This is a hard one this year as The Rockpit truly is a global magazine these days covering not just both Coasts of Australia but also the U.S. and Europe. We can’t all get everywhere though and everyone will have very personal selections so it seemed that the only fair way this year was to ask all our reviewers their personal highlights, so here we go…
Mark Rockpit
TOP ROCK SHOWS IN AUSTRALIA 2018
Rose Tattoo with Echo Del Tusker – Perth, Charles Hotel
One of our favourite Aussie Rock bands of all time in the finest of form coupled with one of the best new bands on the Aussie Rock scene.
Europe – Perth, Concert Hall
Europe finally made it to Australia after a wait of 39 years and Perth was the first Australian City to see them.
John Waite – Perth , Astor Theatre
After a canceled Tour a few years back John finally made it down-under and after seeing him live for the first time tonight all I can say is that for those that missed out on this first visit to Australia you really missed something very special indeed.
Foo Fighters – Perth
The Juggernaut rock icons that is Foo Fighters kicked off their much anticipated Australian tour on Saturday night in Perth in front of a packed crowd at NIB Stadium. It wasn’t a bad night to see a live show…
Dr Feelgood, Adelaide
If you wanted a chance to witness one of the great British bands of the seventies then this is the tour for you.
Peter Murphy – 40 Years of Bauhaus, Perth
A stunning show I’d waited thirty years to see.
Foreigner – Perth
The best live shows should be experiences you will never forget – from seeing big names in intimate venues to seeing the bands you love try something new and giving you a whole new twist on their work. I know that the ‘band and orchestra’ has been done to death over the last few decades but sometimes when you catch a band that does it right it still manages to take your breath away.
Extreme and Mr Big – Perth
The band clearly didn’t want to leave us & after taking their bows and firing pics and sticks into the crowd both Gary and Nuno jumped off stage and shook as many outstretched hands as they could. If I’m honest I’d never seen anything quite like that and it clearly meant a huge amount to the crowd who just stood in awe that the band was taking so much time to show their appreciation.
We also loved: Steel Panther – Perth; Steven Adler – Perth; Squeeze – Perth; Stiff Little Fingers – Perth; Primal Scream – Fremantle and Def Leppard with Scorpions – Perth
SCHIZO’S GIG LIST 2018
This year I was much more selective on who to see live, mostly because of various factors like time but to also give our ever expanding team a chance to review more shows for The Rockpit. But the ones that I did see were certainly memorable, a mix of having seeing some of the bands before but also catching a few for the very first time. Here then is what caught my attention the most in 2018.
Satyricon – Perth, September 4th
Off the back of one of their greatest albums to date “Deep Calleth Upon Deep”, this was a show I had anticipated immensely. Despite the disappointing crowd the band just nailed it for me and seeing these songs come to life on stage alone was a highlight of the year. Top show! [Review]
Power Trip – Perth, September 26th
These Texas punk/thrashers flew into my radar very recently and I am so glad that they did, one of the best discoveries I made without a doubt and then to find out they were touring Australia for the first time just made the icing on the cake. I would of flown pretty much anywhere in Oz to see these guys but luckily they hit Perth, surprisingly. Even more surprising was the great turnout for a band that appeared to have little to no fanbase in the west but they actually do and subsequently put on one hell of a show! [Review]
Overkill – Perth, March 4th
Another first for me although I’ve been pretty much a life long fan of Overkill. Their later albums including their most recent “The Grinding Wheel” are top notch thrash albums and a testament to the longevity of this band. Live these guys killed it, Bobby Blitz sounding as great as ever. Shout out to opening act Cold Fate for being tight as hell too! [Review]
Sepultura / Death Angel – Perth, May 20th
