Live Reviews

Booking the cavernous O2 Academy in Glasgow is a bold move for Fatherson. The band have long had a dedicated cult size following, packing out smaller venues all around the country, but this is a seriously big room. It’s a real statement of intent for this band, a sign they want to be on those bigger stages, and if this show is anything to go by they’re liable to get there.

Toronto’s Alexisonfire had been quiet for most of 2018, but since the beginning of this year they have already sent shockwaves through the industry and fans alike with their two new singles 'Familiar Drugs' and 'Complicit'. The band's resurgence into touring was met with a scorching hot reception at Alexandra Palace, both in weather and vibes.

Can you believe Slam Dunk Festival has come round again? The yearly Bank Holiday celebration of noise and shenanigans officially holds its own as a gigantic bat signal, announcing the arrival of festival season to masses of alternative music fans across the UK.

Over the course of its fourteen year history, The Great Escape has set itself an extremely high standard to maintain, yet each year it somehow exceeds expectations. We leave Brighton with a fresh new list of unearthed talent and immediately hit the countdown timer in anticipation for doing it all again next year. Here's what we got up to on our third and final day...

After a successful first day at we’re welcomed on day two by glorious sunshine, so what better way to start than to head to The Great Escape's purpose built pop-up stage directly on the beach. Here's what we got up to on the Friday of the festival!

Brighton’s annual festival of musical discovery, The Great Escape, is one of the major opening acts of the British festival season and every year it sets an ever-raising bar for the rest to follow. The endearing, close-knit setting combined with a line-up that covers all genres imaginable, from an array of countries, provides a level of diversity and variation that you simply can’t find anywhere else over the festival season, making this annual weekend of discovery a truly unique and memorable experience.

Now in its sixth year, StrangeForms is a celebration of all things math-rock, post-rock and post-hardcore, from the legends of these alternative rock sub-genres, to new bands looking to make a name for themselves. 2018 was a landmark year for the Leeds-based festival, as it moved across the city to a larger venue at the Brudenell Social Club; evidence of the event’s growing popularity and ambition. After a successful debut year in its new home, allowing for its largest audience yet, StrangeForms is back for another instalment at the Brudenell.

The Xcerts are currently rounding off their most successful album cycle to date with 'Hold On To Your Heart'. In the last 16 months it's seen the Scottish trio get a top 40 album, tour across Europe, release their 'Wildheart Dreaming' EP which features tracks that didn’t make the album and take their sound to arenas with Busted. We ventured down to the London show of their tour at The Garage to have one last dance, before they head back into the studio to record their follow-up album.

Touring in support of their latest album 'I, The Mask', Swedish metallers In Flames graced UK soil for a run a headline shows, bringing Norma Jean and Light The Torch along for the ride. We ventured down to the Glasgow show for a night of riffs and mosh pits.

Busted are back and are taking their new album 'Half Way There' out on tour across the UK. With support from Brigade and The Xcerts at the Southampton date, we went down to see if the kings of pop could regain their crown.