Live Review: Alice Cooper | 16^th November 2007

Cardiff's CIA has experienced a rather busy week, playing host to the Foo Fighters, Heaven and Hell, and Enrique Iglesias. Now, none other than Alice Cooper, the Grand Guignol of Shock Rock, graces the CIA...

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Live Review: Apocalyptica | 13^th December 2007

Hailing from Helsinki, Finland and formed in 1993, it all began when four classically trained cellists by the names of Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, Max Lilja, and Antero Manninen (all graduates of the Sibelius Academy) performed Metallica reinterpretations at the Teatro Heavy Metal Club. No vocal note will be uttered, nor a guitar strummed. That group happens to be Apocalyptica, one of Metal's great latter day success stories...

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Live Review: The Blackout | 16^th October 2007

This is the one and only Welsh show of their 2007 UK headlining tour for Merthyr Tydfil's The Blackout, and it's expected to be packed out by only close followers of the sextet. Those are followers who truly believe this band, and feel they can become nothing except bigger and bigger. Tonight, they prove that they might just do that...

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Live Review: The Black Dahlia Murder | 18^th August 2007

The Barfly is packed tonight, with attendees ranging from Metal heads to Nu Rave kids (someone had a glow stick at one point). This is Metal from around the world, literally; Welsh, German and American. You can't get more intimate than Barfly, so prepare for some sweaty, torn up bodies. Unfortunately missing Anterior’s set after hearing many good things about them, on a personal note I am gutted I missed their set. I hope to catch them soon...

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Live Review: DevilDriver | 15^th October 2007

It isn't often that you would associate a church building with a concert hall, especially one which rarely offers brutal American Heavy Metal such as that scheduled for tonight. The venue is near its maximum capacity, housing Metal heads that are ready to cause some damage...

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Live Review: Dream Theater | 9^th November 2007

A classic band by the name of Dream Theater brace the stage at Newport Centre this evening, promoting their 2007 album Systematic Chaos. While on route to the city of Newport, a thought occurs; is the venue is actually big enough to accomodate Mike Portnoy's drum kit alone? Joking aside, as this reviewer pulls up towards the Newport Centre, it can be seen that crowds of people are queuing around the total perameters of the building...

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Live Review: Enter Shikari | 31^st October 2007

Last time Enter Shikari played Cardiff, they graced the Solus part of Cardiff University. Tonight, they’ve upgraded. There was no doubt in the fans minds that it wouldn’t sell out. We are pleased to have this gig fall on Halloween, and mentioned as one of the biggest venues Enter Shikari have played on this tour. Outside, it's a spectacle of fans; they're either doused in glowsticks, or staying faithful to the Halloween tradition in according ghoulish attire...

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Live Review: Every Time I Die | 6^th April 2008

If you can be classified as a fervent admirer of Metal music and happen to reside in Cardiff or its neighbouring areas, then tonight presents an awkward dilemma. Admirers have either caught the train to Bristol to witness Cleveland, Ohio Metal act Chimaira perform at the Bierkeller, or are fruitlessly attempting to track down event tickets for Every Time I Die's sold out Newport jaunt. Carefully weighing my judgment in light of the last performance yours truly saw courtesy of Chimaira, the preferred option is to carefully gamble, and view a group which yours truly has never heard in the flesh...

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Live Review: Get Happy | 25^th October 2007

An eventually sold out Newport Centre tonight hosts American Rock and Pop Punk bands; ones which have either broken the pack, or are about to break it. This is the Get Happy Tour, and marks the second time the package has ventured to British shores this year. Once again, the tour features leaders Bowling For Soup who have seemed to be on the road to mainstream success during 2007...

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Live Review: Heaven and Hell | 14^th November 2007

Tonight marks what should be something special at the CIA; it isn't often you see a reformed Black Sabbath with the mighty Ronnie James Dio leading on tour, especially in a city as small as this (compared to other cities). Other acts of their size usually do the traditional run of England, and falsely dub their dates as a fully fledged UK trek. They grace Wales tonight, and won't we know it...

