Date
Down	Institute	20th October
Anthrax	Oxford Academy	14th March
Orange Goblin	Institute	20th October
Paradise Lost	Slade Rooms	25th April
Testament	Bloodstock	11th August
Mastodon	Brixton	11th Feb
Little Angels	Wulfrun	7th December
Dream Theater	Wembley	10th Feb
Pearl Jam	MCR Arena	20th June
Thin Lizzy	Wolves Civic	27th Jan
Evile	Bloodstock	12th August
Stone Axe	Scruffy Mrphys	6th April
Baroness	Academy 3	9th July
Gojira	Academy 2	26th June
Marillion	Wolves Civic	15th September
Corrosion of Conformity	Bloodstock	12th August
Band Of Friends	Robin 2	16th November
Europe	Academy	21st November
Stone Sour	Civic Hall	14th December
Status Quo	LG Arena	17th December

BEST OF 2012: PART 2 - THE ALBUMS

THE BEST 20 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR,

BEST IS AT THE TOP AND 20TH AT BOTTOM

Album	Band
Orange Goblin	Eulogy For The Damned
Baroness	Yellow And Green
Down	The Purple EP
Paradise Lost	Tragic Idol
Prong	Carved In Stone
Testament	Dark Roots Of The Earth
Europe	Bag Of Bones
Rush	Clockwork Angels
Dragonforce	The Power Within
Gojira	L'Enfant Savauge
Adrenaline Mob	Omerta
Corrosion of Conformity	Corrosion of Conformity
Zico Chain	Devil In Your Heart
Marillion	Sounds That Cant Be Made
UFO	Seven Deadly
Stone Sour	House Of Gold and Bones Part 1
Magnum	On the 13th Day
Sylosis	Monolith
Absolva	Flames Of Justice
Lamb of God	Resolution

BEST OF 2012: part 1. The Songs

THE CHALLENGE: ONE, TWO HOUR PLAYLIST OF THE BEST SONGS OF 2012

Song

Band

Mainline	Hot Water Music
Absolute Zero	Stone Sour
Flames Of Justice	Absolva
Only Foolin	FM
Psychosane	Adrenaline Mob
Die By The Sword	Dragonforce
Learning How To Fly With A Broken Wing	Richie Sambora
Rise Up	Testament
Clockwork Angels	Rush
Ghost Walking	Lamb of God
New Romantic	Zico Chain
The Power Of Positive Drinking	The Trews
The Axe	GOJIRA
Evolve/Become	Sacred Mother Tongue
Gaza	Marillion
On The 13th Day	Magnum
The Moneychangers	Corrosion Of Conformity
Bag Of Bones	Europe
No Place Like Home	Primal Rock Rebellion
Cloak of Feathers	The Sword
The River	Sylosis
Fight Night	UFO
Revenge …Best Served Cold	Prong
Honesty In Death	Paradise Lost
Levitation	Down
Take My Bones Away	Baroness
The Filthy And The Few	Orange Goblin

STEREOPHONICS @Birmingham Academy 19/12/12

It was just before the turn of the millennium. Stereophonics were cover stars – having just crossed over to the mainstream with “Performance and Cocktails”. And RTM was with a couple of mates watching a band called The Crocketts play The Flapper in Birmingham.

We had first seen the Crocketts about eight months before when they opened for Stereophonics at the Wolves Civic Hall, and had become firm fans. It was a Christmas show and there – at the bar – was Kelly Jones. The Stereophonics frontman had just finished a UK tour, in arenas. I had seen the NEC show and it lacked the brilliance of the of the Wolverhampton spring affair. Jones spent the evening, chatting, he was friendly and happy, it seemed, to be at a gig. He later got up on stage to perform with his friends (from memory a cover of “My Girl” but let me off it was nearly 13 years ago) and it was a great night.

I tell this story for two reasons. First, because that was the last time we saw the Stereophonics in any guise. Them having drifted off into ever more bland and indie areas and me staying with rock and metal, and second because it proves that Jones had absolutely none of the “rock star” about him. It is this attitude, you suspect, that means that, for this tour they choose to do much smaller venues. Lets be honest, if they wanted to they could be at the NIA up the road if they wanted. The fact that they are in a 1400 capacity place like the Academy speaks volumes for their ethos.

It was this that led me to buy a ticket. Here was a chance to watch a band we used to like in the habitat we used to watch them in. And given that they start with “Bartender And The Thief “ the lead single from “…Cocktails” it truly is like being transported back to my mid-twenties. This is followed by “A Thousand Trees” from their quite marvelous debut record and it is remarkable how quickly I am remembering these songs.

This is not a greatest hits set though.  This pre Christmas jaunt is to try out tracks from a forthcoming record and also to break in new drummer Jamie Morrison. The latter is, in our opinion much more successful than the former. Morrison is good. Two of the new tunes not so, given that they are occupying the same middle of the road territory that much of their later output has. In fact, the inclusion of “Mr Writer” halfway through the set is rather apt, given that song is the exact moment when I stopped loving the band. It remains to this day, dull and whiny.

What you can’t do is argue with trio of classics that the band end the main set with. “More Life In A Tramps Vest,” “Just Looking” and “Local Boy In The Photograph” are just fabulous. As, to be fair, is the encore. The third new track “Violins and Tambourines” is a slow-burning epic that echoes Marillion and “Traffic” is a piece of quirky brilliance.”

