KK's Priest, Paul Di'Anno & Burning Witches - Ritz, Manchester (11/10/23)

I kinda fell into Judas Priest.

At school I used to lend, borrow and swap albums with my metal friends. In the absence of music streaming, that was how your musical tastes expanded and grew. To actually hear albums back then, you either had to own them yourself or know someone who did. My friend Eddie lent me the Annihilator albums 'Alice In Hell' and 'Never Neverland' and I loved them both. They were state of the art, forward thinking thrash and they were genuinely exciting. When they were announced as the tour support to Judas Priest, I managed to persuade Eddie to go with me.

I thought I should probably check out Priest prior to the gig so I decided to buy a couple of their casettes. I debated over which albums to buy. In the end I opted for 'Painkiller' which had just come out and had gotten some great reviews including 5 K's in Kerrang. I also went for 'British Steel' because I really liked the cover with the hand holding the razor blade. It somehow spoke to me. 'Painkiller' blew me away from the very first listen. The title track starts with a drum intro before the razor sharp guitars courtesy of KK Downing and Glenn Tipton kick in, and Halford's screams, Oh My God! They were like nothing I'd ever heard before and they pierced my soul. The twin guitar attack continues throughout the album, and as I later found out, forms the backbone of their catalogue. 'Painkiller' is a seminal album, one that I listen to regularly to this day. I was initially drawn to the faster songs, like the title track, 'Leather Rebel' and Night Crawler'. They were aggressive enough to appeal to a thrasher like myself. However, all the other tracks grew massively on me with repeated plays, particularly 'Hell Patrol', the slower, atmospheric 'Touch Of Evil' and the first pumping 'One Shot At Glory'. The other album is different. 'British Steel' contains the anthems. 'Breaking The Law', 'Livin' After Midnight', 'United' and 'Metal Gods' are all catchy, fist in the air, metal classics. They were two great places to start. From those early days where I stumbled across them almost unintentionally, they became my band.

I haven't seen Priest live for many years. The last time I saw them, I swore that I wouldn't go and watch them any more. It's not that they weren't good. They were, although it was probably the worst time I'd seen them. It was more upsetting to see Rob Halford in the state that he was. He looked old. He was wearing his big, studded leather trenchcoat which is obviously heavy, but it looked like the weight of it was too much to bear. He was hunched over a lot and looked to be in pain. His voice seemed to be suffering too as he struggled to reach the higher notes he is famous for. It was sad to see.

Tonight sees KK Downing's new band roll into town supporting their new album, although it is the promise of Judas Priest classics which draws most people. More importantly, the band is fronted by one person who can do justice to these songs, the incredible former Judas Priest frontman, Tim 'Ripper' Owens.

Burning Witches open with muscular power metal reminiscent of 80s Helloween. The guitars definitely have a Kai Hansen influence. The vocals are strong and have a Doro Pesch feel. Laura Guldemond's higher register also oddly sounds like Spread Eagle's Ray West, but maybe the comparison only comes to mind because I've been listening to them a lot recently. 'We Stand As One' has an identikit metal verse but a decent anthemic chorus. This sums them up really, with moments of inspiration amidst average, generic metal. 'Hexenhammer' has a Priest or Grave Digger edge and is ballsy enough to grab my attention. Although I find them a little too formulaic, they are still fairly enjoyable and they go down really well with the crowd.

Paul Di'Anno is next, playing a set of Iron Maiden classics. He sounds great, much better than I expected. He is backed by a solid band too, although they look like a pound shop version of Maiden (the guitarist and bassist have the look of Adrian Smith and Steve Harris respectively). 'Wrathchild' is a great opener, which is followed by an energetic 'Sanctuary'. 'Purgatory' is imbued with a punk attitude. Di'Anno shows he can still hit the notes in 'Remember Tomorrow'. The bassist does a great job on this track too, whilst the drummer does excellently on 'Murders In The Rue Morgue'. 'Killers' is ace and takes me back to listening to the 'Maiden England' version over and over (it was the B side to 'Infinite Dreams'). A very energetic 'Transylvania' is killer. The band are really faithful to the Maiden originals and 'Phantom Of The Opera' in particular is awesome. I enjoyed 'Running Free' more than any time I've seen Maiden perform it live as it has more energy and attitude. An excellent journey back to Maiden's early days and unexpectedly good.

