Review Centre: Rock Bands

"Saturday night and the Firebeats had the club on the dance floor from start to finish. (A couple even dancing to the sound check) Great 5 piece band with fantastic female vocalist. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great band! It is quite simple they rule the stage! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"As a music journalist, I am someone well used to hearing performances covering the whole spectrum of ability, from very talented, to no talent whatsoever; mainly on the working circuit, encountering much from the bottom end of the scale, the flaws of which seemingly pass by, or go over the heads of the audience, mediocre musical acts often gaining acceptance despite (or because of) their lack of any talent whatsoever. So, when on a random whim, I booked MAYHEM into The Old Crown, Hayes, I was pleasantly surprised to come across that jewel one constantly seeks: a light hidden in the bushel, an act of great quality. Don’t get me wrong, on the surface, MAYHEM are basically just another covers band, with certainly not much more to offer in terms of choice of material than others treading the same circuit. The difference though, is in the depth of thought in the vocal arrangements, and the attention to detail in the performance of the songs. Someone in the band has true musical knowledge. The way the vocals are arranged and used is no accident, and the music has a depth and surety that is pure class. Carol’s voice is unique, and at many points conveys rare emotion for those who can hear. The two voices are a happy accident of coincidence; Carol’s rather treble voice, Billy’s gruff baritone, both interesting voices taken in isolation, but together producing a sound that is perhaps greater than the sum of its parts. The quality of both singers shows itself also in the faultlessly correct intonation, the thrilling blend and invention of the harmonies, the search for expression in the vocals, the subtle use of the arrangements to produce expression. Most of these subtleties are of course lost on the general public, but the band still have enough battle-hardened experience and know-how to ride out any waves of indifference, and overcome the hardest heart with a friendly approach to their clientele, patiently trying out various styles and eras, constantly striving to reach their listeners, despite a kind of yearning in the music for serious recognition. Personally, I found it somewhat sad that a talented band like this has to resort to some popular (and bland) material, but one must bow to reality, and work is work. Still, the musicians didn’t just accept the status quo of this material; they always had a few surprises in store in the way they approached any song, however scraped from the bottom of the barrel. Carol’s voice sounded at its best on songs like “SUMMER OF ’69” and “I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT”, but she shone through on harder songs too, like “LIVING ON A PRAYER” and “DON’T BRING ME DOWN”. Billy didn’t sing quite as many lead lines, but when he did, it was with a power and confidence that knew just how best to carry the melody, and the strength of harmony singing was in a different league from the average one would expect to hear in a situation like this. On “Living La Vida Loca” the dual vocals were outstanding, perhaps the most equal blend of the day, with other such highlights for me being “Don’t Stop me Now” and “I Wanna Know what Love is”. The locals however enjoyed some of the lighter material more, such as “Rockabilly Rebel”, square dancing their way through the afternoon with great whoops and hollers, playing their part in a very pleasant day in a very pleasant pub. There was a humorous moment when the lads at the bar joined in with “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” all pointing and dancing in the manner of Tom Cruise in “Top Gun”! A vivid sight to behold, for sure! The day ended with a raucous rendition of “Rockin’ All Over The World”, the two singers showing that they could rock it with the best of them when the chips are down. Can’t wait to see this band again. (10 / 10) Andrew Staines "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I cannot rate Mike Goodrick highly enough. He was absolutely phenomenal from start to finish and I look forward to finding another event when I can hire him. I work in television and have a history in music and production (translation: I am extremely picky with high expectations). When I spoke to Mike, I just knew that he was the right fit. I couldn't be more pleased that I chose them. We heard endless rave reviews about them the entire evening and for weeks following the wedding."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A few friends and I went to see Gaelforce at the Old Grocers in Pontefract on Friday. What a fantastic talented bunch of musicians these guys are. They delivered punchy folk rock songs, which are mostly their own with a few individual interpretations of some classics throughout the night. Brilliant stuff and highly entertaining. A great venue too, and cannot wait for them to return."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I was lucky enough to be out for dinner when these guys were playing - Wow! What an amazing surprise. You generally go out these days and have a boring dinner and go home but these guys had the whole place up and dancing. We ended up staying there all night - Everyone wanted the night to go on. Highly recommend heading out for dinner and drinks if they are playing in your area!"

Reply by Unsuspected
Your comment is so much welcomed, it was so good you stayed and had a great time. We know we did. Kind Regards, Ron....Unsuspected

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Michael is just a super guy and we are honored to have him every time he comes through this part of the world, great performer obviously, just a class act all the way through. Heard about how good he was and we fortunate enough that they came through here and wanted to play here and it’s been a great relationship ever since."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Strip Lights were the perfect band for our 10th wedding anniversary celebration! Their outstanding musical talent, and seamless blend of genres kept everyone entertained, from children to grandparents alike. The sound quality and production were top-notch, making it a memorable experience for all. We highly recommend them for any special occasion! Special shout out to Ivan who was brilliant to deal with through all stages of the process, from initial booking through to the evening itself. Thank you!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"If anyone is wanting a good party band that plays every sort of music including new songs especially personal requests then these are your guys. An absolute amazing performance and really topped of an amazing day. Thank you again Wired and I'm sure we will be seeing you again very shortly at one of your gig's Thank you Mr and Mrs Dunn"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We booked Twist of Rock to play at our wedding based on good reviews, YouTube videos of their performances and previous recommendations. David and the band were nothing short of exceptional , from the 80’s style rock music we selected, to their participation with the guests, and general professionalism. We were treated to 3 sets of incredible music, talented musicians, and a powerful lead singer in Carla. Thank you so much. 5 stars."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Fantastic duo! Really added to the atmosphere of our event, they were enjoyed by all."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"This band is one of the best 80’s cover bands that I have ever heard. The song choices, harmonies, vocals and musical talent. No tracks here just great musicians playing great songs. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Incredible musicianship! I've been watching/listening to the Coral Stone Band for several years now and they are one of the best bands! Great variety of music, very upbeat and their energy is infectious! You can always count on a great time when you see this band! Don't miss the chance to see them!"

Reply by Coral Stone Band
Thank you so much. We are honored to entertain you Thanks Greg Stone 🙏🙏🙏

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you Dave and Lee, we all had an amazing time, lots of great feedback from everyone. The party was a great success , we will definitely be having another one, look forward to seeing you both soon."

Reply by The Lovely Daze Duo
Thank you Steve and Frances, we had an amazing time, we always do at your parties. Look forward to next time, Dave and Lee.

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired Glory Days for our Bock Party in Penticton. They were super awesome. Wide range of music to choose from. It was a hot day and they they performed like troopers. The music was entertaining and we would recommend them for any event you have backyard parties or weddings. Definitely will be hiring them again. Thank you for such a memorable evening."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: