Disclaimer: This photo album is solely the property of Beth Jones and PhotograBee. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of these images, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Tag: Chester
In Which It Burns – G21 at The Saddle Rock Bar, Chester – 05/10/2019
Disclaimer: This photo album is solely the property of Beth Jones and PhotograBee. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of these images, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Scarfoot – G21 at The Saddle Rock Bar, Chester – 05/10/2019
Disclaimer: This photo album is solely the property of Beth Jones and PhotograBee. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of these images, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Arkdown w/ In Which It Burns & Scarfoot – G21 At The Saddle Rock Bar, Chester – 05/10/2019
Arkdown
w/ In Which It Burns & Scarfoot
G21 At The Saddle Rock Bar, Chester
05/10/2019
Review by Beth Jones
Another Friday, another trip to the G21! This week’s entertainment was being brought to us by a familiar name in the shape of Scarfoot (but with their new bass player) and two names who were completely new to me – In Which It Burns and Arkdown. Sadly, Rick was laid up with his back again, so I took my substitute gig companion and oldest child, Sian.
For those who haven’t been to the G21, it is an intimate venue created from an old stable building at the back of Chester’s best rock venue, The Saddle Bar. It is a great place to spend an evening and this is something that I am going to rant about in a bit, so be warned! First, to the bands!
Scarfoot
Having seen these guys on a number of occasions before, we knew what they were about, and regular listeners will know that I have always said that they were ok, but something was missing. Enter stage right their new bass player, Rhys, and bingo! This was what I had been waiting for from these guys! It felt so much tighter than it was before, and Vocalist/Guitarist Oliver Carins and drummer Phil Eakins, the backbone of the band, looked so much happier and content with the sound. Everything had more depth, more confidence and more groove. They have also filled the gaps between songs and developed more of a stage presence. I am so happy to be able to write this about them – there is nothing more pleasing than seeing a young band find themselves and look genuinely content and relaxed. This enjoyment also rubbed off on the crowd, and they were grooving along with them for the whole set. Whilst they were probably the lightest band on tonight’s bill, they have a chunky sound, enhanced by the gruff dual vocals of both Oliver and Phil. The new bass sound, with little fills, and more complex riffs really complimented this and I am really excited to see where this rebirth takes them next!
https://www.facebook.com/thescarfootband/
In Which It Burns
Because I like to go into things with no preconceptions, I had no knowledge of these guys at all. From their name, I had had a guess at what type of band they would be, and I wasn’t sure whether I was going to like them or not – this is the beauty of actively seeking out new music. From the first riff, my ears picked up, and by the end of the first song, my mind was made up – they were bloody good!! Joining us all the way from Pembrokeshire, these guys deliver heavy grooves and roaring vocals, and would be enjoyed by fans of early Metallica, through to Pantera but also fans of more modern, Djent style Metal. They were really tight and well-rehearsed, and a special mention must be given to drummer Eugene Lowe, who was an absolute machine! I was gutted Rick wasn’t there to see it to be honest, as he would have been falling over himself with superlatives to describe this guy’s rhythms! They all had a great presence, and their personalities and technical prowess stood side by side to create a brilliant performance – they even had a pit going at the front for one of the songs – not an easy thing to start in the G21!
https://www.facebook.com/InWhichItBurns/
Arkdown
Our headliners tonight were joining us from Sheffield, and from their logo, I had deduced that they were probably going to be pretty heavy! They got a big tick in my book before they even started playing, as they had brought their own stage lights! Anyone who has followed any of my reviews / photography outings will know my biggest gripe is lighting! The G21 lacks lights and makes me say words my mother would not be proud of, however I was able to snap away to my heart’s content with these guys! They play a brand of modern metal that, in all honesty, has the ability to get right on my tits when it’s not done right, however these guys really know how to do it right and their performance was superb. Everything was like a well-oiled machine, from the stops and changes within the songs, to the programming of the lights, even down to the choreographed headbanging – nothing was out of place, nothing was over or under done and it was bloody spectacular! The shared vocals duties of front man Kyle Dawson and Guitarist Mike Dyson had a kind of call and response feel in parts, which really worked, and their voices blended together well to create a brilliant version of the scream type sound that has become synonymous with the modern metal style. When it is done well, like these guys do it, I love it! I really cannot find anything to criticise about them. Everything was superb. I picked up a copy of their EP “The Calling” and listened to it in the car on the way home, and their stage sound was just as good as the recording. I am so glad I was one of the select few in the audience and I can’t wait to see them again!