Sepultura get a lot of flak for being, well not as good as Max Cavalera era Sepultura. I know this will ruffle a few predictable feathers but I beg to differ. This “new” incarnation of Sepultura despite being now 20 years on (longer than Max being in the band) is super tight and a well oiled machine. OK so Derrick Green still struggles to command a massive stage presence like Max but his vocals have not waivered one bit in 20 years which is mind blowing. The show stealer though? Eloy Casagrande absolutely destroying on the drums. Add to that having Death Angel on the bill who again slayed the Perth crowd and we had ourselves one of the top shows of the year, hence their inclusion on this list. [Review]
Joe Satriani – Perth, November 24th
After having seen Mr Satch Boogie himself several times now, it never ceases to amaze me how unbelievably talented and creative Satriani is on guitar. His latest show came with a great video screen production that only added to the whole experience but the truly amazing thing is how even after all these years and no matter how many times you see him, Joe Satriani still manages to inject fresh life into classic songs and also come up with just as innovative new material. [Review]
Arch Enemy – Perth, March 28th
Having previously seen the band live for the first time ever with new vocalist Alissa White-Gluz just days before at Download Festival in Melbourne, it was a real treat to see Arch Enemy at their own show in Perth in a more intimate club setting. The vibe in the packed room was buzzing and the performance was electrifying, Jeff Loomis on guitar was magnetic. The whole thing just worked brilliantly. [Review]
The Dire Straits Experience – Perth, September 30th
The second time around seeing this great tribute to a band that kicked it all off for me was always going to be different than the first time which was only 2 years prior. But knowing what to expect coupled with a few little surprises still made it a worthwhile show to note, the sheer quality of all the musicians on stage together with the original member of Chris White pushed the nostalgic factor to all new levels. [Review]
Machine Head – Perth, July 24th
3 hours non-stop of nothing but Machine Head. That’s right, 3 hours! It was one of the most insane shows I had ever witnessed, you hear about some rock shows going on for a fairly lengthy time – Guns N’ Roses have been known to push the 3 hour mark, Bruce Springsteen has done the 5 hour marathon but for a metal band as intense and as dynamic as Machine Head to go onstage for that long is quite a feat. Unsurprisingly frontman Robb Flynn sounded a little hoarse by the end and so what really throws the dirt in your face is that they do this night in night out on tour. Simply amazing! [Review]
Steven Adler (Adler’s Appetite) – Perth, May 18th
While a reunion of the original Guns N ‘ Roses lineup was rockin’ it’s way across the world, it was missing a certain key figure among others – Steven Adler. The drummer, best known for his work on the iconic Appetite For Destruction album hit the road on his own under the guise of Adler’s Appetite, complete with some notable names in his backing band, performing that same album along with a few deep cuts from the Illusion catalogue. “Popcorn” Adler was all smiles through-out the show and very charismatic during his spoken word part with his Mother, Deanna Adler where he discussed his life and being part of the most dangerous rock band in the world. That grin from that famous show at the Roxy all those years ago has never faded and it was an absolute pleasure to see it in person. [Review]
Download Festival Australia – Melbourne, March 24th
The first ever Download Festival in Australia was by and large, a rousing success by all involved and those who witnessed the event. A carefully selected lineup ensured the future of the festival and the bands which included such acts as Korn, Mastodon, Gojira, Arch Enemy, Sabaton and many more all proved themselves as such worthy bands for the debut show. Add to that a well organised event clearly run by experienced festival promoters really added to the whole vibe of the day, we can’t wait for the next one in 2019! [Review]
Honourable mention should also go to: Queens Of The Stone Age, Samsara Blues Experiment, Tumbleweed, Cradle Of Filth, Destruction, Suicidal Tendencies, Live
SCOTTY ROCK’S EAST COAST PICKS
While The Rockpit covered the wild west in droves this year, the east coast of Australia was battered with even more exclusive tours with the likes of Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, Dimmu Borgir, Evanescence and more! Here then are some of the highlights that Perth missed along the way.
