Delain - Utrecht - with Kingfisher Sky & Stream of Passion

It was a tremendous ending to the April Rain Tour and a fitting farewell to Ewout who I wish all the luck for the future. It was great to meet all the band afterwards at the 'Afterparty'. Can't wait until next March with the new album and UK Tour which I already have tickets for.

Full Set List

Invidia
Stay Forever
Frozen
Sever
April Rain
Go Away
Day for Ghost (Feat George)
Come Closer
Start Swimming (Feat Ivar)
The Gathering
Sleepwalkers Dream
Control the Storm
Silhouette of a Dancer

Virtue & Vice/Nothing Left/Pristine


Charly and Ewout - Wonder what they were saying ..??

Charly and special guest George Oosthoek , what a character!


Otto 'Mr Cool'

Ewout and special guest Ivar De Graf showing what an accomplished guitar player he is as well as the drums.

Ewout -His last Delain gig and he played like a Demon



Charly - Getting the crowd going, not that they needed it !

The crowd at Tivoli Utrecht - Marina and me are about 3 back centre stage. Great atmosphere and super venue.



Stream of Passion released their debut album "Embrace the Storm" in 2005, and immediately gained the attention of female- fronted metal fans all over the globe with their unique sound. In 2009 they released 'The Flame Within.
Led by the voice and violin of Mexican-born Marcela Bovio, the new band line-up consists of talented and passionate Dutch musicians Johan van Stratum (bass guitar), Martijn Peters (drums), Jeffrey Revet (keyboards), Eric Hazebroek (guitars) and Stephan Schultz (lead guitar).
They certainly delivered a powerful and impressive set!

Kingfisher Sky area Dutch gothic/progressive rock band. Ivar de Graaf (Drums) left Within Temptation in 2001 to pursue his own musical interests and formed KS. There are many wide ranging musical influences including Kate Bush and Porcupine Tree.
The first album Hallway of Dreams was recorded in 2007 and released in October of the same year. Since then the band has completed numerous shows in the Netherlands both as headliner and support for related bands including Epica.
Kingfisher Sky also have classical cellist Maaike Peterse as a permanent band member after starting as a guest musician.
Trevor has been singing the praises of KS for some time to me and I loved their set. So much variety and diversity in the songs. Now I really must invest in the new album 'Skin of the Earth' released September 2010.


Kingfisher Sky

With 'Charly' after the gig during the 'Afterparty'


The chance of seeing Delain at Tivoli, Utrecht last Friday for the last gig of the April Rain tour was to much to resist. Particularly as it was to be guitarist Ewout Pieters last gig so mixed feelings.
It was lovely to take Marina as well as she was desperate to see them.
The train station at Utrecht was surprisingly massive , bigger than Amsterdam and took a while to navigate the way out.
Thankfully I met a guy in the toilets in a Metallica T shirt , and although I don't make a habit of talking to strangers in male toilets I asked him directions. Luckily he was on the way as well but being from Rotterdam he was following directions from a piece of paper.
It was a bout a 20 minute hike to the venue give or take a couple of wrong turns. The queue was already forming and who should be there but my travelling gig buddy Trevor from Colchester. It was a really early start with Kingfisher Sky on first at 18:20 according to the schedule.

Lacuna Coil - Northampton Roadmender

It was great to meet all the band after the gig who were great. Special praise has to go to Criz the drummer who is simply the nicest guy i've met in Rock !!
It was great to chat about Italy, life on the road, music and cigars. He very kindly even gave me some of his favourite Italian brand which i will save for Christmas!
Thanks for your time Criz hope to catch up again sometime and have a great trip to play in India.


Andrea - Dual Lead Vocalist


Cristina Scabbia


The Lacuna (Which means 'empty spiral' in Italian)started off with 'Underdog' followed by 'Im Not Afraid'. The crowd soon got into their stride and responded brilliantly to create a fantastic atmosphere.
The set list contained personal favourites such as 'Heavens a Lie', 'Swamped' and 'closer' as well a brilliant cover of the Depeche Mode hit 'Enjoy the Silence' which worked really well.

