Marshall have announced the details of their ‘MADE OF LOUD’ tour, with three very wonderful bands hitting the road together.
Making it’s way across the UK, the tour will be headlined by none other than Cancer Bats. And they will be joined by melodic hardcore legends Ignite and Bristol chaotic noisemakers KNIVES.
So that’s loads of this:
Then loads of this:
And then loads of this:
Basically, it’s going to get rowdy.
Cancer Bats had this to say about the announcement, stating, “We are beyond excited to announce this Marshall Made Of Loud Tour!! Playing all our favourite independent venues across the UK, with Ignite and Knives, and we end it all with a Halloween show in London!! This is going to be an insane tour!!!”
Here are all the dates:
12 – DOVER The Booking Hall 13 – BRIGHTON Chalk 15 – EXETER Cavern 16 – FALMOUTH Princess Pavilion 17 – SOUTHAMPTON Joiners 18 – PLYMOUTH The Depo 20 – BRISTOL The Fleece 21 – CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach 22 – MILTON KEYNES Craufurd Arms 24 – BIRMINGHAM Asylum 25 – MANCHESTER Gorilla 26 – NEWCASTLE Anarchy Brew Co 28 – GLASGOW King Tuts Wah Wah Hut 29 – LEEDS The Key Club 30 – NOTINGHAM Rescue Rooms 31 – LONDON Electric Brixton
Tickets for the tour will be going on sale from June 05 at 10am.
Michael Stipe is getting more and more comfortable doing stuff in public again, and that’s good news for us. Earlier this year, Stipe returned for his second Simpsons guest voice role and sang R.E.M. songs with Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s all-star tribute band. In April, Stipe debuted a new song on a late-period Colbert episode. On Tuesday night, Stipe was back on late-night TV, singing his Rooster theme song on Kimmel.
The late folk-prog bassist’s compendium of collaborations came about through a creativity and commitment that – as he admitted himself – had a dangerous downside
Friday night has always been a great time to party, the end of the working week for many, giving the excuse to let their hair down and potentially enjoy a few drinks while they are at it. Certainly, the soundtrack for the evening could not be better, and both Star Circus and headliner Chez Kane do their very best to bring smiles to the faces of every soul present in a way that shows that there is no hype necessary, just good people playing great songs.
As part of their current Destiny’s Door UK tour, openers Star Circus have already built up quite the reputation as rising names on the scene, their ability to knock out high-octane and irresistible numbers finding an ever-growing audience.
Star Circus – The Brickmakers, Norwich – 29 May 2026. Photo: Steve Ritchie/MetalTalk
There is a confident swagger here that is well justified by the strength of material shown, some technical difficulties threatening to but never derailing the momentum.
The ballsy Over & Over is a great opener, its big riff and groove setting the tone for everything to come, and Times Get Tough is a gloriously old school slice of premium hard rock that could have been written any time over the last thirty years.
Coming on like a cross between Thin Lizzy and SAHB, One Hit Wonder again shows the songwriting skills of the band can stretch beyond the cliché-ridden efforts of some around, and Love Is The Enemy dips its toe nicely into more melodic rock territory.
Star Circus – The Brickmakers, Norwich – 29 May 2026. Photo: Steve Ritchie/MetalTalk
Alongside singer and guitarist Dave Winkler, bass player Sophie Aurelia Young and drummer Reuben O’Donoghue, new guitarist Joel Chalk has slotted in perfectly, and the twin fretwork during The Wreckage and Destiny’s Door proves to be some of the biggest highlights of the set.
Forget the outlandish promo and slavish adherence to templates that other acts are pushing, Star Circus are doing their own thing and giving modern rock music the injection of originality, class and excitement that is going to last.
A band to truly believe in.
Star Circus – The Brickmakers, Norwich – 29 May 2026. Photo: Steve Ritchie/MetalTalk
Chez Kane
Flying in the face of all that the elitist elements in the industry preach, Chez Kane not just survives but thrives, her take on lycra-clad ’80s hard rock unstoppable.
Given that she has enough energy to light up a large town, possesses one of the finest voices around, and the material is all killer, no filler, it is no wonder that she is lighting up everywhere she plays.
