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Where the music does the talking., 2b Henry Street, Derby (2026)

26/04/2026

Q The Music, Vaillant Live, Derby, 22/03/26

Q The Music is a thirteen piece band who celebrates the music of the James Bond films. The group formed 22 years ago and this was their first visit to Derby.

As a lifelong Bond fan of both the books and film franchise this writer has often thought how good it would be to hear the legendary themes and songs in a live concert format and was certainly not disappointed.

The evening was hosted by Caroline Bliss who played Miss Moneypenny during the Timothy Dalton era in the films The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill. Bliss told stories of her auditioning and being casted in the role as well as some funny anecdotes about filming particular scenes,

The show lasted for just over two hours and was in two parts with an interval break.

The band leader and musical director Warren Ringham is a self-confessed and proud Bond Anorak, it was his vision and desire to put Q The Music together and perform the Bond music and what an achievement.

The show is a real spectacle and showcases the drama and power of the James Bond theme songs with three exceptional singers. A few curveballs were thrown such as the lead vocal of ‘Live and Let Die’ sung by an incredible female vocalist and the surprise inclusion of their take on the Moby remix of the Bond theme music but it worked.

Most of the Bond theme songs were played with the notable exception of ‘Die Another Day’ by Madonna, which, let’s face it is rubbish and was most definitely not missed!

Stand-out tracks for this writer were ‘Goldfinger’, the aforementioned ‘Live And Let Die’, ‘Nobody Does It Better’, ‘A View To A Kill’, ‘GoldenEye’, ‘You Know My Name’ ‘Skyfall’ and ‘We Have All The Time In The World’.

A really enjoyable night and here’s hoping that Q The Music will be back at Vaillant Live in the not too distant future.

Kev White

29/03/2026

Blackmore’s Blood, The Flowerpot, 13/02/26 Live Review

Blackmore’s Blood played the debut show at The Flowerpot replacing regular venue stalwarts Rainbow Rising who were scheduled to play.

The band formed in 2016 and have since steadily built up a solid reputation as a live band recreating the sound of Deep Purple, Rainbow and Ritchie Blackmore which is no mean feat.
With big shoes to fill Blackmore’s Blood delivered an incendiary two hour show blending together the hits and some fan favourite deep cuts which were really well received by all present.
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The musicianship and attention to detail was spot on. Singer, Jim, has an incredible voice, perfectly replicating the vocal styles and delivery of the various front men which was very impressive to witness. Guitarist and band founder Mal has clearly studied Ritchie Blackmore’s sound and approach to playing, So good, in fact, if you close your eyes and listened, you would think that you were actually listening to Blackmore himself. Total respect!

The rhythm section was absolutely on point, a really tight and clearly well-rehearsed unit.

Stand-out tracks included set opener ‘Burn’, ‘Stormbringer’, ‘I Surrender’, ‘Mistreated’, ‘Kill The King’, ‘Highway Star’, ‘Soldier Of Fortune’, ‘Stargazer’, ‘Smoke On The Water’, ‘Black Night’ and ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’.

An absolutely superb gig. A truly great night. Hopefully Blackmore’s Blood will be back.

Kev White

29/03/2026

Carol Hodge (solo), Mr Shaw’s House, Derby, 29/01/26, Live Review

Singer/songwriter Carol Hodge played her debut gig at the relatively new venue, (for this writer, at least) Mr Shaw’s House on Sadlergate. The intimate venue is a café/craft beer specialist bar and welcome addition to the local music scene.

Alt/Rock musician Carol Hodge has a great pedigree having been in Ryan Hamilton’s Harlequin Ghosts, a member of Steve Ignorant’s Slice Of Life and has also worked with Ginger Wildheart and The Wildhearts themselves.

Hodge has a rare condition called cleft type symbrachydactly which means that she only has two fingers on her left hand; she has never let this hold her back and is very passionate about music. She is a prolific songwriter having released several critically acclaimed solo albums in recent years.

Hodge is a gifted singer and keyboard player with a bubbly personality who really engaged with the sold out crowd holding us all absolutely captivated by her performance tonight. Her songs are very socially conscious with very powerful messages and views on subjects that are close to her heart.

Set highlights tonight included ‘Stop Worrying Baby’, ‘The Price’, ‘In Case Of Emergency’, ‘This’, ‘Drowning Rocks’, ‘I Don’t Care Anymore’ and ‘Queen Of Fitting In’.

The hour long set was over all too soon, the gig was stunning. Hodge certainly knows how to make an impact.

