Prepare to get Katatonic

Tonight sees the third in the series of gigs that have become known as the ‘Summer of Slaughter’ at the Limelight complex.
To be honest, while I had been cognisant of the name Katatonia for around a decade, I had not been overly familiar with their music, which existed by and large on the periphery of my musical radar. In fact, I paid much more attention to the side project of two of the band members – the black metal supergroup Bloodbath.
All that changed a few months ago, when Belfast’s own ‘Mr Metal’, James Loveday, announced that he had attracted this seminal Swedish outfit to a local stage.
Katatonia, in fact, have been around for almost two decades, releasing eight albums in that period. The band was formed in Stockholm by childhood friends Anders Nystrom and Jonas Renske (who were born less than a month apart, trivia fans) in 1991, and released their acclaimed demo, ‘Jhva Elohim Meth’ (please don’t ask me to translate) around a year later. This led to a one-off deal with the legendary Swedish No Fashion label, which resulted in their debut album, ‘Dance of December Souls’, released – suitably enough – in December 1993.
Just as things looked like they were starting to take off for the pair (who recruited additional musicians on an ad hoc basis for recording and live purposes), they then embarked on a move which was to become somewhat of a distinguishing feature of their career – they took a break.
Finally, having recruited guitarist Fred Norman, the band returned to recording in early 1996, emerging back onto the scene with ‘Brave New Day’ later that year.
Over the next decade, and between various side projects (it’s a feature of the Swedish death metal scene that even the biggest acts have members who are in a number of different bands), the band released albums – and contributed to various compilation efforts - at fairly regular, by their standards anyway, intervals, inking a deal with Peaceville Records along the way (1999). All of this culminated in the album that well and truly catapulted them into the international limelight – 2006’s ‘The Great Cold Distance’. Following extensive touring the band then, yes you’ve guessed it, went into hibernation again (well, it’s cold in Sweden!).
They emerged again last year with the long-awaited and highly acclaimed ‘Night Is The New Day’ – described by non other than Opeth frontman Mikael Akerfeldt as the “heaviest album of the year”: but, opinion is subjective and there are many who would argue that there were heavier albums released in 2009, but it’s still a damn fine slice of dark metal and bodes well for a great gig tonight.
See you all there.

Soulfly in Belfast - first review

Read the first review of Soulfly in Belfast at our sister blog, Belfast Fucking Rocks:
http://piedpiperbelfast.blogspot.com/2010/08/soul-hardly-flies-in-belfast.html

Devilish Truckers

Over the past year or so, there is one band name I have seen on flyers, posters, etc., which has meant that, whenever I go to see them, they guarantee me one helluva fucking good time. And that name, of course, is Trucker Diablo.
Finally, the party hard quartet have released their debut opus, The Devil Rhythm - and, by fuck, has it been worth the wait!
Put quite simply, this is ten blistering beer-, diesel- and whiskey-soaked powerhouse tunes which roll out of your speakers with the demonic intent of... well... a beer- and whiskey-soaked trucker - and then some.
Tom, Simon, Glenn and Terry set out their stall with the opening bars of the self-explanatory 'Drink Beer, Destroy', with its catchy suvern blooze infused hooks and equally catchy, nay infectious, chorus. The band are as tight as fuck, with Tom and Simon's guitars both complementing and bouncing off each other as required, while Glenn and Terry provide a backdrop tighter than a nun's crack! 'Juggernaut' features the band's old friend Ricky Warwick, who parties just as hard as the rest of the band.
Other highlights include the live favourite 'Big Truck', the bluesier 'Voodoo', the wonderful 'Dirty Love' and closer 'Rattelhead', which features the best banjo intro I have heard on a rock song since Blackfoot's seminal 'Rattlesnake Rock n Roller'.
And the Blackfoot comparison is a fair one. The album has the overall feel of 'Marauder' era Medlocke, coupled with the rawness of early ZZ Top, the catchiness of the Black Crowes and the passion of our own Thin Lizzy. And its all perfectly delivered thanks to a great production by Frankie McClay - clean and crisp but with enough dirt on its boots to capture the spirit of TD's always superb live shows.
This, quite frankly, is essential listening.
Available directly from the band @ www.myspace.com/truckerdiablo

Back to blogging

Sorry that the Paradise City blog has been inactive for a while, but we've been really busy over the past few months and sometimes some things fall by the wayside. Anyway, we're going to be blogging on a more regular basis, with news on Paradise City activities, and on the Belfast rock scene, as well as gig and album reviews.
So, first a quick update on all things Paradise City... as some of you will know, we have returned to our roots, with a new monthly residency at Madison's Hotel on Botanic Avenue (we're down in the basement bar, which we've lovingly renamed the 'new Rock Bottom'). We're on the first Thursday of every month - which means this coming Thursday night, 5 August, peeps - with doors open at 9.30pm and admission a mere £3 (or free if you're an early bird and get down before 10.30). Since our last posting, Phil has progressed from co-promoter to DJ as well, and is doing really well, and he'll be opening proceedings, followed by the main man, the mysterious Monk and then our resident eye candy for the girlies, Stefano. We'll also have a request slot, so either post something online at www.facebook.com/paradisecitybelfast or speak to one of the terrible triumvirate on the night.
We're also launching a second night. Called Hangar 18, it's a bit heavier, with the emphasis more on the metal end of the spectrum, but still the same philosophy - it's old school! H18 launches at The Pavilion on Friday 20 August, and then will be on the third Friday of every month. As with PC, doors are 9.30pm and admission is £3. DJs on the first night will be Monk and Phil. Join us at www.facebook.com/hangar18belfast for updates and general banter.
Last weekend, we had the pleasure of working with our good friends RockRadioNI, as guest DJs at their first live night, also at the Pavilion. We're hoping to work with Philip and the team again very soon, with the possibility of some major news in the very near future, so please keep checking this blog and our Facebook for the news as it happens. We're also hoping to have news of another PC/RRNI development in the very near future, so again please keep checking back for updates on that.
That's about it for the moment. As I said, we're going to be blogging on a much more regular basis from now on, with our next post being a review of the brand new and long anticipated debut album from one of our favourite party bands, Trucker Diablo.
Ciao, peace, respect and \m/

Paradise City Belfast moves to Spring & Airbrake

yes the rumours are true Paradise City Belfast is moving to the Spring & Airbrake this month, so on March 25th our popular classic rock club night will have a new home.

Check our 'Paradise City Belfast' facebook page for updates and future gig dates.

see you there,

Phil

Paradise City Belfast

As you know we are running our Paradise City Belfast promotions mainly through our (very popular) facebook page 'Paradise City Belfast'.

Please join us there.

We are half way through our residency at Madisons in Belfast, we hope to stay there, so your support via our facebook group and maybe see you on one of monthly nights (last thu of each month 10pm-late, £3 door tax).

Phil

Paradise City Belfast makes the headlines

Paradise City has been featured in the new edition of the South Belfast News, published today. See page 20.