Live Reports

"The band put on a two-and-a-half-hour concert spectacle at Cvetličarna with 46 songs in total, a 15-minute break in the middle and a change of outfits. "

Steven Wilson made sure that everyone at Graz's Orpheum will remember his show for a long time. With outstanding musicians, projections, great stage lighting, and varied, epic songs, his gig was a proper little spectacle.

"All in all, Borknagar and Kampfar put black metal on full display, while Diabolical carried the death metal banner."

Judging by what I saw and heard, I have no doubt that both bands are headed for even bigger success than they've already had.

Borknagar and Kampfar put black metal front and center at Gala Hala on Metelkova, while Diabolical carried the death metal flag.

In nearly three hours, the band ran through most of the hits in grand style. Some might have missed a gem like Taxman or Norwegian Wood, but the set more than satisfied the crowd and more than justified the name "Help! A Beatles Tribute".

"b musically cunning weirdness, a generous dose of the contagious humor of this wildly likeable quintet, who will hopefully be back on our turf soon to deliver a fresh helping of musical delights from their story of Scandinavian jazz vibes…

Sausages became a kind of »house fixture« at Ortofest a good while back. Last year they closed the festival; this year the program slotted them somewhere in the middle. So as not to overcomplicate things, dodge around, or make your life…

This time around, Sen, Battle X, Hellsword and Extreme Smoke 57 took over the stage at Kranj's Trainstation SubArt on the second day of the second Metal Weekend.

The Norwegian-Swedish free jazz quintet All Included rolled into Cerkno as the perfect warm-up overture, a good month before the 21st edition of the famous Jazz Cerkno festival. All Included are »held upright« by a powerhouse…

Nile have proven once again that they deserve their spot among the biggest names in worldwide death metal, and even after a very long career they show no signs of slowing down.

Deströyer 666 lit the fire at Metelkova on their first European tour in ages. With Swiss duo Bölzer and one more weirdo on the bill, they played a gig that will be hard to top this year.

This year's Orto Fest once again delivered, as is tradition, a varied and high-quality music lineup. In the downstairs hall next to the smoking room, Rijeka alt-rock musician Damir Urban played on April 14, 2016, with his backing band, who…

This year's Orto fest is already in full swing, and Wednesday night was mostly for fans of slightly heavier sounds. Avven are old friends of Slovenian stages, this Orto bar one included, while Puppetz have also been racking up gig mileage…

We lived to see the end of the »Requiem« story at a gig at Orto bar, where the band lineup was Marko Slokar (guitar), Jurij Čotar (vocals), Domen Lahajnar (lead guitar), Matjaž Winkler (drums) and Jani Lah (bass).

If you boldly name your album Positive Songs for Negative People, you'd better bring a convincing show. We expect everything from you: energy, quality, conviction and dynamics. And Frank Turner, together with his backing band The Sleeping…

The eclecticism Bratko Bibič brings to every musical sphere he enters with his instrument knows no limits. This time he's teamed up with an exceptional pairing of another accordion and a violin. Unique, provocative, cheeky and endlessly…

"We're missing punk" could have been the slogan that packed the bigger downstairs hall next to the smoking room at Orto bar on Friday, April 8, 2016. The daily special on the Orto fest menu this time was Zagreb punk rockers Hladno pivo. The…

Marking thirty years together, one of the most distinctive bands to emerge on our turf in the second half of the eighties gathered for a big gala show at CUK Kino Šiška to celebrate the milestone in style. The sextet Panda also gave the…

The veteran heavyweight metal fighter's new marathon tour is all about promoting the new studio album »Infinite Entanglement«. Our good old friend Blaze Bayley is back in a small town just across the Slovenian border, Gradisca d'Isonzo,…

A great band that's about to spice up the Slovenian rock scene and satisfy fans of hard rock, metal and prog put out its self-titled debut this March, and used its slot at this year's Ortofest to throw the album's launch show.

Jojo Mayer and Nerve prove that electronic music can blend beautifully with acoustic, that people still care about live playing, that improvisation still means a huge deal even in a world where computer-made music rules the roost and human…

On Sunday, April 3, 2016, the Orto fest festival dedicated an evening to death metal. Four young women performing as Galmet took the stage in the smaller upstairs hall of Orto bar.

The rhythm of "Jen dva, jen dva, jen dva tri..." may be unusual, but it's so special that it can crawl under your skin and stay there forever, just like Vlatko Stefanovski himself. From the first gig years ago to the show at "Cvetličarna"…

Prismojeni profesorji bluesa are, to put it modestly, a Slovenian music phenomenon and one of the loveliest surprises to hit the Slovenian scene in recent memory. A cut above the rest. They proved it again with a new show, this time at MINK…

On the last day of March, Orto Bar hosted a gig with local melodic death metallers Morana and heavy metallers Edge of Sins. The night was part of the Kadilnica of Death Slovenian metal evenings, which by now are probably well known to…

With Amorphis, Textures and Poem on the bill, Mostovna got a great mix of melodic, technical and progressive metal.