A great gig at an up and coming new venue which really help to further cement Derby’s reputation as live music destination.

Kev White

25/03/2026

Review of 2025

An apology, I have had a tough few months with personal issues and family bereavement.

2025 was another heavy year of losses including Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) Roberta Flack, Sly Stone, Mick Ralphs (Bad Company/Mott The Hoople), Ozzy Osborne, Ace Frehley (KISS), Gary 'Mani' Mounfield (Primal Scream/Stone Roses), Marianne Faithful, Roy Ackers, Connie Francis and Rick Buckler (The Jam).

Album of the year for me was Elements by Rockers Circus 66 who are also a phenomenal live band.

I always like to try new venues (for me anyway). Dubrec Studios in Derby is a fantastic intimate space with recording studios, a performance space and bar. Well worth checking out. Then there was an unusual venue for gigs that is St Peters Church in Belper. Great acoustics and well organised. I also have to mention the latest venue in Derby, the new 3,500 capacity Vaillant Live Arena in Derby city centre. Expensive beer but a well laid out venue again with a great sound and very well run.

I have seen some superb gigs this year.

Out of choice I rarely review covers bands. However, local Derby band, Reviver really stood out. Great musicians who play music from the usual suspects and the odd curve ball thrown in but their USP is choosing lesser known tracks. This is a refreshing change and the group are well worth checking out.

I have seen a few tribute bands this year including Alchemy Live (Dire Straits), Quo Connection, U2UK who all played great gigs. However, it was Ultimate Leppard (Def Leppard) who played their debut show at The Flowerpot who really blew me away playing the hits and some unexpected but well-received deeper cuts. They were on fire.

Of the original artists I saw fantastic gigs by Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell (Witchfynde), Miles Hunt, Francis Rossi, GUN (acoustic), Nine Below Zero, Brave Rival, The Levellers and Los Pacaminos featuring Paul Young.

There was the fiasco of the Summer Sessions moving from Markeaton Park in Detby to the new Vaillant Live. But every cloud....it meant that Simple Minds played a (by their usual standard) intimate gig and were exceptionally good.

I saw the Rock Orchestra at Nottingham Arena which was Rock and Metal classics given an orchestral make over. I was very impressed and would recommend them to any fans of those genres.

I finally got the chance to see Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons earlier in the year at the Hairy Dog. I never got to see Motorhead so this was the next best thing and what a gig!

But the gig(s) of the year for me was local heroes, Rockers These Wicked Rivers, a band who has been on my radar for a few years but I have not had the chance to see. I saw them at St Peters Church, an interesting place for a Rock gig but it worked. The band played a blinder of a set, I was so impressed that I went to see them again at there Christmas show at The Hairy Dog. These Wicked Rivers are real showmen with great material. Their shows feel like an event which is something that few bands achieve.

What a year!

Kev White

11/01/2026

These Wicked Rivers Christmas show at The Hairy Dog, Derby 13/12/25, Live Review

Blues/Rockers These Wicked Rivers played their annual Christmas show at the Hairy Dog to a packed out crowd. The atmosphere was electric as it was a hometown show in a great venue.

Kicking of proceedings were local band a-tota-so who did a good job of warming up the audience, followed by The Karma Effect who really good the party started with their brand of Rock, catchy songs and a really engaging, charismatic front man.

These Wicked Rivers are very much local legends with two stunning albums under their belt and a third one which is imminent. The group has a growing reputation for their incendiary live shows and well-crafted songs.

Looking at the merchandise stand, they are well on the way to giving Metal Titans Iron Maiden a run for their money with the range of T shirts, Hoodies; sew on patches along with various other items!

These Wicked Rivers took to the stage around 9 pm kicking off with ‘Shine On’, ‘Mother Nature’ and ‘Black Gold’ followed in quick succession. For the next hour and three quarters they blew the roof off the building, playing an absolutely storming set. They really connected with the fans and occasionally engaged in playful banter.

Their songs have an real anthemic quality about them and many of which are fast becoming firm fan favourites such as the aforementioned. Other set highlights were ‘Evergreen’, ‘Lonely Road’, ‘Testify’, ‘The Family’ and set closer ‘Don’t Pray For Me’.

These Wicked Rivers a one of a very rare breed whose shows are more than just gigs, they feel like events!

This was a truly outstanding gig and a fantastic way to end the year.

These Wicked Rivers really are something else! If the band is yet to feature on your radar, you really need to check them out.

