Articles by Paul Miles

Fozzy is fronted by wrestling superstar Chris Jericho on lead vocals, with Rich Ward (Stuck Mojo) on lead guitar, Frank Fontsere (Stuck Mojo) on drums, Billy Grey on rhythm guitar, and Paul Di Leo (Nena, Adrenaline Mob) on bass. The evening served as a party celebration for Jericho’s birthday.

Japan’s wildest rock’n’roll band Stompin’ Riffraffs played Melbourne’s Night Cat venue on Thursday 8 November 2018, for their first-ever performance in Australia. The show commenced the underground garage rockers’ Kick Australia’s Ass Tour, and they treated the audience with their fuzz-soaked late-’50s sound throughout their set of original songs, complete with go-go dancers.

Legendary English-American rock band Foreigner performed at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on Monday 29 October 2018, backed by an 18-piece orchestra led by celebrated Canberra conductor Kenneth Lampl, as part of their tour of Australia and New Zealand. Formed in New York City during 1976, Foreigner is one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, with worldwide sales of more than 80 million records, including 37.5 million records in the US alone.

New Jersey hard rock band Skid Row played the Prince Bandroom in Melbourne, Australia on Friday 19 October 2018. Formed in 1986, they achieved commercial success with their first two albums Skid Row (1989) and Slave to the Grind (1991) that were both certified multi-platinum, while the latter reached number one on America’s Billboard 200.

Norway’s symphonic black metal lords Dimmu Borgir played Melbourne’s 170 Russell on Wednesday 17 October 2018, as part of their Unveiling Tour of Australia & New Zealand. It’s the band’s first-ever headlining tour downunder, since forming in Oslo back in 1993. The tour is in support of their tenth studio album Eonian, which was released in May and reached #1 in Switzerland, and #2 in their homeland. The band currently comprises Shagrath on lead vocals, Silenoz on rhythm guitar, Galder on lead guitar, Daray on drums, Gerlioz on keyboards, and Victor Brandt on bass.

Celebrating their classic debut album, Rose Tattoo kicked off their Rock N’ Roll Outlaw 40th Anniversary tour in Melbourne at the Corner Hotel on Thursday 27 September 2018. The legendary Australian rock and roll band that plays street-level, heavy blues rock with an emphasis on slide guitar was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame back in 2006.

Thrash metal legend Scott Ian held a speaking event dubbed “One Man Riot” at Melbourne’s Goldfields Theatre on Wednesday 26 September 2018, as part of his first spoken word tour of Australia. Best known as the guitarist and lyricist of heavy metal band Anthrax, the 54-year-old has enjoyed worldwide sales of more than 10 million with the group he co-founded in New York City during 1981. His other band projects include Stormtroopers of Death (S.O.D.), Damnocracy, Pearl, the Damned Things, and Motor Sister.

Canadian rockers Theory of a Deadman wound-up their first-ever Australian Tour at Melbourne’s Prince Bandroom on Tuesday 26 June 2018. Formed in Delta, British Columbia during 2001, Theory is fronted by Tyler Connolly on lead vocals and guitar, along with Dave Brenner on guitar, Dean Back on bass, and Joey Dandeneau on drums. They have had eight top ten hits on the US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, including three that went to number one: Bad Girlfriend, Lowlife, plus Rx (Medicate) that is from their sixth and latest studio album Wake Up Call released last October.

Swedish rockers Hardcore Superstar played Melbourne’s Prince Bandroom on Friday 15 June 2018, as part of their first Australian Tour in ten years. The self-described street metal band formed in Gothenburg, Sweden during 1997 and have had several number one hit singles and Grammy wins in their country. The band comprises original members Joakim “Jocke” Berg on vocals, Martin Sandvik on bass, and Magnus “Adde” Andreasson on drums, plus Vic Zino (Crazy Lixx) on guitar since 2008. They played songs from their eleventh studio album You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N’ Roll that’s due for release in September, along with many of their greatest hits spanning most of their albums.

Boston rock band Extreme played the Forum Theatre in Melbourne on Wednesday 6 June 2018, during their first Australian Tour since 1993. The Grammy-nominated band is Gary Cherone (Van Halen) on lead vocals, Nuno Bettencourt (Satellite Party, Rihanna) on lead guitar, Pat Badger on bass, plus Kevin Figueiredo (Satellite Party, DramaGods) who has been on drums since 2007. The band was one of the most successful rock acts of the early ’90s, selling over 10 million albums worldwide.