Trev Eales
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Articles by Trev Eales
Robin Trower: Manchester Academy 2 - Live Review Robin Trower
Robin Trower | Jack J Hutchinson Manchester Academy 2 3rd September 2026 Robin Trower delivers a soulful, emotive blues-drenched guitar masterclass as he graces Manchester Academy on his short UK tour. At 81, Robin Trower's prowess as a guitarist remains undiminished. Seemingly untroubled by arthritic issues that plague peers like Keith Richards and Dylan, tonight, his playing's as fluent, soulful and dynamic as ever.
Bloodstock 2026: Sunday - Festival Review
Bloodstock 2026 - Sunday (see also Thursday/Friday) Catton Hall, Derbyshire 6th-9th August 2026 Sunday at Bloodstock: Local metal icons Judas Priest bring Bloodstock's 25th Anniversary celebrations to a triumphant close. It's Sunday at Bloodstock, a fourth day of baking heat and somehow many of the metal faithful still have energy in abundance. From the off there's a sense of anticipation in the air. Anticipation for the band that so many seem to be waiting for: Judas Priest.
Kendal Calling 2026: Festival Review Kendal Calling 2026
Kendal Calling Lowther Park, Cumbria 31st July - 2nd August 2026 Kendal Calling 2026: A weekend packed with wholesome indie sounds and family fun in the Lake District. And a weekend that's occasionally punctuated by flashes of raw youthful talent and bursts classic rock 'n' roll. Sometimes it isn't the music that lingers longest in the memory. Today, I'm left with a vision of arriving at Kendal Calling on Friday lunchtime.
EddFest: Festival Review EddFest
EddFest: Iron Maiden's triumphant 50th Anniversary celebration at Knebworth Park. Great performances, great bands, great weather, great atmosphere, and a supporting cast of tens of thousands combine to create a day to celebrate and remember. Knebworth holds a special place in UK rock history. It's synonymous with iconic performances: Pink Floyd, The Stones and Led Zeppelin in the '70s, and Oasis in the '90s. Today, Iron Maiden make their pitch to take a place among Knebworth's hall of fame.
State Fayre 2026: Friday - Festival Review State Fayre Friday
State Fayre 2026 Hylands Park, Chelmsford Friday 26th June 2026 Newcomer to the festival calendar, State Fayre brings a taste of Americana and more to Chelmsford in Essex, making a stunning debut in the bucolic surroundings of Hylands Park. Billed as The UK's biggest music and BBQ festival, the event takes the sadly missed Black Deer Festival as a template and upscales it.
TRNSMT 2026: Friday - Festival Review
Friday at TRNSMT: Horrendous weather, meagre crowds and an eclectic line up. But talent and impressive performances ultimately shine through as the sun eventually breaks out on a sodden Glasgow Green. Early afternoon on Glasgow Green and it's raining. It has been for hours and will be for several hours to come. Braving the weather, I head to King Tut's stage for Irish band Cliffords. Widescreen indie with emotional vocals, they're an impressive outfit, but today they're struggling.
Emmylou Harris: Liverpool Philharmonic Hall – Live Review
Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris | Jim Lauderdale Liverpool Philharmonic Hall 11th May 2026 Delivering a mesmerising career spanning performance, Emmylou Harris begins her farewell UK and European tour at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. It’s a night of great music tinged with sadness as realisation dawns that this is her farewell. In a lifetime of gigs, some remain vivid in the memory while others fade.
Cowboy Junkies: Ulverston Coronation Hall – Live Review
Margo Timmins, Cowboy Junkies Margo Timmins, Cowboy Junkies Cowboy Junkies Ulverston Coronation Hall, Cumbria 4th May 2026 Cowboy Junkies bring their Forty Years And Beyond tour to Ulverston, on the fringe of the Lake District, for a mesmerising performance of songs old and new spiced with their own interpretations of iconic tracks from the rock and alt country cannon. When Cowboy Junkies emerged in the late 1980s they were a breath of fresh air – an antidote to music’s overblown mainstream.