Kev White

04/12/2025

Los Pacaminos ft Paul Young at The Flowerpot, Derby, 27/11/25, Live Review

Los Pacaminos are a Tex/Mex band made up of seasoned veteran musicians fronted by Paul Young. The band was formed in 1992 by Paul Young during a break in his solo career as a side project. Over the years the band have written and recorded three studio albums and a couple of live albums.

The name of the band is a playful phrase meaning ‘pack ‘em in’. The group have gained a reputation for their live shows as a feel good band celebrating the Texas border Blues music. These are exceptional veteran musicians who are clearly having an absolute blast on stage and love what they do.

The band last played this venue ten years ago but it was well worth the wait.

From the minute the guys walked on stage playing the first notes of the opening track, the gig felt like a party. The camaraderie between the band members was clear to see, the joking around and banter was really entertaining and often very funny. They were clearly having as much fun on stage as the audience were watching them. Los Pacaminos delivered a night of top notch music.

Standout tracks this evening included ‘Highway Patrol’, ‘A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada’, and ‘Tequila’ complete with an audience member on stage passing shots of the drink around the band. ‘Guacamole’, ‘Saved’, ‘She Got A Hold On Me’, ‘Rosalee’, ‘’I Love You Too’. The set ended with ‘Wooly Bully’, ‘La Bamba’ and ‘Los Pacaminos’.

An absolutely fabulous gig, let’s hope the guys don’t it leave it so long before they return to The Flowerpot.

Kev White

23/11/2025

Nine Below Zero, The Flowerpot, Derby, 18/09/25, Live Review

Blues/Rock band Nine Below Zero made a welcome return to The Flowerpot, although it is the first time that this writer has seen them live.

The group formed in South London in 1977, with the current line-up featuring original founding members Dennis Greaves (guitar/vocals) and Mark Feltham (vocals/harmonica).
When the band first emerged, this was at a time of exciting musical change in the UK with Punk and New Wave becoming vogue. They often played the same clubs as their contemporaries such as The Clash, Madness, Elvis Costello, Squeeze and Stray Cats.

Nine Below Zero have often been classed as a cult band with a dedicated following. They have long had a reputation as a formidable live band, the gig tonight certainly proved how good this band are.

During the gig Dennis Greaves engaged in a lot of playful banter with the audience and also Mark Feltham telling stories about various points of their career when introducing particular songs. The gig tonight was absolutely brilliant, a true master class of showmanship from a really tight band who would almost certainly give a band a third of their age a run for their money.

Set highlights included ‘On The Road Again’, ‘Can I Get A Witness?’, ‘Hootchie Cootchie Coo’, ‘Riding On The L and N’, ‘Homework’, ‘Wooly Bully’, ’11 and 11’ and ‘Rockin Robin’.

A fabulous night indeed, this writer will definitely go and see Nine Below Zero again and is kicking himself that he left it this long.

Kev White

16/11/2025

Quo Connection, The Flowerpot, Derby, 26/09/25 Live Review

Quo Connection is a Status Quo tribute band some of whom were formerly members of original Quo drummer John Coghlan’s Quo. As such the set focuses on Coghlan’s tenure in Status Quo, pretty much the 70s and very early 80s, widely regarded by many as the classic years.

Quo Connection is very much heads down, no nonsense Rock N Roll just like Status Quo themselves during that era. The group’s sound is so close to that of the real deal that it is uncanny, even down to sounding like Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt when singing.

The attention to detail was flawless and it is perfectly obvious that the band is passionate Quo fans themselves and wanted to take the audience along for the ride. And what a ride it was, two hours of pure Quo heaven playing a mix of classics and some lesser known songs including such gems as ‘Spinning Wheel Blues’ and ‘In My Chair’.

Other stand-out tracks were ‘Caroline’, ‘Something About You Baby I Like’, ‘Paper Plane’, ‘Is There A Better Way?’, ‘Roll Over Lay Down’, ‘Paper Plane’, ‘Big Fat Mamma’, ‘Hold You Back’, ‘Rain’ and ‘Mystery Song’. The encore comprised of ‘Down Down’ and closed with ‘Bye Bye Johnny’.

What an incredible night, these guys certainly know how to Rock!

Kev White

19/10/2025

Reviver, The Flowerpot, Derby, 22/08/25

Pot Fest, the annual beer festival held over the August Bank Holiday weekend at The Flowerpot has long been a social calendar annual highlight. It is a well-organised event with excellent beer and top draw entertainment with the best of the local covers groups always being booked.

On the Friday night this year was six-piece Derby based Blues/Rock covers band, Reviver. These guys have male and female co-lead vocalists, which, considering the well-chosen range of covers is a smart move.

