Firstly I would like to acknowledge the great work done by the Summer Sessions accessibility team, this is the first concert that I’ve used their services and everything from car parking to accessible seating was flawless. Gates opened a good thirty minutes before the main gates to allow people onto the platform before the general public descended into the arena. Accessibility area had QR code scanners for ordering food, soft drinks and merchandise which was promptly delivered by volunteers from the Beatson Cancer Centre, blankets were even provided later on the night as the air turned cooler. There was a sensory area as well as British Sign Language area with staff signing for the people in the deaf area. Taking to the stage at 20:15 and opening with Plainsong, The Cure delivered a main set that was a mixture of fan favourites and album tracks lasting over two hours and finishing with one of the early hits “Boys Don’t Cry” which amazingly after forty seven years is carrying as much excitement now as it did when released way back in 1979. The audience were treated to stunning vocals from Robert Smith accompanied by pounding drums from Jason Cooper, haunting key’s from Roger O’Donnel, body thumping bass vibes from Simon Gallup and screaming guitar chords from Reeves Gabriel. Let’s also not forget Simon’s son Eden on guitars and keyboards and a cameo appearance on A Night Like This from Gabriel Cooper on saxophone who is drummer Jason Coopers son. The encore treated us to know less than eight top twenty hits, which gave the 30,000 crowd a night to remember. 

