Gary Numan

May, 1979. It’s an ordinary Thursday evening, which means it’s time for Top of the Pops. Amidst a zeitgeist of punk and disco, the show suddenly appears to be interrupted by a transmission from the future. A luminous synth riff echoes out, a beat drives on and up steps an otherworldly figure – part robot, part alien – to deliver an enigmatic lyric depicting some kind of android existence in a dystopian future. It’s Gary Numan fronting Tubeway Army for their breakthrough hit ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’. Of the millions that are watching, few would’ve recognised that this moment foreshadows the shape of music to come, from synth-pop to industrial and alt-pop. That, however, can’t stop it igniting the imagination of an audience that would swell into a devoted following. Fast-forward to January, 2021. Numan’s first single ‘Intruder’ (from the Intruder album) pulsates ominously as if it’s soundtracking an imminent threat. As austere synths loom like shadows and industrial beats are detonated, the beguiling hook towers like a beacon in the darkness. It’s visionary and venomous, with a narrative that imagines the Earth growing angry at mankind’s actions, and more than willing to fight back. In the accompanying video, Numan looks even more out of time than he did back in 1979, like an intergalactic refugee fighting for his own existence. Naturally, there were times when Numan was very much not in vogue. Sure, there would be ripples of rediscovery but there were years when his increasingly conceptual albums were primarily embraced by hardcore fans. He wasn’t troubling the charts, but audiences were still flocking to see him perform – almost every UK tour would include a sold-out show at the 5000 capacity Hammersmith Apollo. Gradually, though, praise from Nine Inch Nails, Prince and David Bowie led to a reappraisal of his work. And that has been magnified in recent years with Kanye West, Lady Gaga and Dave Grohl citing him as an influence. And so, a new narrative emerged. An unlikely icon returned to the top while making music that was darker, fiercer and more inventive than ever. His next album, ‘Intruder’, presented a fresh but complementary narrative. It’s a philosophical examination of a potential future apocalypse: the planet can only survive by purging its inhabitants. ‘Intruder’ also hit #2 in the UK charts. Numan explained: “‘Intruder’ looks at climate change from the planet’s point of view. If the Earth could speak, and feel things the way we do, what would it say? How would it feel? The songs, for the most part, attempt to be that voice, or at least try to express what I believe the earth must feel at the moment”. Collectively the album proves that Numan’s creative spark shows no sign of being extinguished. Numan toured the Intruder album at over 130 shows around the world, finally ending in mid 2024 when he toured the US with Ministry. Since then he’s been back in the studio writing and recording his next (and 23rd) album, due out in early 2026. This one looks at a near future world where humanity lives or dies based on the whims of an AI controlled system. He did take a few weeks out of the studio to play a major UK tour in the Fall to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of his ‘Replicas’ and ‘The Pleasure Principle’ albums, both UK Number 1’s when first released. That’s just a snapshot of the tale behind one of music’s most singular talents. The full story can be found in Numan’s critically acclaimed autobiography ‘(R)evolution’, which The Observer described as an, “exhaustive, entertaining and often poignant life story.” What comes next will surely be just as intriguing.

Umphrey’s McGee – Cruising Altitude 2025 Tour

Chicago’s eclectic rock band Umphrey’s McGee has been keeping fans on their toes fornearly 27 years now. Though often pigeonholed into “jam band” circles, Umphrey’s doesn’tfit that traditional mold; and their fans don’t either. Is it prog rock? Song-forward,Beatles-esque arrangements? Be careful, they might hit you with some metal riffs mid-set,too. Amongst 2,500+ gigs and 300 million+ tracks streamed, you-had-to-be-there momentsinclude the band’s performance at the first-ever Bonnaroo and selling more CDs (rememberthose?) than any other act on the bill. A leader in the live music world, Umphrey’s McGeebecame the first group to launch its own single-artist streaming service with UMLive.net,which houses recordings of every gig since 2005. The service has since grown and now lives on through Nugs.net, which is used by the likes of Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, and more. Beyond intimate backstage encounters and ski trips with their most diehard fans, Umphrey’s McGee instituted the groundbreaking “Headphones & Snow cones” program, granting fans access to professional headphones and a soundboard-quality mix to listen wirelessly at shows. At their UMBowl, they empowered the audience to vote on the setlist in real-timeand choose favorite improv themes via text message. In 2017, they stepped into another realm altogether by integrating themselves into the VR Platform Endless Riff. All of the above has earned the band status as kings of the live music scene with standing yearly engagements at iconic venues, their own events in Iceland (Rockjavick) and Mexico (Holidaze), and co-hosting Chillicothe, IL’s long-running Summer Camp festival. In April 2025, Umphrey’s McGee will lead their faithful fans on another bucket list musical adventure: Morockshow will feature three nights in Marrakech, Morocco, marking another signature event in an exotic location. Umphrey’s McGee’s latest release Asking For A Friend showcases more evolved songwriting and thoughtful arranging from a bandcontinuing to grow and mature with their droves of die-hard, longtime fans.