Chez Kane – The Brickmakers, Norwich – 29 May 2026. Photo: Steve Ritchie/MetalTalk
There is an honesty here that is born from a genuine love of the music she and the band play, all of it shorn of any cynicism or artfully crafted pretence, and it shows in the infectious way that everyone is drawn in, the whole show more a shared celebration than a performance.
An antidote to all that is going on in the world, this is escapism at its finest and a way to forget everything outside of the walls of the venue, offering the chance to just smile and move to the music.
Chez Kane – The Brickmakers, Norwich – 29 May 2026. Photo: Steve Ritchie/MetalTalk
To write this off as purely good-time music would do Kane and company a disservice, as each number is a perfect slice of melodic rock with more than enough grit to rub pleasingly against the bubblegum rush.
Adrenaline-soaked numbers like Personal Rock ‘n’ Roll and All Of It are sure-fire party starters and stand nicely alongside the Heart-style power ballad I Just Want You, and there is more than a touch of Vixen in the pneumatic rocker Nationwide.
Adding an extra bit of muscle, the three guitar attack of Midnight Rendezvous is a beefy punch to the face, and Bodyrock rides that heavy wave with no compromise, perfectly illustrating that the band can certainly lay down something with the ability to crush when they want to.
Chez Kane – The Brickmakers, Norwich – 29 May 2026. Photo: Steve Ritchie/MetalTalk
This is very much Chez Kane’s world, and her ability to embody both strength and sensuality is a superpower that has seen an increasingly large number of female fans back into her gigs. It is a mantle she wears lightly but confidently, in control of her image and the music equally.
Labelling a run of numbers the steamy part of the set, it is done with equal parts humour and soul that conveys the mood with a feline grace and a real depth of emotion in the storytelling.
This ability to switch from muscular melodic rock and the seductive show a quality that will develop nicely in time as she sets herself up for the long run, and with writing of the level of Love Gone Wild, Get It On and Tongue Of Love, there is huge promise to come.
Chez Kane – The Brickmakers, Norwich – 29 May 2026. Photo: Steve Ritchie/MetalTalk
Set closers Rocket On The Radio and Powerzone bring the night to a blazing end, and the long queue for the merchandise desk tells its own story.
The music and image may be something of a throwback to more carefree times, but there is nothing wrong with that, and it could just be the antidote we all need.
Chez Kane – The Brickmakers, Norwich – 29 May 2026. Photo: Steve Ritchie/MetalTalk
However you look at it, Chez Kane has all she needs to bring the good times and hard rocking gems of the past back to the future. This is a reminder as to exactly why we fell in love with rock ‘n’ roll in the first place. Long may she continue.
With their fresh new EP out last week and a Slam Dunk Festival appearance already under their belts, Dead Pony hit Sheffield’s Corporation on their Eat My Dust UK tour.
Opening tonight are Sheffield’s own Air Drawn Dagger, inviting everyone in attendance to join the ‘Church Of Dagger.’ With the stage in darkness, intro track Hymn Of The Hag creates an eerie atmosphere before the highly energetic trio burst into life. Vocalist Maisie Manterfield immediately brings the room to life with her blend of clean vocals and growling screams.
Having built a strong reputation locally, they’re already playing to a healthy crowd and make the most of it. Guitarist Lewis Budden delivers punchy riffs throughout the super-catchy Castle, helping get the venue moving early on. As the set progresses, Maisie raises the intensity further by jumping into the audience during Cadavers and even standing on the venue’s bar before making her way back to the stage.
It can’t be denied that Air Drawn Dagger are a must-see act on the local circuit. Their infectious choruses and relentless live presence make them feel destined for bigger things over the next few years.
Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
Overgrown are up next, bringing some high-quality nu-metal sounds with them all the way from Berwick-upon-Tweed. Backed by flashing strobe lights, the band use complex but effective melodic riffs to create a nostalgic feel, with guitarist Marc Mitchell particularly impressive throughout. These melodies are balanced with heavier old-school 2000s breakdowns and choruses that help carve out the band’s own identity and a very unique sound.
