Deep Purple

Blogs, Featured, Gruesome Greg December 3, 2011

Deep Purple is touring Canada in February like it’s 1974. If only they’d bring back those ’70s ticket prices!

By the time you read this, tickets for the Deep Purple gig at Massey Hall next year will have just gone on sale. The band will be spending the entire month of February in our country on a 17-date Canadian tour that includes not one, but two gigs in Newfoundland, five concerts in Ontario, and at least one show in every other province except PEI and Quebec. I could be wrong, but I don’t think that a major non-Canadian recording artist has embarked on a cross-country tour of this magnitude in decades. Too bad they couldn’t turn back the clock on those ticket prices…

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Books November 7, 2011

Deep Purple and Beyond: Scenes From The Life of a Rock Star

I won’t ruin this wonderful rollercoaster ride through the history of rock with spoilers, but man! I will say it’s like the reader suddenly enters a time machine and travels back to through the history of rock and metal, and finds it’s both better and worse than they ever believed. And of course, everyone from Yul Brynner, Ozzy, David Coverdale (which is as it should be!) to Tony Iommi turns up!

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio October 7, 2011

Opeth–Heritage

As it’s still unforeseen where Opeth are heading to next, Heritage stands out as an eccentric anomaly in their catalogue. But this doesn’t diminish the quality of the album one bit. Heritage is a fantastic album, although it’s not without its flaws. However, those flaws have nothing to do with Opeth’s decision to become preoccupied with prog. They are simply slight musical missteps, and who hasn’t stumbled when finding a new path?

Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live April 4, 2011

Thin Lizzy @ The Sound Academy, Toronto ON, March 30, 2011

“Starting the show off with a seamless segue from set opener “Are You Ready” straight into “Waiting For An Alibi”, it became clear right away that this wasn’t some thrown together slapdash attempt at cashing in on the band’s previous glories. This six piece band is tight as hell and know the material inside out.”

Sean Palmerston reviews the March 30th concert by Thin Lizzy at Toronto’s Sound Academy. Photos by Albert Mansour.

Articles, Featured, Features, Headline, Reviews March 14, 2011

First Look at… Anvil’s Juggernaut of Justice

While this was the first listen through I feel pretty comfortable in saying that Juggernaut of Justice is the best album Anvil has made since Metal On Metal. In fact, it may even one day be recognized as their best album ever. It has the massive production the band has always wanted, produced by Bob Marlette at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606, the band finally had the opportunity to not rush things, get the sounds they wanted and delivered an album that both Lips and Robb Reiner told me afterward even surpassed their own expectations.

Article by Sean Palmerston; photos by Albert Mansour

Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Classics, Reviews - Vinyl December 7, 2010

Classic Albums Revisited: Black Sabbath’s Born Again

“With the recent UK deluxe reissues of the mid-eighties Black Sabbath albums Seventh Star and The Eternal Idol creating quite a buzz about those releases once again I thought it might be time to revisit my favourite under-heralded Sabs relic. Born Again, the band’s 1983 release and only one to feature noted vocalist Ian Gillan, is one of the most dividing releases ever to bore the Black Sabbath moniker. it is one of those records that you either love or loathe. There is no middle ground needed, and none provided.”

Album review by Sean Palmerston

Blogs, Featured, Gruesome Greg October 2, 2010

The dangers of dumpster-diving for vinyl…

Last weekend, when I was on my way to the bank, I passed a cheap sign on Bloor St saying “1000s of vinyls, thattaway.” Intrigued, I followed the arrow up a residential street (I think it was Brunswick) to a parkette with a buncha milk crates laid out on the ground. This is why I love The Annex.

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio April 5, 2010

The Steve Morse Band—Out Standing in Their Field

You won’t hear any misguided stabs at nü-metal or techno; only a trio of dudes and their respective endorsement deals doing what they do damn well, and having a good time at it (while concocting some of the corniest titles this side of a Skyclad album). The Steve Morse Band delivers flash with class.