KK's Priest open with a thunderous 'Hellfire Thunderbolt'. Ripper sounds absolutely immense, although in his shades, cap and leather jacket, he looks more like George Michael than a Metal God. 'One More Shot At Glory' is better than anything Priest have done in the last ten to fifteen years. 'What's my name?' asks Ripper as an introduction to an incredible 'The Ripper'. 'Night Crawler' is a teenage me's wet dream. It's great to hear 'Burn In Hell' resurrected seeing as though it is the strongest Ripper era Priest song. The Priest songs played tonight aren't all the obvious choices as there are plenty of deeper cuts included. Of these deeper cuts, 'Hell Patrol' is probably the highlight but 'Metal Meltdown' is pretty relentless too. The classic 'Victim Of Changes' is suitably epic and Ripper holds the climactic note for a ridiculously long time. Overall, an excellent night of classic metal.

KK's Priest *****

Paul Di'Anno ****

Burning Witches ***

Moloch, Rot In Hell & VøTIV - Damaged Goods, Leeds (6/10/23)

Tonight's show is a proper DIY affair. Underground bands playing in a DIY punk venue.

VøTIV play fast and furious powerviolence which reminds me of Drop Dead with maybe a hint of Scalplock too. It's decent enough but seems to lack that spark of inspiration or intensity which would really elevate it.

Rot In Hell are playing as a four piece tonight, but this does not diminish their power or fury. Tonight should have been bassist Sam's final show before he moves to the States but unfortunately he is ill. This is the first time I've seen them since vocalist Nate rejoined the band but his vocals are still as rabid as ever. No wonder he is regarded by some (myself included) as one of the UK's best hardcore vocalists. Integrity worship and holy terror hardcore are the order of the day here. They are on blistering form tonight, sounding really tight. This is probably the heaviest I've ever heard them sound, which is particularly impressive considering they're a man down. There is far more audience engagement than usual, which is great to see. The final song 'Cauldron Born' has a cool Slayer riff in the breakdown, and Atko's bass work is outstanding here considering he's filling in on bass this evening instead of his usual guitar duties.

Moloch are slow, crushing sludge. The combination of Electric Wizard riffs and Iron Monkey rage make for an engaging mix. There are enough dynamics to stop this from getting boring despite the slothlike speed. The slithering, serpentine riffs are a joy, whilst the rhythm section crushes with sheer volume. The whole experience is not unlike Thou. Excellent.

Moloch ****

Rot In Hell ****

VøTIV ***

Nation Of Language & Walt Disco - New Century Hall, Manchester (4/10/23)

This evening features two modern bands who have their sound rooted in the eighties.

James Potter, the lead singer of Walt Disco, has a theatrical, almost operatic voice. Musically, they're quirky pop but the overriding influence seems to be Sparks (possibly because of the vocals). They occasionally veer into Talking Heads post-punk territory too. A new song even has a Duran Duran style new romantic feel, and a synth line in the chorus which sounds like Haddaway's 'What Is Love'. There are lots of 80s oddball influences, even if only for a short time. Sigue Sigue Sputnik guitars here, Laibach style electronics there, and Faith No More piano elsewhere. James' vocal style is probably divisive but it does set them apart. The final song has a New Order meets Sparks feel, even though I'm tempted to sing Bloodhound Gang's 'The Bad Touch' over the top because it has a similar tune. All of this should be right up my street, but it all seems a little too much. Too eclectic. Too provocative. They are very interesting though, and I'd certainly check them out again as I've got the feeling that they'll grow on me with familiarity.