It is last song, “Dakota” though, that really sums up the night neatly. It is a decent song, yes. But not to these ears anywhere near what was on the first couple of records. The crowd, however, goes ballistic. And good luck to them. All this shows to RTM though, is that The ‘Phonics aren’t our band anymore. They became global when we weren’t looking, while we were still at The Flapper looking for excitement.

A good gig, but one which will be gig of the year to most the audience, even if not to me.

STATUS QUO @LG ARENA, Birmingham 17/12/12

Whilst we know that Status Quo are one of the great institutions of UK music. Every Christmas they embark on this trek around the country and everyone who has seen it says how excellent it is.  RTM has previously been skeptical and has avoided such things. However, this year we caved in and decided to go and see what the fuss was about.

Where we do draw the line, though, is in watching Bonnie Tyler, who is the chief support for this evening. Frustratingly this means we miss Eddie And The Hot Rods too, but some things are a price worth paying.

When we do enter the arena, we find the dynamics of the crowd quite interesting. And happily we are far from out of place clad in a Thin Lizzy t-shirt. There are some people who seem to be waiting for the local Am Dram Society to murder some pantomime, but mostly it is music fans that know their way around a Marshall stack that greet us.

If that means portents are good, any lingering doubts are swept away just about the second that the opening riff to “Caroline” starts up. Immediately it becomes clear that what Quo are providing is a boogie rock masterclass, that is part Chas and Dave and part Thunder. Francis Rossi exudes cheeky chappy charm, Rick Parfitt shooting the crowd with his guitar a la Steve Harris, while both are backed superbly by bass man John Edwards, keyboard player Andy Brown – who also appears on guitar – and drummer Matt Letley, on his last tour with the group.

As you would expect the hits are here and all present and correct, but there is more than a smattering of tunes to keep the people who don’t think a gig is just a jukebox happy. There is a medley with a different take on some of their songs and an outing for “Rock N Roll And You” from last years “Quid Pro Quo” album – which largely convinced us to check the band out in the first place – which proves that they have much to offer still.

Indeed, the real massive hits are saved for the end of a captivating hour and three quarters. There can be no one who has ever heard music who doesn’t know “Down Down,” “Whatever You Want” and “Rockin’ All Over The World.” This triumvirate would have been a suitable – and stunning – way to finish this off. As it is we get a Christmas medley and “Burning Bridges” by way of closure. And yes, I know its festive but that doesn’t make a Christmas medley any better.

There is one other quibble. “Margarita Time” is just awful. It is as awful now as when we first heard it all those years ago, but that doesn’t detract from the inescapable fact that this was just about the most fun you could have possibly had and will appear in the best gigs of the year list.

Tonight was the night we finally got the appeal of the Quo.

STONE SOUR @Wolverhampton Civic Hall 14/12/12

It scarcely seemed possible that when Corey Taylor got together with some old bandmates and reformed his first band Stone Sour in some Slipknot downtime, they would still be here 10 years and four albums later and selling out venues like the Wolves Civic to boot.

However, that is the situation they find themselves in. And when the houselights go down to herald “Gone Sovereign” and the beginning of the show there is near delirium amongst the gathered throng.

That track – and indeed five more that are played tonight – are from the new “House of Gold and Bones PT1” record. The second part is due next year. Part one is a stellar affair, and if it doesn’t quite hit the heights of album number two “Come What Ever May” it is a massive improvement on 2010’s patchy “Audio Secrecy.”

Sour enter the stage with the band dressed in black, and the other members (still including Slipknot’s James Root amongst their ranks) are content to let Taylor hog the limelight. It is a role he accomplishes with aplomb. Although, new bass man Johnny Chow has a beard that might just eclipse the vocalist on its own.

The setlist is a 90 minute long storm through their best moments. “Hell And Consequences”  from “……May” is a showstopper, while the delve back to the debut album for “Blotter” is rapturously received. It is “Absolute Zero” that perhaps showcases their talents best. Sitting on the new album, it is a stone (sour) cold classic of a track. An effortless riff and chorus is driven on the back of Josh Rand’s guitar crunch and is casually tossed out early on.

A four song encore (also including a snippet of Alice In Chains “Nutshell”) sees Taylor play a solo “Bother”, which the crowd sings for him, before he is joined by the others for “Through Glass” and “Digital (Did You Tell)” which he dedicates to a generation that “needs to unplug and live their lives” before “3030150” draws us to a superb close.

When they toured with Avenged Sevenfold a couple of years ago in arenas, Stone Sour were largely upstaged by a band who had an arena show. Sour don’t and looked a little forlorn having to follow AX7s histrionics. Not here. They are the perfect band for these shows.

They have done this on the back of the quality of the songs they have. Taylor’s mega status as the singer in one of metal’s biggest bands might have got Stone Sour noticed in the first place, but it is the fact they are damn good that keeps the public coming back.

Stone Sour were quite brilliant tonight

THIN LIZZY, Fm, The Treatment @Rock City 9/12/12

We had The Treatment marked down for big things when we first saw them nearly two years ago, stick as they were at the bottom of a free gig in Nuneaton. Happily – and unusually given our past tipping record includes seeing a then unknown band called Muse open for Feeder and not only saying “no one will ever like these” but also tipping the other support band Straw as ones to watch – we seem to have been right.