Sitting in the car heading towards Glasgow city centre for another gig, like every other journey to whatever venue I'm going to, contemplating how tonight will pan out. It's not to a new venue, tonight I am in one of my favourite venues, I am heading "home" to Ivory Blacks. I have no fears about tonight, so my mind drifts off onto a topic I rarely really think about. What is music? Try to describe music without using the word music in any way. Even getting out of the car and going into the venue, this has taken over everything that is in my head. I head in early bypassing security, tonight's gig is another from my friend Frank, owner of Stigmata Promotions, all the usual greetings pass and I head into the venue still thinking What is music? Here is what I come up with. Please bear with me, there is a relevance to tonight's gig. As simply as I can explain what I think it is. Music is a group of rhythmic sounds, put into a form to make some sort of sense, but it's not just a clinical order, music also has feelings added, a song then has lyrics too, they can be complete gibberish right up to the author bearing his or her soul for everyone to see. When it is released it is then what we as individuals, take from it. We can make it a worldwide hit, a cult piece, or to the other extreme, something we don't ever want to hear again. On to tonight's gig, the act opening tonight's show is a local musician going by the name The DDN. The reason for the above point is relevant to The DDN. The best way to explain The DDN would to say he is an experimental electronic musician. Imagine the legendary Scottish artist Calvin Harris playing Freeform Jazz. Not something that is a topic usually featured here at Rockfiend. There have been very few times where I have omitted a band from a review, In my time at Rockfiend this has rarely happened, and never with a Rockfiend photo pass. I will say here, at Rockfiend, we try to be positive towards any performance. I was raised old school, " IF you cannot say something nice, don't say anything". I enjoyed some of what The DDN played and some I didn't. As I said, not something that appears often in Rockfiend, but because I liked some of his set, I have included him in this review. At the end of his set he humbly thanked everyone for coming along early for his set and let everyone know where to buy his albums. Next we have a duo that has something very special. Witch Of The Vale are a minimalist duo, fitting into the ethereal and coldwave genres in Gothic music, and also very haunting. Erin Hawthorne's voice is truly moving. Imagine Enya with a Scottish accent. A few years ago I was standing alongside Actors frontman Jason Corbett, he stated "that woman's voice is incredible!" tonight's headline vocalist Pete Mills agreed after tonight's show. There was a delay of several minutes in starting, there were a few technical issues, no sound in the monitors was one. however, Omar, the sound man was on the case and had it sorted quickly.  I could list a bunch of superlatives about Erins voice and every one would be true. After every song tonight there was a few second gap before there was applause, simply because the audience were mesmerised with Erin, to be honest, this happens every time I've seen Witch Of The Vale. Even the music is minimalistic, it is hard to explain, it's more like a background harmony to Erins voice. They don't even have a setlist. I was about to go off on a direction to say Witch Of The Vale are not a duo to dance to, however, there have been a few remixes in the past that you can dance to, which I have played when DJing at Club Stigmata (sorry for the shameless self promotion). Erin has a new performing partner onstage, I never caught her name, but as she was wearing a cat mask, I'll call her Cat, well until I get a proper name. Cat moved rhythmically with the music behind a keyboard, at one point, it looked like she was trying to play with her left foot! As I said above, Witch Of The Vale are minimalist, there is no interaction with the crowd, not even naming songs, even at the end of their set, Erin finishes the song and says "We are Witch Of The Vale" and leaves the stage. In the early days, (another band I saw from their first ever gig) Erin was extremely shy, there was no interaction, maybe it has carried on as part of the minimalist performance. I do use the word a lot, but if you take the time to see them live on stage, Erins voice will soothe your soul, no matter what you listen to, you will then understand minimalist. Following on from my point at the beginning of this review, Music, and for that matter, music genres are personal. If you look on tonight's headliners social media The Sweet Kill call themselves Post Punk, Darkwave and Gothic Rock. Music genres are created primarily by fans. For example, back in the late 1970s early 1980s, the term "Goth" didn't exist, but there are people who listened to certain bands and dressed a certain way got tagged a Goths, which they embraced. Now if that group of people got together and followed a band from the beginning, bought all their records, bought tickets to see the band play live and bought whatever merch was available, that band becomes that fan groups band, and if that group happens to call themselves Goths, then that band is now a Goth band, and it doesn't matter what Andrew Eldritch or Siouxsie Sioux say. I really love the both of them too. Meanwhile. Tonight's headliner, The Sweet Kill are Los Angeles based, primarily multi talented Pete Mills, (who I find out later that he is actually Canadian) put a band together to perform live. I'll be honest here, I only really knew one song before tonight's gig. As I have said before, when Frank Drake promotes a gig in Glasgow, I know, no matter who is on the bill, I know it is going to be a good night, Frank hasn't let me down yet. I love going to gigs with an open mind, not knowing a band, going to see them for the first time, you don't know if they will be good, bad or indifferent. It is a great way to "discover" new music to add to your library. Tonight, The Sweet Kill have a fifteen track setlist, which I have. The first two songs "Destroy" and "Masters Of War" set up how this set was going to span out. After the second song it felt like I had known this band for a long time, songs like "Evil" and "Creeper" felt like old favourites! When they got to song seven, there it was, the only song that I actually knew, "Darkness", I actually stopped shooting during this song, something I try to avoid doing. Other stand out songs were "Blood Red Roses" and "Forbidden", which was the penultimate song. Like a lot of modern bands, they didn't have a final song then an encore. Pete told us about the rest of the bands tour, playing a lot of places they have not played before, including Amphi festival, then played their final song, which was a cover, and what a song to finish their set, Nine Inch Nails epic "Hurt" This July has been the hottest July in a long time here in Glasgow, again there was a lot of sweat in the air. Tonight's crowd would have loved for the band to play on, who really wants a band to stop? All four members of The Sweet Kill were done for the night, they put everything into their performance, they deserved all the applause they got. A lot of bands, when they finish, head downstairs to Ivory's "green/changing room" to recover for a few minutes before coming back to meet their fans, not The Sweet Kill, while the rest of the band packed away their equipment before joining frontman Pete, he went directly to their merch table, signing autographs and posing for photos with the sweat still running down his face. I don't know what it is about a Goth gig in Ivory Blacks, but people keep handing me their phones and ask if I can take their photo with members of bands. I will admit here, I'm not the greatest using a phone. With tonight being another Stigmata Promotion gig, I usually wait until the crowd has left the venue, I get the band to pose for a couple of promo photos. I doesn't happen every time, especially if there is a club night afterwards, but I always try. If you don't know Ivory Blacks, before heading into the main gig area, there is a spot where people can stand at the venues logo in lights, and a huge pair of wings, bands love to pose too, but only if there is time to do so. If you don't know any of tonight's bands, even if you do know, head on over to your favoured social media streaming service and give them a listen to, even take in a video or two, you might find something to add to your own playlist. See you at the barrier. Photos by Jai Dee Photography

If these vampires turned up at your window, you’d feel compelled to invite them in.