https://www.facebook.com/ArkdownOfficial/
Right, so that is my band write up done, now I am going to rant about something that I have kept my mouth shut about up until now, but that came to a head at this gig and really pissed me off (anyone who knows me will know it takes a hell of a lot to piss me off).
Here we had three great bands, who have been playing up and down the country, working their backsides off to bring shows to people, and by the time Arkdown were on stage, they were playing to a handful of people – literally. One of the audience members was me, two were girlfriends of band members, and one was the gig organiser – if you take us out of the equation, the rest of the audience could be counted on one hand, but they still put everything into that performance, and played as if they were playing to a packed out stadium, and for that I have the utmost respect for them, because mentally that is tough.
This is sadly echoed in many town, in many countries globally at the moment, and then people complain when venues shut down – IF YOU DON’T USE THEM HOW ARE THEY GOING TO STAY OPEN DICKHEADS??!!! Don’t bloody complain that you didn’t know it was on, or that you hadn’t heard of the band – ACTIVELY GO OUT LOOKING FOR NEW STUFF!!! In an age of social media, where our entire lives are there at the touch of a button, we have become fucking lazy, and expect everything to be spoon fed to us – STOP IT! Check out your local venues’ Facebook or Twitter to see what is on! Search for your local scene and like any pages that come up that are connected to it, and check them out regularly to see what they are up to! In the old days we used to get the ‘What’s On’ guide somewhere in the back of the local free paper every week, and we would search through the paper to find it, and circle in red, or cut out and stick on the calendar the things we wanted to go to! There is zero reason why we can’t do the same now, using the technology that we all have in our back pockets, but we’re too fucking lazy!!! These bands, and hundreds like them on the emerging and underground scene, deserve more than we are giving them. They are working so hard to entertain us, with entry to their gigs costing the same as a pint, but we can’t be arsed. Please, for the love of music, sort it out!!!!
As I dismount my soap box, I would like to say a huge thank you to the bands for giving me a brilliant evening’s entertainment, and also a huge thanks to North East Wales Metal Productions again, for putting on this gig, and for working tirelessly to reboot the scene around here. And before anyone say “Well you only go because you get press passes” or “You get given CDs for free”, NO – we buy tickets for these gigs to help support the scene, and we buy the CDs to help support the bands, so suck it up, don’t make excuses, and get out to watch bands – you might find something you like! GRRRRRRR!!
LINKS
https://www.facebook.com/N.E.WMetalProductions/
https://www.facebook.com/Grosvenor21/
https://www.facebook.com/Thesaddleinnchester/
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
All photos courtesy of Beth Jones and PhotograBee Images
https://www.facebook.com/PhotograBeeImages/
Luke Appleton Snake Eyes Acoustic Tour 2019 w/Edd Case – G21 At The Saddle Rock Bar, Chester – 27/09/2019
Luke Appleton
Snake Eyes Acoustic Tour 2019
w/Edd Case
G21 At The Saddle Rock Bar, Chester
27/09/2019
Review and Pictures by Beth Jones
After not being to any live music for about six weeks, Rick and I were starting to get cabin fever, and were very glad to be getting out to one of our new favourite local venues, The G21 at The Saddle Rock Bar, Chester. This intimate venue is quirky and basic, but has an awesome feel about it and we were glad to be getting to see not only our favourite local acoustic legend, Edd Case, but also a stalwart of the scene, Luke Appleton, who is nearing the end of his 2019 ‘Snake Eyes’ acoustic tour. Here, he would be joined by the equally hard working and talented Becky Baldwin to add an extra depth to his acoustic set. But more importantly than all this, it was Ian ‘Beany’ North’s birthday, and we were intrigued to see how much he could drink!
