CONCERT REVIEW: Idles – Sprints – Glass Beams Live at Release Fest Athens


Hailing from Bristol, in the United Kingdom, fifteen years ago, Idles has built a reputation on stellar, high-energy live performances. Bringing their A-game to their own headline day of the on-going Release Fest in Athens, in terms of songcraft and entertainment value, the band engaged the massive crowd as if they were still in a tiny club, leaping off the stage to be one with the crowd. Frontman Joe Talbot is masterful at controlling the crowd and bending them to his will. Playing a lot of tracks from their most recent album Tangk (Partisan Records), new fans and old-heads alike enjoyed the band that at times leaves behind their early rawer Punk sound and more recent post-Punk style to transcend the genre entirely.Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Spacehog – EMF – Ecce Shnak Live at The Observatory


 

Spacehog is one of those bands that you either get or you don’t. Like Kula Shaker, the band are somehow catchy and obtuse in equal measure, sassy then serious the next minute. They might be mostly known for “In The Meantime”, one of the best rock songs of the nineties (or any decade), but they have killer tunes sprinkled through every album. Led by poetic David Bowie disciple Royston Langdon, The Resident Aliens coasted into Santa Ana with their nineties grunge-lite meets glam boots on along with some amazing support from dance indie Platinum-sellers Epsom Mad Funkers (EMF) and New York genre-defying upstarts Ecce Shnak. It was an eventful night, to say the least.Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Avenged Sevenfold and Palaye Royale Live at Water Square


Release (Festival) Athens opened their 2025 festival season with metal giants Avenged Sevenfold and Palaye Royale at Water Square. The pale-skinned metal heads braved the hot sun from all over Greece and nations beyond to experience Avenged Sevenfold’s first-ever performance in the country.Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Turnstile Live at Technopolis


Amazing to watch a band grow so exponentially over the last few years, that in a distant country like Greece, Turnstile were upgraded to a larger outdoor venue, a big deal for acts that come to Athens.Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Ulcerate – Autarkh Live at Poppodium 013


Opening today are Tilburg locals Autarkh, whom I first discovered playing the 2021 Roadburn Redux show. Eclectic and heavy, the band mix electronics with metal elements, so much that Encyclopedia Metalum (a.k.a Metal Archives) doesn’t even consider them metal enough. Tonight, though, the band have a live drummer with them, who plays the angular beats with relish. Frontman and guitarist Michel Nienhuis (formerly Dodecahedron) is clearly very much in the groove. A groove expertly set by their temping bassist, who learned the complex material in only a week. It’s very hard to stick a genre on what Autarkh make, but I’d call them Avant-Garde Math Metal.Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Ministry – My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult – Die Krupps Live at Franklin Music Hall  


This is not the same old madness, but a reworking of the past. Ministry came to Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia and played a show of deep tracks and a reworking of their earliest years. Along for this wild ride in support were Die Krupps and My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult. Together, they make up what is being called The Squirrely Years Tour.Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: L.S. Dunes – From Indian Lakes – Plague Vendor Live at The Majestic


 

Going to concerts on a Tuesday night may seem like a young man’s game. So does enduring a mosh pit for three songs to get some photos.

But I am over 40 and still here to tell the tale, just a bit worse for wear.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Dying Fetus – Cradle of Filth – Fleshgod Apocalypse – Ne Obliviscaris and More at The Wiltern Theatre


The Chaos and Carnage Tour hit Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theatre for its second night of metal and madness while on their one-month North American tour. An incredible lineup featuring Dying Fetus, Cradle of Filth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Ne Obliviscaris, along with Undeath, Vomit Forth, and Corpse Pile to create an unforgettably epic sold out night. Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Cartilage – Unidad Trauma – Form Decay Live at Eli’s Mile High Club


As the night starts getting late at Eli’s Mile High Club, people start flooding into the floor area from the bar to see local band Form Decay. With their short fast fast-paced set with very minimal breaks between songs, they just start their upcoming songs. Feo Berumen’s non-stop movement along the stage with several fans headbanging up close. Drummer Amar Khalasi’s non-stop jamming along with the guitarists Andre Toledo and Aakash Khalasi, making it feel more personal. The bassist Ian Deaderick also provided backup vocals. They have a new cassette tape titled Behold Horns that you can get now at shows and online. Continue reading