All I hear when I listen to Nation Of Language at home is Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark. Live, they're a very faithful replication of their records. They sound excellent but at the same time, I wonder if they're too polished. Singer, Ian Richard Devaney dances around a bit when he isn't playing his guitar but overall, no matter how hard he tries, they struggle to fill what is admittedly a huge stage. I feel that I'd get the same experience if I was listening to them at home. I do pick up more influences live and can hear hints of Blancmange, Freeez, Visage, Simple Minds and New Order. Some songs sound like a-ha and Ian definitely has a Morten Harket edge at times. The closing song sounds like a more electronic A Flock Of Seagulls. Very good but at the same time lacking the grit and grime which often makes live music so great.

Nation Of Language****

Walt Disco ***

Spiritualized - New Century Hall, Manchester (23/9/23)

I saw Spiritualized at a free festival in Preston way, way back in 1994. I have faint memories of being immersed in a hypnotic wave of psychedelia whilst being bathed in a shimmering light. However, I wasn't really interested in watching them because I was spent after watching the previous band, The Sultans Of Ping f.c. The Sultans were an obsession of mine at the time, an obsession which I shared with my friend Chris. After an amazing set of indie punk where they played all of my favourites, and where I sang my heart out and danced my ass off, I was done and their set kinda washed over me. I only watched around twenty minutes before I left with my friends.

Spiritualized open with the Lou Reed style psych pop of 'Hey Jane', although the second half of the song is much more mellow and soulful. 'Shine A Light' is sprawling alt country transmitted from another galaxy, and it is majestic. Their songs are yearning and inflected with loneliness yet still imbued with some sense of hope. Jason Pierce sits in the far corner of the stage with his guitar yet all eyes are drawn to him. He IS Spiritualized and still commands all the attention, low key or not. 'I'm Coming Home Again' is epic, as are most of their songs. 'A Perfect Miracle' is heartbreaking dreamlike pop. 'Always Together With You' is gentle and touching during the verses and euphoric during the chorus. They have a way of drawing you in and provoking strong feelings during every song. The backing singers are excellent and add extra dimension to the songs. The soulful 'I'm Your Man' is excellent. It is reminiscent of Primal Scream's Memphis recordings, and it includes a terrific guitar solo too. The pace is picked back up with the upbeat 'The Morning After' which again has a Lou Reed feel. The gentle and heartwarming 'Here It Comes (The Road) Let's Go' is another song with a country feel. 'Best Thing You Never Had (The D Song)' harks back to their more psych origins. 'Let It Bleed' is soulful and again reminiscent of the Primals but the chorus demonstrates real power. The climax of the song is transcendental. 'The A Song (Laid In Your Arms)' is powerful and hypnotic, whilst 'Damaged' is heartbroken country soul. 'Soul On Fire' is exhilarating, whilst encore 'Come Together' is utterly mesmerizing. Spiritualized may be a completely different prospect to when they first started but they are still utterly phenomenal.

Spiritualized *****

Spread Eagle & Star Circus - Rebellion, Manchester (20/9/23)

Lets be honest, Spread Eagle's self-titled debut album is a classic. Yes, I know you've probably never heard of them but you've got to trust me on this. In terms of sleaze rock, there's probably only 'Appetite For Destruction' and Love/Hate's 'Blackout In The Red Room' which are better. I certainly rate it above any albums by Motley Crue, Faster Pussycat, Ratt, L.A. Guns, Skid Row or Vain.

I first saw the video for 'Switchboard Serenade' on Raw Power sometime in 1991. I loved it straight away, with its sleazy, dirty verse and melodic chorus. The album actually came out in 1990 but I don't think it got a UK release until 1991 (this was actually fairly common at the time, and some albums were only ever available on import). I bought the Spread Eagle album on cassette in Summer 1991, around the same time as Skid Row's 'Slave To The Grind', Metallica's 'Black Album' and Overkill's 'Horrorscope'.  Although I probably liked those albums more at the time, over the years I've definitely listened to it more than any of those other albums, some of which lost their initial lustre fairly quickly. This album has longevity. It is great because it is sleazy and melodic yet very aggressive at the same time with some real speed.

