Category Archives: Personal

Midnight (1/8/25, New Cross Inn, London, England, UK)

When the merch table is conspicuously amiss at the New Cross Inn, you know it’s gonna be a mad one! Such was the sight that greeted me when I went to see Cleveland’s blackened-speed demons Midnight tear up the joint … Continue reading

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Night Demon (27th–28th/7/25, Helgi’s/Cart & Horses, London, England, UK)

The last Sunday and Monday of July showcased something of a special event: American tea-metal merchants Night Demon playing two intimate shows across two successive nights. I was intrigued by this as both of these venues—Helgi’s and the Cart and … Continue reading

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Judas Priest/Alice Cooper (25/7/25, The O2 Arena, London, England, UK)

The final Friday of July saw me back at the O2 for the biggest ever UK headline show of the mighty metal gods Judas Priest. A co-headliner, strictly speaking, given that shock-rockin’ stalwart Alice Cooper had equal prominence. In any … Continue reading

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The Human League (23/7/25, Brighton Beach, Brighton, England, UK)

July’s penultimate Wednesday saw me return to Brighton for another date on the Human League’s summer outdoor tour. Initially, I was gonna forgo this, having purchased a ticket for their return to Kew Gardens a fortnight prior. However, a combo … Continue reading

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Carnivore AD (18/7/25, New Cross Inn, London, England, UK)

Before Type O Negative, the late Peter Steele fronted Carnivore, a snarling, growling, unrefined beast of an ’80s crossover band, with songs covering a caustic and often controversial line of topics, including rape, religious guilt, racial hatred, the threat of … Continue reading

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Overthrust (16/7/25, Club Cheek, London, England, UK)

July’s third Thursday saw Botswanan death dealers Overthrust make their London debut, not at the Underworld, Downstairs at the Dome, Black Heart, or even Helgi’s but, instead, at a tucked-away, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it venue down the side roads of Brixton named Club … Continue reading

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The Human League (9/7/25, Kew Gardens, London, England, UK)

The second Wednesday of July saw me make another visit to Kew for the same reason I did the time before: The Human League. Having last seen them from an elevated distance at Wembley’s OVO Arena, it was good to … Continue reading

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Iron Maiden (28/6/25, London Stadium, London, England, UK)

The last Saturday of June saw the lads from Leyton make something of a 50th anniversary homecoming, playing at the adjacent, Stratford-situated London Stadium. As Stratford is situated in my borough, within bus distance from me, it was refreshing to … Continue reading

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Gary Numan (25/6/25, Concorde 2, Brighton, England, UK)

It took Gary Numan announcing a series of warm-up shows for his Glastonbury debut to get me back down to Brighton for the first time in fucking decades. Granted, I already had several other visits marked on the calendar prior … Continue reading

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Forever Now Festival (22/6/25, The National Bowl, Milton Keynes, England, UK)

Named for the Psychedelic Furs song of the same name, Midsummer Sunday’s Forever Now festival had been billed as the UK’s answer to Stateside’s Cruel World, that is, a showcase of post-punk, and post-punk—adjacent, bands past and present. Having been … Continue reading

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