DUE 15TH JANUARY 2027 VIA REVAMP / WARNER MUSIC

Released 11th September 2026 via Might Music

Available 28th August 2026

GeminiiDRAGON's artistic journey continues with "Greatest Misses." She’s always carried herself like an artist who knows where she’s going, and "Greatest Misses" feels like another deliberate step along that path. "Greatest Misses", reflects her unique creative vision along with her partner Christian Simeon. Her earlier bluesy feel is still there, but it's toned down, allowing a tighter, rhythm-focused rock sound to take centre stage. On songs like 'Desert Heart,' the beat is primary, with elements of rock and blues supporting the tune. This album showcases sharp production, streamlined arrangements, and a confident overall feel, emphasising rhythm and riffs with a confident attitude. The emphasis continues to be on her voice. Its raw, unvarnished presentation brings to mind Tina Turner's 70s output, before the polished arena sound of 'Private Dancer'. GeminiiDRAGON's vocals are remarkable, showcasing depth, strength, and unwavering commitment in diverse genres. The album's strongest parts reinforce this fresh path. A Bond title sequence could feature the wide-screen drama and brooding intensity of 'Powder Keg's' opening. From track three, "Can't Stop Love," the album steps up its game. Its looping guitar figure carries the same punch as Cream’s ‘Sunshine of Your Love’, giving the song a hypnotic, forward‑driving momentum.  Blues influences and a rock framework combine in 'Desert Heart', linking her previous and current albums. Expect a delightful pop-rock experience with 'Great Day,' characterised by its clean guitar sound and well-woven lead melodies. 'Cherokee' stands out as the album's most energetic rocker, characterised by its dramatic, guitar-driven sound and unyielding drums. The twin guitars have a sound reminiscent of early Thin Lizzy, yet they possess a distinct character all their own. In contrast to the immediacy of her previous albums, "Greatest Misses" provides a more gradual experience. The tone leans more towards the "Gold Dinar" album, emphasising atmosphere, repetition, and rhythm over immediate catchiness. Still, patience is key; let it develop over repeated plays, and "Greatest Misses" will reveal itself as another excellent outing by GeminiiDRAGON. One gets the sense from "Greatest Misses" that the artist is moving in a different direction. While maintaining her blues origins, this music explores rock territory, characterised by enhanced brightness, clarity, energy, and a more robust rhythmic pulse. The album unfolds slowly, revealing its merits. It will reward you after repeated plays; give it room to grow. It's characterised by subtle grooves and textures that remain long after the music ends.

"Tonight it transforms into the sleeze of the Sunset Strip and all the LA 80’s swagger "