A summer of touring with Kiss and Motley Crue has done them no harm at all, and given them a profile stateside, but moreover it has given them quite a confidence. They are making headway in this country too, and Rock City is packed for a performance that not even the loss of bass halfway through can spoil. The Treatment have good songs “The Doctor” chief amongst them, which they combine with a willingness to meet the public (they are stood by the exit shaking hands with nearly everyone at the end) and what they lack in originality they make up for in effort. They might just break through in 2013.

If they are looking for role models they could do a lot worse than look at FM. The kings of 80s AOR have been riding the crest of a wave since their return a few years ago. Full length reformation album “Metropolis” was a fine affair, while this years “Only Foolin’” EP contains a title track so good it would make even Thunder weep.

That they also back it up with “Don’t Stop” and “Over You” with its Bon Jovi-esque hook, before rounding the whole thing off with a version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” that sounds like they wrote it, only re-enforces the thought that FM are very, very good indeed.

As, of course, are Thin Lizzy. The band have been one of our favorites since we were in short trousers and scored third place in the gigs of 2011 for a quite stunning affair. They did it all again this January too, so much so we came back for a third go.  This apparently is the final time on stage for this incarnation. A brand new album is to come out under a different name next year.

For now though, we must just enjoy them while we can. The secret to what makes Lizzy so good, is that there is no secret at all. Just a collection of some of the finest songs ever written. The setlist, broadly speaking, is the same as they have trawled around with for a couple of years. But somehow, although you have seen it before, right from the time “Are You Ready” kicks things off to the time 90 minutes later when “Black Rose (Rosin Dubh)” ends it, it is quite simply the best hard rocking party you could wish to see.

Then there is Lizzy’s diversity. The metal of “Massacre” mixes so effortlessly with the rock n roll of “Dancing In The Moonlight” while “Killer On The Lose” is full of menace and swagger and “Jailbreak” is simply an anthem.

If anyone doubts the fact Lizzy are perhaps the finest band of their type in the world, any group that can better “Cowboy Song” and “The Boys Are Back In Town” and then follow that up with “Rosalie” and the aforementioned “….Rose” can send me their album.

As ever Scott Gorham takes a backseat and allows Ricky Warwick to give a phenomenal performance as frontman and if this is to be the last time that Lizzy perform these songs then, dammit, they went out on a high.

LITTLE ANGELS, Skin @Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 7/12/12

The late 1980s and early 1990s are an often neglected period in British music, which is tremendous shame as it was an era that really should be celebrated.

We had bands like The Quireboys, Terrorvision and three of RTM’s all-time favourite bands in The Almighty, The Wildhearts and Thunder making fantastic records.  Most of those bands are still going, even if past glories are some way behind them – indeed we have seen a couple recently.

To that list of active groups we can now add the Little Angels. Toby Jepson and the boys were an odd case. Over the course of three full-length albums (the last of which went to number one in the charts) they made a series of fantastic songs. And then they split. For 18 years they pretty much all went their separate ways – bass man Mark Plunkett managing Boyzone, guitarist Bruce Dickinson forming a music school and Jepson becoming a frontman and producer for hire – before the tragic death of former drummer Michael Lee drew them back together last year.

They played a couple of warm up shows in June before a return at Download, which has now become a proper tour. And moreover a sold-out one at that, as the Wulfrun is absolutely rammed.

Opening act for this here shindig are another band that reformed last year for some shows and are back for more. Skin’s debut album was, to RTM’s ears more a collection of decent singles and whilst we were never the biggest fans of the band, rather gratifyingly they sound just like they always used to.

In fact we do feel rather transported back to the early 1990s at the Irish Centre in Digbeth, which is where we last saw them. Frontman Neville McDonald is still all flowing locks and vocal power and songs like “Tower Of Strength” and “Take Me To The River” are premium quality nostalgia, in fact the only thing that has seemingly changed is the physique of guitarist Myke Gray. Now a top Personal Trainer, he is firmly in the wouldn’t-like-to-meet-down-a-dark-alley category. Perhaps, as their closing number – and still best song – says “Look But Don’t Touch” indeed.

So what so you do if you are trying to make a comeback after 18 years? There are ways to do it, of course, but reeling off your four best known songs one after other might be just about the best. That is exactly what Little Angels do here.

“She’s A Little Angel” kicks us off and is quickly followed by “Kicking Up Dust,” “Boneyard” and “Radical Your Lover” before we even have a chance to draw breath. Jepson – who keeps chatting to a minimum – says hello before “The Way That I Live” and “Back Door Man go past in a blur.

This really is a night that is as good as you might have dreamed it was, and seldom has a 90 minute set gone by so fast. A poignant “Don’t Prey For Me” – the song they played at Lee’s funeral – is given an airing, but this is not a night to feel anything other than a celebration. The band themselves are clearing enjoying themselves, with Jepson laughing with The Big Bad Horns during “I Was Not Wrong,” before “Young Gods” closes things off.

There is still time for a semi-acoustic sing-a-long of “I Aint Gonna Cry, which sees the frontman playing the first half before being joined by his bandmates and the cover of Bryan Adams’ “Kids Wanna Rock” that always used to finish Angels’ gigs off.