We arrived to find everyone in high spirits, which instantly gave us that warm feeling of home that we had missed out on over the last few weeks. The stage was set, the drinks chilled, and the lighting delicately poised to make it possible to take pictures! First up to serenade us was Edd Case.
Edd Case
I have said it before and I will say it again, if you haven’t heard of Edd Case, and you are from round these parts, have you been living under a rock?! Edd is a multi-faceted individual, who has the perfect mix of comedy, seriousness, personality and humility. Having stared death in the face just over a year ago, he has bounced back and used this experience to give him extra passion. He plays a range of covers and original tracks, putting his own spin on everything. Here he played some crowd pleasers, and also introduced a couple of new original tracks, one of which, ‘The Underdog’, is now my second favourite of his original tracks, the first being ‘Letters Back Home’, which he played again in this set, and which brought the room to a hush – it is such an emotive song that the whole place, including me, had a communal lump in our throat and you could have heard a pin drop – THAT is how to gauge a special song. We love Edd. Simple as!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014628035630
Luke Appleton
Our main event of the evening was the metal world’s answer to a Dynamo, Luke Appleton, with a special guest appearance from Becky Baldwin. These two musicians have got to be the hardest working pair on the scene at the moment. Down time is something that doesn’t exist in their world, which does two things. Firstly, and most importantly, it makes them fabulously tight and consummately professional – here they took us through 70 minutes of ‘Acoustic Metal’, which was fast paced, impeccably played, and planned to the nth degree, including the links between songs. The set list was comprised of Luke’s original acoustic material from his “Snake Eyes” album and more, along with tracks from Iced Earth and Absolva, both with which Luke is an integral part of. There is no denying that both Luke and Becky are insatiable musicians who ooze talent and always put on a great show, whether they are playing to ten people or ten thousand people – this performance, musically, being no exception.
For me, the second thing that their non-stop pace does is make them tired, and I’m not talking just physically tired, that goes without saying, but more of an emotional and creative weariness. Whilst this performance was undoubtedly a brilliant musical performance technically, for me something was missing. They looked shattered, and their eyes told a different story to their smiles. I love and admire both these musicians immensely, but this performance left me feeling an odd kind of melancholy which I didn’t like. Maybe I’m just being far too sensitive, but I would really encourage them to seriously consider taking some time off, so they can refresh their passion for music, as it would be an absolute travesty to see talent like theirs burn out.
https://www.facebook.com/lukeappletonofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/BeckyBaldwinBass/
All that being said, it was a great night of music, and what a way for Beany to celebrate his birthday – that is class – having THE Luke Appleton play your birthday! The only question left is – Beany, how can you top that next year?! Thanks again to Fozzy and Beany for their hard work putting on these shows, and also to Edd Case, Luke Appleton and Becky Baldwin for bringing us the music.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/N.E.WMetalProductions/
https://www.facebook.com/Thesaddleinnchester/
https://www.facebook.com/Grosvenor21/
https://www.facebook.com/Powerzonemetal/
https://www.facebook.com/phoenixrisingrocks/
https://www.facebook.com/GoodforaudioEntertainment/
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
All photos courtesy of Beth Jones and PhotograBee Images
https://www.facebook.com/PhotograBeeImages/
Edd Case – The G21, Chester – 27/09/2019
Disclaimer: This photo album is solely the property of Beth Jones and PhotograBee. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of these images, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Luke Appleton – The G21, Chester – 27/09/2019
Disclaimer: This photo album is solely the property of Beth Jones and PhotgraBee. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of these images, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Severenth, In Depths & Lullaby For A Unicorn – The Live Rooms Chester – 05/07/2019
Severenth, In Depths & Lullaby For A Unicorn
The Live Rooms Chester – 05/07/2019
Review by Beth Jones
I have to be honest; I don’t really remember Severenth in their original incarnation, which ended six years ago, but I do remember the name (I know, I’m sorry). I was looking forward to discovering what they were all about and was also looking forward to seeing one of our Ever Metal favourites, Lullaby For A Unicorn, and catching the formidable In Depths again. OMV had also been on the bill, but they pulled out at the last minute, so it meant we got a little bit extra from Lullaby and In Depths, which is always welcome.