At a time when some newer bands may be grappling with the often-written about “difficult second album”, last week saw Atlanta-based post-grunge/alt rockers Collective Soul releasing their thirteenth album. Having had a major hit, ‘Shine’, from their debut album in 1994 which has since racked up over 324 million streams on Spotify and 102 million views on You Tube; and with their second album going triple-platinum and delivering three No. 1 singles in the US, Collective Soul have nothing to prove. Other bands of their longevity may simply have slid into cruise control, pressed ‘repeat’ or be living off their past. Not so Collective Soul who have turned things on their head and released a New Wave album. Yes, you can read that last sentence again and it will still say “New Wave” … in 2026 … yes, in 2026 … and it’s 35 minutes of pure joy. Trailed by a limited advance release on vinyl for Record Store Day in April, we had to wait a few months for the album’s full release. If releasing a New Wave album appears unexpected, fans of the band will be aware that during COVID-19 when they couldn’t tour, Ed Roland (vocals) decided to fill the time by recording some songs which wouldn’t sound like anything they’d recorded before and influenced by his love of The Cars and ELO. Joining him in this venture were Jesse Triplett (lead guitar, Collective Soul), Cheney Brannon (former Collective Soul drummer) and Shawn Grove. A full album ‘The Living Room’ was recorded with only 1500 copies pressed and released on Record Store Day Black Friday in 2020. The self-titled album wasn’t attributed to Collective Soul and was then re-named as being by Alien Attitude and can still be found in iTunes and Spotify for those interested in tracking down a digital copy (highly recommended). So, while ‘Touch And Go’ marks their first official New Wave release as Collective Soul, this particular musical itch has been there longer … and this latest album more than scratches it. Album opener ‘Rainbow’ paints a sonic picture presenting what I can only describe as a cornucopia (that’s the first time I’ve used that in a review) of sounds which are at times familiar Collective Soul, dreamy, brooding, trippy, kaleidoscopic and with multi-layered and lush ELO-style backing vocals which also feature throughout the album. ‘Eye On You’ starts with a raw guitar leading into a 80’s New Wave keyboard riff straight out of a The Cars, Depeche Mode or Kraftwerk playbook before leading into a big rockier chorus. As I write this, my mind is trying to process what I’m hearing and telling me that this shouldn’t work, but it does. ‘Uh-Oh’ repeats the simplicity and remarkably effective musical approach of an even rawer big guitar riff followed by a simple isolated 80’s pop keyboard riff and with, you’ve guessed it, another big chorus this time framed around the song title. Just when I’m wondering if the album can get any better, the ‘Can this album get any better?’ dial is turned up further. ‘All My Days on Thru’ starts off as a more familiar Collective Soul number. Mid-paced and guitar-driven, with slowly building verses, the chorus is then taken to another level by the wonderful high-pitched “Oooo-Oooos” and a stripped back beat-driven bridge designed for audience participation which is different, but similar in effect to The Killers’ “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” bit in ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’. By this time I’m hooked and find myself sitting back in my chair hands raised and clapping along with the chorus. I’ve now played this album a good few times and found myself doing this every time I listened. I do not exaggerate. If seeking to invoke a primal response in listeners, objective achieved. The pace drops with the half-spoken and atmospheric ‘Heavy Load’ and is followed by the faster electronic ‘Fun’ which connected less with me. ‘Again’ is I’m just going to say it, brilliant. A raw, addictive guitar riff and a welcoming vocal lead you into a keyboard riff which wouldn’t have sounded out of place on an Erasure record. And I mean this as in Erasure good, not Erasure bad. If I’m honest I used to hate keyboards and synthesisers in the ‘80’s. Music was tribal and I fell into that. Whereas, this mix of raw guitars and dancing keyboard riffs will have you bobbing around and, to use a cliche, dancing like nobody’s watching. ‘Feel’ continues The Cars theme, but this time taking more of a lead from ‘Drive’ and also a little evocative of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ before ‘Shooting For You’ provides a slice of classic Collective Soul. The closing song ‘Love Your Way’ is pure ‘80’s nostalgia, a homage to The Cars and all things New Wave with a massive life-affirming chorus and another stripped back bridge to encourage singing out loud while the credits to a John Hughes movie roll in the background. Okay, I might have made up that last bit, but you get the idea. While the original intent behind this was to create music which didn’t sound like Collective Soul and to celebrate their love of New Wave and other influences, they only partially succeeded. Yes, The Cars and ELO influences are to the fore and all through this music, but you can’t keep a good band down. The vocal delivery and phrasing is distinctive and unmistakably Ed Roland’s, the songs unmistakably Collective Soul, and the album unmistakably good. What none of us may have expected is just how well Collective Soul’s distinctive sound mixes with these very different musical sounds. But, I shouldn’t be surprised by this. I’ve been listening to Collective Soul for over 30 years since I bought their self-titled second album in 1995 and still play it regularly. Truth be told, I wasn’t a big fan of grunge and found much of the de-tuned music depressing and a bit of a dirge. While I love rock music in many forms, I recognised that much of it had become bloated and over-blown as the ‘70’s progressed and punk provided welcome musical change; for me post-grunge was similarly needed after grunge had run its course and respectfully built on some of the elements which had made it popular but importantly injected some melody and light. And ‘Touch And Go’ has these in buckets. 35 minutes of pure joy. GMcA