A definite contender for one of the top 10 gigs of the year, this was just great fun. It might have taken tragedy to bring them back together, but sometimes something truly wonderful comes out of despair. As long as they don’t leave it 18 years to do this again.

RED FANG, El Caco @Birmingham Institute Temple 6/12/12

The last time Red Fang were in these parts they were opening for Mastodon downstairs in the main institute. It seems that a spring spent touring with the Georgia legends has paid off as the venue is packed to the rafters despite the horrendous weather conditions outside.

The early beneficiaries of the heaving crowd are Norway’s El Caco. The band are a mixture of hard rock and stoner rock, although RTM detects more than a hint of Therapy? In their songs. Indeed they seem to be enjoying their first visit to Birmingham, as although relative unknowns over here they are on to their sixth album in their homeland. The three piece are led by bassist/vocalist Oyvind Osa, who combines nicely with guitarist Anders Gjesti, but as they don’t actually introduce any of their songs nothing quite sticks in the mind the way it might have done.

Sticking in the mind is exactly what Red Fang did back in the spring. RTM saw them perform opening duties for Mastodon at the Brixton Academy and couldn’t help but be impressed at what was essentially four beardy fellas plugging in and playing some great heavy, Black Sabbath-inspired songs. Good job, then, that pretty much the same thing occurs here.

Most of their songs are built on immense riffs, but occasionally they can get extremely catchy to go with it. Second song in “Throw Up” with its “say what you gotta say” refrain is everything that tonight’s opening act didn’t have. If most of their set came from 2011’s stellar outing “Move The Mountains, then the move back into their first album for “Bird on Fire” is a very successful foray indeed.  Elsewhere, “Human Remains” sounds epic in this setting, while “Number Thirteen” and “Malverde” most echo Mastodon.

Fang do share something else in common with their more illustrious touring partners too, a reluctance to communicate with the audience. Frontman Bryan Giles is not an especially charismatic man – even to the point where a new song is played but not introduced.

However, this is a minor quibble, because this type of music, perhaps more than any other, doesn't need to rely on charisma, more just great songs. And beards, obviously.

Luckily, as Red Fang have proved tonight, they have both those things in abundance. 

BEN FOLDS FIVE @Academy Birmingham 3/12/12

When we don’t even bother with the support band, when someone in the main group, about halfway through the set refers to the singer of Metallica as “James Hatfield” and makes the devil horns sign in an ironic way to general tittering from the crowd it is clear that RTM is not on safe ground.

This is one of the rare occasions that we come blinking into the light and into the mainstream. However, us being here isn’t quite as odd as it first appears. In the mid 90s a band emerged that was genuinely different from the grungey norm and played piano rock n roll with quirky lyrics. Their first two albums were actually very good indeed. Splitting up after album number three in 2000, they released a comeback album earlier in the year and guess what? That’s pretty good too.

That band is Ben Folds Five, the name seemingly a student-type joke as there are only three members of the band, led by the eponymous star banging away on his piano like a nerd version of Little Richard and they have a drawn a near sell-out crowd at the Academy.

Both crowd and band are soon reliving the past as “Jackson Cannery” kicks off with some fine vocal interplay between the band members, while “Erase Me” from the comeback album “The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind” features more harmony vocals than your average Queen song.

For a band that uses the piano as its driving force there is an amazing amount of difference in the songs – “Uncle Walter” evokes the spirit of 1950s rock n roll for example, while the seemingly spontaneous “Rock This Bitch” with its bluesy references to Birmingham comes from a different place all together.

The encores of the crowd pleasing “One Angry Dwarf And Two Hundred Solemn Faces” and “Song For The Dumped” take things up a notch and Folds’ geeky charm carries the whole thing along in a jaunty way.

There are a couple of problems with the gig, though. First it is very, very long – clocking in at two hours 15 minutes – and it just isn’t, well, for want of a better word, exciting. There is nothing visceral about what goes on here. In fact, for part of the evening it feels more like a recital than a gig and doesn’t quite hold the attention. It is, after all, essentially three fellas just standing there playing some piano based songs.

We will forgive them appalling lack of knowledge when it comes to Metallica and we will forgive the rather plodding nature of some of what happened. File under glad we’ve seen them but probably won’t bother again. 

DAN BAIRD AND HOMEMADE SIN @Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 1/12/12

At 9pm precisely, after having had no support (the covers band that were originally scheduled to open had cancelled – playing their “final ever” gig the week before) the band that is in RTM’s opinion the greatest rock n roll band in the world strides out on stage.

Ok so, it’s the Wolverhampton Slade Rooms in front of barely 100 people, and a world away from the overpriced and overhyped Rolling Stones gigs at the O2 Arena, but if anyone doubts the validity of our opinion then the second Dan Baird and Warner E Hodges begin the opening bars of “Younger Face” then it becomes clear that Mr Baird and Homemade Sin are pretty damn incredible.

The bluesy “Crooked Smile” follows, before the band plays a new song. The true skill of the band is shown here, as Baird totally forgets how it goes, playing the bridge in the wrong place, while the grinning members of Homemade Sin follow his lead, before laughing with each other – and the crowd.