Another thing that sets Reviver apart from other covers bands is their choice of material, whilst they play songs from the tried and test bands whose heyday was the 60s and 70s, it is the leaning towards the lesser-known tracks which makes for a very well and refreshing change.

The whole band are fantastic musicians and the two singers have both got a great vocal range and a powerful stage presence.

Set highlights included ‘Down To The Doctors’, ‘Up Around The Bend’, ‘Roadhouse Blues’, ‘Midnight Moses’, ‘When The Levee Breaks’, ‘Killing Floor’, ‘Bring It On Home’, ‘Downpayment Blues’, ‘The Hunter’, ‘Oh Well’, ‘I Put A Spell On You’, ‘Ain’t No Love’ and ‘Waiting On An Alibi’.

The group clearly love what they do and the crowd had a great time. Reviver are well worth seeing live and would go down very well with any pub that routinely has live music and are highly recommended.

Kev White

18/10/2025

RIP Ace Frehley legendaey lead guitarist from KISS.

16/10/2025

Simple Minds, Vaillant Live Arena, Derby, 08/07/25, Live Review

This concert was part of the Summer Sessions season originally scheduled to take place at Markeaton Park but was moved to the brand new 3,500 capacity Vaillant Live Arena in the city centre. A decision from the powers that be, it is fair to say ruffled a few feathers.

To be fair to the new venue, it is well organised and the sound was really good. However, the beer is eye Wateringly expensive but that is to be expected at venues of this size.

Scottish Rockers Simple Minds have been going for over 45 years and last played Derby at the Assembly Rooms in 1982. So this return visit to the city is long overdue.

The band usually play much larger Arenas and Stadiums as well as headlining major music festivals. So playing this new smaller more intimate venue was a real treat for the fans.

The group is fronted by original founding members Jim Kerr (vocals) and Charlie Burchill (lead guitar) and are backed by some awesome long-term session musicians.

Support on the night came from KT Tunstall and Alison Moyet who both performed cracking sets.

Simple Minds are currently on their lengthy Global Tour and tonight was one of the last shows in the UK before going off to Europe.

Kicking off proceedings with 'Waterfront' and its iconic bass line intro Kerr straight away had the crowd singing and dancing along.

Throughout the evening Kerr was reminiscing about the groups lengthy career and the last time they played this city and cracking a few jokes.

The band were on fine form belting out tracks spanning their long and illustrious career.

Set highlights for this writer were 'Once Upon A Time', 'Glittering Prize', 'Let There Be Love', 'Love Song', 'Someone Somewhere in Summertime', 'Sanctify Yourself', 'Promised You A Miracle' and a glorious 10 minute long version of 'Don't You Forget About Me'. This saw Kerr leading the fans in an extended sing and chant-a-long and closed the main set.

Simple Minds returned to the stage for an encore of 'Book Of Brilliant Things' and ended with an epic take on 'Alive and Kicking' which again Kerr had the crowd joining in on.

What a stunning gig and a real privilege to see the band play an intimate venue by their standards. They really played their hearts out tonight.

Words - Kev White
Photo was a stock picture found on the Internet so photographer unknown.

15/10/2025

These Wicked Rivers, St Peters Church, Belper, 21/06/25, Live Review

These Wicked Rivers are a Blues/Rock band who have been together for a few years now and have long been on this writer's radar. Sadly, there have been a few missed opportunities to see them live but that was rectified tonight.

St Peters Church is an incredible and well run venue with great acoustics.

The gig was sold out very quickly, unsurprising given that some of the band hail from this neck of the woods. The Churches Tour was a great concept, playing a handful of gigs in such majestic settings. Also the wonderful irony of the Devil's music being performed in a House of God had this writer chuckling to himself.

The 90 minute concert was spellbinding from the very start and the set drew from the two albums released so far as well as a a couple of new songs being road tested.

The group had the audience hooked and on side right from the off. The musicianship was incredible and many of the songs had very powerful and thought provoking lyrics. Which given the setting were delivered like a preacher would deliver a sermon to the faithful.

Standout tracks of the night were 'Shine On', 'Black Gold', 'Evergreen', 'When The War Is Over', 'Force Of Nature', 'Testify', 'Horse To Water' and set closer 'Don't Pray For Me'.

This was a truly exceptional performance and all present felt as if they had witnessed something really very special. The interaction with the fans and the sheer energy on stage. The atmosphere was electric.

The performance was on another level and has set the bar so high. This is by far the best gig this writer has seen this year.

Kev White

Where the music does the talking.

26/04/2026

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