Live Reports

By coming to Koper and playing an unforgettable show there, Coco Montoya definitely delivered the high point, or to put it bluntly, the pinnacle of this year's entire blues scene in Slovenia. No less, no more.

Alen Islamović is a name that anyone who knows their YU-rock simply can't walk past! The man etched himself into the hearts of Divlje Jagode and Bijelo Dugme fans forever with a trademark, passionate voice that graces some of the…

Banned From Utopia rolled into the one-of-a-kind music temple of Austrian Carinthia, the Bluesiana Rock Cafe, in mid-October. A special musical collective devoted to playing the music created by the timeless genius of the late Frank Zappa.…

Parni Valjak showed that after 40 years they've still got it. They can sing, they can play, they can entertain and they can get the crowd on its feet. The chemistry and energy they show on stage suggest we might be watching them for another…

For the first time since 1991, Canadian veterans Annihilator are back in Slovenia with an "indoor" show!

Finnish cellists and Australian rockers spiced up a Wednesday night in Ljubljana and pulled quite a few out-of-town guests into the capital. A few hours in, it was clear that Apocalyptica's star doesn't burn as bright as it used to, but…

For the first time in their four-decade career, NWOBHM elders Raven honored us with a visit, proving that sixty-somethings can kick the kids' asses for fun.

Modern Earl formed in 2007 under the leadership of Christopher Earl, and they play the real deal: Nashville country rock. Over the years the band has gone through a few lineup changes in the rhythm section, but the driving force is still…

A gig that shakes you up and wakes you up. One way or another. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just a "passing music nosy-parker." Morrissey remains a one-of-a-kind figure of independent yet popular rock culture. Substantive, solid and…

With the new gig season, Kadilnica of Death has swung its doors open again, and in the 2015/2016 season it'll be luring people into Orto with more than just ice-cold beer. Expect post-gig after parties and, even more importantly, gigs by…

A packed October program full of big-name blues acts from the European and international scene made it clear in advance that we'd be visiting Bluesiana a lot this fall. Less than a week after Ian Moore's gorgeous lyrical fairytale, another…

Sadly, it's rare for a foreign artist with quality blues to stop by on the sunny side of the Alps. But every now and then, even here, a bright exception turns up to delight fans of real, live blues. One of those exceptions happened in early…

The new club concert season has kicked off, and Jedro, Medvode's mecca of all things metal, has thrown open its doors. This time the town between the waters fell (almost completely) to a metal occupation from the coast!

Fall is always a busy season for live music. In fact, that very first Friday night you could have caught a good gig in at least four different places. But in the end, the choice of where to go wasn't that hard, because Ian Moore was playing…

"Steve Hackett came, played, conquered, leaving the packed-to-the-rafters Gran Teatro Geox in Padua utterly spellbound."

We got another reminder of where quality rock music is being made. Both Eclipse and Reach proved that with a good dose of enthusiasm, plenty of practice, self-criticism and guts, you can still make it with hard rock these days.

A black-and-yellow musical collective from Zenica, Bosnia. Dubioza Kolektiv. Back in Ljubljana after five years. Sold-out Ljubljana. Riding the spirit of their still-relevant seventh studio album Apsurdistan (2013) and the freshly released…

Steve Hackett came, played, conquered, leaving the packed-out Gran Teatro Geox in Padua utterly blown away. There's not much to add to such a flawless live performance, with just the right mix of new material, long-running solo standards…

Parni Valjak proved that after 40 years they've still got it. They can sing, play, entertain and get the crowd on its feet. The tightness and energy they bring to the stage suggest we might be able to follow them for another 40 years or so.

The seventh MetalWitch festival has arrived! This time at the club Cirkus, in the old Vič cinema. In Ljubljana's Vič district, of course. Five bands, five separate entities, five different musical stories.

If there's anything good about the end of summer, it's only that autumn brings not just crappy weather but also the start of the club gig season. After the August concert drought, our ears were properly starving, and if Machine Head served…

Location: Salzburg / Rockhouse / AustriaDate: 09/16/2015 Salzburg, the picturesque Austrian city best known for Mozart's legacy, its old baroque center and the nearby salt mine, played host to Glenn 'the Voice of Rock' Hughes, the…

With Greenleaf and Stoned Jesus playing on Sunday night, a jam-packed Gromka finally gave the impression that interest in the stoner scene has woken up in Slovenia too. The scene boasts plenty of quality bands, even if none of them are…

Glenn Hughes proved in Salzburg, in impressive fashion, that the years haven't caught up with his vocal cords one bit, and that his big soul remains unshakably devoted to funk, blues and classic rock.