Robert Jon & The Wreck: Manchester Academy 2 – Live Review
Robert Jon & The Wreck | Sam Morrow Manchester Academy 2 16th April 2026 Robert Jon & The Wreck evoke the sounds of the South at Manchester Academy as fifty years on from their heyday, the spirits of The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd et al are kept alive for lovers of classic American Southern Rock. There’s a long queue as I walk down Manchester’s Oxford Road. Gen Z’s clean cut kids are out in force; they’re mostly quiet with heads bowed, focused on their phones. There’s a K-pop act in town.
Searows: Manchester Academy 2 – Live Review
Alec Duckart, Searows Searows | Amos Heart Manchester Academy 2 8th April 2026 Searows and Amos Heart bring the indie folk sounds of the American Pacific Northwest to a packed Manchester Academy as Mancunians pay homage on a night of spine-tingling, hushed adoration. Musically, Searows and Amos Heart compliment each other perfectly. But what, you may ask, are the indie folk sounds of the Pacific Northwest?
Kendal Calling 2026 – Festival Preview
Kendal Calling line up 2026 Kendal Calling main stage Kendal Calling returns to Lowther Deer Park on the fringe of The Lake District from 30th July to 2nd August, celebrating its 21st anniversary. Boasting stunning headliners and a supporting cast of past and present indie favourites, there’s no surprise that the event is already close to selling out. For those arriving early, The Kooks headline on Thursday night. Support comes from The Cribs, American Vanessa Carlton, and 1980’s legend Lloyd Cole.
Iron Maiden Eddfest
Iron Maiden Eddfest 10-11th July 2026 Knebworth Park, Hertfordshire Eddfest comes to Knebworth Park this summer. The iconic Hertfordshire venue hosts the event on 10-11th July. Named in honour of Iron Maiden’s long time mascot and animatronic live cohort Eddie, the festival supersizes the band’s Run For Your Lives 50th anniversary tour over two days. The camping event opens on Friday with live music on a second stage from bands associated with Iron Maiden across the decades.
Airbourne: Manchester Academy - Live Review
Airbourne Airbourne | Asomvel | Avalanche Manchester Academy 25th November 2026 Airbourne deliver a life-affirming set of raw unfiltered rock ‘n’ roll to a packed Manchester Academy. It’s a night imbued with the spirit of beer and partying as headliners and rising stars and fellow Aussies Avalanche deliver their brand of in your face, no frills rock. AC/DC’s power as a live act may be slowly fading, yet their spirit lives on tonight.
State Fayre 2026 - Festival Preview
State Fayre Festival Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex 26th – 28th June 2026 The inaugural State Fayre Festival comes to Hylands Park in Chelmsford this June. Boasting impressive headliners in Kings of Leon, Alanis Morissette, and The Lumineers, the line up mixes rock, country, folk and blues and bills itself as the UK’s biggest music and BBQ festival. Friday is headlined by Kings of Leon, with The Black Crowes and rising Irish band Kingfishr in support.
Bearded Theory 2026 - Festival Preview
Bearded Theory Festival Catton Park, Derbyshire 20 – 24 May 2026 Bearded Theory returns to Catton Park in Derbyshire this May. As usual it boasts a great line up mixing established alternative acts and upcoming talent. This year’s headliners – Pixies, Garbage, and Skunk Anansie – bring a very 1990s vibe. All have iconic back catalogues and reputations for great live performances. Among others gracing the event, CMAT‘s current reputation precedes her.
TRNSMT 2026 - Festival Preview
TRNSMT Festival 19th-21st June 2026 Glasgow Green, Glasgow TRNSMT returns to Glasgow Green this summer. In a departure from its traditional July dates, it’s taking place between 19th and 21st June. This year’s line up presents a diverse and eclectic array of acts headlined by Lewis Capaldi, Richard Ashcroft, and Kasabian. Friday sees Wolf Alice high on the bill. Headliners in their own right at other festivals this summer, they’re sure to impress.