Complementing the guitars are Callum Der Morsche’s vocals, which intertwine perfectly with the band’s musical approach. Overgrown make the most of their set time, tearing through songs such as Pieces and Mistake before introducing their latest release, Stinking, which is being played live for only the second time tonight. Closing with Breathe, currently their most-streamed track on Spotify, Overgrown prove that the UK’s nu-metal scene, or ‘nu-grunge’ as the band refer to it, is still alive and well.
Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
With their intro track blaring through the PA, Dead Pony arrive to huge cheers from a sold-out Corporation crowd. As the band take the stage, guitarist Blair Crichton throws both hands into the air to ramp up an already excited set of fans. Wasting no time, Dead Pony launch straight into new music, with the tour and EP title track Eat My Dust immediately setting the tone for the evening.
Vocalist Anna Shields moves across the stage with the confidence of a seasoned frontwoman, drawing even more enthusiasm from those packed into the room. Her versatility is one of the key ingredients behind Dead Pony’s reputation as a formidable live act. This is clearly demonstrated when the band cover You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette, where Shields makes the song her own, showing off her incredible vocals while remaining true to the spirit of the original.There are plenty of moments of interaction throughout the set, from fist bumps with fans to jokes about a keg they’ve ‘been carrying around on tour’ that’s apparently ‘waiting to explode’. Dead Pony clearly value their supporters and make sure everyone in the room feels part of the show.
As the band reaches its climax with Ignore This, it’s obvious that Dead Pony are the real deal, delivering a hard-hitting and hyper-energetic performance packed with huge hooks and memorable riffs. Giving the audience a choice of final song, the band ultimately decide to celebrate their new EP by reprising Eat My Dust, which receives an even bigger reaction than it did earlier in the evening.
Based on tonight’s performance, Dead Pony won’t be playing intimate rooms like this for much longer. With songs this strong and a live show to match, larger stages surely await.
Self-described as a funny punk band, Worthington’s Law from Durham, NC could probably be more accurately described as a dad joke band. Their most recent release, “Funnier! Punkier! Bandier!” will have you laughing at its jokes or cringing at their truthfulness. I don’t mean that in a bad way. Songwriter and vocalist, Nick Faber, has constructed an album that I connected with in more ways than I’m willing to admit.
The album jumps between three types of punk rock: Ramonescore, hardcore, and some ska-punk. Opening with the frustration anthem about small messes around the house, “Clutter,” Worthington’s Law puts their humor on the front street. It’s a mix of dad complaints with an almost Germs-like verse leading into a 1990s punk chorus. Songs like “Kate (The Fun Times)” are about having a partner who is much more tired than you and missing the times when you stayed up past nine p.m.
“All My Friends Are Punks” is a Ramonescore delight about the friend group you decide to keep around. While you might think a song like “Read It and Weep” would be a ska punk song about poker night, you’d be mistaken. This song is about the tons of cards you collect from businesses like Costco, but also loyalty cards, library cards, gym membership cards, and the list goes on. Then there’s a song about Binaca.
While tropes of being middle-aged and punk are celebrated, there are some real moments. Truth in humor can be found in most of these songs, but there are some moments of seriousness in songs like “When the Leaves Turn Colors” and “I Don’t Believe in Anything.” While these songs may be simple in theory, they succeed well in execution.
Then there are songs like, “Reset,” about being charged by an electrician for a supposed electrical issue that was resolved by pushing a button, or the “Dinner Party Pt. 1 & 2,” which is about being socially awkward about being at said event without knowing anyone there. I personally may not be guilty of these grown-up sins on this album, but I have my own embarrassing versions. While the ridiculousness of life is rampant on the record, there’s a good balance of songs that are humorous and truthful enough to prevent it from falling into the Dead Milkmen or Gas Station Boner Pills category of records, and closer to a Vandals or Queers record.
Funnier! Punkier! and Bandier! has seventeen songs. Nick Faber’s musical ear and lyrical honesty work on a lot of different levels. On top of the songs I’ve discussed, there are songs about Student Driver Stickers, Cybertrucks, and being pre-retired. This record will resonate with people of a certain age in a number of ways, but can be listened to by anyone. If you haven’t experienced these things or your own versions of them, give it time, you eventually will. Funnier! Punkier! and Bandier! is out now on Sell the Heart Records.
