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What an event as the spirit of Monsters Of Rock lived on at Download’s Classic Rock Sunday – and rushonrock was there to see it all (or some of it)!

This week we deliver the definitive view of a mesmerising day with reviews of Leppard, Whitesnake, Journey, Dream Theater, Black Stone Cherry, Stone Gods, Tesla, Shinedown and the fabulous Steel Panther! There’s all the backstage gossip, some cheeky pics and a list of our highs and lows. Enjoy.

But that’s not all this week. Tesla play Newcastle’s o2 Academy tonight with rising rockers People In Planes at Whitley Bay’s Trojan Rooms. And Self Made Man delivers his verdict on UFO at the o2. Read the rest of this entry »

@ The Trojan Rooms, Whitley Bay, June 8 2009

Border raiders with big riffs and even bigger choruses, Serpico are set to be huge. It’s just such a shame so few of the North East’s rock brigade were present to witness Mikey and his mob lay waste to Whitley Bay’s Trojan Rooms. Fair play to the Scots rockers – they ignored the fact that no more than 20 people were present and the fact that the sound was patchy to say the least and went on to deliver a set worthy of Download. Oh, did we mention they’re playing the world’s most diverse rock and metal festival on Saturday… Read the rest of this entry »

Serpico frontman Mikey (Serpico ! ) has promised North East fans a full on rock assault when the band makes its Whitley Bay debut later this summer.

And we can expect nothing less than a fully professional blowout from the Scots noiseniks with the hard-gigging fivepiece well aware of the pitfalls facing young bands out on the road. “We’ve supported the likes of Aiden, Kill Hannah, Stone Gods, Wednesday 13 and Black Stone Cherry over the last couple of years,” Mikey told rushonrock.

“And we’ve learned just as many good lessons as bad. I know the Black Stone Cherry boys get some stick for not drinking but that’s cool with me. I hardly have a beer before a show or when we’re out on tour because the next thing you know your throat’s gone and you’re standing in front of a load of fans barely able to sing a note. It happened to me in Amsterdam – but the crowd actually liked it…” Read the rest of this entry »

@ The Trojan Rooms, Whitley Bay, April 9 2009

There are quieter ways to start your Easter weekend but there are many less entertaining.

Add two of the North East’s fastest-rising rock bands to one of the nation’s biggest-selling tribute acts and you get a recipe for unbridled mayhem and an ear-blasting noise the like of which you may never have experienced before.

Dirty Rock And Roll continue to set the standard for raw rock in the region and this uber confident set in front of a potentially hostile crowd proved their punk rock credentials. How ironic, then, that this could be the last time Adam and the boys trade on their three-chord standards with rumours of a return to the trio’s classic rock roots sometime soon.

Judging by the emotive version of Fight which, even in the face of shaven headed punks, promised to bring the house down, that move can’t come soon enough. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s another raucous week of rock with live action aplenty, interviews to make your eyes water, another huge Metallica reissue and lots more besides.

In the next seven days we’ll be bringing you more Thunder, more Wednesday 13, more Dirty Rock And Roll and more great gossip from the world of rock and metal.

And there’s even a rumour doing the rounds that Self Made Man is poised to deliver his verdict on the new Neil Young record. Incredible. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to five hard as nails men from north of the border just waiting to launch an all-out assault on the North East.

This is Serpico and the heavy metal heroes have won instant fans within rushonrock as their three-track album sampler continues to demand constant rotation. Even better, it appears the Edinburgh quintet have pencilled in a date at the region’s fastest-rising rock venue – Whitley Bay’s Trojan Rooms – in June!

Single We Own The Night will be available as a digital download at the end of the month and debut album Neon Wasteland follows next month. Read the rest of this entry »

If it’s not inked in already then mark down the following date in your rock diary – Thursday April 9 at North Tyneside’s newest hangout for those who like their music hot and heavy.

Acclaimed tribute act The Sex Pistols Experience (pictured) headline the three-band show with local heroes Columbia and rushonrock faves Dirty Rock & Roll completing what should be a killer bill.  With tickets for the Whitley Bay shindig priced at a recession busting £8 a pop there’s surely no better way to start your Easter Weekend (unless your mam still buys you one of those massive Thornton’s chocolate eggs with your name etched in white icing…) Read the rest of this entry »

Things are really hotting up on the live scene for rushonrock‘s ones to watch in 2009 with Remedy, Fables Last Stand and Dirty Rock & Roll making waves at venues across the region.

Remedy, riding on the back of another positive Metal Hammer review for their superb Strange Fast Now EP (pictured), are teaming up with the Fables boys to play Newcastle’s Cluny on April 22. And London noise merchants Cape Fear will complete what should be a cracking night of rock mayhem on Tyneside.

Meanwhile Adam and the DRnR gang have announced a snap gig at Newcastle’s Hide Bar on Monday and if the short notice doesn’t stop you being there then nothing should. Read the rest of this entry »

Whitley Bay appears to be making a bid to bounce back as one of the rock jewels in the North East crown with the establishment of the Trojan Rooms at the town’s Avalon Hotel.

And it’s clear the team behind the state-of-the-art mini venue know their music because they’ve gone and booked everyone’s April fools Dirty Rock & Roll next month.

rushonrock bumped into lead singer Adam at Metallica’s Newcastle gig last month and the big man who used to grace the Metro Radio Arena as a pro basketball star is confident of a cracking year for the thunderous three piece in 2009. Read the rest of this entry »