Full Set List

Underdog
I'm not afraid
Fragments of faith
What I see
The Secret
Closer
I won't tell you
1:19
Heavens a lie
To the edge
Enjoy the silence
Cold heritage
The game
Swamped
Fragile
...............................
Survive
Spellbound
Our truth



Lacuna Coil were formed in 1994 in Milan. They are slightly unusual in having contrasting dual female/male vocal singers to help create a melodic, detached sound. Much of the band's recent material, however, sees a heavier and more down-tuned style, featuring a more distinct bass line and a higher mixing of the guitars.

First band on were London based band Slaves to Gravity. They made a good noise and are heading in the right direction for sure. In fact they will be supporting Alter Bridge on the UK leg of their upcoming tour. Thanks for the Jagermeister lads after the gig !!





I still had to pinch myself that a band I had wanted to see for a long time were playing in my home town Northampton.
I'm afraid to have to say that Northampton is something of a Rock wilderness. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of bands I have seen locally so this was an all to rare treat for me. It made a welcome change from travelling all over the UK and indeed Europe for my musical fix.

I managed to get away early from worlk and decided to call past the Roadmender just to see who was about?
Not only did I bump into an old mate of mine I also met Cristina Scabbia lead vocalist and face of LC. She had just been shopping in the Town centre which didn't measure up too well against her home town of Milan. Unless you happen to like Charity shops and Poundstretchers!!

Within Temptation Fans Day

Our Farewell

Robert

Ruud

Jeroen

Sharon and Martijn

Towards the end of the afternoon came the highlight of the day that we had all been waiting for - the concert.
After a slightly false start the intro music fired up and WT burst on stage with 'See Who I Am' followed by 'The Howling' just brilliant !! Next to come was my personal favourite 'The Cross'. This was a real selection of fans favourites for sure. A real treat was in store when the most voted for song on the fan site 'Jane Doe' was played. Robert joked that he didn't know if his throat could take the growls any more ?
A brilliant set finished with 'Deceiver of Fools' and 'Ice Queen' despite Robert teasing the audience by saying they were bored with IQ and wouldn't be doing it....never!!

Full Set List
See Who I Am
The Howling
Stand My Ground
Memories
Our Solemn Hour
Angels
Jane Doe
Mother Earth

Deceiver Of Fools
Ice Queen

It was a truly unforgettable day - My thanks go to Within Temptation you Rock! The excellent organisation from Diny and friends at The Silent Force and finally to Trevor for getting us there and back safely !



The Fans day had many other things going on before the concert. All of which was brilliantly hosted by the one and only Ivar De Graaf in his own hilarious and chaotic way.
Ivar was the original drummer for Within Temptation before leaving to form his own band Kingfisher Sky. I will be seeing KS in a few weeks as they are supporting Delain in Utrecht. If he ever decides to give up drumming he certainly should consider a career as a quizmaster or maybe not?
As well as the quiz (Congratulations to Team Sharon) we also had lots of clips of previous of previous fan days from years gone by. Also there was the opportunity to listen to extracts from some of the songs that will be on the new album due for release early next year. I have to say I think it is going to be epic judging fom the snippets I listened to.
Finally we had the raffle where Ivar was joined on stage by Martijn to form a double act to rival 'Laurel & Hardy'. Lots of goodies were given away including some special creative packs hastily put together by Ivar. These included 'My Favourite Scarf' so Stephen was not forgotten either.

'Mr Compere' Ivar De Graaf

With Sharon.

With Martijn

With Robert.

With Ruud Jolie - Hope he likes the Sloe Gin!

Fans gather ahead of the opening welcome as I look down from the VIP balcony.