Lullaby For A Unicorn
Last time we saw these guys was at the M2TM Final. On that night, they overthought their performance way too much, and it stole some of the endearing unicorn magic that we are used to. However, here they were back to their old selves, but minus all the mess! They looked comfortable on the stage and sounded fantastic, there was a good-sized crowd gathering and they all seemed to enjoy the unhinged sounds of the Unicorn, even chanting ‘SHED, SHED, SHED!’ at one point!
The acoustics in the big room at the Live Rooms are really good, and the sound man had got it spot on, making every note crystal clear for the performance – this was something that continued for the whole night – big love to the sound guy!
https://www.facebook.com/rockmyunicorn/
In Depths
Wow! These guys were fired up for this gig, and it came through in their performance. It was brilliant! They are modern metal, with a djenty sound, but lots of nods to classic metal. They are all superbly talented musicians, and vocalist Callum Smith cut a striking figure as he roared, and absolutely owned the crowd, which was now the biggest crowd I have seen at a local gig for a long time.
They played with a terrific pace and ferocity, all kept in check by drummer Aaron Furnival, who is absolutely superb. This was the best we have seen them, very definitely, and I can’t wait to see them again.
https://www.facebook.com/InDepths/
Severenth
Playing to an almost sell-out crowd is how you want a comeback gig to be, but not something you see often, so Severenth have to be applauded for pulling that off to start with – the room was absolutely packed, and for a local band that takes some doing, but this was their first outing for six years! They built up the atmosphere with some dark entrance music, and then hammered straight into their first song.
What a sound! Made up of Ben Jones on Bass, Jack Somers and Adam Sidor on Guitar, Dave Roberts on Drums and Front Man Peet Bailey, they ripped into a thrashing show of 90’s inspired modern metal, which was completely flawless. They all looked like they were having so much fun – like being back was the best feeling in the world. With skilled guitar work, insanely tight drumming, rumbling bass riffs and an all-round vocal powerhouse, it begs the question why they haven’t come back sooner?! Peet also has potentially world record breaking dreadlocks, which amazed me! I reckon the longest one was a good five foot!! It has taken me forty years to be that tall!!
The whole crowd was loving every minute of the performance and were dancing and pitting all over the place. Sadly, Rick took an elbow to the back as a pit started up near him, which wasn’t great, and we had to cut our night slightly short to get him home to his pain meds. I have no doubt that those who stayed until the end of the set were treated to more of the same great, commanding performance we had already seen. That is how to do a show everybody! Storming, enthralling and utterly brilliant! I am so glad that they are now a thing again, as it meant I got to find out what I was missing the first time. We are really looking forward to seeing them again very soon, at the Alma Inn in Bolton on 20th July.
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSeverenth/
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/theliverooms/
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Klavium, Killer Hurts & Scars Of Remembrance – The Live Rooms, Chester – 27/06/2019
Klavium, Killer Hurts & Scars Of Remembrance
The Live Rooms, Chester – 27/06/2019
Review by Beth Jones
It had been a couple of weeks since we had been to a live show, and this was a gig that we had earmarked when it was announced, even though it was on a school night! It was a chance to catch up with the guys in Scars Of Remembrance before their Bloodstock adventure, and also to see a couple of new names for us, Classic Thrashers Killer Hurts and a new name to the scene, all the way from Trinidad and Tobago, Klavium.
