Unusual for me to be lost for words, but that I fully was when opening an email a few weeks back claiming to be from a major record label. It asked if I wanted to be involved in an incredible project involving one of the biggest bands around. It turned out to be true, the band in question wanting to make their last ever release special for a number of reasons, one of which being only asking a handful of independent reviewers to review it pre release. Continue reading
AC/DC
Double Trouble: GLU & Split Dogs Drop Awesome Vids; New Albums Incoming!
The last few days have seen two bands from UK’s punk scene drop videos so scorching hot they more than make-up for the utterly dismal summer. Continue reading
Down with Split Dogs at Dean Lane
When first heading to punk gigs in Bristol and following the relevant social media, I fast became aware of a buzz around local band Split Dogs.
Such was that buzz my first attempt to see them live ended in failure when arriving at The Plough only to find a long line-up outside of people waiting for others to leave—which was unlikely—so they could get in.
It wasn’t until some time later that I managed to catch them at the Chelsea Inn. There they delivered a set of slick frenetic punk exploding with an energy knowing no bounds, producing so much joyous sweat the flood warning for Bristol seen earlier in the day online and making no sense at the time—the weather was fine—suddenly did in bounds. Continue reading
Don’t Be the One
Thoughts on negative reactions to live music; inspired in particular by Billy Nomates / Tor playing Glastonbury 2023 and The Who in Toronto 2016: Continue reading
N. P. Ryan 