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Eric Clapton has announced four 2027 shows at his traditional second home, London’s Royal Albert Hall. The guitarist will play the 5000-capacity venue on May 20, 21, 23 and 24, preceded by a one-off date at Birmingham’s BP Pulse Live on May 17.

A fan club presale will begin tomorrow (October 15), followed by the general sale on Friday via Bookings Direct.

Clapton continues to make history at the Royal Albert Hall, where he first performed as a member of The Yardbirds in December 1964. His next shows at the venue were Cream‘s famous “Farewell” dates in 1968, and the band returned to the same stage for their reunion in 2005.

It’s as a solo artist that Clapton has made his biggest impression on the venue, and our ropey arithmetic tells us that Clapton’s final night at the Hall next year will be his 220th. This run includes numerous residencies, including the run of shows in 1990 and 1991 that resulted in the 24 Nights box set.

“It’s a very comfortable, homey place for me,” Clapton told the BBC in 1990. “I tend to think of it as mine. It’s got a very genteel, sophisticated and yet comfortable atmosphere.”

Last month, Clapton curated his Crossroads Guitar Festival at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, appearing alongside the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr., Billy Gibbons, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, John Mayer, the Tedeschi Tracks Band and many more. Footage of the shows is available to watch online for a limited time.

Eric Clapton: 2027 live dates

May 17: Birmingham BP Pulse Live
May 20: London Royal Albert Hall
May 21: London Royal Albert Hall
May 23: London Royal Albert Hall
May 23: London Royal Albert Hall

Find Eric Clapton tickets.

Conrad Lant, the frontman for Venom, took the stage name Cronos, pioneered black metal and more or less made Satan a sideman. He has died at 63.

After this singer-songwriter’s hit, “Boston,” was likened to a Noah Kahan tune, content creators made a sport of noting similarities between her music and other popular tracks.

The Sex Pistols (Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock) featuring Frank Carter brought their “Anarchy in the U.K./ 50 Years of Punk” tour to a sold-out show at Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. For support, they brought Essex, U.K.’s Bad Nerves as the opener. My husband (…And We All Die) is a huge Sex Pistols fan and some of their songs, particularly “Pretty Vacant” and “Bodies,” are regulars around the house. So, it was fun for both of us to experience seeing these three old-timers celebrating songs they wrote half a century ago.

The crowd began lining up for the show sometime before 1:00 pm that afternoon, with other old-timers and eager fans putting in the sweat equity to ensure spots against the barrier, especially because the show was sold out. Who could blame them? Who could believe they’d have a chance to see this band play a venue of this size. I’m grateful my husband showed early enough to secure us a spot in front of Mr. Jones, aka Jonesy.

• Bad Nerves setlist:
• “Baby Drummer”
• “Plastic Rebel”
• “NETWORK”
• “USA”
• “Loner”
• “Radio Punk”
• “Antidote”
• “You’ve Got The Nerve”
• “Can’t Be Mine Dreaming”

Throughout their set, Frank Carter alternated between the stage and floor, inciting crowd participation in the night’s punk rock performance. At times, the crowd was running a circle pit around him as Carter sang, and at others they were standing, as if fueling his energy with their own raging angst. At one point, Carter sought to ensure that the women in the crowd had their own chance to dance by mandating a female-only circle pit. This was something quite incredible to experience. Unfortunately, I’m short and couldn’t get upstairs in time to photograph this circle pit, but there are plenty of photos and videos of it online. As a woman, it’s often difficult to appreciate punk and hardcore dancing, so it was refreshing to see several generations of women getting a chance to take over the dance floor.

The Sex Pistols played all the songs from their only real album, Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols, except Submission but they made up for this omission with covers of Paul Revere and the Raiders’ “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” (also covered by the Monkees and Washington, DC’s own Minor Threat), The Stooges’ “No Fun,” and “My Way,” from Paul Anka (also covered by the Sex Pistols’ Sid Vicious). For me, the songs that really moved me were “God Save The Queen,” because I was on the balcony and saw the crowd go wild and sing along as if they were singers for the band. That’s not to say that the crowd didn’t participate in other songs, it really just speaks to the power of seeing so many people coming together for something as fun and memorable and historic as seeing The Sex Pistols play the 9:30 Club.