The gig was in the smaller room at the Live Rooms, which we have never been in before. It is still a good sized room and perfect for this type of gig.
Scars Of Remembrance
Fresh from their M2TM finals win, SOR opened the show in great fashion. They still continue to improve each time we see them, and this performance was no exception. Their brand of 90’s inspired riffs with death metal vocals, and punchy grooves really got the gathered crowd going and in the mood for some heavy tunes.
Front man Mike Edwards really likes to get in with the crowd and paced like a man possessed throughout the set, which motivated the audience to move along with him. The sound was awesome and the whole band looked more than ready for their trip to Catton Park in August.
https://www.facebook.com/scarsofremembrance/
Killer Hurts
Norwich based Killer Hurts do their thing very well, and their thing is classic, no nonsense Thrash. They were a man down for this performance, with their lead guitarist unable to make the gig, so they were performing as a three piece.
Whilst I’m not a massive fan of classic Thrash, what I will say is that they were super tight, and obviously well versed in the business, because their performance was spot on. It did lack the guitar solos that I am assuming would have been there if the lead guitarist had been available. Rick absolutely loved them, as it is one of his favourite genres, but musically, despite being very tight, they weren’t really for me if I’m honest. Each to their own though isn’t it!
(Rick Here: Yes I did love them. I understand why some might say they are a bit samey, but for me Killer Hurts are all the things I love about an old-school Thrash band. Think of Slayer crashing head on into Destruction and Exodus and you might be somewhere close although you’ll probably hear your own influences)!
https://www.facebook.com/Killer-Hurts-308343311010/
Klavium
Its not every day you get a metal band from Trinidad & Tobago playing on your doorstep! Add to that the fact that they are only a two-piece band, and it becomes rarer still. They are Kahdil Beharry Singh on Vocals and Guitar, and Dylan Beharry Singh on Drums.
We were intrigued to see what sort of noise they made. The answer to that was BIG! Unbelievably big considering their lineup! But it wasn’t just big, it was tight, it was chunky, and it was heavy as hell. They were superb! This was Thrash that I could get onboard with. It was fast paced, with fantastic rhythms, and immensely powerful vocals. They sounded like a band that had at least five members, and after the gig we asked Kahdil how he managed to make it sound so big – was he putting his guitar through a bass amp, or using some crazy effects pedals? The answer was no – Just a regular guitar cab, and one pedal! It just goes to show that sometimes less is more, and all the technology in the world doesn’t necessarily make you any better. Although I do now suspect that these guys are wizards, as that sound should not have been possible with that set up!!! Brilliant, and terrifically nice and humble blokes too. If you get a chance to check these guys out, and you like early Metallica, great musicianship, catchy songs and HEAVY Metal then do it!
What a quality night we had, as did the small crowd who had made the effort to be there. That is my only gripe about the night – that more people didn’t make the effort to come out. Yes, it was a school night, yes it was the day before payday, but still. These guys had come on a shoestring from Trinidad & Tobago to play their first UK Tour – everyone should be getting off their asses and encouraging them, they definitely deserve it! I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones, having seen them here, and would like to say a big thank you to them, and to North East Wales Metal Productions for putting on the show.
https://www.facebook.com/klavium/
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/N.E.WMetalProductions/
https://www.facebook.com/skyyrockfestival/
https://www.facebook.com/fatangelbookings/
https://www.facebook.com/intenartist/
https://www.facebook.com/evermetal2017/
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Witch Tripper, Lullaby For A Unicorn and Bad Earth – Live At G21, The Saddle Bar, Chester – 13/04/2019
Witch Tripper, Lullaby For A Unicorn and Bad Earth
Live At G21
The Saddle Bar, Chester
13/04/2019
Review by Beth Jones
After an interesting heat of M2TM 24 hours previous, we were in the mood for a good dose of proper metal to knock away the lingering winter chill that was in the air and reset our minds! We headed over the border to Chester, and The Saddle Bar, for NEW Metal Productions latest gathering of banging bands. I remember this bar from many years ago, when it used to be one of my haunts in my mis-spent youth, but back then it was called the Chester Bells, and was a bit spit and sawdust, so it was interesting to see what the new owners had done with it. All the reports we had heard had been positive. Tonight, the Saddle was hosting two gigs, a UFO tribute act in the main bar, and our destination, Bad Earth, Lullaby For A Unicorn and Witch Tripper in the old stables out the back, which is now lovingly called the G21 bar!