"The return of a music legend to the world's stages made the whole crowd happy in Pula, especially the younger fans who never had the chance to see Pink Floyd live. "

Niet's show and the presentation of their new album also turned out to be the last gig by any act in the legendary Studio 14! That Studio 14, as we know and remember it.

If you were watching a certain famous music TV channel around 2000, you probably heard the track Heaven is a halfpipe at least once a day, and if you didn't watch MTV, you've probably never heard of OPM at all (judging by the very poor…

After nine years away from the stage, David Gilmour came back in a big way, delighting 7,000 inconsolable devotees of the timeless Pink Floyd and his solo career alike at Pula's Arena.

How do you kick off the "jubilee" thirtieth RockLine concert report on Lene kosti? Laziness might cling to them, but with these guys you can never, ever be bored. Since early September 2015, the veterans of Slovenian metal, or let's just…

Who hasn't Marco Mendoza played with? A glance at his résumé reveals a hefty list of eminent names, from the previously mentioned Whitesnake to Thin Lizzy and their offshoot Black Star Riders. He has played with John Sykes and Ted Nugent,…

When you're in Slovenia and craving some good live rock, the road usually leads to the coast. The seaside is known for throwing great rock parties with a full dose of quality music. The first Friday of September was dedicated to a mini rock…

Nobody would have guessed that Mladi levi would stick around and keep playing after a few reunion shows in November 2014. Now it's already late summer, and after their set at this year's Kamfest, the guys also hit the stage at Pungert in…

If you woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day, all you had to do was stroll up to Kamnik's Mali Grad, where this extraordinary Montenegrin satirist and musical visionary and his crew were ready to put you in a good mood. Laugh after…

Location: Lignano Sabbiadoro / Arena Alpe Adria / Italy Date: Saturday, 08.08.2015 Spandau Ballet, the beloved British heroes of the eighties New Romantic movement, rolled into the lovely Italian seaside resort of Lignano for a…

After shows in China and slots at Metaldays and Wacken Open Air, Noctiferio brought the summer leg of the "Pax" tour to the idyllic setting of Mali grad as part of this year's Kamfest, where a colorful crowd of metalheads gathered, so a…

Spandau Ballet's concert in Lignano was fantastic in every way and a real treat for lovers of melodic polish and technical perfection, backed by flawless sound. Musically, the band doesn't show the slightest sign that thirty years have…

"If you haven't seen the legends live yet, Uriah Heep should be an absolute must on your future gig list. Given how long they've been at it, every show they play these days could well be their last."

"The question is whether See Rock will survive. Attendance was catastrophically bad. Just 4,500 people. The organizer had already cut the festival from two days to one early on, precisely because the two-day format was putting his bank…

"Even though the years have been fairly kind to Patti, her stage presence, her interpretation of poetry, and above all her singular vision and unapologetically sharp intellect remain forever young, evergreen and free companions of our…

Patti Smith doesn't need a big introduction. The poetry and the voice that shaped generations are now closing in on seventy. A fearless artist with a heart that never rusted, she was on the European leg of a world tour celebrating the…

So Uriah Heep are holding up just fine. Going forward, it would do the band good to shake up the set list a bit, or record and release a new album with a gentler shift in style and production (maybe closer to »Sea of Light« and/or »Sonic…

This year's See Rock festival, just a stone's throw from Graz in Austria, served up only a one-day lineup. Even so, the organizers rounded up a bill interesting enough that you just couldn't say no. Especially with the festival headliner's…

Yes, there are festivals with bigger reputations, better lineups, fatter budgets and plenty of other things Metaldays doesn't have, but there's only one Metaldays, and coming back to Tolmin every year feels like coming home. The year flew…

We survived four days of hellish heat and a hellish lineup that was once again a varied one this year, and now the last day of Metaldays 2015 was upon us!

By the fourth day of the festival the fatigue was really showing, but Metaldays still had a few beasts up its sleeve, from respected underground names to bigger, more commercial-sounding giants. Thursday was marked above all by the return…

Day three delivered what many call the high point of Metaldays 2015: Carcass!

By Tuesday morning, with everyone shuffling around slowly and gasping for water, Metaldays already looked like Romero's Day of the Dead, while the main stage served up probably the biggest names of this year's festival - Zakk Wylde's…

Yes, there are festivals with bigger reputations, better lineups, bigger budgets and plenty more that Metaldays doesn't have, but there's only one Metaldays, and coming back to Tolmin every year feels like coming home - Hell Sweet Hell!

Still a bit rumpled from three days of partying at Pivo in cvetje, we woke up to a lazy, sun-soaked Sunday afternoon and hit the road north pretty quickly. Where else would we go but Bluesiana? This time, a familiar face from Saturday night…

When Stevie Salas wrapped up his set at two in the morning, the music program at the Pivo in cvetje festival came to a close too. The organizers can probably be pretty happy with the turnout, and the crowd can be happy with the lineup.