What more can I say? It was a great night with great bands. Several generations of fans showed up on a school night to celebrate songs that for some were the soundtrack of their youth and for others are songs referenced in history books. After seeing them live, I have a greater appreciation for their songs and for what their songs mean to people. If you chose not to show up because their original singer, Mr. John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) wasn’t on board, then you missed out. I can’t and won’t argue that their the same or better than they would have been with Lydon, but they were fantastic. At moments during their show, you could see Jones, Cook, and Matlock vibing off one another and enjoying the opportunity to share songs that made their careers and inspired so many others to play punk rock. At times, Matlock stared at the crowd in amazement as if he was wondering why they hadn’t done this sooner. I have the same thoughts as well.

• Sex Pistols setlist:
• “Holidays in the Sun” (Sex Pistols song)
• “Seventeen” (Sex Pistols song)
• “New York” (Sex Pistols song)
• “Pretty Vacant” (Sex Pistols song)
• “Bodies” (Sex Pistols song)
• “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” (Paul Revere and the Raiders cover)
• “Liar” (Sex Pistols song)
• “God Save the Queen” (Sex Pistols song)
• “No Fun” (The Stooges cover) (Included band intros and “Low Rider” snippet)
• “No Feelings” (Sex Pistols song)
• “Problems” (Sex Pistols song)
• “E.M.I.” (Sex Pistols song)
• “My Way” (Paul Anka cover)
• “Anarchy in the U.K.” (Sex Pistols song)

Posted on October 14th 2026, 10:00am

Fortress Festival has announced ten more acts for its 2027 edition, with Watain set to headline a new Friday night event as the Scarborough festival expands its programme to three days.

Taking place at Scarborough Spa in North Yorkshire from 28-30 May 2027, the festival celebrates its fifth anniversary with Fortress: First Light, a separately ticketed Friday evening show in the Grand Hall. Watain will deliver a UK-exclusive performance, joined by Polish Black Metal outfit Terrestrial Hospice for their UK debut.

Fortress Festival 2027: New Bands Announced

The main weekend lineup now includes Colorado’s melodic Black Metal band Stormkeep, Norway’s Mare and German Lovecraftian Death Metal act Sulphur Aeon, all appearing as UK exclusives. British Black Metal band Ninkharsag also returns with an exclusive set following two years of relative silence.

Belgian atmospheric Black Metal artists Silver Knife and Oerheks will each make exclusive UK debuts, while Bloodbark is set for its first UK performance. Swedish dungeon synth artist Örnatorpet joins the theatre room programme for a UK-exclusive show.

Watain vocalist Erik Danielsson described the appearance as part of a final run of shows: “For one last time we will let the ancient fires of real Black Metal and spiritual liberation light up the night.”

Stormkeep said its exclusive set will draw on different chapters of the band’s history, including material never previously performed in the UK. Silver Knife also confirmed that their Scarborough performance will feature brand-new material.

Ninkharsag teased both their return to live performance and the prospect of new music, saying, “Our return begins with a handful of exclusive live rituals and beyond that, the shadows whisper of a new full-length invocation already taking form.”

Emperor Lead The Previously Announced Lineup

The new names join a bill headed by Emperor, who will play an exclusive UK headline show. Previously announced artists include Gris, Gràb, Yellow Eyes, Forteresse, Slagmaur, Havukruunu, Sinmara, Miserere Luminis, Tardigrada, Mourir, Trha and Dungeontroll.

The theatre’s dungeon synth programme also features Erang, Wraith Knight, Spectral Castle, Hole Dweller, Atlantean Sword, Lord Bakartia and DragonKeep.

Fortress Festival 2027 Dates And Tickets

Fortress Festival 2027: 28-30 May 2027, Scarborough Spa, North Yorkshire. The Friday Fortress: First Light show is ticketed separately from the main weekend passes.