It's fair to say that I never expected to get the chance to see them live but they reunited a few years ago and now, post-pandemic, are touring in support of their comeback album.

London's Star Circus open up. They start off as punchy rock kinda like Ugly Kid Joe but with great harmonies and catchy choruses which remind me of FM. That FM influence carries out throughout the set and the harmonies and melodies are easily the best thing about them. 'Wall Around Your Heart' sounds pretty messy. The bass seems totally at odds with the guitars and the song has a number of disjointed parts that don't seem to go together. They also have a touch of Journey at their most muscular, whilst the final track has an 80s Whitesnake meets 'Raise Your Fist And Yell' era Alice Cooper feel.

Spread Eagle open with 'Subway To The Stars' but it all seems a bit flat, and you can't hear the vocals very well. 'Rhythm Machine' and 'Sound Of Speed' fare a little better but it still doesn't sparkle like it could and there sounds like there is too much bass in the mix. Singer Ray West's higher pitched vocals on 'Back On The Bitch' mean you can hear them, and you can't deny a song that good. The sound completely derails 'More Wolf Than Lamb' which is a muddy mess. 'Broken City' still kicks and the solo is amazing, whilst 'Suzy Suicide' is absolutely pummelling. The ballad 'Through These Eyes' is brilliant, its quieter dynamic sounding much better and giving greater impact when the intensity is turned up. I decide to take my earplugs out at this point so I can sing along and everything sounds better so I decide to do without them for the remainder of the set. Maybe this was the problem all along. The chunky riffing of 'King Of The Dogs' is excellent, and the thrash mid section sounds like 'Act III' era Death Angel. 'Switchblade Serenade' highlights the fact that the vocals and harmonies aren't quite what they used to be. The quick and sleazy 'Scratch Like A Cat' is super aggressive though.

I really wanted tonight to be great because of how good that first record is, but I also worried that the thirty odd years since that record would have taken its toll, and tonight was probably a mixture of the two. Some great songs played by a band who have probably seen better days.

Spread Eagle ***

Star Circus ***

She Wants Revenge & Nightbus - Bread Shed, Manchester (12/9/23)

Nightbus open up this evening. They are reminiscent of early Cure mixed with Portishead. 'Way Past Three' is both brooding and alluring. A forthcoming single has a heavy Siouxsie influence and is rather hypnotic. Closing track 'Mirrors' bounces along with an early Cure post-punk bassline. Promising.

She Wants Revenge open up with an excellent 'Red Flags And Long Nights'. It's tight as hell with an ace bassline, sounding like Gary Numan fronting Editors. There's a dark, gothic feel to everything they do. 'These Things' is Soft Cell meets The Killers and is great. 'Take The World' has a Depeche Mode feel, whilst the brooding 'She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not' is like Marc Almond playing percussive post-punk. A new song sounds like Gary Numan 'Jumping Someone Else's Train'. Another newie 'Believe' is 80s synth pop - part Depeche Mode, part 'Blue Monday' and part Blancmange . They're pretty good and the crowd still enjoy them, but there isn't the same level of connection like there is with the older material.... yet. The chorus of 'Rachael' sounds flat which is strange considering it's one of their biggest tunes. There is an extended tease of 'How Soon Is Now?' whilst the singer Justin Warfield runs through Manchester's musical heritage. The sexy 'Out Of Control' is Depeche Mode meets The Killers and is fantastic. Warfield even adds some 'How Soon Is Now?' lyrics to it. 'Tear You Apart' is excellent, although it is stretched out for longer than is necessary with an extended instrumental break. However, it is great hearing the crowd yell 'I wanna fucking tear you apart' at Justin. Excellent for those who like the darker side.

She Wants Revenge ****

Nightbus ***