Emerging from the shadows, and gaining big name fans on the way, come Macclesfield trio The Virginmarys. Recruiting a loyal fanbase through two fiercely strong EP’s, they’ve taken on the task of producing their first album.

From the opening chords of first single Dead Man’s Shoes, you can hear the distinctive twang of The Virginmarys; that punchy, raw rock n roll sound. Ally Dictaty’s gravelly, distincitve tone really commands your attention and he cleverly utilises the textures in his voice to great effect. The screams in the brilliant Portrait Of Red showcase Ally’s vocal talents accompanied by sharp riffs and crashing drums. Those of you familiar with the EP’s will recognise a few tracks that made the debut; the super catchy Bang Bang Bang and captivating Out Of My Mind join forces with new blood creating an exciting, enchanting record. Taking The Blame’s simple, yet addictive riff matched by a bold chorus and dramatic build up, followed by the pounding off beats of You’ve Got Your Money, I’ve Got My Soul, display the trio’s creative growth and add to the anticipation surrounding their future.

The Virginmarys have taken a step back from today’s electronic world and gone back to pure, simplistic rock n roll at it’s best. King Of Conflict is a strong, powerful and damn addictive debut album!

Laura Woodhead

After a quiet, and bitterly cold January, Winter gig season is rolling back into town with some great names hitting the UK this month. Here’s our recommendations…

Slash

Finishing up the Apocalyptic Love tour, Slash & co return to our shores for just 2 more dates in Nottingham and Blackpool. Always guaranteed a brilliant night with a great variety of Slash’s back catalogue getting an airing, it’s not a show you want to miss!

Tickets are still available for Nottingham here.

Mark Tremonti

After wetting the UK’s appetite last October with a couple of shows, Tremonti is back for a handful of dates across the country in support of his debut album. It promises a night of pounding heavy metal and killer riffs.

Dates and tickets can be found here.

The Virginmarys

Having just released their debut album and confirmed US dates for later this year, the future shines brightly for Macclesfield trio The Virginmarys. Harnessing that rock n roll spirit and producing gritty, irresistible music, we highly recommend you join their party!

See what the fuss is about for yourself and get your tickets here.

The Union

After successfully reaching their target on Pledge Music, The Union are out on their first headlining in tour in a year. Bringing their catchy, blues infused rock to a host of UK cities, they also have up and coming rockers BlackWolf in support.

Get tickets to a show near you here.

Deftones

With their new album receiving rave reviews, Deftones are back to shake the UK’s foundations this month.

Get involved and get your tickets here.

Song of the day!

The Virginmarys - Dead Man’s Shoes

As is tradition with our feature bands, this Sunday afternoon we bring you some great tunes by our feature band this week, The Virginmarys! A varying selection from their 3 eps, its a little something to get your teeth into whilst we await the debut album! Enjoy!

There is always a happy atmosphere around Eagles of Death Metal shows, and the gig at the Angel Academy (as the o2 in Islington is known to locals and regulars) was no exception. All the early queuers were given free alcohol before the show by frontman Jesse Hughes and his girlfriend Tuesday, and although I’m aware (and I’m sure many readers are aware too) that bands are given lots & lots of free booze (and some of Eagles of Death Metal don’t drink!), it was still a kind gesture and much appreciated by those who had a cheeky can or two under the glaring eyes of the two or three security cameras in the area.

Inside the cheerful atmosphere continued as the opening act of the night, the Australian duo Jackson Firebird, warmed up the crowd with their energetic garage rock. The guitar/vocal and drums/vocal began with a throbbing beat, with the use of a box/lid centre stage as a percussive tool. Why use a box when there is a perfectly good drum kit right behind you? Well, it added to the overall affect of their down to earth, to the roots, their groove filled sound. If you dont see this band the next time they come over, you will be missing out!

Second act of the night was The Virginmarys. I’ve heard lots of great things about this band, they seem to be on their way up, but I’m sad to say I was a bit underwhelmed. These guys have supported some noticeable names in the past, so I was expecting something a bit in your face, but they didn’t provide in that department. There was some very British swearing and a lot of noisy tracks, but nothing seemed to stand out. A few people in the audience were intrigued by sight of a gong next to the kit, but when it was played it hardly added any significant affect to the music at all and was lost in the sea of loud guitars.

The venue was pretty much packed by the time Eagles of Death Metal took to the stage (it was a sell out show and lots of fans had to fork out extra for tickets from touts outside or eBay). The set was a mixture of tonnes of Eagles hits and favourites, a bit of Boots Electric and a few covers for Jesse Hughes’ idols. 

From the very first note of opener Bad Dream Mama, Eagles had owned the crowd. Every cheer and “Amen!” was delivered on time and without question. Even if you aren’t religious in any shape or form you’ll be buying into what was being preached…good time rocknroll with hints of the Californian sun and the Bible Belt’s most exaggerated preacher sermons thrown in for good measure.

The encore of the show featured a very special guest in the form of Rat Scabies, legendary drummer of The Damned, for a cover of New Rose. Quite a nice surprise for any punk fan don’t you think? If that isn’t your cup of tea, Jesse also did a solo cover of the Rolling Stones classic of “Brown Sugar” in dedication to the band Green Day (who were also there on the day). 

From your Whorehoppin’ to your Secret Plans, I’m sure Eagles could do no wrong - every song encited a frenzy of dancing and plenty of singing from the audience, Eagles are 100% good time music thats for sure. 

Becky Martin

Song of the day!

The Virginmarys - Dead Man’s Shoes

Check out their new video!

Song of the day!

The Virginmarys - Dead Man Shoes

New track from the trio who have recently been signed! Celebrate with them on their UK tour.

Song of the day!

The Virginmarys - Just A Ride

Tipped to become huge, The Virginmarys have been working relentlessly to get their name out there through touring and releasing several EP’s. Receiving rave reviews and gaining a fans in Slash and Myles Kennedy, we headed to Sheffield to catch a headline show.

The gig took place in the small back room of the Corporation, a space that can hold no more than 200 people. Support came in the form of Lavellion, a quartet from Hull. Whilst their performance was good, it wasn’t really attention grabbing, they somewhat blend into the background.

The Virginmarys took to the stage at 9pm and presented a set of fan favourites, throwing in some new ones ready for their upcoming album. From the beginning, it’s obvious that the band are destined for a big future, their sound is much too big for this tiny room. They are a captivating group from Ally Dickaty’s raw, raspy vocals to Danny Dolan’s manic drumming, even including a gong! The new tracks prove The Virginmarys are consistently good song writers and have some riffs reminiscent to AC/DC, never a bad thing! Their biggest tracks such as Portrait Of Red and Just A Ride, go down extremely well with the crowd and after leaving the stage, fans were persistently cheering, and stamping their feet, for their return. With an encore including Bang Bang Bang, the band leave behind an extremely satisfied audience.

The talent of The Virginmarys cannot be denied and their future looks extremely bright!

Laura Woodhead

The Virginmarys - Bang Bang Bang

Great band we are currently loving right now!