20 June 2003: Robin Black and the Intergalactic Rock Stars - Junction 7, Nottingham, England, UK

If you like Glam Rock, and these guys are really GLAMMMM!!!!, then you'll love Robin Black and the Intergalactic Rock Stars.

The band hails from Vancouver, Canada and I first heard them when they recently supported Pretty Boy Floyd at Rock City earlier this year. On that occasion they put on a great show and I was determined to catch them on a headlining tour. When I found out they had signed to a new label, TV records based in Nottingham, I felt…

03 September 2003: Drunk In Public - Town Mill, Mansfield, England, UK

After a brief tour of Mansfield trying to find a car park by following a map that made no sense, I eventually arrived at the venue to find the band about to take to the stage. Thankfully the time they spent setting up and trying to get Mark propped up on his stool (one of Mark's first statements was "As you can probably tell, I've been drinking"), gave me time to get to the front so that I could see something.

The stage was very small and not…

08 October 2003: Motörhead + The Wildhearts - Rock City, Nottingham, England, UK

I'd always promised myself that one day I would treat myself and go and see Motörhead and, after missing them at the outside gig in Sherwood Forest in the summer, now was the time.

But first the real reason for going. And that was the

Wed 8 Oct – Motörhead, The Wildhearts, The Young Heart Attack

23 November 2003: Marilyn Manson + Peaches - NEC Arena, Birmingham, England, UK

I hate the NEC. The venue sucks, the sound is crap, the security people have a really shitty attitude and the beer is way overpriced, so I am quite reluctant to go unless no suitable alternative is available, and as Mr Manson doesn't do smaller venues I had no choice if I wanted to see the show but to bite the bullet and grin and bear it. We got to the place in good time, paid a fortune to park a mile from the venue and stood…

04 December 2003: Iron Maiden + Funeral For A Friend - Arena, Nottingham, England, UK

I'd never been to the ice arena to see a gig before. The type of so called artists that this venue usually attracts leaves me cold, and I'm not usually very keen on indoor stadium gigs, finding them a little uninspiring with over inflated beer prices and shitty security guards.

However when the mighty maiden announced a date, this venue was much more preferable to the NEC Birmingham (I absolutely despise that venue and will only go if no other suitable alternative is available). And…

10 December 2003: Levellers - Rock City, Nottingham, England, UK

One of the worst sounds in the world is standing on Talbot Street outside Rock City and hearing the first thuds of the bass drum of "Beanfield", while your still 100 yards from the entrance. Run!

Oh well…late again. Still, only missed the first minute and that was while forcing my way to the dance floor. The Levellers looked superb. Mark had a massive smile on his face all through the gig and Matt was sporting a beard (and was hidden from most of the crowd to the right of…

21 February 2004: Monster Magnet + Gluecifer - Rock City, Nottingham, England, UK

As my usual gigging partner Sime could not make this one my beloved Lisa, who is more into girly singer/songwriters aka Sean Colvin, Ani Difranco, Beth Orton, the list goes on and on (and on and on) accompanied me to the show. I suppose that her reaction to the evenings event might be a more reflective view as apart from a cursory listen to the first few tracks on "Powertrip" whilst getting ready to go out, she had no idea what to…

12 March 2004: Kathryn Tickell - The Fishpond, Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, England, UK

I'm not really a big folk music lover but having discovered the delights of Kate Rusby I have made more of an effort to search out the cream of the crop of British folk music.

I first heard Kathryn Tickell on Women's Hour on radio 4 (god I must be getting old) and immediately knew that this person had real talent. A Northumbrian lass who plays the Northumbrian smallpipes and fiddle but applying them to modern compositions as well as…

Fri 12 Mar – Kathryn Tickell

27 April 2004: The Wildhearts - Rock City, Nottingham, England, UK

Yes, yet another Wildhearts tour so that must mean it's time for my annual trip to Rock City. At least I have a decent excuse for my rare visits now - a baby girl at home requiring my attention - rather than having to simply whinge that most music is crap these days.

Not for the first time in my life the lure of the pub proved greater than anything else which unfortunately meant I missed the support. I had expected this to come solely in the shape of…

29 May 2004: Off The Tracks Festival - Isley Walton, Castle Donington, England, UK

This is a great festival. It’s only small (especially the spring one), but it makes up for it big time by being just about the best-organised festival you will ever go to. The camp site is spacious, there’s plenty to see and do, the stewards are all friendly and helpful and there’s plenty of reasonably priced beer to be drunk.

This is a review of the Saturday evening events, as due to other commitments and much as I’d have liked to, I couldn’t stay for the…