It was an interesting little space! It looked a bit like the dungeon of Madame Elektra, with red walls, black ceilings and drapes, and elaborate chandeliers! It just needed some whips and a gimp mask for the full effect! The floor was a little uneven, which made it a bit tricky for Rick, but it was still a nice sized space, and full of friendly faces. We have seen all three of these bands on many occasions now, and have got to know them all, and love them all, so we knew it was going to be a good night.
Bad Earth
First on the bill was Bad Earth, now thankfully back to a full quota of members, which was really great to see – they work so well together as a three piece and we are so happy that bassist Rob has managed to come back to the fold. As predicted, they smashed it. The sound was brilliant, and their performance was tight. My only woe was the lighting, in so much as there pretty much wasn’t any! Red walls and no lighting do not make a happy photographer! Considering how red everything was, the air around me was very, very blue I can tell you!!!!
IMPORTANT EDIT – For one reason and another this review is slightly late in being posted to our website and yesterday, 6th May, there was an announcement on the Bad Earth Facebook page that bassist Rob has again parted ways with the rest of the band. We wish them all the best in finding a replacement soon! – Rick
https://www.facebook.com/BADEARTH/
Lullaby For A Unicorn
Ah, my boys, my boys. What can I say? Yet again a splendid performance, full of chunky riffs, crazy vocals, and mess! Silly string, party poppers and party cannons aplenty were released over the crowd and it really kick started the party atmosphere, as there were at least four notable people in the room celebrating their birthdays that night. These guys are so much fun, and I love them, both as a band, and now as new found friends. They really are my kind of people!
https://www.facebook.com/rockmyunicorn/
Witch Tripper
The North’s hardest working band of the moment gave us another energy packed, full on groove fest! It was by this point incredibly warm in the room and Rick and I had to decamp half way through as he was hurting, and I was getting a touch wobbly, but luckily, we could still hear them from out in the beer garden! They are so good, so groovy, so tight, and their new drummer is amazing, and has brought a new dimension to them as a group. He also has lovely hair!
https://www.facebook.com/witchtripperuk/
We decided not so stay for the UFO tribute act, as the main bar was so packed, which was great to see in the sense of people coming out to see live music, but not so great in the sense of being a small person and trying not to get squished to death! Also, there is an old law in Chester that has never (if tales are to be believed) been revoked – if a Welshman is found within the city walls after midnight, they can be shot through the head with a crossbow! I wasn’t up for taking any chances, and having an arrow through my brain would be somewhat of an inconvenient hinderance to my writing and photography! We had had a really fun night and were glad that we had experienced this new venue.
Plusses for me were the fact that the G21 is separate from the main pub, as we didn’t have to do too much fighting through crowds, and also the sound yet again was superb – thanks to Fozzy for this. Minuses with the venue are the flooring, and lack of lighting, but these are both easily rectifiable. A great night was had by all!
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Thesaddleinnchester/
https://www.facebook.com/Grosvenor21/
https://www.facebook.com/N.E.WMetalProductions/
https://www.facebook.com/Powerzonemetal/
https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactZoneOnRadioDeeside/
https://www.facebook.com/GoodforaudioEntertainment/
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities..
All photos courtesy of Beth Jones and PhotograBee Images
https://www.facebook.com/PhotograBeeImages/