There is a tremendous warmth in the room throughout, as band and audience – although small – really connect, although it is not hard to enjoy songs like “Julie and Lucky and “Ain’t A Damn Thing To Be Done”

Baird, as might be expected, dusts his old Georgia Satellites past off for a pair of 80s classics in “Keep Your Hands To Yourself and “Railroad Steel” which sound as fabulous today as they ever did. Actually, that does Homemade Sin a disservice, as so good are the aforementioned Hodges, bass man Keith Christopher and drummer Mauro Magellen, that they, In terms of musical ability perhaps eclipse anything Baird has done before.

However, their real strength is just how much fun they are – and how off the cuff everything feels. This is rock and roll the way it was meant to be. There is no setlist for example, and Baird is happily playing Elvis songs before Hodges – very much the Keith to Dan’s Jagger if you will – reminds the frontman there is a strict curfew. Baird is forced to apologise, but didn’t need to, as everyone was just swept along.

A singalong “Shelia” follows, before what would have been the encore of “Two For Tuesday” complete with a segue into Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Hey Tonight”, and a bar room boogie of “Hard Day’s Night” finishes things.

After two almost faultless hours Dan Baird and Homemade Sin prove that they are the kings of this type of music. None of it would have been possible without Creedence, of course, as Baird would himself acknowledge, but as rock and roll bands go, this is the best on planet. And they didn’t charge £400 for the privilege of seeing them.

Simply stunning.

The Twins Of Evil: Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson @NIA 29/11/12

Back in the day RTM quite liked Marilyn Manson. In fact, sometime around the turn of the century we saw him play the NEC Arena as it was then and he was thoroughly exciting.

This was at the height of his most dangerous phase, and moreover at the height of his creative peak. Say what you like about Manson, but for a spell back there he was very, very good. Albums like” Holly Weird” and “Mechanical Animals” stand up with anything that came out in that period, but let’s be honest, that was a long time ago.

Fast forward to 2012, and Manson is bloated, hasn’t released a decent album in a long time (this year’s” Born Villain” is a partial return to form, but won’t win album of the year any time soon) and worryingly, he appears to have totally lost both his voice and memory. RTM will give him his due, he remembered some of the words and sometimes in the right order, but it’s a fleeting moment where he gets it right.

Then there is the show itself. It’s all very dated. “The Dope Show” rocks along, but sounds as much of its time as, say, Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin’” would. It might just be us, but is it really shocking in 2012 to have a LED video screen flashing up the word AIDS behind the band? Or is it just a bit silly?

After his hour – which includes a truly execrable version of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These) by the Eurythmics, which sounds even worse than it did on the record years ago – you are left to conclude that, rather like all those bands that made the horrible Cool Britannia movement in the late 90s, Marilyn Manson has very little to offer anymore.

Still, surely Rob Zombie will be better, though?

Well, the answer is yes, but it is a yes with a but. First of all opening song “Jesus Frankenstein is lost in a terrible sound, and when you can actually hear what is being sung Zombie’s voice sounds terrible. To be fair, he explains this himself, saying he ruined his vocal chords the night before in Glasgow, but this merely tells half the story.

"More Human Than Human” you see, still sounds fabulous. At this point you are left to reflect that while White Zombie might have released a couple of good albums in the mid-90s the rest of Mr.Zombie’s career hasn’t quite lived up to that. “Sick Bubblegum” and “Never Gonna Stop (The Red Red Kroovy) are good enough songs, but they pale into insignificance compared to band material like “Thunder Kiss 65.”

Also, having heard a lot about how good Zombie’s show was – and indeed having seen his previous band years back –RTM was disappointed in it. Yes there were lights and screens, but precious little else. Indeed there is nothing here that any arena band worth their salt doesn’t do.

There is a cover of “Schools Out” that makes you long for Alice Cooper to do it properly, before a disappointing evening ends with Zombie’s best song in “Dragula”, but really, the only thing scary about this show, considering that it was billed as “The Twins Of Evil” is just how poor it was.

MAGNUM, Trillium @Leamington Assembly 27/11/12

Trillium might be from Lake Michigan, but their classical, symphonic style has much more in common with European symphonic metal bands than it does with their homeland.

Vocalist Amanda Somerville has a formidable voice and carries songs like “Ego” along. In fact, the band seems ostensibly to be a Somerville solo project. They are worth having a listen to, but don’t, on this evidence, have the chops to overhaul the genres big boys.

By contrast Magnum have been one of the big boys of British Prog Rock since the early 70s. This is their second tour of the year and there is a more than decent crowd here to watch this show.

Helped no doubt, by the fact that new album “On The 13^th Day” is extremely good. It is with a song from this, “All The Dreamers,” that they begin tonight’s festivities, but while there a smattering of new songs, this really is a show that takes in the full breadth of their career.

And what a career it’s been. No one could argue with the quality of songs like “When We Were Younger” with its Marillion-ish overtones, while “The Flood” (somewhat topical given the weather outside) rolls along nicely and the epic “How Far Jerusalem” sounds so good it could almost be a Dream Theater song.

Towards the end of the set “All England’s Eyes” is worked up into a mighty crowd participation number along with the catchy “Vigilante.” For the encore “Rockin’ Chair,” their foray into hard rock from the “Goodnight LA” album is dusted off and sounds as good as ever, before “Days Of No Trust,” with its rather prescient lyrics rounds things off exceptionally.