1. Skillet – Melbourne, November 18th
Bonafide fist pumping anthem after anthem, with band and crowd feeding off each others electric intensity all night. [Review]
2. Hardcore Superstar – Melbourne, June 15th
Raw, loud and uncompromising, with performances like this, you can’t kill my rock n roll indeed… [Review]
3. Primal Fear – Melbourne, November 16th
Well what more needs to be said…metal performance of the year for mine. [Review]
4. Cheap Trick – Melbourne, October 15th
Cheap Trick proved that when it comes to rock n roll, there aren’t too many who deliver it better or louder. [Review]
5. Dragonland – Melbourne, September 8th
A master class of power metal from one of the genres true unheralded leaders who slayed all before them. [Review]
TOP LIVE SHOWS IN THE US 2018
2018 saw The Rockpit cover more shows across the US than ever before thanks to our amazing team of dedicated rock & metal supporters in the States. Here’s a few highlights that was captured through the year.
Judas Priest / Saxon / Black Star Riders – Detroit, March 31st
A lineup of some some great classic rock and metal hit Detroit at the tail end of March as Judas Priest brought long with them Saxon and Black Star Riders for a show that was inevitably going to be good no matter what. [Review]
Clutch – Dallas, September 23rd
There’s no doubt that this band has one helluva reputation within rock as being one of the best American Rock Bands. As players, they’ve been individually recognized as well as collectively for the releases of the past eleven records. [Review]
Island Rock Party – Minnesota, July 2nd
Rock and heavy metal entertainers, Vince Neil, Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, Lita Ford, Great White and Quiet Riot make up the Island Rock Party which was held at the Treasure Island Amphitheater during the annual Island Block Party on July 2nd 2018 in Welch, Minnesota. [Review]
Tom Keifer – Dallas, April 20th
Keifer didn’t let his fans down in Dallas – and they didn’t let him down either. On their feet for the full show, no one seemed ready for the music to come to an end. Nevertheless, it did – until the next time this very hard working band comes back around. [Review]
Schenker Fest – Minneapolis, February 19th
It was truly a rock ‘n roll show with an incredibly wonderful fan base that you just don’t see that much anymore. These people weren’t there because it was a social event, they truly came for the music. That’s a really refreshing thing to be a part of nowadays. [Review]
Rock On The Range – Columbus, May 18,19,20
This year marks number 12 for the annual festival that includes three stages, more than 50 bands, comedians, band signings and so much more, as well as The Music Experience. Artists featured included A Perfect Circle, Greta Van Fleet, Stone Sour, Stone Temple Pilots, Godsmack, Shinedown and much more. [Review]
Poison / Cheap Trick / Pop Evil – Chicago, June 9th
Music fans wanting a little variety with their summer tour package got that very thing with the “Poison…Nothin’ But A Good Time 2018” tour this past summer. Iconic rock band Poison, with all original members, were joined by Cheap Trick and Pop Evil on its trek across the U.S. with a stopover in Chicago. [Review]
Ghost – Minnesota, June 1st
A sold out show in St. Paul, Minnesota saw the Swedish satanic pop rockers bring their theatrical show in support of their new album ‘Prequelle’. The buzz going is this would be one of the last times fans would see the band at smaller venues as their popularity surges. [Review]
Buckcherry – Oklahoma City, July 21st
Buckcherry always puts on a solid, high-energy show that showcases the band’s members and party attitude. This show did not disappoint the crowd at the Criterion. [Review]
Trivium w/ Avatar & Light The Torch – Minnesota, October 22nd
Trivium continued their wildly successful The Sin and The Sentence World Tour in St. Paul, Minnesota with an explosive set of old and new tracks. Joining the Florida metallers were special guests Avatar and Light the Torch. [Review]
Honourable mention: Rocklahoma 2018 (Oklahoma), Devildriver & Jinjer (Chicago), Apocalyptica (Dallas), Stone Sour (Oklahoma City), Godsmack & Shinedown (Dallas).
