Filed Under (The 'Load Down) by simon on 04-06-2009
After staying away from the UK for so many years the boys from Journey have suddenly become regular visitors to these shores with a cool set at Milton Keynes a few years’ back followed by a couple of cracking headline tours.
Back home they’re still big business in and their huge US summer tour with Def Leppard was one of the highest grossing of the year. With new lead singer Arnel Pineda proving you can go from singing your favourite band’s biggest hits in a karaoke bar to fronting the genuine artical on arena stages worldwide, there is no stopping the revitalised rockers in 2009.
Just how the band’s signature grand piano will look or sound on the Download stage remains to be seen and Journey must be one of the softest rock acts the festival has hosted. But they more than justify their main stage billing on Classic Rock Sunday and could turn out to be the surprise package on a star-studded final day. Read the rest of this entry »
Filed Under (The 'Load Down) by simon on 28-05-2009
They walked off with the biggest prize in music in 2008 - rushonrock’s coveted Album Of The Year gong for their superb Forever More record – and now Tesla are hitting the UK festival stage for the first time in ages!
We can’t wait to see and hear one of the seminal acts to emerge from the US in the 1980s. And if they never quite conformed to the hair metal trend then their music was as good as anything released during that glorious era.
Tours with David Lee Roth, Def Leppard and Poison should have been the springboard for even greater success but after selling in excess of 16m records Frank, Keith and the boys haven’t had a bad career. And they were even namechecked on super cool basketball-themed US show One Tree Hill. You can’t get better than that. Read the rest of this entry »
Filed Under (The 'Load Down) by simon on 20-05-2009
One of the brightest new bands to emerge on the Britrock scene in the past two years, the super-cool Stone Gods are the perfect choice to open Download 2009’s main stage.
Risen from the ashes of The Darkness, the vibrant four-piece play classic rock with a twist – reminiscent of Thunder, Little Angels and Terrorvision at their peak almost 20 years ago.
Like those bands before them hopes are high that the Gods will live up to their name and lead a new generation of UK acts into Europe, America and beyond. Donington next month is a great place to start that bid for global domination and here’s all you need to know about the rushonrock faves. Read the rest of this entry »
Filed Under (The 'Load Down) by simon on 13-05-2009
There’s just no stopping David Coverdale these days despite that rogue Joe Lynn Turner suggesting he occasionally lip-syncs and the fact that he’s really far too old for the rock and roll lifetsyle!
Live Whitsesnake remain one of the most consummate rock acts on the planet and last year’s studio offering Good To Be Bad suggested there’s plenty of life left in the old dog – or snake yet.
After 2008’s sumptuous co-headline tour with Def Leppard, Coverdale is back with his good buddies from the Steel City and back on the Donington stage he knows so well. Here’s something on Whitesnake for ya… Read the rest of this entry »
Filed Under (The 'Load Down) by simon on 09-05-2009
Who better to headline Download 2009’s Classic Rock Sunday than the mightiest of NWOBHM pioneers Def Leppard? Mixing Sheffield steel with Hollywood glitz the multi-million selling Brits are experiencing a well-deserved renaissance on the back of return-to-form Songs From The Sparkle Lounge and a series of blistering live shows.
This summer’s key festival date should be no different with Joe and the boys desperate to prove their credentials to a Download crowd bound to include potentail new recruits and hardened sceptics alike. But before you make your mind up on Download 2009’s festival closers here’s what you need to know about the Lepps. Read the rest of this entry »