Wet Leg: Mountford Hall, Liverpool - Live Review
Wet Leg | Faux Real! Mountford Hall, Liverpool Guild of Students. 15th November 2025 Fresh from The Royal Albert Hall, Wet Leg hit Liverpool on their Autumn mini tour. The one time indie geeks deliver a towering rock performance. Fronted by an unstoppable raunchy rock star in Rhian Teasdale and imbued with energy, riffs and an arsenal of impressive songs, they’re a band on the road to something much, much bigger. Support tonight are Faux Real! Billed as French / American brothers/lovers?
When Rivers Meet: The Old Fire Station, Carlisle - Live Review
When Rivers Meet | Georgia Nevada The Old Fire Station, Carlisle 9th November 2025 When Rivers Meet’s Tree Of Life tour rolls into Carlisle, lighting up The Old Fire Station on a damp Sunday night with an impressive set of their trademark blues and rock. When Rivers Meet’s roots lie in the blues with husband and wife duo of Aaron and Grace Bond. Their early sound has evolved to encompass classic rock, elements of folk, and over time, a more commercial sound.
Volbeat: Manchester AO Arena - Live Review
Volbeat | Bush | Witch Fever AO Arena, Manchester 8th November 2025 Danish rock giants Volbeat delight legions of fans at Manchester’s AO Arena with a career spanning set of their unique brand of rockabilly, rock and metal. Special guests Bush and Mancunians Witch Fever provide excellent support. Up first tonight are Witch Fever. Impressive as always, their mix of light and shade sees slow, doom laden, goth like passages erupt into punk and grunge inspired noise.
Massive Wagons: The Great Hall, Lancaster University - Live Review
Massive Wagons | The Virginmarys | Harrison Rimmer The Great Hall, Lancaster University 19th September 2025 Lancaster’s Massive Wagons play the ultimate homecoming gig at Lancaster University’s Great Hall, gracing the iconic venue for its first rock gig in 40 years. Reviewers are sometimes fortunate enough to witness something very special, to be part of something that’s far more than a mere gig, and tonight’s one of those nights.
Rock N Roll Circus: Queens Of The Stone Age - Festival Review
Rock N Roll Circus: Queens Of The Stone Age Don Valley Bowl, Sheffield 28th August 2024 Queens Of The Stone Age deliver a brilliantly intense celebratory performance as they triumphantly close their European tour at Sheffield’s Rock N Roll Circus; a night showcasing stellar international talent with acts from France, Sweden, Ireland and the USA delivering stunning performances. The evergreen Circa Waves get things underway.
Kendal Calling 2025: Sunday - Festival Review
Kendal Calling 2025 – Sunday (also see Thurs/Fri and Saturday) Lowther Deer Park, Cumbria 31st July – 3rd August 2025 Sunday at Kendal Calling: A day of eclectic brilliance. Folk, comedy, hip hop, punk, art rock, reggae, metal and dance, culminating in the unstoppable juggernaut that is The Prodigy. Twelve years ago at Green Man Festival an old friend returned from a set by The Urban Folk Quartet raging about their performance. It’s taken until today to encounter them in a field.
Kendal Calling 2025: Saturday - Festival Review
Kendal Calling 2025 – Saturday (see Thursday and Friday here) Lowther Deer Park, Cumbria. 31st July – 3rd August 2025 Saturday at Kendal Calling: It’s Fatboy’s party and we’re all invited! Today in the fields is a day all about singing, dancing and having a great time. I begin today spending time exploring the arena; so much time that I miss the start of Nina Nesbitt’s delightful set. As for the site, the festival’s artistic creators deserve great credit.
Kendal Calling 2025: Thursday and Friday - Festival Review
Kendal Calling 2025 Lowther Deer Park, Cumbria. 31st July – 3rd August 2025 Capacity crowds celebrate Kendal Calling’s 20th Anniversary in style. Musically nostalgic, with many returning artists, much of the weekend resembles an indie guitar sandwich wrapped in tasty artisan bread and topped with delicious relish. In 2006 I watched British Sea Power play a small tent at Abbot Hall, Kendal – the first Kendal Calling. This weekend sees my first return since then.