The 5th annual Within Temptation Fanclub Day (The Silent Force)was held on October 10, 2010. It took place at the Waerdse Tempel in Heerhugowaard (NL).
Myself and Trevor made the long trip from the UK over to Alkmaar using a combination of 6 different trains including the Eurostar.
Thanks to the brain power of Trevor who won a competition we had VIP tickets for the day including a 'meet and greet' with the band.
The doors opened around 10:30 and we were given the VIP passes and felt very priviliged as we were ushered into a seperate room and awaited the arrival of the band.

As they arrived I think we all froze for a few seconds! Until Robert called everyone forward. I have to admit I did feel nervous which was ridiculous because they were absolutely wonderful and a delight to meet.
I had taken a few photos from the Antwerp gig as well as a CD cover which I was hoping to get signed. First up was Robert , who I reminded that we had spoken briefly in Antwerp. He thanked me again for coming and we chatted about the new album. Then it was the turn of Jeroen who was very chatty and not like I had expected really. He did say that he likes to blend in the background and keep something of a low profile.
I had taken a special gift for Ruud as I am a huge fan of his guitar style. However I did ask him a bit of a daft question... Do you dink alcohol? Of course the answer was yes , so I presented him with a Cello shaped bottle of my home made Sloe Gin. I think he was a little surprised as Sharon usually gets the presents. I noticed he was hanging on to it and I hope he enjoys !!
I then spoke to Martijn who was actually bigger than me which I was surprised about as I am over 6ft !! He said that nobody kicks sand in his face anymore..
Then I met Sharon who not surprisingly was highly in demand. She was as lovely as I imagined and very patient signing so many things for the fans. In fact she almost had to be dragged away once the session was over.

Newmarket Races

Winning Lady Jockey Hayley Turner who has just won on 16/1 'Honeymead' I was kicking myself for not backing as had just been sampling Mead and bought a bottle !


The winner of the Cambridgeshire 'Credit Swap' after the race.



The Legendery Frankie Dettori


Jockey Tom Queally collecting his prize for winning on 'Masaya'.




Newmarket is Headquarters and the home of British Racing now for over 300 years. It is unique in having two complete and highly distinct racecourses - the Rowley Mile and the July Racecourse.
The Rowley Mile is named after King Charles II "Old Rowley" who founded the Newmarket meetings following his restoration to the throne in 1660. It hosts racing of the highest calibre during the Spring and Autumn, including two of the five classic races in early May: the 1000 Guineas and the 2000 Guineas. Today is one of the big Autumn highlights the Cambridgeshire Meeting.

After all the torrential rain yesterday it was a relief to see blue skies and sunshine.

I don't quite know how but I managed to pick a 20/1 winner in the first race !! 'Masaya' ridden by Tom Queally and trained by Clive Brittain. Not only that I also managed to forecast the exacta !! This is getting the first and second in any order which is a very tasty bet to land, especially at prices of 20/1 & 9/1..
All together I picked up over two hundred pounds- A perfect start. The lady in the Tote booth jokingly suggested that I should go home now..I wish I had listened because I didn't have any more winners -((. But I still ended well in profit and treated Marina to a fish and Chip supper on the way home.

Panic Room - The Stables Wavendon

Panic Room opened up with the first track on the latest album 'Freedom to breathe' which grabs your attention from the word go. A really well balanced set with 'Elektra City' 'Dark Star','Sunshine' and 'Yasuni' being most memorable. However my highlight would have to be the stunningly brilliant 'Satellite' which I have hardly stopped playing ever since.
Anne-Marie Helders voice has been described as 'Kate Bush meets Led Zep', moving from beautiful ballads to screaming metal and steals the show.
You get a rich blend of jazz, metal, funk, folk, blues intertwined with Eastern influences.
The only disappointing part of the evening was the turnout. The venue was less than half full which was a great shame. I just wonder what people want on Wednesday night in Milton Keynes ?? It is a tribute to both bands that they put in such a tremendous performance which deserved a bigger audience.