Magnum’s true strength lies in their quiet confidence. They have never strived to be cool – this is never better shown than when frontman Bob Catley starts dancing, think your geriatric uncle after one too many at a wedding and you would be somewhere close – but that is part of their charm. Exceptional musicians, guitarist Tony Martin stands stage right, happily in the shadows while the songs he wrote are played, and while drummer Harry James always looks happy to be a stage, but the Thunder man looks even more chuffed than usual tonight as he takes the applause,

If you have been one of the top bands in a genre for a generation there is usually a reason for it – and that reason is that you are very, very good indeed. That is just what Magnum showed in Leamington. Their quiet, understated skill made for a magnificent show.

Quireboys, Burning Crows @Slade Rooms 25/11/12

One of the joys of going to gigs is seeing a band that you have never heard before and thinking, “blimey.”

And that is exactly what happens with Norwich’s The Burning Crows tonight. The four-piece give a magnificent showcase of their talents here, with their brand of 80s influenced hard rock going down a treat.

The band’s sound is built around guitarist/vocalist Whipzz and fellow six stringer Lance Daniels, giving a welcome twin guitar twist to songs like “Best Damn Everything” and party anthem “You, Me Tonight.” Really, if like us,  you grew up listening to the likes Guns N Roses and Skid Row and still occasionally hanker after some honest to goodness hard rock to mix with made up genres that end with suffix “core” then these boys could be the ones for you. They are to release a debut full-length album in 2013 – they play a track called “All the Way” from it tonight – and are ones to watch. Very, very good indeed.

If Burning Crows are giving retro rock a modern twist, then tonight’s headliners are just, well, retro. Back in 1989 RTM can remember the excitement when we heard “7 O’clock” and the thrill of buying the “A Bit Of What You Fancy” album when it came out the following year. That debut CD reached the dizzy heights of number two in the charts, then along came a scruffy blonde man with a chorus that said “here we are now, entertain us” and the musical world changed.

Quireboys all of a sudden were dated, out of fashion and album number two “Bitter, Sweet And Twisted” stiffed. The band plodded on, releasing records periodically over the years, and are here touring with two original members – singer Spike and writing partner Guy Griffin – which is more than a lot of bands of their era can manage.

Throughout that time, while the records might have been slightly patchy (with the honorable exception of the quite brilliant “Homewreckers and Heartbreakers”) the band have remained a superb live act. Their Faces/Stones type songs always translate better to a live setting anyway, and so it is tonight.

Geordie he may be but Spike now lives in Wolverhampton, so always produces the goods at his adopted hometown show and it is all smiles when “Tramps And Thieves” from “Bitter….” Kicks things off. Whilst the gig contains songs from most of their albums, it is fair to say it is concentrated on material from their debut. A stone cold classic of a record, the likes of “Hey You” “There She Goes Again” “Whippin Boy” and more sound just as good now as ever.

Later tracks are not neglected, though “This Is Rock N Roll” is tossed out with gusto and “Lorraine” is full of the cheeky charm of their early stuff. They even include a new song in “Mother Mary” a lilting, almost country ballad that hints even in 2013 the band will have plenty to offer.

There is a tremendous camaraderie on display on stage – guitarist Paul Guerin and keyboard man Keith Weir grinning their way through – and this obviously includes Burning Crows too. Whippz is back on stage to duet on “Sweet Mary Anne” and “7 O’clock” with Spike.

The encore sees them run through “I Don’t Love You Anymore” and “I Love This Dirty Town” before Spike invites us back to his to continue the party. Here is a band that might not sell many records these days and plays smaller venues, but still appears happy just to be onstage. Seeing the Quireboys live is, was and hopefully will always remain, a joy and sometimes that is all that is needed. A fine night.

THERAPY? Hawk Eyes @Academy 2, Birmingham 23/11/12

When last we saw Hawk Eyes it was the Ginger Christmas show last year. We said the Leeds band were “blessed with a couple of very fine songs indeed.” We stick by that theory, but for whatever reason they choose not play them this evening.

Indeed, to be frank, Hawk Eyes look bored to be on stage. Whether it’s a first night of the tour thing, or that the crowd appears indifferent to them, who knows. The fact is though that most of the excitement seems to have gone from their show.

As you might expect from a band that changed its name, the band appear to not be quite sure what they want to be. “Headstrong” is the pick of the set, but it never approaches the levels they managed 11 months ago.

In contrast to see the seemingly restless support band, Therapy? Have always known exactly what they wanted to be, and it wasn’t famous. Their Wiki page says they have sold 2 million records, but it doesn’t say that most of these were in the 90s, with the “Troublegum” “Nurse” and “Infernal Love” records they were frequently in the singles charts and frequently in the magazines. The trouble with this was simple. Andy Cairns and his mates had artier ambitions; they simply wanted to play the music they liked. And, for most of the 21^st century, that’s exactly what they have done.

Happily, although the limelight has dimmed, the fans remain onside and the Academy 2 is near full when the band almost sheepishly make their way onstage. Dressed in suits, they look for all the world like the cast of “Reservoir Dogs” when a cover of Joy Dvision’s “Isolation” kicks things off.

The early curfew means a slightly shorter set, but no one can feel shortchanged as over 20 songs are fired out in a 90-minute concert. New album “A Brief Crack Of Light” is well represented with its brooding opener “Living In The Shadow Of A Terrible Thing” perhaps the closest thing they have to their 90s sound.