Day two of Pivo in cvetje, with its lineup and performances, surely let nobody down.

This year's Rock Batuje festival lined up five acts rooted in the classic tradition of rock'n'roll, hard rock and heavy metal, though clear stylistic and artistic differences set them apart. The up-and-coming Ljubljana crew Pyroxene…

The opening night of Pivo in cvetje 2015 was a success. The turnout for a first night was probably a lot bigger than anyone expected, and the music lineup kept both the young and the young at heart happy.

On Wednesday, July 15, Convict and Agnostic Front stopped by for a show.

"Toto's debut show in Ljubljana was a success in every respect, and any fan of top-shelf musical expression, whether rock, pop or jazz, who missed this one-of-a-kind concert event can really kick themselves, because it's a big question when…

Toto's maiden show in Ljubljana was a success in every respect, and any lover of top-notch musical expression, whether rock, pop or jazz, who missed this one-off concert event can really kick themselves, because the big question is when…

It's hard to add anything "clever" about one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the world, if not the greatest. Especially after six decades of defiance in the music business. The man who has left his mark on generations of musicians and…

Right before the end of the set, the band also played a brand-new song, currently going by the working title Electric Eel. A great riff that grabs you instantly nearly demanded a name change from electric eel to “Electric (Over)Kill”.

The second concert in Ljubljana since the band's reactivation didn't draw as big a crowd as the first, even though it was actually the second show that was the truly real Denis & Denis concert. The real Denis & Denis, it turns out,…

This time we got an exclusive show from Bluesiana regular Alen Brentini, joined by his American buddy Michael T. Ross.

American melodic hardcore stalwarts Defeater, with their still-current album "Leters Home" in their pocket, rolled into Ljubljana's Orto bar too, where a healthy crowd of Slovenian devotees was waiting for them on a Monday.

The American veterans proved that even with Holt temporarily out of the picture, they still sound mighty relevant. Led by the excellent frontman Zetro, they brought Mostovna to a boil with no major trouble.

" despite the obviously too-early finish, Body Count successfully proved they're not just a "nostalgia act" but a band that still has something to say, and I hope the follow-up to Manslaughter arrives sooner than in eight years."

"The source of true Slavic fire whenever she passionately wields her Fender Stratocaster toy! This time was no different. Another great experience."

What do you get when the legendary Body Count return to Ljubljana after eighteen years? An unforgettable gig, countless curses, a big middle finger to the pigs and the loudest crowd for miles around!

The fourth and final day of this year's GodiBodi festival belonged to two singer-songwriters. It was actually a pretty inspired pairing of a Dolenjska native and a Prlekija native. Hence the basic gap in what their music is aiming for, even…

Ana is a girl with real Slavic fire whenever she fervently handles her Fender Stratocaster toy! This time was no different. Another great experience. Anyone who missed her in Ljubljana gets a shot at a retake. They just have to make the…

Judging by the turnout, the fifth Mosh Beach Party was another success. The crowd seemed pretty happy overall, too. Definitely a solid kickoff to the summer festival season

Bluesiana is always worth the trip, because it keeps serving up musical treats you'd be hard-pressed to find closer to home. With its simplicity and homey feel, the place practically begs you to visit. This time we went to catch the guitar…

The year has come full circle, early June is here, and with it the festival of all festivals - Sweden Rock!

This year's Godibodi, the eighth in a row for the festival of original Slovenian music, picked Ljubljana's Hostel Celica as the home base for its program. The opening day belonged to Nula Kelvina with Aleksandra Ilijevski. After them,…

Location: Ljubljana / Orto bar / SloveniaDate: Saturday, 05/31/2015 Nashville Pussy, the unbridled rock'n' roll troublemakers from Atlanta, with their new album »Up the Dosage» and the freshly released compilation »The Years of…

Flotsam And Jetsam, tireless and unshakable riders of the old school of thrash and speed metal from the US state of Arizona, are today regarded as great veterans, part of the pioneer breed and, of course, a cult name! And now they're here,…

Nearly two hours of rock'n'roll perversion and Nashville Pussy tornado "madness" delivered the kind of authentic live experience you just can't get enough of.

An interesting double bill hit Ljubljana's Orto bar on the last Friday of May! Guitar ace Grega Habič from Jesenice and his crew teamed up with progressive thrash metallers Cordura, led by Velenje guitarist Tim Draksler (ex-Intercpetor,…

After four years, the royal fire of Mesopotamian black / thrash metal has blazed again in Ljubljana!