"With the kind of playing and devilish rock'n'roll sorcery the legendary lineup delivered this time in Vienna, there's no fear of the band thinking about retirement. "

The band kept the crowd well entertained for a good two hours, with Bajaga and his regular lineup obliged to serve up the well-known hits. For a chunk of the audience, with ages ranging from 15 to 60, some of the songs were clearly…

A great, authentic rock´n´roll night doesn't need any complications. Sharp, no-nonsense guitar riffs, punchy vocals and a charismatic band in top form that never lets its quality slip. Belgrade's Partibrejkers served up all of that on…

Last Thursday, Orto Bar rang with folk melodies, both in their traditional form and in metal dress, as local bands Zaria and River Fables took the stage.

The quintet worked as one tight unit, put a spell on the crowd and delivered a great stage show packed with the energy of a true rock spectacle. Experience, know-how, power and bulletproof confidence. After the kind of performance and…

Riblja čorba, who put out their latest record, Uzbuna, in 2012, are still an extremely solid band, with the spotlight clearly going to 64-year-old »leader« Bora and 61-year-old guitarist Vidoja Božinović – Đinđer.

So the new cycle of Keltika rolled around, and with it another landing for Zlatko Kaučič at the charming Bar Gabrijel in Cerkno. This time he's joined by his students, gathered under the banner of "Kombo B".

"Less than a year later, Kranj's thriving TrainStation got another above-average show from Ozric Tentacles, with excellent openers Project Rn"

Two-plus years of new songwriting have produced a new (and second) studio album, fittingly titled "II". So March 17, 2016 rolled around, and with it came Orto bar and a proper gig party, with the band celebrating the release of the new…

In a set of just over an hour, they played every track on the record, then closed with "Believe," whose very explicit chorus, "I believe in love," sums up the whole album perfectly.

After a good hour of playing (acoustic set included), Gilby and the band walked off the stage. And the ticket cost 44,00€. For that money you get a fan pit spot for Alice Cooper's show in Ljubljana, where he plays on 12.06.2016!…

After not even a year, the newly energized TrainStation in Kranj got treated to another above-average show by Ozric Tentacles, with an excellent opening act in Project Rnl.

We don't make it out to Kotlovnica in Kamnik all that often, but when we do, it's always worth the trip. This time a pretty well-attended gig served up something mainly for the ears of death metal fans.

The week couldn't have kicked off any more brutally. With Suffocation, Cattle Decapitation, Abiotic and two openers, anyone who swears by death metal got exactly what they came for.

It's rare for a band to leave such a huge, almost subliminal mark live that after the gig there's something you simply can't resist. No, this time it wasn't about a "suicidal" Pepsi, but something more primitive. Barbarian.

The third edition of Kadilnica of Death brought two Slovenian death metal bands to the stage at Orto bar: Vasectomy from Murska Sobota and Abolished, a quintet officially based in Ljubljana, even though the members come from all over…

Local heroes The Canyon Observer can proudly call themselves the first Slovenian band to experience what it's like to play in Cuba. After seven shows (the eighth was cancelled because the venue had no electricity), they went practically…

Richie Ramone leaned confidently on the excellent work of his backing crew all night. For all their onstage wildness (thanks above all to the thoroughly unhinged, naughty guitarist Alex Kane), they pulled off a set loaded with Ramones…

The Berda youth club in Notranje Gorice came alive with rock once again and shook to its rafters when Borovnica's finely honed rockers WarmUp took the stage, using the occasion to premiere their freshly shot video for the song Rock'N'Roll…

Any hangout with a drumming eminence of Carl's caliber is an unforgettable experience. His takes on ELP evergreens are one of a kind, a real feast for the ears, and they do wonders for body and soul alike.

One more out-of-the-ordinary gig went down on a cozy Wednesday night at Gromka, with The Grand Astoria and Bad Notion covering a wide stretch of progressive and blues rock.

A killer "power metal communion" from a triple bill of bands in Vienna, led by Canada's Striker and teamed up with German power metal veterans Brainstorm and Primal Fear!

Well, there you go. Soulfly, new album, new tour. No stop in Slovenia this time, but still. Close by. Right next door, really. In the lovely little hall Il Deposito Giordani in Pordenone, Italy.

With the Within Destruction, Disentomb, Kraanium and Visceral Disgorge show, Klub Gromka got a hefty dose of the kind of brutality you don't get at just any metal gig.

