Metal & Prog Picks: June 2016

The big news of the moment is the fallout from the abrupt cancellation of Bristol’s Temples festival of underground metal. With bands and punters alike still due to descend on Bristol at the weekend thanks to non-refundable travel and accommodation costs, the challenge has been to bring them together in mutual, if noisy, harmony. Heroes of the hour are the Fleece organisation, who’ve cleared the decks and worked tirelessly to put on as many packed shows as possible. Inevitably, most of these are selling out the moment tickets go on sale. You can find a round-up of where things currently stand below, but keep an eye on social media for updates. Later this month, we’ve got guitar great Steve Vai, veterans The Pretty Things and melodic proggers Panic Room to look forward to.

Not the Temples Festival

Fleece, Exchange & Gryphon, June 3-5

Jolly Norwegian church-burning types Mayhem were due to headline a largely black metal main stage bill on Friday, performing their De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas album in full for the first ever in the UK. Now they’ve relocated the whole show to the Fleece, with Esoteric in support. Full details are here. Tickets have now sold out. Also at the Fleece on Saturday 4 is an all-dayer headlined by Chicago doomsters Bongripper, with support from Dragged Into Sunlight, Primitive Man, Ramesses, Arabrot, ACxDC and Boak. This one kicks off at 11.30am and is sold out too.

Over at the Exchange on Sunday 5, they’ve got nomadic American husband and wife sludge metal duo Jucifer headlining a fine bill that also includes Conan, Employed to Serve and veterans the Groundhogs, whose sole surviving original member is Bristolian drummer Ken Pustelnik. Guess what – this one’s sold out as well. If you weren’t quick enough to bag tickets for these shows, you can also catch Employed to Serve at Bristol’s very own metal pub, The Gryphon, on Saturday 4 as part of a bill put together by B24/7 metal reviewer Serena Cherry, whose own black metal band Svalbard will be performing alongside Brooklyn’s Meek Is Murder. Admission to this one is free, but donations are welcome.

Steve Vai

O2 Academy, June 7

Last seen at the Academy back in Sept 2013, Steve Vai made his name as a “stunt guitarist” for famously exacting Frank Zappa, who composed Stevie’s Spanking – a celebration of the young virtuoso’s alleged after hours proclivities – in his honour. He’s played with artists as diverse as David Lee Roth and John Lydon (in Public Image Limited), but his style proved a poor fit for the short-lived 1989 incarnation of Whitesnake. Tonight, however, it’s all about his most commercially successful album, Passion and Warfare – y’know, the one with the sublime For the Love of God on it. This is billed as the 25th anniversary tour, although the album was actually released in 1990, which suggests a little remedial arithmetic is required. Vai himself has described it as “Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a party that Ben Hur threw for Mel Blanc”.

The Pretty Things

Bierkeller, June 10

Still fronted by Phil May (71) with fellow veteran and former Rolling Stone Dick Taylor (73) on guitar, the Pretty Things formed way back in 1963 and are credited with creating the first concept album in 1968’s S.F. Sorrow. One of the great also-rans of British rock, they’ve been dogged by bad luck and rotten record company treatment throughout their career but have continued to soldier on for 53 years (with a few years off for good behaviour). Last year, they got around to releasing their 12th studio album – and first in eight years – The Sweet Pretty Things (Are In Bed Now, Of Course…). Get there early to catch Bath’s mighty fine psych/glam-rockers Ulysses, who’ve just released their new album, Law and Order.

Panic Room

Fleece, June 23

Back at the Fleece for what’s becoming an annual gig, melodic proggers Panic Room comprise former members of the Welsh band Karnataka fronted by busy Anne-Marie Helder, who also contributes keyboards, flute and backing vocals to Mostly Autumn. Last time, they played separate acoustic and electric sets. This year, we’re promised a full-on career-spanning electric set.

Coming Soon

Here’s our essential diary of upcoming gigs that should be of interest to anyone of a rockin’ disposition.

Joe Bonamassa, Colston Hall, July 5

Ginger Wildheart, Exchange, July 12

Frost*, Thekla, July 29

Honky, Exchange, Aug 1

Nik Turner’s Inner City Unit, Louisiana, Aug 25

Red Fang, Bierkeller, Sept 28

Akercocke, Fleece, Oct 2

Ugly Kid Joe, Thekla, Oct 10

Stream of Passion, Bierkeller, Oct 14

Steve Howe, The Lantern, Oct 18

Focus, Tunnels, Oct 19

Gun, Thekla, Oct 21

John Carpenter, Colston Hall, Oct 23

Saxon/Girlschool/Fastway, O2 Academy, Nov 3

The Skull/Witch Mountain, Exchange, Nov 4

Y&T, Academy, Nov 6

Blues Pills, Marble Factory, Nov 8

Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash, Tunnels, Nov 10

Phil Campbell’s All Starr Band, Bierkeller, Nov 10

Lacuna Coil, Marble Factory, Nov 11

Entombed AD/Voivod/Conan, Fleece, Nov 13

Mono/Alcest, Marble Factory, Nov 16

Onslaught, Fleece, Nov 18

Meshuggah, O2 Academy, Jan 12