TRNSMT 2025: Sunday- Festival Review
TRNSMT 2025 (see Saturday here) Glasgow Green, Scotland 11-13th July 2025 Sunday at TRNSMT: Shiny pop, indie stalwarts, and the sounds of Scotland in 2025. Trev Eales spent time checking out the talent on the smaller stages. Making an early start, my first act of the day is Nxdia, from Egypt via Manchester; alt pop with interesting beats, a few musical traces of her Middle Eastern heritage, and some pleasing bursts of rock guitar.
TRNSMT
TRNSMT 2025 Glasgow Green, Scotland 11-13th July 2025 Saturday at TRNSMT: A triumph of the Celts! Biffy Clyro and Fontaines DC deliver storming sets to a huge crowd as Glasgow Green swelters in 30 degree heat on a day dominated by Irish and Scottish acts. For those old enough to remember, the late Phil Lynott perennially asked the same questions at early Thin Lizzy gigs. “Have any of you got any Irish in you?
Iron Maiden: Manchester Co-op Live - Live Review
Iron Maiden Co-op Live, Manchester 22nd June 2025 Iron Maiden roll into a sold out Manchester Co-op Live on their 50th Anniversary, Run For Your Lives tour. Playing tracks from across their career, fusing nostalgia, digital tech and superb musicianship, the night proves an audio visual triumph; delivering a truly spectacular performance.
When Rivers Meet: Addicted To You - Album Review
When Rivers Meet: Addicted To You (One Road Records) Vinyl | CD | DL Available 23 May at Sister Ray When Rivers Meet widen their horizons with expansive new album, Addicted To You. Their fourth studio album builds on the success of UK top 10 album, Aces Are High in 2023, introducing new sounds, textures and bigger production values. With roots firmly in the blues rock genre, husband and wife duo Grace and Aaron Bond have seen their fanbase and support swell with each successive release.
Moseley Folk and Arts Festival 2025 - Festival Preview
Moseley Folk & Arts Festival returns to the idyllic wooded oasis of Moseley Park this August. Located just two miles south of Birmingham City centre it boasts an impressive line up that embraces folk and much else beyond. Friday night headliners The Waterboys are sure to bring plenty of energy with their unique meld of rock and folk. No doubt they’ll be airing tracks from new album Dennis Hopper alongside old favourites.
Kendal Calling 2025 - Festival Preview
Kendal Calling returns to Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District this summer. Befitting its 20th anniversary celebration, it boasts a line up that oozes party atmosphere and good vibes among an eclectic cast of performers. For those arriving on Thursday, Sophie Ellis Bextor sets the party mood, before Kaiser Chiefs bring proceedings to a hopefully not too riotous close. Friday sees northern indie favourites Courteeners headline with support from The Wombats among others.
Squid: O2 Ritz, Manchester - Live Review
Squid | Martha Skye Murphy O2 Ritz Manchester 18th November 2025 Squid return to Manchester promoting their new album Cowards. It’s a night for heads and hearts rather than fist-pumping euphoria. A night of shape-shifting experimental rock, jazz-infused instrumentation and percussive power where off-kilter vocals deliver songs exploring themes of darkness and evil.
TRNSMT 2025 - Festival preview
TRNSMT returns to Glasgow Green in the heart of Glasgow this July. With Fifty Cent, Biffy Clyro and Snow Patrol headlining, it’s set to be a weekend packed with pop and indie favourites with elements of hip hop and a few heavier sounds thrown in. American rap legend 50 Cent heads the bill on Friday with main support from Irish pop act The Script. Kneecap bring their politicised Irish take on hip hop, while Wet Leg add a touch of indie class. Hopefully they’ll be airing some new material.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: O2 Apollo, Manchester -Live Review
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit | SG Goodman O2 Apollo, Manchester 19th November 2024 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Manchester’s O2 Apollo. No frills, no on-stage histrionics, no back projections or big production values. Just a masterclass in songwriting, musicianship and a great Southern rock band. Tonight’s support comes from Kentuckian SG Goodman. She’s the winner of USA’s 2023 Americana Music Association’s Emerging Artist of the Year award.