Anne Marie Helder

'Rude Tiger' from Devon

Panic Room


It has been a very long time since i've been down to the The Stables near Milton Keynes to see a band.It's a smashing intimate little venue and has some great Blues,Folk, Rock and Jazz acts. It is very nice to be able to have a beer in a proper glass and take into the auditorium.
The downside being the strict no photography policy. However as you will see I managed to sneak a few in... With a little help from my gig partner Tim Johnson who when prompted leant forward to block the Stewards view. Well done Tim !

Panic Room have been described as a 'mini supergroup'and are fronted by the multi talented Anne-Marie Helder (Lead Vocals; Rhythm/Acoustic Guitars; Flute).
Also in the band are:

Paul Davies (Lead/Rhythm/Acoustic Guitars; Backing Vocals)
Yatim Halimi (Bass Guitars)
Jonathan Edwards (Keyboards; Piano; Synths)
Gavin Griffiths (Drums)

First up were support band 'Rude Tiger' from Devon. A three piece band made up of Jas Morris on lead guitar and Vocals and Dan Morris on Bass along with 'D'Collings on drums. Jas is a former winner of the UK Guitarist of the year - aged 18 no less.
I had spoken to their Manager earlier and she had told me that 'they were really good musicians' - she wasn't wrong!

Rude Tiger have attracted the following Quotes :

Guitarist Magazine - 'this guy will be a star'(Jas)

Colin Slade, Planet Rock DAB Radio - 'rock legends of the future'

Andy Powell, Wishbone Ash - 'a major league band'

Walter Trout - 'You guys sound f***ing great!''

Jas bounded into the first track like a young 'Wilko Johnson' full of confidence from continuous gigging largely in the South West. In fact he mentioned the five and a half hour journey they had just experienced to get to the gig.
I was really impressed, some great melodies and superb musicianship.
In fact I was so impressed I purchased the limited edition mini CD which the lads kindly signed as well.
I really think that they will have a great future and are a name to look out for.

Fishing in the Cotswolds

About three hours later I caught my second Rainbow Trout. This time a lot more cunning and stealth was used. I used a technique known as 'stalking'. Quite often the Trout will come in close to the bank and rest up. So by following it in the shallows you can actually drop the fly in front of it's nose and hope it takes the hook. Which is exactly what happened on this occasion, however it did put up a lot of resistance and nearly took me in the lake with it at one stage !!
Barry and I both caught two Rainbow Trout each all around the same size which wasn't bad going as it was not easy fishing. Well it never is in my case to be honest.
Altogether a really enjoyable day outside in the sun and fresh air - in fact it has made me a bit sleepy now.


Happiness is the Rod - A small play on words for all Marillion fans.

Barry - The Troutmaster



It's nice to get an early fish in the bag as you feel you can relax a bit more and the pressure is off. It was lovely and peaceful just standing on the bank feeling the heat of the suns rays and enjoying the scenery. I saw a brief flash of shimmering blue and immediately recognised a Kingfisher, in a second it was gone again.


The first fish of the day !



The sun was shining for my first Fly fishing trip of the year. Destination was Lechlade in the heart of the beautiful Cotswolds close to headwaters of the Thames.

I was with my good mate Barry who is an excellent match fisherman. Probably important to make clear at this stage that I am an awful fisherman and without Barry I would be lost. In fact I had completely forgotten the art of casting out. After a few feeble attempts I did manage to at least get the line about 10 yards from the bank. Then by some small miracle I actually caught the first fish of the day!!A Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) I maintain it must have been suicidal and threw itself on the first sharp it had come across. It didn't put up much of a struggle and was safely landed weighing in around 4lb's.
Just in case anyone is interested it was caught on 'Hares Ear Nymph' using a 'bung' or so I was told? I'm not really up with all the different sorts of flies and fly tying which is an art form in itself.