"Blind Guardian had no choice but to gift Šiška the phenomenal Majesty too, and it's been a long, long time since a band here gave the crowd three encores, and after a solid two hours the goodbye was a sweet one."

The long-awaited Friday finally arrived, and with it our planned trip to Prague. This time, of course, our top priority wasn't sightseeing in the gorgeous Czech capital, it was seeing Def Leppard live.

Even though they've been plenty busy on stages around here, it took almost nine whole years for German giants Blind Guardian to finally make it back to the capital. And the wait was worth it, because the bards dug into their rich treasure…

"Like every show of theirs, this one in Izola was over in the blink of an eye. Avtomobili showed up professional once again and played a full-blooded two-hour set, packing in all the best-known songs of their career. Another gorgeous gig."

"»Zlagano sonce« gives the band new wings, new flight, new drive. Plenty of live shows are on the way, a whole bag of club thunder. The fantastic night at CUK Kino Šiška was merely the overture to the hot gig days that this year will write…

The band had a blast, the crowd went all out, and there was no end to the party in sight. That's the basic mission of rock'n'roll, and the San Di Ego crew delivered on it as authentically as it gets, hitting hard, balls out and as one…

Like every one of their shows, this one in Izola flipped on a dime. Avtomobili came out professional once again and played a full-blooded two-hour set, working all the best-known songs of their career into the repertoire. Another gorgeous…

33 years in the game and a new album, the 14th overall, from the legendary Demolition Group of Brežice. A big celebration with a marathon set list at CUK Kino Šiška! And another fantastic show!

"The guys played the whole new album, "Protocol III", and Simon Phillips, true to form, stepped up to the front of the stage three times to entertain the crowd with anecdotes and funny stories from his rich musical career. Of course, his…

So many things happen on stage at once, enough to keep any music fan fully occupied, that the music simply carries you, and carries you, and carries you. It leads you into its own unique world of magic. The unique musical language of the…

"Ozric Tentacles won the crowd over with their long set, even though the band isn't at the peak of its powers like it was more than a decade ago. In the end, you just have to admit that after three decades, Ozrics are still one of a kind…

Kranj's death metal crew finally brought their debut album Humanity Galore to Ljubljana!

With a short break in between, Ulrich Ellison & Tribe entertained the Bluesiana crowd for almost a full two hours. And after the show they didn't just slip quietly backstage, they hung around the club chatting with the audience. With…

Well, it's finally here. After Šank Rock's much-talked-about comeback with an exclusive show in Laško last year, it was only a matter of time before the Šank Rock caravan hit the road for a proper tour. They tested the waters with a handful…

Ozric Tentacles cast their spell with a long set, even if the band isn't at the peak of its powers like it was more than a decade ago. In the end, you've got to admit that after three decades Ozrics are still one of a kind and well worth…

On Labor Day, dark clouds gathered over Sevnica all afternoon and into the evening. They threatened the organizers of the 10th traditional ROCK party, Študentski klub Sevnica and Zavod KŠTM, with a turnout much smaller than…

And so we arrived at the final act of this year's Ortofest. It was closed out by Sausages, White Stain and Diareja Eksploziv. The date was a bit unlucky timing-wise, since everybody was making the pilgrimage that day toward Rožnik and the…

Even though the Novi Sad metal players visited Slovenia just a good two months ago, the Ljubljana crowd greeted them like big stars and completely packed the lower hall of Orto bar.

If you're starving for live shows by the likes of Nightwish, Epica, Delain, Edenbridge, Sirenia, Leave's Eyes (and the list goes on and on), this year's Ortofest program was a real balm for the wounds. It squeezed a double bill of two…

Colorado's independent alt-rock wildmen Wovenhand have paid the Slovenian capital another visit as part of their new tour promoting their latest, and seventh overall, studio album »Refractory Obdurate« (2014).

Final thoughts? Dog Eat Dog threw an outrageously fun party that night, one that made the crowd happy and fed their hunger for the band's music. That's undeniable. Great playing, a band in great spirits, and energy that carried over into…

The only way to get truly authentic contact with music is the live experience. Nothing else comes close. And if that happens in a club where you can eat out of the hands of a top-shelf guitar acrobat and his backing crew like Grega Habič,…

As part of this year's Orto Fest, Orto Bar hosted a gig with Lene kosti and Underground that was pure music to the ears of heavy metal fans. Lene kosti brought the old days roaring back, while Underground showed that the long tradition…

What's left standing in the ashes of the progressive rock giants, one of the most fascinating, most thrilling bands, the kind of rock formation we can safely call pioneering or even downright innovative, Emerson Lake & Palmer, is…