Quality maintained. The crowd was going wild over a killer pick of songs. The high point was without a doubt Ace of Spades, the big, unforgettable rock'n'roll punk anthem by Motörhead. But really, the setlist had something for everyone. It…

Four horsemen of the apocalypse - Inquisition, Entombed A.D., Abbath and Behemoth - wrapped up their blasphemy-spreading run across European stages last Sunday right on the stage of Ljubljana's Kino Šiška!

"Several times the singer mentioned getting goosebumps from the crowd's response. I'm convinced that a guy who gets such an emotional reaction will give it everything to keep getting that “fix”, and that's exactly what Sabaton do, which in…

Location: Pordenone / Il Deposito Giordani / Italy Date: Monday, 08.02.2016 The international instrumental trio The Aristocrats, made up of British guitar alien Guthrie Govan (Steven Wilson, ex-Asia, GPS), American bass oddball…

"Toto have reached the point where any show could be their last, so fans like us know to cherish every chance to still catch them live, whenever one comes along, all the more."

On Mardi Gras, Swedish war metal heroes Sabaton played Kino Šiška, with Hungarian power metallers Wisdom keeping them company.

At the Gasometer we got exactly the sonic perfection we'd hoped for, the kind that only Messrs. Lukather, Paich, Williams and Porcaro can conjure up with their instruments and vocal cords, plus their crew of sidekicks, who spoiled us from…

In a downright virtuoso orgy of a show in Pordenone, The Aristocrats proved they're the kind of outstanding concert entertainers that, sadly, are getting harder and harder to find these days.

This year's sleepy February, full of wonderful and unforgettable weather swings, isn't exactly packed with gigs around Slovenia. In general, catching a show in the Primorska region without trekking to Koper or Izola is something of a…

If you want to treat your soul to a huge helping of excellent, highly intelligent music, full of hypersensitive subtlety and expressive originality, for next to nothing (admission was a ridiculous €2.00), there's only one answer. Catch…

Kataklysm's routine set probably thrilled the younger fans, while the older crowd could only hope for an old-school track or two to spice up an already worn-out setlist.

You could say Jani and Mef fought to a draw at Menza that night. They both gave everything, and it was an even match. Once again they won us over with their sensitivity and deep immersion in the songs, and also with their rough-edged…

The gig was over in the blink of an eye. Encore included, it ran a flat hour and ten minutes. Meager. The performance was patchy at times, too. Quite a few ugly slip-ups crept into the show, sometimes down to Kee himself, who often…

"In the sonic landscape, Koromač are merciless nihilists, sound terrorists, totally unsuited to those 'softer souls' who 'inherited' fragile mechanoreceptor organs."

Dirty Skunks blew out 14 candles and celebrated the big anniversary with a marathon assault of 14 bands on three stages at Orto bar!

Koromač, a Slovenian all-instrumental, experimental outfit from Vrtojba, lately a sextet with no fewer than two drummers on the roster, with their debut »Punk Enough?« and a slot in the Domorodni četrtki series in their back pocket. At the…

As you probably know, Luicidal, a spin-off of the infamous Suicidal Tendencies, were supposed to play Ljubljana on 07.01.2016, but they had to cancel at the last minute because of illness in the band. The organizer bailed out the two…

Like a dozen other outstanding musicians who represent nothing but the cream of the world's best and most distinctive guitarists/vocalists - led by Eric Sardinas, Philip Sayce, Richie Kotzen, Ryan McGarvey and a few others - Ian Siegal…

The year has come full circle, and in keeping with tradition, all the Jarše "old-timers" gathered at Rollbar, led by their homegrown bands. First and foremost, that means the "notorious" veterans of the Slovenian rock scene, the…

"Truth be told, the confirmation of UFO as Judas Priest's support act gave the mini RockLine crew an extra push to make the trip to see both bands all the way in Czech Brno. And it was a Saturday, too. Couldn't be sweeter."

Uli Jon Roth, one of the most distinguished and unique guitarists in the rock universe and the former lead guitarist of the legendary Scorpions, has returned to Velden in Carinthia and its timeless club Bluesiana Rock Cafe after a full…

With the Swallow the Sun and Wolfheart show, Orto Bar got a proper dose of Finnish melancholy, punch and melody.

Carnifex showed at Gala Hala that they haven't aged a day in ten years and that they've got plenty ahead of them, as long as they stick with it and, of course, keep playing smaller venues too.

