By Peter Keevil
Hi and welcome to our regular feature where we look at the world of hard and classic rock.
The Brew are likely to have gone under your radar as they are a British Hard Rock act from Grimsby that is doing rather well over on continental Europe but yet to breakthrough on home soil.
All that looks about to be addressed with the release of their 4th studio album, ‘Control’.
Produced by Toby Jepson (Little Angels, The Virginmarys, The Answer, Saxon) and mixed by Steve Harris (U2, Santana, Kodaline, Kula Shaker) the new album will be out worldwide via Jazzhaus Records on 20th February 2014 and music video for lead single ’Repeat’ released in January; The Brew will be announcing new European shows which will include a UK tour in the spring of 2014.
The Brew are:
Jason Barwick – Vocals/ Guitars
Tim Smith – Bass Guitar / Vocals
Kurt Smith – Drums and Percussion
Official website: www.the-brew.net
Lead single – Repeat – is released as a single/music video on the 17th January 2014.
Having enjoyed a successful comeback last year (read our review here), the Frantic Four version of Status Quo are putting on their boogie shoes and touring the UK, including a return visit to the Wolves Civic. Check out the dates here.
Meanwhile the current not-so-frantic version of Quo will be playing at Download Festival this year.
Hot off a successful jaunt with Alter Bridge, the Hale siblings return for a headline tour in April. Halestorm, play 7 dates including Birmingham Academy on Mon 7th April http://www.themidlandsrocks.com/halestorm-announce-uk-headline-tour/
The Vintage Caravan is a name you will be hearing a lot of in 2014. These Icelandic psychedelic rockers have made the first video trailer for their upcoming debut album ‘Voyage’ available online. They have also been announced as main support on the Grand Magus tour.
“We are so incredibly excited to finally be touring the UK with a great band like Grand Magus, meeting British people, drinking British ales. This is going to be one hell of a trip!” Alex (Bassist)
Tour Dates:
March 12th – Manchester, Sound Control
March 13th – Dublin, Voodoo Lounge
March 15th – Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms
March 16th – London, The Underworld
Santa obviously thinks I’ve been a good boy as he has paired two of my favourite break-through rock acts of 2013 on a UK tour during March, that includes Nottingham and Birmingham – Monster Truck and Scorpion Child will alternate the closing slot on a co-headline tour.
Sun 16 Mar – BRISTOL Exchange (MT closes the show)
Tue 18 Mar – COLCHESTER Arts Centre (SC closes)
Thu 20 Mar – BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy 3 (MT closes)
Fri 21 Mar – SHEFFIELD Corporation (SC closes)
Sat 22 Mar – GLASGOW King Tuts (MT closes)
Sun 23 Mar – NEWCASTLE O2 Academy 2 (SC closes)
Tue 25 Mar – NOTTINGHAM Rock City (MT closes)
Wed 26 Mar – LONDON Underworld (MT closes)
Thu 27 Mar – MANCHESTER Roadhouse (SC closes)
Southern/Country rock bastions, Blackberry Smoke, are about to undertake a UK tour for the first time, with their 3rd album, the biazarrely titled, The Whippoorwill, about to get a UK release through Earache Records. Originally released Stateside in 2012, the UK/EU version will have 3 bonus tracks and come in a multitude of formats. Their tour takes in Nottingham and closes in Wolverhampton.
Fri Feb. 28 – Glasgow, UK – O2 ABC
Sat Mar. 01 – Nottingham, UK – Bodega
Sun Mar. 02 – Manchester, UK – Academy 3
Mon Mar. 03 – London, UK – Islington Academy
Weds Mar. 05 – Wolverhampton, UK – Slade Rooms
Classic rock underground legends Leaf Hound release ‘Live in Japan’ this month. The tracklist includes
Barricades / Freelance Fiend / Work My Body / Stop, Look And Listen / With A Minute To Go / One Hundred And Five Degrees / Evil
The gloriously named, Nashville Pussy release their 6th studio work ‘Up The Dosage’ on Steamhammer/SPV on Jan 20th
Main man Blaine Cartwright proudly proclaims that “This Is Our ‘Back In Black”, continuing, “None of the previous Nashville Pussy albums has been as diverse and at the same time consistent. Everything sounds even bigger and better, yet raw and authentic through and through.”
Up and coming multicultural blues rockers Blues Pills have announced the release of a new live EP, ‘Live At Rockpalast’, on February 17, 2014 via Nuclear Blast.
‘Live At Rockpalast’ will feature four songs from the band’s euphorically celebrated gig at Germany’s WDR Rockpalast on October 18, 2013 and will be made available as limited edition gatefold 10” white vinyl and digital download.
The tracklist for ‘Live At Rockpalast’ reads as follows:
01. In The Beginning
02. Black Smoke
03. Little Sun
04. Mind Exit
The band commented: “Thanks to Rockpalast for letting us release some of the material from the show we did back there in October 2013. We wanted to give our fans a piece of the BLUES PILLS live experience to have on vinyl or CD.”
Northern Irish rockers, The Answer, continue their tour in support of their latest album, New Horizon with another set of dates across the UK.
