Photos: Beck – Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh NC – 23rd July 2014.

Photos: The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger – Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh NC – 23rd July 2014.

Opening for Beck.

Review: No Devotion – Islington Academy, London – 25th July 2014.

“A lot of you are here tonight because you knew the band that these guys were in before and you literally saw one of the worst fucking breakups of all time,” says No Devotion’s own, ex-Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly. With everything that happened, no one knew what was to become of the band, but it was safe to say that Lostprophets were no more. When news broke that Luke, Stuart, Lee, Mike and Jamie had got together to make music again under a new name with a new singer, it was a time for fresh beginnings.

News: Be a part of Zürich Open Air!

Switzerland’s fantastic Zürich Open Air is looking for volunteers to help with the event, from setting up to cleaning up, bartending or just helping with information! Interested? Full details on ages and hours, as well as how to apply can be found here!

If you’re more interested in the full festival-going experience, tickets are available here, with an incredible line-up including the Manic Street Preachers, DEADMAU5, Warpaint, The 1975, Metronomy and Scotland’s own Paolo Nutini. So, what’re you waiting for? End your summer with a great weekend of live music in Switzerland!

Review: Monumentour – Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh NC – 22nd July 2014.

Monumentour brought Paramore and Fall Out Boy, two of the most prominent bands in rock today, together for a massive summer tour. Walnut Creek Amphitheatre was filled virtually to capacity with fans representing both bands that were amped for the show.

Copenhagen natives New Politics (★★★★) jumped right into a high-energy, pop-rock set complete with everything from a ukelele to breakdancing. Gavin Boyd led the band through Give Me Hope and Berlin, who ultimately put on a solid, high-energy show, and revved the crowd up for what was next.

Paramore (★★★★★) burst onto the stage, and from the minute they started playing until the end of their set, Hayley Williams never stopped moving. She was a tiny whirlwind of energy, running at full speed from one end of the stage to the other, high kicking, and spinning for the better part of an hour! Hayley was pitch perfect for the entire set, and never, ever ran out of breath. The band played through an array of hits including That’s What You Get, Ignorance, Misery Business and Proof, and worked like a well-oiled machine. Despite everyone playing incredibly well, it was terribly hard to pay attention to anything while Hayley Williams was dominating the stage!

After a short break, Fall Out Boy (★★★★★) rose up from beneath a platform at center stage with their game faces on. The band had the entire crowd on their feet for the whole set by playing through their arsenal of verbosely titled hits. They played through This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race, Alone Together, and Sugar We’re Going Down. Then Andrew Hurley switched to a drum kit on a slide-out platform for an amazing drum solo. Shortly after, Patrick Stump joined him on a second drum kit for a short drum off.

A grand piano rose up from the platform at center stage with Patrick playing and doing a tremendous job as they covered Queen’s We Are The Champions. The band went on through My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up) and Thnks fr th Mmrs, then closed out the set with Saturday, and Pete Wentz hopped over to the barricade to get close to the fans.

If you’re looking for a high-energy show headed by bands with two of the most powerful, technically sound vocalists in the business, this is definitely the show for you. Both Hayley Williams and Patrick Stump demonstrated incredible vocal prowess and showmanship, and both Paramore and Fall Out Boy kept the crowd completely and utterly hooked.

Review: KISS – Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh NC – 20th July 2014.

It’s KISS’s 40th anniversary, which means it’s time for a mammoth tour! With British rock icons, Def Leppard, and Canada’s Kobra and the Lotus in tow, KISS graced Walnut Creek Amphitheatre to play for their army.

Review: Cult For The Haggard Youth – Dead Harts.

For Sheffield punk/hardcore group, Dead Harts, it’s been a crazy 5 years. Since their formation in 2009, the band have shared stages with some amazing acts and have played an impressive number of festivals and tours. Cult For The Haggard Youth comes as no surprise as being a riff fueled 11 tracks of pure energy, but for newcomers it’s also definitely a recommendation.

Review: Never Hungover Again – Joyce Manor.

On listening to Never Hungover Again, you’re left feeling like it’s over before it’s even begun. Clocking it at a total of less than 20 minutes, and no song being any longer than 2 and a half minutes – it’s a swift jaunt through Joyce Manor’s newest material.

Review: Die Young With Me – Blacklist Royals.

Sometimes bands don’t just have a sound, they have a sound that comes with it a whole atmosphere. Nashville’s Blacklist Royals are one of those bands, and as soon as you hit play on Die Young With Me the air of romance, nostalgia, and quintessential American melancholy smacks you in the face.

News: Against Me! announce UK tour.

Good news, UK folks! Against Me! will be hitting our shores in November for a UK tour. And, the venues are actually kind of tiny. So, it’s going to be incredible.

13th – Bierkeller, Bristol.
14th – O2 Academy 2, Birmingham.
15th – King  Tuts, Glasgow.
16th – Cockpit, Leeds.
17th – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth.
18th – Academy 2,  Manchester.
19th – Electric Ballroom, London.

Tickets onsale 9am, July 30th.