The magnificent Vardis pre-date the New Wave of British Heavy Metal days of the early 1980s, though got swept up in it with their debut album of 100 MPH in 1980 making a dent in the album charts. Unusually for a debut album, 100 MPH was recorded live. I’ve been a big Vardis fan since […]
Taj Farrant is an Australian guitarist and musician known for his remarkable talent at an early age. He gained recognition through social media platforms, particularly for his impressive guitar covers and original compositions. Taj has been featured in various music festivals like Big Blues Bender in Vegas, Telluride’s Blues & Brew and Australia’s largest Blues […]
The world-famous Jergel’s club in Warrendale, PA, just north of Pittsburgh, felt like 1988 all over again as Space Frehley (Ace Frehley/KISS tribute) and That Arena Rock Show brought the house down.
Space Frehley – That Arena Rock Show Rock
Jergel’s Rhythm Grille, Warrendale – 17 April 2026
Words And Photography: Jim Balentine
An evening filled with famous anthems had the capacity crowd jumping up and down, singing until they were hoarse, and left hot, sweaty, and fulfilled, as the 3-hour show was all killer and no filler.
Space Frehley – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalk
Space Frehley
Space Frehley, based out of Pittsburgh, have two former members of the KISS tribute Deuce, and the musician who plays the late Ace Frehley looks just like the Space Ace in clothing, boots, glasses, hair, goatee and even the famous Gibson Les Pauls, which even smoked as the original did.
The band began in early 2025, as there were virtually no Ace solo tribute bands out playing anywhere in the US. As Space Frehley had been a lifelong fan of Ace and KISS, he wanted to pay homage to the hottest band in the world by portraying his hero.
Space Frehley – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalk
After the untimely death of Ace Frehley in October of 2025, they were unsure about wanting to continue. But with the approval of Ace’s road manager and other associates, and the support of the fans, the decision was made to move forward and honour Ace’s legacy and his music, both with KISS and in his solo work.
Space Frehley – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalk
In the opening slot tonight, they decided to play the more popular Ace songs from the KISS era to please the masses and were successful in doing that.
The licks, the solos, the banter onstage, all brought back timeless memories for all the Ace fans.
Space Frehley – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalk
The band is growing in popularity and will co-headline a show in Youngstown, Ohio, on 9 May. So look for all Ace and KISS popular and rare songs, including Ace’s solo material.
That Arena Rock Show
That Arena Rock Show, based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, returned and hit it out of the ballpark. The band recreates certain groups from the ’80s in costume or with guitars over a two-hour set.
That Arena Rock Show – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalk
There are no ballads, but the set is filled with straight-on Hair Metal. That is, if you want to call it that. That would drive Metallica mad. Tonight saw tracks from the days of going to major arenas to see all the MTV-era bands.
The band feeds off the audience, and the audience feeds off the band. That Arena Rock Show plays in your face and jumps all around, even jumping over each other, and as they move along, the feeling gets stronger.
That Arena Rock Show – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalk
This is no sit-down crowd. As the band performs, fists and hands are in the air, and they jump up and down to the music. When the band ends, there is a mutual feeling of “Wow, that was awesome!”
And the costume changes. This is changing roles, not just clothes, and we also get guest appearances from Garth Algar and Wayne Campbell, as well as Beavis and Butthead.
That Arena Rock Show – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalk
If you did not know the songs that were played Friday night, you are definitely not an ’80s Metalhead.
We had everything from Metallica, Twisted Sister, AC/DC, and Mötley Crüe to Def Leppard, Van Halen and yes, even Bon Jovi. This writer would have loved to have heard some KISS from the ’80s, but, alas, you can’t please everyone all the time.
That Arena Rock Show – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalk
The band is on tour now, and there are plenty of videos on their YouTube channel. Please check them out, see them live and revel in those feelings of the ’80s, when arena rock reigned supreme.
That Arena Rock Show – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalkThat Arena Rock Show – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalkThat Arena Rock Show – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalkThat Arena Rock Show – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalkSpace Frehley – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – 17 April 2026. Photo: Jim Balentine/MetalTalkThe post Space Frehley And That Arena Rock Show – ’80s Metal Magic In Jergels first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.
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Alt-rock duo Virginmarys release their powerful new single and video, ‘White Knuckle Riding’, taken from their forthcoming album Beyond The House Of Fires, set for release on 22 May. The track arrives with a striking, Bond-inspired video that blends cinematic style with the band’s emotional intensity.
The album, Beyond The House Of Fires, is a bold and atmospheric reinterpretation of their deeply personal 2024 release The House Beyond The Fires. Stripping away the heavy distortion that defined the original, this new version reveals a more refined and vulnerable core, with a greater emphasis on songwriting, Piano and string arrangements take centre stage, allowing the band’s raw musicality and storytelling to shine through.
Frontman Ally Dickaty explains the deeply personal roots of ‘White Knuckle Riding’: “It’s a song about despair. I became very unwell before the lock down to covid and what followed was a really rough time of my life, the song is documenting that time. To become as unwell as I did whilst wrestling mental health problems during lock down was probably the toughest time of my life, this is why the song is so dark in content. Musically it’s one of my favourites I’ve written, and it perfectly lent itself to the piano, a lot of our work is thoughtful, dark, and emotive so the piano works perfectly for it.”
Drummer Danny Dolan, the creative force behind the band’s visuals, continues to expand their cinematic world with a video shaped by his lifelong love of film: “From as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with music and movies. A lot of the ideas come from scenes that have stuck with me over the years, but I always try to keep them true to what the song is about themes like depression, anger, addiction, hope and even dark humour. The idea was, what if James Bond was actually a manic depressive, melancholic, suicidal secret agent? On the surface, he’s doing his job, but underneath there’s something much darker going on. The same with the villain, not everything is what it seems.”
Shot with a hands-on approach, the video combines slick, Bond-style visuals with subtle nods to previous Virginmarys releases. With Beyond The House Of Fires, Virginmarys step into a more emotionally exposed space, reimagining their work while staying true to the intensity and honesty that define them.
Following the announcement of their nine-date UK tour across May and June, Virginmarys have already seen overwhelming demand, with three sold out shows and several more close behind.
These shows not only celebrate the release of ‘Beyond The House Of Fires’ but aim to bring a completely reimagined live experience to the stage. Stripping things back to their core, these shows draw inspiration from the raw intimacy of classic 90s MTV Unplugged performances, offering fans a deeper, more atmospheric take on the band’s sound, making for a tour unlike anything they’ve done before.
Joining them on stage is good friend and acclaimed guitarist Gareth Price, whose expressive playing and understanding of touch and dynamics made him the natural choice for this stripped-back setting, while Ally will also take to the piano throughout the set, adding another layer to what promises to be one of the band’s most intimate and powerful live outings to date. The band are currently touring Europe and start their UK Alternative tour in May.