For tickets and further information, visit the official Fortress Festival ticket page.

FORTRESS FESTIVAL 2027
28-30 May 2027
Scarborough Spa
North Yorkshire, UK

Emperor UK Exclusive
Watain UK Exclusive
Gràb Worldwide Exclusive
Miserere Luminis UK Debut/Exclusive
Gris Worldwide Live Debut
Tardigrada UK Debut/Exclusive
Mare UK Exclusive
Yellow Eyes ‘Confusion Gate’ Full Album Set UK Exclusive
Mourir UK Debut/Exclusive
Trha UK Debut/Exclusive
Slagmaur UK Exclusive
Havukruunu UK Exclusive
Stormkeep UK Exclusive
Terrestrial Hospice UK Debut/Exclusive
Sinmara UK Exclusive
Forteresse Special UK Exclusive Set
Dungeontroll Worldwide Exclusive Set
Erang Worldwide Live Debut
Wraith Knight UK Debut/Exclusive
Spectral Castle Live Debut
Hole Dweller 
Atlantean Sword
Lord Bakartia
DragonKeep
Oerheks UK Debut/Exclusive
Ninkharsag UK Exclusive
Silver Knife UK Debut/Exclusive
Bloodbark UK Debut/Exclusive
Sulpher Aeon UK Exclusive
Ornatorpet UK Exclusive

The post Fortress Festival 2027 Expands To Three Days With Watain And Ten New Bands first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

Dream Theater have officially begun recording their seventeenth studio album, the follow-up to 2025’s Parasomnia.
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Temple Of Bones – the New Jersey death metal outfit featuring members of Ripping Corpse and Dim Mak – have now released “Sky Is Like Ocean”, the second preview from their upcoming debut album, Walk The Winds. Check it out below.
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Blue Öyster Cult will return to the UK in April 2027 for two special concerts celebrating 55 years under the band’s iconic name, with Magnum joining them in London and When Rivers Meet opening in Glasgow.

The 55 Years On Tour – 1972 To 2027 shows will take place at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Thursday 1 April and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Saturday 3 April 2027. Tickets go on sale on Friday 16 October 2026 at 10am via Ticketmaster.

Blue Öyster Cult Announce London And Glasgow Concerts

The shows mark 60 years since the Long Island, New York group first formed and 55 years since adopting the Blue Öyster Cult name. They follow the band’s sold-out London Palladium concert in 2025.

Blue Öyster Cult’s catalogue spans classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal favourites including (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, Godzilla, Burnin’ For You, Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll, Astronomy and Veteran Of The Psychic Wars.

The band continues to be led by Eric Bloom on vocals and rhythm guitar and Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser on vocals and lead guitar. They are joined by Richie Castellano on guitar and keyboards, Danny Miranda on bass and Jules Radino on drums.

The group has also remained active in the studio. The Symbol Remains arrived in 2020 as the band’s first new album in 19 years, followed by Ghost Stories in 2024.

Magnum And When Rivers Meet Confirmed As Special Guests

British melodic Hard Rock band Magnum will be the special guests at the Royal Albert Hall. Award-winning blues rock duo When Rivers Meet will join Blue Öyster Cult for the Glasgow date.

Blue Öyster Cult UK Tour Dates 2027

Tickets go on sale on Friday 16 October 2026 at 10am via Ticketmaster.

The post Blue Öyster Cult Announce 55th Anniversary UK Shows With Magnum And When Rivers Meet first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

British alternative rock outfit Daytime TV have officially announced their forthcoming studio album, Rodeo, alongside the release of their brand-new single, “Meditate”. Due out on 19th February 2027 via Marshall Records, the record marks a fearless new chapter of creative freedom and raw vitality for the quartet. Pre-orders are now available. Produced by Pete Hutchings … Continue reading Daytime TV announce new album ‘Rodeo’, unleash single “Meditate” and confirm UK tour