They have lost none of their mischievous nature, either. “Die Laughing” is dedicated to the recently deceased Clive Dunn and “Before You, With You, After You” beginning with a snippet of “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden.”

Along with the batch of new songs there is plenty of looking back, too. “Stop It Your Killing Me” “Teethgrinder” and “Stories” sound as fresh as ever despite being almost 20 years old.

Suits are gone for the encore and the classics are out. “Screamager” and “Nowhere” mix alongside a cover of “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and “Potato Junkie” finishes things, surely the only song in history to feature “James Joyce is fucking my sister” as its key line. And guess what? That’s the line Therapy choose to make a sing-a-long out of. What else should you expect from a band that appeared on Top of the Pops with a single that began with the couplet “let me try on your dress/it turns me on when we’re a mess. “?

They don’t play that song – “Loose” - tonight, but what they did play was excellent. Truly reinvigorated Therapy? Are a band that haven’t sounded this good in years. Being a deliberate cult band never sounded so much fun.

EUROPE @Academy Birmingham 21/11/12

If the cancellation of tonight’s support band Stonerider at late notice – so late in fact that earlier in the evening they posted a picture of the venue on Twitter – was an early blow (as RTM had been looking forward to the brand of Black Crowes-y rock) then the crowd at the venue was another one.

There are barely 600 people in the venue when Europe take the stage at just before 9pm. A tremendous shame as the band deserves so much better. These shows at the Academy have been very much a fixture in recent years, and they have been uniformly superb. 2012’s promises to be just the same, as the band have a new album out that they are keen to show off.

Indeed, it is with three songs from the aforementioned “Bag Of Bones” LP that they begin this evening, “Riches To Rags” and “Not Supposed To Sing The Blues” in particular showcasing all that is good about present day Europe with their casual catchiness and easy charm.

They then play “Superstitious,” a song that the teenage RTM played to death before deciding Europe weren’t cool enough as the 90s dawned, at this point we are left to reflect on the fact that things really have turned full-circle.

Even the short acoustic section is redeemed by two things. First Jon Norum plays a superb bluesy guitar solo that leads into a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The World Keep On Turning” and second, there is the fact that with the cymbals attached to his feet drummer Ian Haugland resembles a one-man-band.

Stools happily away it’s rocking all the way to the end. The new album’s title track sounds fantastic, and if you can’t enjoy “The Beast” from the “Last Look At Eden” CD (the album that reminded the world – and me – just how damn good Europe were) then you aren’t trying very hard.

The main set closes with the fist-in-the-air classic that is “Rock The Night” – although not before a faithful cover of “Paranoid” that frontman Joey Tempest describes as “bostin’”- before its back for the encore of “Last Look….” And that song. You know the one. The most bombastic thing in the world, the one that nearly all power metal bands would kill for – and the one that paid for the enormous tour bus that sits outside. And you know what? Try listening to “The Final Countdown” without a smile on your face. It is nigh on impossible, as anthems go, it remains the benchmark.

So another Europe gig ends in triumph and enjoyment. Yes the crowd might not be massive, but do you think that bothered Joey and the boys? Not if their smiles when RTM sees them getting into a taxi outside are anything to go by. We didn’t ask them where they were going.

It is obvious. They were heading for venus…..

SEETHER, Heaven's Basement @Institute Birmingham 18/11/12

RTM has a confession. Up until about a month ago we hadn’t heard of Seether. It seems that, with this lack of knowledge of the South African act, we are in a minority. This show was originally supposed to be at the Academy 2, but was upgraded to the much larger Institute, where it is almost sold-out.

 So, if we didn’t know about Seether, then why are we here? The answer to that lies in the choice of support band. Heaven’s Basement are a band that we have had a lot of time for and have had for a long time. Their history is complicated and long, first they Hurricane Party  - attracting A&R man extraordinaire John Kalodner to their first EP - then they were Roadstar, before becoming HB in 2008 after a split with manager Laurie Mansworth (who now looks after The Treatment).

Throughout all that time they have made fabulous hard rock records. Last years “Unbreakable” EP showing that again, and given the amount of time they spend on the road they have no problems winning another crowd over tonight. Singer Aaron Buchanan has only been in the band for a year but looks born to the role, with his effortless charm and seemingly boundless energy. They (finally) have a debut album out next year and the track they play from this “There Is Else Left To Lose” gives notice that it might be very good, but as always it is “Reign On My Parade” and “Executioners Day” that steal the show. Job – as always – done.

Seether, rather quietly, have become a very big deal it seems. Given the size of the crowd and the sense of expectation you might have expected a show to rival the Down one in this very room last month, that it never reaches any of those heights is entirely due to the band themselves.

The three piece have some good songs, witness the dark and brooding opener “No Jesus Christ” and the fine slab of American arena rock that is “Here and Now” for example. But to be brutally honest, they have absolutely no charisma at all.

Whilst it would be dull if every band behaved like Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie or Kiss, it wouldn’t have killed the group to involve the crowd at some point, instead singer Shaun Cooper is content to mumble “thank you” after each song and leave the gaps drenched in feedback.

Perhaps we should have expected such a low-key show. The opening told us as much. There was no backdrop, for example, and no intro music. Which is fine up to a point, but they were here headlining to 1400 people and it needed a spectacle to go with their undoubted talent.

