After some just plain bad luck between cancelled tours and family emergencies, Epica planned this early 2016 jaunt as a “make up” from their cancelled dates with Eluveitie and The Agonist last fall. This Read more […]
Word got out very early concerning this four band package tour – announced late last summer through all the normal official band social media channels- so for most of the staff on this website, it’s Read more […]
Big difference from Corrosion of Conformity’s last visit here in 2012, where the Mike Dean-fronted version of the band held it down on Election Night, of all nights. Without the big-name draw that is Read more […]
American power metal mavens CAGE are currently on tour in support of their latest album, Ancient Evil, and since the San Diego quintet doesn’t often make it out to the East Coast, their stop at Firehouse Read more […]
In celebration of 30 years of total world domination, the intergalactic overlords known as GWAR invaded the Worcester Palladium in Massachusetts on Nov. 14. It’s always an entertaining spectacle for Read more […]
Catching Allegaeon back in April (one of my first shows of 2015), it seemed appropriately fitting to bookend the year with Allegaeon once more in the live setting. Initially Act of Defiance, Allegaeon, Read more […]
Blind Guardian – November 4, 2015 – Altar Bar, Pittsburgh, PA Certifiably not a melodic metal and/or power metal town, Blind Guardian’s date in Pittsburgh was bumped from the larger Carnegie Music Read more […]
Previously catching Amaranthe on their headlining run back in May, there was a bit of surprise to hear that they were going to embark on a second headlining run so soon. But there was also quite a bit Read more […]
Finally settling in to my new Connecticut living situation, opportunity arose to check out the opening date for the second leg of the North American Darkness in a Different Light tour for local progressive Read more […]
As the old saying goes, the show must go on. In the case of Vancouver, Canada’s Unleash the Archers, planning a two month North American tour swing months in advance with Brazil’s Hibria had to be Read more […]
Skulls were crushed and necks were wrecked, as Overkill and Symphony X kicked off their co-headlining tour at The Palladium in Worcester, Mass., on Friday, Sept. 18, transforming Massachusetts into Thrashachusetts. Read more […]
A decade ago, a tour like this in the States would have been inconceivable. Just goes to show the tremendous push of classic/veteran metal bands…they won’t die off; neither will their audience. For Saxon, Read more […]
Last time I took in Chicago’s High Spirits would be 17 months ago, a Monday night in April at the intimate Dusk nightclub in Providence, RI. Blowing me away through their old school NWOBHM charm and Read more […]
Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate – the two seem to go together like peanut butter & jelly. In fact, each time this writer has seen either of these two bands, they have been playing together (for Read more […]
The good thing about living near a smaller market is that occasionally you get the scraps from the bigger tours (and don’t have to sit through all the bands, which is sometimes a blessing in disguise). Read more […]
When smaller bands wish to establish themselves away from home base, you can only hope to find like-minded acts willing to pool their resources, vacation-time, and passion into pulling this off smartly. Read more […]
With the somewhat sad reality that driving an extra 2 hours to get to Worcester is cheaper than getting down to NYC for a show (tolls, tolls, and more tolls), this mid-week drive was sure to be a taxing Read more […]
With the big summer tours and festivals in full swing, non-headlining bands often seek out venues to play on the off-days, hitting smaller venues and providing fans a chance to catch longer sets. Victory Read more […]
Originally the show booking was going to be heavy enough on its own with Philadelphia, PA’s Crypt Sermon on the bill with three Massachusetts doom/epic acts, but then New York’s Gospel of the Witches Read more […]
Missing out on the first Wilderealm tour back in 2013 (the joys of moving into a new place and being strapped for cash), I had been kicking myself ever since. But as luck would have it, Wilderun and Aether Read more […]
Night Demon, Skull Hammer, Sonic Pulse – May 29, 2015, Firehouse 13, Providence, RI The old school militia came out on a Friday night for the “Heavy Metal Heat” Ventura, California’s Night Demon Read more […]
If last week’s Amaranthe show was beauty, than the trip to see Anaal Nathrakh in Brooklyn was to be it’s corresponding beast. Being Anaal Nathrakh’s first ever full US tour (they’ve done a few one-off Read more […]
Determination and persistence are two mainstays in establishing a fervent fan base in North America these days. Bands need to make this territory a priority – no longer content to conduct one touring Read more […]
In my late 20’s would be the last time veteran British band Saxon set foot in New England to play live, as Halloween 2000 they would perform at the much missed Station night club in West Warwick, RI Read more […]
Whereas my last trip up to Trickshots a few weeks ago was more of an atmospheric occasion, it was known going in that this one was going to be a neckbreaker. Getting together two of my personal favorite Read more […]
Going to a symphonic oriented metal concert in New England is like a special event. It brings out all sorts – from people who like to dress in certain themes, diehards ready to scream at every decibel Read more […]
It’s not often that you can say that you got to see the first performance of a top tier act. That being said, when the opportunity presented itself to see Karyn Crisis’ first show with Gospel of the Witches, Read more […]
Sometimes when it comes to metal shows in the winter…you have to hope for the best weather-wise, especially in New England. Over the past 2 weeks it seems the sky has opened up and dumped a metric ton Read more […]
On a damp and cloudy Tuesday night, at a small sized and beer soaked rock club on Eastlake Avenue in Seattle, Black Metal Warfare was unleashed upon the Seattle faithful in a four-hour melee of satanic Read more […]
Two winters in a row for a jaunt such as this for the steadfast Swedes, who are closing out the touring run in support of 2013’s Construct. And Dark Tranquillilty’s profile may be sturdier than the Read more […]