Deep Purple: AO Arena, Manchester - Live Review
Deep Purple | Reef AO Arena, Manchester 9th November 2024 Deep Purple bring their =1 More Time Tour to Manchester AO Arena, mixing timeless rock classics with refreshing new songs; delivering a musical masterclass that exudes a real joy in playing. Support tonight are Reef. They’re an inspired choice, bringing impressive 1990s rock sensibilities to the party. Vocalist Gary Stringer is on great form, the quintessential rock front man.
Pretenders: Bridgewater Hall, Manchester - Live Review
Pretenders | The Picturebooks Bridgewater Hall, Manchester 28th October 2024 The Pretenders at Manchester Bridgewater Hall: Visceral rock n’ roll punctuated by classic pop, great musicianship, a singer still at the peak of her powers and an audience struggling to escape their comfy armchairs. Support tonight are The Picturebooks purveyors of dark, heavy blues rock. They’re just guitar, vocals and drums, a duo reminiscent of a more feral White Stripes.
Eivor: Manchester Academy 2 - Live Review
Eivor | Sylvaine Academy 2, Manchester 11th October 2024 Eivor brings her Nordic spirit to a sold-out Manchester Academy to deliver an otherworldly performance: Spiritual and darkly beautiful, combining haunting electronic soundscapes, shamanistic tribal beats and tradition, with her utterly mesmerising voice. Support comes from Norwegian singer and guitarist Sylvaine.
Apocalyptica: The Albert Hall, Manchester – Live Review
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica | The Raven Age The Albert Hall, Manchester 29th September 2024 Finnish symphonic rockers Apocalyptica serve up passion, power and musical virtuosity as the three cellists and their drummer bring the sounds of Metallica to Manchester’s Albert Hall. Twenty-eight years ago, four young graduates of The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki released their debut album, Apocalyptica Plays Metallica.
Megan Moroney: O2 Ritz, Manchester - Live Review
Megan Moroney O2 Ritz, Manchester 5th September 2024 Megan Moroney wows crowds at a sold-out Manchesters O2 Ritz. Charm, glitter, barbie doll looks with a pop and rock sensibility abound as a small-town girl sings plaintive country songs of love, heartbreak and nights on the lash. It’s an incongruent mix that undoubtedly works where talent runs in tandem with a slickly marketed product.
And the Roots of Rhythm Remain by Joe Boyd - Book Review
And the Roots of Rhythm Remain by Joe Boyd Published by Faber Release date: 29 August 2024 And the Roots of Rhythm Remain is Joe Boyd’s epic odyssey through global music. Fifteen years in gestation, this 900-page tome journeys through diverse cultures across four continents. It’s an exploration of how history, music, politics, religion and individuals have interacted over centuries as cultures collided, delving into the roots of music we know and love. So who is Joe Boyd?
TRNSMT Festival: Sunday - Festival Review
TRNSMT Festival – Day 3 Glasgow Green, Glasgow 14th July 2024 Welcome to a weird sold-out Sunday at TRNSMT where Calvin’s bangers and Spanish goals bring the TRNSMT party home in style. It’s just after noon, the sun’s breaking through on a warm, humid, Glasgow day and the first bands are on stage. Unfortunately, there’s no real audience, just a few hundred who’ve come through as the gates open. Nothing too unusual really but how about this.
TRNSMT Festival: Saturday - Festival Review
TRNSMT Festival – Day Two (also see Day One) Glasgow Green, Glasgow 12th July 2024 Saturday at TRNSMT: Pop and indie heaven: A triumph for conservative populism in music as crowds pack the main stage on a day of sunshine and singalongs. Saturday at TRNSMT starts with a telling conversation. A couple of 18/19 year olds are bemoaning Liam Gallagher’s set last night. “Didn’t you enjoy it?” Yes, they think he was great but why didn’t he play Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back in Anger?