“Country Song” could have been turned into a sing-a-long and the insanely catchy “Fake It” could have been a showstopper, but it wasn’t. Cooper singing “The Gift”solo was just dull, before the show ended with “Remedy” (which is a dead ringer for Nevermind era Nirvana) and no encore – that would have been too much like showbusiness.

 

Seether are a band who is good at what they do – essentially write grunge songs for the 21^st century - but they have none of Heaven’s Basement’s presence. Tonight only felt like a metal show when the support was onstage.

GERRY McAVOY'S BAND OF FRIENDS, Sugar Mama @Bilston Robin 2 16/11/12

Tonight had better be good. It better be good, because RTM is missing the mighty Gentlemen’s Pistols at the Asylum for it.

 If you will permit a slightly personal digression, that we are doing to this show at all is a long story, but one that revolves around the fact our partner in gig going crime for 20 odd years is the world’s biggest Rory Gallagher fan, so RTM is forsaking one of our favourite bands to see a tribute act……

Actually that is little disingenuous. This is not your average tribute act. This celebration of the work of Rory Gallagher (the man who Jimi Hendrix considered the world’s greatest guitarist) contains two of the men who were by his side in the 70s – bass man Gerry McAvoy and drummer Ted McKenna – together with Dutch bluesman Marcel Scherpenzneel. Viewed in that respect this Band of Friends is no more of a tribute than the current line up of Thin Lizzy, say.

Before the Rory stuff there are Sugar Mama. Impossibly young they might be, but this local band have some very fine blues chops. Single “Bullfight Blues” is a fine song and their set is an entertaining one, even if it is slightly marred by singer/guitarist Sam Anderson having tuning problems with his guitar.

This is a minor problem though – and one they will iron out with more shows such as this. Sugar Mama are a band with potential.

So it is then, that about 9.20 Gerry McAvoy and his mates stroll out onto the Bilston stage. Early portents are not good. He sidles up to the mic, goes to say hello and the thing collapses. What follows are 30 seconds of pure slapstick as he tries and fails to make said stand behave, but if that sets us laughing, what follows makes sure the smiles don’t leave for the next two hours.

The evening kicks off with “Last of The Independents” and from there becomes possibly the finest celebration of blues music that could be imagined. “Lets Go To Work” follows quickly as does “Calling Card” with its funky bass. “Bad Penny” is a revelation and “Follow Me” has lost none of its appeal despite being over 30 years old and really, if you can’t enjoy Shadow Play” you aren’t trying.

Although the band as a whole is flawless, it really is Scherpenzneel who deserves most plaudits. He is quite stunning in the “Rory” role, and his guitar duel with special guest Gwyn Ashton is jaw-dropping.

It is a real shame when “Bullfrog Blues” brings the curtain down, as this had been one of the great life-affirming gigs of 2012. Not a gig, as such, it was exactly as promised, a band of friends enjoying themselves -  and it was unexpectedly brilliant.

Gentlemen’s who?

REVOKER, Sacred Mother Tongue @Birmingham Acdemy 3 13/11/12

The last time Rocking The Midlands saw Revoker, it was the first date (I think) on the first UK tour. They were meant to support Holy Grail but somehow got bumped up to headliner. The crowd – which wasn’t massive to begin with – drifted off after HG (who were fantastic) and Revoker were left to play to about 20 people – doing so extremely well.

Fast forward 18 months and they are back, this time as the bonefide headline act. Worryingly, despite their debut album “Revenge For The Ruthless” being a fine affair, there is, yet again, hardly anyone here to watch.

Sacred Mother Tongue seem to find this quite funny, all things considered. Man mountain singer Darrin South exalts an audience member with a tremendous Afro to come forward, for example.

That they can behave in this way betrays the fact they have great confidence right now. Signed to EMI and with a killer new EP “A Light Shines” in the bag, they really have come on leaps and bounds since we last saw them – three years ago at the Hellfire Fest.

Their trump card is guitarist Andy James, who’s intricate playing underpins most of their songs, early songs like “The City Is Crying” benefit from being road tested and new ones like “Bleeding Out” and current single, the massive sounding “Evolve/Become,” are superb. If you saw this band a few years ago and thought they might not make it, then its time to think again, as the tongue could be the name on everyone’s lips in 2013.

The lack of numbers for Revoker is surprising. If this was a US band the press would be all over such catchy songs built around massive choruses and groove metal type riffs. But these boys are not from New York, but the Welsh valleys and sometimes we would rather look out than in it seems.

The likes of “Stay Down” with its “another Saturday night in my home town” refrain, pack a fine punch, as does “The Great Pretender.” Their finest moment, though, surely is “Psychoville” with its giant hook, designed to worm its way into the brain and not leave.

Revoker are set to release album number two next year and debut a song called “Killing House” from it, although from the same ballpark as “Revenge….” It does hit at a slightly heavier – and dare we say it – a more grown up sound.

A cover of AC/DC’s “TNT” is played, before Motorpsycho” ends things. It has been a fine evening, showcasing amply two bands who prove that metals next generation is alive and kicking in the UK. Both bands could probably benefit from the right support tour next year to propel them to the next level in 2013 as both have potential – and the ambition – to sell out much bigger venues than this.

Go and see them next time – when they are both big you will claim you were there anyway!