Music / Previews
Metal & Prog Picks: December 2023
Great news for fans of Scandinavian power metal (and who isn’t?): that postponed sold-out Battle Beast gig has been rescheduled. And it’s been moved from the Fleece to the much larger Marble Factory, which means more tickets are available. The bad news is that we now have to wait until October 2024 for the show.
Elsewhere, ArcTanGent have started to announce acts for their 10th anniversary festival next August (14-17). The big news is that the mighty Meshuggah are returning as headliners. Also on the bill are Animals As Leaders, Red Fang and Hexvessel.
is needed now More than ever
O2 Academy, Dec 3
They’re back! The multi-platinum ’90s rockers return with their first album in 15 years and their first Bristol show in six years. And given how swiftly this gig sold out, there’s clearly still a huge audience for their winning brand of melodic hard rock. New album Six (on Frontiers) was described by Classic Rock‘s reviewer as “a showboating and triumphant return” and has proven quite a chart success around the world. The line-up is the same as last time, with ace guitarist Nuno Bettencourt taking time out from his commitments as popstrel Rihanna’s guitarist (he was last seen performing with her at the Super Bowl half time show back in February), plus original frontman Gary Cherone, enjoyably named founding bassist Pat Badger and new-ish drummer Kevin Figueiredo. Support comes from those ever-wonderful funk-metal pioneers Living Colour (still Vernon Reid, Corey Glover, Will Calhoun and Doug Wimbish), who remain best known for the brilliant Cult of Personality. It’s their first show in Bristol since they played The Tunnels back in 2009.
Lost Horizon, Dec 4
Expect to see rather a lot of people tonight who wouldn’t normally be seen dead at anything as loud and uncouth as a rock gig. W.I.T.C.H. (We Intend to Cause Havoc) were Zambia’s biggest rock band in the 1970s. Fusing influences that ranged from the Stones to Black Sabbath with West African rhythms, and renowned for their riotous live performances, these distinctive psychedelic rockers were pioneers of the short-lived Zamrock phenomenon. They got little international attention until their records were finally released in the US in 2012. A 2021 feature length documentary, WITCH: We Intend to Cause Havoc, also helped to raise their profile and has been screened a couple of times locally. Now they’re embarking on a European tour, though frontman Jagari (it’s an Africanisation of Mick Jagger) is the only surviving original member. They’ve also just released their first studio album in 40 years, entitled Zango.
Trinity Centre, Dec 10
One of many Belgian bands to play at ArcTanGent this year, ‘post-hardcore’ trio Brutus return to Bristol, still touring their third album, Unison Life.
Thekla, Dec 12
Hard workin’, hard rockin’ Canadian Danko returns with his trio for the first UK date on the Shake Your City tour to promote new album Electric Sounds. “Does any tour get any better than this?” they demand boldly. “The answer is no, it doesn’t get better than this.”
Gryphon, Dec 13-15
Having sold out her first show here back in May, cellist to the (metal) stars Jo Quail returns for a three-night residency at Bristol’s metal pub with guitar virtuoso Jon Gomm, who’s apparently one of only three artists to have an Ibanez signature acoustic guitar (alongside Joe Satriani and Steve Vai) and has been voted the world’s best acoustic guitarist by MusicRadar/Total Guitar/Guitar World. Jo’s new album The Cartographer is out now, as is Jon’s The Faintest Idea.
Bristol Beacon, Dec 14
Can it really be 20 years since Permission To Land came out? Apparently so, and here’s The Darkness to celebrate that anniversary with the first proper rock show at the Bristol Beacon. They last played this very venue, in its former incarnation that dare not speak its name, six years ago – almost to the day. Expect to hear much of that debut album, most of which remains in their set to this day anyway. Oh and do check out their ‘comeback’ documentary, Welcome to the Darkness, which is out now on blu-ray.
Exchange, Dec 15
London metallers playing their first ever UK headlining tour, which gives them an opportunity to unveil songs from their well-received new album A Feast On Sorrow (Candlelight). Support comes from Mountan Caller and Tribe of Ghosts.
Thekla, Dec 17
Yet another of those British blues rockers with a three word name, Derby’s These Wicked Rivers are playing their biggest UK headlining tour to date. Expect to hear some music from their upcoming Force of Nature album tonight.
COMING SOON
Here’s our essential diary of upcoming gigs that should be of interest to anyone of a rockin’ disposition.
Saint Agnes, Exchange, Jan 21
Buckcherry, Thekla, Jan 23
Bat Sabbath, Fleece, Jan 25
Spock’s Beard, Thekla, Jan 30
Evil Scarecrow, Thekla, Feb 2
Suffocation, Fleece, Feb 19
The Pineapple Thief, SWX, Feb 21
TesseracT, O2 Academy, Feb 22
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, SWX, Feb 26
Rick Wakeman, Bristol Beacon, Feb 28
Sons of Liberty, Thekla, March 3
10cc, Bristol Beacon, March 7
Crowbar, Marble Factory, March 8
Justin Hawkins Rides Again, St. George’s, March 19
DeWolff, Louisiana, March 19
Dragonforce/Amaranthe, O2 Academy, March 22
Jethro Tull, Bristol Beacon, April 17
When Rivers Meet, Thekla, April 28
Magnum, SWX, April 29
Yes, Bristol Beacon, May 31
Battle Beast, Marble Factory, Oct 3
Steve Hackett, Bristol Beacon, Oct 5
Delain, SWX, Nov 22
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