Seeing Judas Priest live remains a one-of-a-kind spectacle, and nothing else comes even close. The experience with this band lives on stage, in the flesh, and it's unique. The form is still there, and so is the agility. A new album on the…

Despite a more than solid performance and a dream setlist that went on to include songs from the albums »Ghosts« (1999), »13« (1998), Welcome to the Other Side (2001) and »End of All Days« (1996), the more or less expected Down from »Unity«…

"An Operation: Mindcrime show is more than a great experience, it's practically mandatory for anyone who loves classic Queensryche, since the band's repertoire is mostly Queensryche music. And on top of that, Tate still keeps his vocals in…

It's a real shame that talented, promising local bands like Divje Jezero stay stuck somewhere in the 'underground' while nearly every media spotlight is aimed at the winners of over-contrived music talent shows, turbo 'Balkanijada' imported…

"Judging by the energy that Coverdale, the unique and utterly likable, tireless frontman, still radiates in 2015, there's no danger the band will suddenly realize they're old, burnt out and worn down, and that it's time for so-called…

An Operation: Mindcrime show is way more than just a great night out. It's a must for every fan of classic Queensryche, since their set is mostly Queensryche music, with the Operation: Mindcrime album at its core. And on top of that, Tate…

"The thing's hollow - it goes on forever - and - oh my God! - it's full of stars!"

On the day/evening Ljubljana and Maribor marched into the December shopping frenzy, a hundred or so heads chose to head to Jedro in Medvode instead, where the menage-a-trois of Skrun, Morost and Dekadent successfully defiled the start of…

"In Munich, Motörhead announced two back-to-back dates at the same venue. Zenith Halle. Both nights sold out completely. In advance."

The arrival of one of Finland's biggest metal exports, melodic death metallers Children of Bodom, and British death thrash metallers Sylosis at Mostovna in Nova Gorica nicely livened up a somewhat sleepy autumn gig scene in Slovenia this…

Judging by the energy that the one-of-a-kind and utterly lovable stage figure of the inexhaustible Coverdale still radiates in 2015, there's no chance the band will suddenly realize they're old, burned out and falling apart, and that it's…

Lemmy knows no retreat. And so Motörhead set off on the German-Scandinavian leg of their new European tour as if there were no reservations at all, completely carefree, in tune with their daily routine. Professionally speaking, that's…

Stef Burns is one of those special musicians who, with his one-of-a-kind approach to the instrument as well as to songwriting, definitely stands out on the planet of rock 'n' roll. He comes from Oakland, California, and is a highly…

Location: Graz / Explosiv / AustriaDate: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 With interest in classic European power metal sinking all around, the tour by the legendary Hamburg heavy metallers Gamma Ray was a real balm for the few lonely…

Scorpions are still Scorpions. Those mature gentlemen radiate a childlike spirit on stage. Strictly professional, all of it. Every second calculated down to the last rustling euro. Yet the hearts haven't gone stale. You can feel it in the…

Amid the general decline of interest in classic European power metal, the tour of the famed Hamburg heavy metallers Gamma Ray, who are marking 25 years in the music business this year, was just the balm the few lonely, still-living power…

"Kvelertak stopped by Ljubljana on a day off from their tour with Slayer and Anthrax, and the band once again proved they're in killer live form and simply one of the best live bands around right now."

Shining pulled off a convincing show with no noticeable slip-ups, and in a small hall that's hardly known for good sound. Despite the thin turnout, the band clearly enjoyed themselves on stage and played their set at a professional level.

A year and a half later, the Norwegian owl Kvelertak swooped back into town and grabbed Šiška by the throat with a killer show!

W.A.S.P., the legendary Los Angeles shock rockers, who in the eighties were synonymous with the wildest stage excess and provocation, deliberate antics that nearly overshadowed their own music, are back on European stages after a 4-year…

New album, new holiday, new Dan D. A reformation of their musical ID card left 800 fired-up fans in a proper little shock at the premiere of the new album!

Death/doom legends and gothic veterans Paradise Lost are sowing their new album across Europe, and they proved in Mostovna that they're in top form.

One of the Munich halls in the Theaterfabrik complex was nicely packed, and the show kicked off right on time. As usual, W.A.S.P. opened with a medley of classics, On Your Knees and Inside The Electric Circus. The sound was powerful and…

Paradise Lost showed that, despite their years, they can still muster some roughness and energy, so reviving the doom/death metal element worked, fitting nicely with the band's trademark style.

Over the years Korpiklaani have become hugely popular, especially with the younger and youngest crowd of music fans who are drawn to heavier but »harmless« sounds. With the excellent Russians Arkona along for the ride, the Ljubljana show…

Moonspell are a band that delivers the maximum. Perfectionists who are no strangers to a passionate approach. To everything they take on. They remain unique and unrepeatable on this planet. And the Graz stop of the current tour, the »Road…