TRNSMT Festival 2024: Friday - Festival Review
TRNSMT Festival – Day One Glasgow Green, Glasgow 12th July 2024 Friday at TRNSMT brings some great music old and new; rising stars, Glaswegian icons and a talented tribute act. It’s mid afternoon in a warm sunny Glasgow and the main stage looks busy. Anglo Canadian viral sensation Lauren Spencer Smith walks on stage to the accompaniment of thousands of shrieking teenage girls. So welcome to TRNSMT, Scotland’s premier Tik Tok festival – more on that later.
Green Day: Bellahouston Park, Glasgow - Live Review
Green Day Bellahouston Park, Glasgow 25th June 2024 Green Day at Bellahouston Park: A pink rabbit, pyrotechnic overload, supreme showmanship and energy, and two iconic albums. The timeless Californian trio set Glasgow alight with a stunning celebratory gig. There are intros and there are intros. Tonight we get Bohemian Rhapsody, Bitzkrieg Bop and a cavorting pink punk bunny before Green Day finally bound onto the stage.
Black Deer Festival 2024: Sunday - Festival Review
Black Deer Festival – Day Three (also see Day One and Day Two) Eridge Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent 16th June 2024 Sunday at Black Deer struggles to match the overall quality of the festival’s first two days but there is still plenty to enjoy away from the main stage. Sunday afternoon, sitting in the sun, soaking up feelgood chilled sounds or a descent into easy listening musak? I guess it’s all down to taste. A few thousand happy souls sit in their deckchairs in front of the main stage.
Black Deer Festival 2024: Saturday - Festival Review
Black Deer Festival Day Two (Day One here) Eridge Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent 15th June 2024 Day two at Black Deer Festival brings a morning of torrential rain. By mid afternoon we’re dodging heavy showers between bursts of sunshine but today’s sparkling performances overshadow even the heaviest of downpours. First up today is Twinnie from Yorkshire via Nashville. Her songs are fairly standard country fare with a pop feel but she’s good at what she does.
Black Deer Festival 2024: Friday - Festival Review
Black Deer Festival (Day One) Eridge Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent 14th June 2024 Black Deer Festival: Two out of three ain’t bad. Audiences are treated to some stand out performances across the first 2 days of the event. It’s a pity that main stage programming and performances too often descend into easy listening musak on Sunday. Let’s begin with Friday, reviews of Saturday and Sunday to follow. So, a festival of Americana.
Simple Minds: AO Arena, Manchester - Live Review
Simple Minds | Del Amitri AO Arena, Manchester 16th March 2024 Simple Minds at Manchester Arena: A Saturday night brimming with euphoric, uplifting celebration that oozes quality and nostalgia without wallowing in the past. Opening in a cavernous arena with an audience still arriving is a daunting task, especially when you’re on stage at 7.15 pm. Tonight though, special guests Del Amitri acquit themselves well.
TRNSMT 2024, Glasgow Green - festival preview
TRNSMT, Scotland’s biggest summer party, returns to Glasgow Green this July for the city’s annual dose of star studded pop and indie. Liam Gallagher, Gerry Cinnamon and Calvin Harris headline. Friday has a real retro feel with headliner Liam Gallagher playing “that” Oasis album. Main support comes from Garbage as singer Shirley Manson plays a rare hometown gig. They’re sure to be well received and bring a more creative taste of the 90’s to proceedings.
Northern Kin Festival 2024 - Festival Preview
Northern Kin Festival returns to County Durham for its 6th edition this June. As always, there’s a largely retro feel in the established mix of rock, blues and folk. Following last year’s issues with inclement weather the event has moved from April to the hopefully more summery dates of 14-16 June. There’s also a new location, seven miles East of Durham. The event features two main stages and a smaller acoustic stage, all tented venues.
Dirty Honey: Academy 2, Manchester - Live Review
Dirty Honey | The Heavy North Manchester Academy 2 8th February 2024 Dirty Honey turn up the heat to deliver a masterclass in blues-infused hard rock to a packed Manchester Academy; it’s hot in here, a night to forget the weather warning for snow outside. Sometimes getting to a gig early for a support act pays off and tonight’s one of those nights. I’ve never heard of The Heavy North but they certainly make an impression. Six of them are crammed onto the front of the small Academy stage.
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