Articles by Paul Miles

British heavy metal legends Girlschool performed at The Croxton in Melbourne on Saturday 29 June 2019 as part of their first ever Australian Tour. Girlschool is the world’s longest-running all-female rock band, still active after more than 40 years – they formed in 1978 during the new wave of British heavy metal scene (NWOBHM).

Influential English heavy metal band Raven performed at The Croxton in Melbourne on Saturday 29 June 2019 on their first-ever tour of Australia. Raven was formed during 1974 in Newcastle Upon Tyne in north-east England by John Gallagher (bass and lead vocals), and his brother Mark Gallagher (guitar and backing vocals), and they have had Joe Hasselvander (drums and backing vocals) with them since 1987.

NWOBHM band Tank performed at The Croxton in Melbourne on Saturday 29 June 2019 to end their first tour of Australia. This version of Tank features guitarists Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans (who joined the band in ’83 & ’84 respectively), along with drummer Bobby Schottkowski, bassist Randy van der Elsen, and Pink Cream 69 singer David Readman.

Canadian rockers The Tea Party performed at York on Lilydale in Melbourne’s outskirts on Saturday 22 June 2019 as part of their Black River Australian Tour. After forming in 1990, they have released eight studio albums on EMI Music Canada to date, which have sold over 2 million copies worldwide, and garnered them 4 double platinum awards.

Alcatrazz with Graham Bonnet, “The James Dean of Heavy Metal”, performed Rainbow’s album Down To Earth in its entirety at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne on Friday 7 June 2019. Released 40 years ago, Down to Earth was the fourth studio album by British hard rockers Rainbow, their only album with Graham Bonnet on vocals after Ritchie Blackmore chose him to replace Ronnie James Dio.

Avantasia, the German supergroup metal opera project created by Tobias Sammet, performed in Melbourne’s Forum Theatre on Tuesday 14 May 2019, as one of only two Australian stops on the Moonglow World Tour. The band members supporting 41-year-old singer Tobias Sammet (Edguy) on stage were guitarists Sascha Paeth (Heavens Gate) and Oliver Hartmann, bassist Andre Neygenfind, drummer Felix Bohnke (Edguy), keyboardist Michael “Miro” Rodenberg, along with backing singers Adrienne Cowan and Herbie Langhans.

Australian rock band Killing Heidi played a sold-out concert at The Croxton in Melbourne on Friday 10 May 2019. Fronted by siblings Ella Hooper on lead vocals and Jesse Hooper on guitar, Killing Heidi is rounded out by drummer Adam Pedretti, bassist Tim Curnick, and keyboardist Lena Douglas.

Baby Animals played a sold-out concert at The Croxton in Melbourne on Friday 10 May 2019, as part of their Greatest Hit Tour of Australia. Baby Animals is singer Suze DeMarchi, guitarist Dave Leslie, drummer Mick Skelton (Thirsty Merc, The Party Boys) and bassist Dario Bortolin (Jimmy Barnes, Dragon, Olivia Newton-John).

Japanese heavy metal legends Loudness played their first-ever show in Australia on Thursday 9 May 2019 at Melbourne venue Max Watt’s. After forming during 1981, Loudness became the first Japanese metal band to sign a multiple album deal with a major label, and the band has continued on to release 28 studio albums to date.

Australian alternative rock band Motor Ace performed a sold-out hometown show at Melbourne’s 170 Russell on Friday 12 April 2019, as their national 20th Anniversary – A Five Star Reunion Tour draws to a close. After forming in Melbourne during 1998, they had top five chart success on the ARIA Albums Chart with Five Star Laundry and Shoot This, which debuted at #1 and went Gold.