Bilmuri

Ice Nine Kills: Pick Your Poison

Ice Nine Kills craft anthems full of passion and precision. The band’s theatrical bombast created a community of self-described “Psychos” and launched the type of pop culture lore celebrated in their songs. They make timeless and timely music, mixing metalcore, melody, and punk with power. Hard-rock-meets-horror tracks like “Hip to be Scared,” “Funeral Derangements,” “A Grave Mistake,” and “The American Nightmare” demonstrate their unapologetic fascination with fright and cult classic curiosities, unleashed with inescapable melodic hooks, heavy riffs, and clever twists of phrase. Led by Spencer Charnas, Ice Nine Kills spread cavalier carnage with a knowing smile. Their densely catchy songs on their breakthrough albums, The Silver Scream and The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood, propelled them to death-defying new heights. In 2022, they toured with Slipknot. Metallica handpicked Ice Nine Kills to join them on their M72 World Tour in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The horror community Spencer grew up loving has embraced his band in return. INK’s “A Work of Art” (featuring System Of A Down’s Shavo Odadjian) plays in 2024’s Terrifier 3, a No. 1 box office smash that became the highest-grossing unrated film ever. The mischievously gory music video features Art the Clown himself – actor David Howard Thornton – and Terrifier franchise stars Catherine Corcoran and Leah Voysey, alongside Shavo and SiriusXM radio host Jose Mangin. Long before he graced the covers of Rock Sound, Metal Hammer, Revolver, and Outburn, Charnas began his career at a battle of the bands while still in high school. Known simply as “Ice Nine” from 2000 to 2006, Spencer persevered through lineup and stylistic changes as a teenager and young adult. The No. 1 Billboard Hard Rock Album The Silver Scream (2018) mercilessly chopped down the doors, announcing Ice Nine Kills’ arrival as an unrivaled force of unnatural nature. Helpless teens, unhelpful authorities, supernatural forces, masked killers, and “final girls” abounded. Each piece focused on a different horror classic, paying loving homage to Freddy, Jason, Michael, Pennywise, and more. Naturally, there’s always a sequel. The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood imagined a world where Charnas is the chief suspect in his fiancé’s murder. His musical and visual work with Ice Nine Kills is the primary evidence. The album expanded the lore of The Silence, a new slasher for the ages. Loudwire hails Ice Nine Kills as “one of the most unique acts in metal right now.” Visionary trailblazers and multimedia raconteurs, INK hosts a thrilling world for a growing legion of devoted true believers with immersive shows, captivating videos, and an inventive band- and-fan community. Ice Nine Kills blurs the boundaries between truth and fiction, skewering Hollywood in the process, stabbing with a satire to rival Patrick Bateman. As the song “Welcome to Horrorwood” declares: “Stardom’s just an afterthought for all those stabbed in the backlot, piled up and left to rot.” “So, how’s this for an establishing shot?”

Buckethead

The Amity Affliction

Since emerging in 2008 on the debut Severed Ties, The Amity Affliction have served up three ARIA gold-certified albums, Youngbloods [2010], Chasing Ghosts [2012] and This Could Be Heartbreak [2016]. They also achieved platinum certification for the seminal Let The Ocean Take Me [2014]. The band achieved four consecutive #1 debuts on the ARIA chart with Chasing Ghosts, This Could be Heartbreak, Let The Ocean Take Me and Misery[2018]. Most recently Everyone Loves You…Once You Leave Them [2020] continued their ARIA chart streak, debuting at #2 and showed the band returning to their heavier side with a global stream tally surpass 460 million and counting. The Amity Affliction have also been a dominating live act, headlining arena tours and festival bills alike worldwide throughout their career.

Citizen Soldier

Citizen Soldier was born in 2016 when frontman Jake Segura penned the lyrics to “Let It Burn” from a psychiatric hospital. Now practicing as a clinical therapist, he implements intensely emotional lyrical themes on mental health into their music. The band presents an accessible message that combats stigmatization and provides a group therapy dynamic. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Segura is joined by guitarists Matt Duffney and Kooper Hanosky, bassist/keys Wonitta, and drummer Kyle Persell.

ROAR 2024: ROCK OF AGES REVISITED – Night Two

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! A FULL ON 2-DAY TRIBUTE FESTIVAL honoring the LEGENDS OF ROCK – ROCK OF AGES REVISITED (ROAR 2024) with all of the country’s best, most premier NATIONALLY / INTERNATIONALLY touring TOP #1 TRIBUTE BANDS who do the legends right. NO FESTIVAL of this stature/ level in the entire HEARTLAND area! Tribute Festivals […]

ROAR 2024: ROCK OF AGES REVISITED – Night One

Pop Evil / Bad Wolves

with Sierra Pilot and Oni

Genre: Rock