A new Frank Turner album is an event. One of the preeminent songwriters of the last two decades, we greet it with high expectations. Not unlike Buck in the book The Call of The Wild by Jack London, life around us becomes increasingly more complicated and vicious daily. Do we become more savage, or learn to “be more kind?” That is often the only question that needs asking. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Pandemic
ALBUM REVIEW: BRAT – Social Grace
Where to start with BRAT? The potential is on the wall as I don’t recall too many bands that get to release their debut LP – Social Grace, by the way – via Prosthetic Records. And bear in mind that this is an outfit that formed right before the golden days of the Coronavirus pandemic so it’s not like they’ve been toiling away in the dark for the better part of a decade. So, therefore, these kids must have the goods. Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Dälek – Precipice
Dälek (pronounced ‘Die-a-leck’) returns with a new album Precipice on Mike Patton’s Ipecac Records. In what is becoming a common refrain of recent times, the album originally planned for 2019 has been completely overhauled because of the pandemic, and the chaotic times we currently find ourselves in. The duo of MC Dälek and DJ Mike Manteca felt that the originally planned album wasn’t strong, angry or heavy enough for the times we have endured. The added strength, anger and heaviness are indeed defining features on Precipice.
Evanescence and Within Temptation Postpone Their European Co-Headline Tour Again
Citing caution and COVID restrictions across Europe, Evanescence and Within Temptation have again postponed their co-headline tour to later in 2022. Planned initially for 2020, moved to 2021, and then to this spring, will now take place in the fall of 2022. Evanescence released a statement on the move.
Suffocation Has Been Forced to Cancel their Tour with Belphegor and Hate
Due to uncertainty and the changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, Death Metal great Suffocation have canceled their upcoming tour with Belphegor and Hate. Refunds for all tickets purchased are available through the point of purchase. Read a comment from the band below.
Neil Young Demands Spotify Remove His Music Over Joe Rogan’s COVID-19 Misinformation
Legendary Hall of Fame rocker Neil Young has demanded that all of his music be removed from streaming service Spotify as quickly immediately, according to an open letter the veteran rock musician posted to his website and reported on by Rolling Stone. That message has since been deleted. Young has drawn a line in the sand with Spotify over the misinformation about vaccines being peddled by Joe Rogan, the podcast host who signed a $100 million deal with Spotify in 2020. Young made a similar demand over 10 years ago taking issue with music streaming previously, but it used to be about the low-quality audio that was provided back in the mid-2010s. Joe Rogan gets an estimated 11 million listeners per episode.
A Judge Refuses to Dismiss the Lawsuit Against Metallica for Their Canceled South American Tour with Greta Van Fleet
According to published reports from Blabebrmouth.net and www.BusinessInsurance.com, a Los Angeles state court has refused to dismiss pandemic-related event cancellation litigation filed by Metallica despite a virus exclusion in its coverage. This stems from a tour originally booked by Metallica with Greta Van Fleet during the pandemic that could not move forward. The California Superior Court held in Frantic Inc. v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s et. al. that it could not dismiss a lawsuit over a canceled South American tour at this preliminary stage of the litigation because a “proximate cause” has not been established as to what caused the loss involved.
CONCERT REVIEW: The Metal Tour of The Year with Megadeth – Lamb of God – Trivium and Hatebreed – Live at The Concord Pavillion
It had been 511 days, 16 hours, and 42 minutes, and 57 seconds since my last show, but who’s counting? I had fseen one local show, filled with riffs, crowd surfers, headbanging, booze, but mostly stress and trepidation. Still, I needed to see shows again, and see this tour in particular. The Metal Tour of The Year with Megadeth – Lamb of God – Trivium, and Hatebreed was coming and I was excited for it. Not just because this was the first major metal of this scope tour since the abyss that was the last year and a half, but because of the greatness of the bands, We are by no means out of the water with regards to the pandemic, but for a few hours we could forget about our troubles and enjoy some metal for a while.
FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2021 Part 1
We’re back!
Sure, we might be having to follow a series of new Coronavirus safety protocols which may or not become a regular thing for live shows, but we’re back. And judging by the size of the opening day crowds spilling out from the main entrance, car parks and campsites, not a moment too soon. Since its inception Bloodstock Open Air has always attracted early birds who like nothing more than to arrive long before the gates even open, but this time feels different. Everyone seems to be here early. Coiled springs desperate for release. The festival’s twentieth anniversary isn’t just a celebration of metal this year, it’s a genuine escape.
Pixies Cancel September U.S. Tour Dates
L-R: Joey Santiago, Paz Lenchantin, David Lovering, Black Francis
In a move echoed by many bands lately, legendary Alt-Rockers Pixies have canceled all of their 2021 tour dates, due to the surge of the Delta variant of the Coronavirus pandemic. their 11-date U.S. September run that also included scheduled appearances at Summerfest in Milwaukee, and Chicago’s Riot Fest. They also were to open for the previously canceled Nine Inch Nails tour dates in Cleveland. Pixies’ cancelled dates are below and ticket holders can obtain refunds from point of purchase.