Singer, Cormac Neeson: “The first part of the New Horizon tour was absolutely fantastic and we’re back in a big way. We’re really looking forward to getting out in spring 2014 to perform in some towns and cities where we haven’t been for a few years. It’s a true ‘Road Less Travelled’ tour!!”
Confirmed 2014 dates are as follows
Wed 19th Feb The Lemon Tree, ABERDEEN
Thur 20th Feb Liquid Rooms, EDINBURGH
Fri 21st Feb Empire, MIDDLESBROUGH
Sat 22nd Feb Duchess, YORK
Sun 23rd Feb Welly, HULL
Tues 25th Feb O2 Academy, LEICESTER
Wed 26th Feb Waterfront, NORWICH
Thus 27th Feb The Forum, TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Fri 28th Feb Chinnerys, SOUTHEND
Sat 8th Mar O2 Academy, OXFORD
Sun 9th Mar Sub 89, READING
Mon 10th Mar Brook, SOUTHAMPTON
Wed 12th Mar Phoenix, EXETER
Thurs 13th Mar White Rabbit, PLYMOUTH
Fri 14th Mar Live Rooms, CHESTER
Sat 15th Mar Sin City, SWANSEA
Mon 17th Mar The Globe, CARDIFF
Tues 18th Mar Kasbah, COVENTRY
Wed 19th Mar Sugarmill, STOKE
Thurs 20th Mar O2 Academy, LIVERPOOL
Sat 22nd Mar Shortts, WATERFORD, EIRE
Sun 23rd Mar Cypress Ave, CORK, EIRE
Mon 24th Mar Roisin Dubh, GALWAY, EIRE
Wed 26th Mar Dolans, LIMERICK, EIRE
Thurs 27th Mar Sandinos, DERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND
Fri 28th Mar The Playhouse, PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND
Sat 29th Mar Quinns, NEWCASTLE, NORTHERN IRELAND
The Treatment have announced a headline tour of the UK for February 2014 in support of their new / second studio album.
“We cannot wait to get back on the road in February! If you are coming to the show, prepare yourself for the wildest night. In February, we’re bringing the party to you!” – Matt Jones, vocalist.
Support will come from Cage The Gods, who I interviewed a short while ago.
Mon 3rd Feb 2014 Norwich, Waterfront Studio
Tues 4th Feb Nottingham, Rock City Basement
Wed 5th Feb Stoke, The Sugarmill
Fri 7th Feb London, O2 Islington Academy
Sat 8th Feb Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms
Sun 9th Feb Manchester, Academy 3
Mon 10th Feb Sheffield, Corporation
Tues 11th Feb Glasgow, King Tuts
Thurs 13th Feb Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
Fri 14th Feb Bristol, Thekla
East End hard rockers, Voodoo Six team up with Spinefarm labelmates, Santa Cruz, for further UK dates
It all kicks off in Wolverhampton and includes Nottingham and Milton Keynes.
12 March – Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
13 March – Sound Control, Manchester
14 March – Audio, Glasgow
15 March – Buskers, Dundee
17 March – The Cluny, Newcastle
19 March – Warehouse 23, Wakefield
20 March – Rock City Basement, Nottingham
21 March – The Underworld, London
22 March – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
23 March – The Joiners, Southampton
This year’s Download Festival is starting to look decent on the hard and classic rock front with the undercard usually catering for us retro fans but we are seeing that Sunday on the mainstage is already looking good. Here’s who to look out for so far:
Aerosmith (Sunday Headliners)
Status Quo (Saturday Mainstage)
Alter Bridge (Sunday Mainstage)
Steel Panther (Sunday Mainstage)
Buckcherry
Jake E Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel
Californian retro rockers, Rival Sons have entered the studio in Nashville to begin recording their next album, the follow-up to their excellent Heads Down. knowing how fast their like to lay their tracks down I’m expecting the album to be out by the time you read this!!
British rock ‘n’ roll saviours, The Temperance Movement, have announced a 2014 headlining UK tour.
Having played over 100 live shows in 2013, TTM will return with a brand new UK tour in the Spring. Kicking off on April 21st in Lincoln, the tour includes shows in Wolverhampton & Oxford.
The band’s self-titled debut album stormed into the UK charts at number 12 on its release in September, and since then the band have gone from strength to strength selling out concert venues around the UK and Europe.
Apr. 21 – Lincoln, UK – Engine Shed
Apr. 22 – Wolverhampton, UK – Wulfrun Hall
Apr. 23 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2
Apr. 25 – Glasgow, UK – QMU
Apr. 26 – Aberdeen, UK – Lemon Tree
Apr. 27 – Newcastle, UK – Newcastle University
Apr. 28 – Leeds, UK – Leeds Metropolitan University
Apr. 30 – London, UK – Shepherd’s Bush Empire
May 01 – Oxford, UK – Academy
May 02 – Portsmouth, UK – Pyramid Centre
May 03 – Cardiff, UK – Cardiff University Great Hall
Hope that keeps you busy for now, I’ll catch you again soon. Keep it LOUD!