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Live Review: Hell Is For Heroes | 18^th June 2007

There's many mixed feelings about the main act tonight, and the gig isn't much of a sell out despite Hell Is For Heroes being one of Kerrang!'s most wanted. Considering they're not that unknown, their name does carry some credit in the Post Hardcore movement - not from anyone I’ve spoken to prior to the gig though may I add...

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Live Review: Kerrang! Wales Free Event | 15^th November 2006

Cardiff Bay is the new home of Doctor Who, the Timelord's Tardis parked only a few minutes walk away from tonight's venue. But is the bay to be the new home of Kerrang!'s Kerrang! Radio Wales? Some of tonight's hairstyles wouldn't have looked out of place inside a mediocre eighties sci-fi series, but Kerrang! have taken notice of South Wales' Emo band influx wishing to breaking the market...

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Live Review: Panic Cell | 24^th November 2007

London's Panic Cell overseeing a British headline tour was an inevitable occurrence, as opposed to a vague possibility. Beneficial support slots, most notably under the likes of Ill Nino, American Head Charge and various other outfits, have spearheaded a momentous rise in the group's media profile. Besides those noteworthy opportunities, privileged chances to carve a favourable impression arrived in the guise of two slots on the third stage (dubbed the Napster Stage in 2005, and then the Tuborg Stage in 2007) at Donington, UK's Download Festival in 2005 and 2007 respectively...

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Live Review: Silverstein | 19^th November 2007

Undertaking a strenuous touring schedule in support of third album Arrivals & Departures, Burlington, Ontario, Canada Screamo outfit Silverstein plan a lone Welsh date...

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Live Review: Skid Row | 14^th November 2007

Swansea’s fresh and upcoming concert venue city hosts New Jersey act Skid Row tonight, a Metal group that experienced immense popularity during the heyday of Sleaze Rock. In the late eighties they penned such hit numbers as “18 and Live” and “Youth Gone Wild” that surfaced via their 1989 eponymous debut, and boasted a Billboard chart topping effort in the form of 1991's Slave to the Grind. Taking such considerable success into account, it's rather surprising such an intimate venue could host a band with the noteworthy calibre of Skid Row. In the mid nineties, this reviewer had the pleasure of witnessing the group live during a global tour trek. Since then, a lot of chapters in the group's life have been written...

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Live Review: Taste of Chaos | 22^nd November 2007

Taste of Chaos' lone 2006 Welsh stop occurred on 21^st November at Cardiff's CIA, hosting a substantial roster which included the likes of Taking Back Sunday, Anti-Flag, Alexisonfire, Underoath, Senses Fail, Saosin and Saidmike on that very night. Wind the clock forward one whole year to 22^nd November 2007, and that very tour package features The Used assuming the headline slot...

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Live Review: Thin Lizzy | 28^th November 2007

The boys are back in town; critically revered Irish Rock veterans Thin Lizzy return to the Welsh capital, honouring a live performance at Cardiff's St. David's Hall...

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Live Review: Unholy Alliance Chapter 2 | 30^th October 2006

A gig clocking in at nearly five hours had the potential to lumber like an eternal, lecturous speech by Fidel Castro, indeed the Cardiff mist wafted like Cuban cigars it'd be fair to say - very odd indeed. Decked in Slayer shirts spanning the depth of the group's career, hoarse chants of “SLAYER, SLAYER” (not a far cry from those of a soccer field) demonstrated the diehard fans still remain faithful as of October 2006, despite frequent media dismissals...

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Live Review: Will Haven | 6^th November 2007

It's a typical Tuesday night in Cardiff, and roughly fifteen people (if that) grace the main entrance to Clwb Ifor Bach (meaning the Welsh Club). They're awaiting entry, and wish to escape from the ever harsher evening chill. Seeing only a handful of concert goers outside can be daunting for all involved, whether it be the groups, the venue, the promoter or the fans. Frankly, all want the hype kept aloft when they get inside the venue, and all want the groups to avoid disappointment. It’s early on though, and this reviewer has witnessed groups create a pit from the efforts of just three audience members even...

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Live Review: Zico Chain | 27^th November 2007

London, UK Alternative Rock outfit Zico Chain marks 2007's closing months with a string of Barfly club dates, a year which has witnessed the group's fledgling profile substantially increase...

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