Gigs for 2025 - post your reviews here

I went to see McFly Versus Busted a couple of weeks ago and it was one of the best gigs I've ever been to. Hard guitars and super tight. Lots of fun.

Yes, I was going to post something similar. I prefer heavier rock music, and the music snobs will laugh at both of these bands, but they are absolutely terrific entertainment for almost 2.5 hours live, the Monday night gig was absolutely hopping! Charlie Simpson is always worth going to see, a tremendous musician, resplendent in his Nine Inch Nails t-shirt - he has rocked up Busted's sound somewhat but not quite to Fightstar status lol! His acoustic duet with the mcfly fella was outstanding - great night, would see again in a heartbeat!

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard in Den Bosch with the Sinfonia Rotterdam Orchestra.

Great, as always.

Phantom Island album in full followed by an intermission (which they played through lol) and then a load of Gizzard goodness/madness.

Not a massive fan of full album shows or "static" setlists but had to be that way with the orchestra. Seen them a few times now and they're wildly different each time.

Mcfly started with 1 hour gig, then a cage lowered around them for all of about 3 minutes, then raised to reveal busted on stage. Very slick transition. Busted did a 1 hour set. Then the 2 guitarists positiioned themselves in the crowd on opposite sides of the arena and hurled insults at each other, then a couple of combined efforts with everyone on stage. Not so much a 'vs' thing going on, just good tunes and singalongs. Really well structured.

Mcfly probably the more crowd pleasing band, but Busted a better rock band all round. Great fun!

I was also at this. Despite not being overly impressed with English Teacher in Whelans i wanted to give them another go. Thought it would happen at ATN but they clashed with someone and i had a tent run to make so i missed them. Said if i got a cheap ticket i'd go to the Olympia. Managed to snag one for less than half price! As for the band? They were grand but i won't be going to see them again. That brand of indie just isn't my cuppa. They've 3 or 4 songs where they could really build it up and let rip but they don't. So yeah, i'm out.

Theatre were enjoyable enough. Only saw them once before, last Halloween supporting Just Mustard in the Spirit Store. That night they had a very distinct image; the lads all done up like the Bad Seeds or something and herself in a big, floaty, white dress. Very Kate Bush on the moors. None of that malarkey this evening. Musically they were on point back then but it was ever so slightly different to what they're doing now. I'd rather go see Theatre than say, New Dad.

While I disagree with this review I did find one thing shockingly poor and that was massive patches of the crowd chatting full volume in the quiter songs, like just shut the **** up and go to the bar if your not there for the show, ots a real bug bear that people go to these gigs just to hear the two or three songs they know.

The band were amazing and the support was very very good, with the fact the top section was closed and if you take away the posers I think this gig would have been better off in the academy.

I have high hopes for English teacher, the new song was quite good and with there summer shows filling up I'm expecting a new album by late spring, long may they make wonderful music together.

Also there bass player looks like Charlie Cooper, uncanny

Posers, had a bunch behind me that would not shut up, it was like a convention of hipsters that were just there to say they saw them

I take the earlier point re them only having one album and your point that they did play 17 songs - but they must have rattled through them because I was back out on the street within an hour of them starting! In the cold light of day perhaps I am being a bit harsh on them. I felt something was off from the start when they played R&B second song and basically threw away one of their best tracks. I agree they did have a strong ending, I was about to call it a day at around The Best Tears and then of course they do a great Crying and we off into Paving Slab and Daffs. Thinking about it today, they remind me of the time I saw The XX in Tripod in 2009. I loved the band but live they were super low energy and really didn't connect with what was a very excited audience. Before Lily finally got going for Crying I was standing there thinking - someone in this band needs to decide they are enjoying this! I am looking forward to a new album, I think they played a different new one night to the new from ATN? My memory is both were a little more 4 to the floor and a little less art school prog, which is a good thing. The current remix album is poor, not that it directly reflects on them but they did OK it presumably.

As for the audience, I didn't find it too bad chatty wise. Lots of pints back and forth though, I was actually wishing they'd close the bar! I took up my usual spot at the back beside the sound desk and I do accept that watching a gig from that vantage point means you miss out of the vibe up the front - but I loved Self Esteem recently from that exact same position.

DJ Alligator in a tiny venue in Copenhagen on Friday.

Super cheesy but brilliant night