Progdate: Saturday 2nd August 2003. Deputising for the the missing Oxygen8 and supporting headliners Caravan - we had just witnessed The Pineapple Thief's first ever gig at The Whitchurch Prog Rock Musical Festival. It was a cracking set - so much so that we headed straight over to their merchandise stall and bought a signed version of 'Variations On A Dream/8 Days'. Now turn the clock forward 15 years or so plus twelve quality studio albums later and the Testbourne School Theatre gig is all but a distant memory as TPT headline The Shepherd's Bush Empire tonight supported by LiZard.

"Given their courageous experimentation of different times, places and moods - the consequent complementary shift of pace, tempo and feel on the majority of the songs on this album, all pulling from that well tried and tested Bad Touch foot tapping and Bluesy pump – means it’s definitely time to ‘Shake A Leg’." That was part of our review of Bad Touch's new album 'Shake A Leg' here that was finally released yesterday, and to coincide with its release, a new music video of the track 'Lift Your Head Up' is now available, which is today's Video Of The Day. Their headline tour with special guests Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics and Daxx & Roxanne begins on Wednesday 17th October including London's ULU Live on Saturday 10th November.

Today is the second day of the three day Four Sticks: Classic Rock Weekender at London's New Cross Inn. Headlining tonight are Praying Mantis who released their eleventh studio album ‘Gravity’ in May. The CD saw the band return with another inspired, take-no-prisoners line-up, with John Cuijpers (vocals) and Hans in’t Zandt (drums) again contributing to the songwriting process. Also playing before Praying Mantis are Frontiers stablemates Bigfoot (today's Track Of The Day), who recently announced Sean Seabrook as their new lead vocalist. The Wigan based Hard Rock band's self-titled debut album was released in October 2017 and was voted the no. 11 Album of the Year in the Planet Rock magazine readers poll as well as receiving critical praise.

"Small Town Blues’ and ‘Nothing To Hide’ took us back to the ‘Lucky 13’ album, before the less familiar (and possibly new?) ‘I Don’t Want The Blues’ set up another trilogy from ‘The Divine And Dirty’. ‘She’s More Than Enough’ and ‘Lovers Or Losers’ sandwiched what was for many of us the highlight of the night: the extended guitar solo on Kris’ heartfelt tribute to his late father, ‘Watching Over Me’." Today we have another Gary Smith review here - this time The Kris Barras Band's recent 100 Club gig in London supported by Matt Edwards - plus check out our Photo Gallery courtesy of Tim Russell here.

With a review of last night's Steve Hackett Genesis Revisited Tour with his band and 41-piece orchestra at London's Royal Festival Hall to come, Steve also releases today a special 6XCD 2DVD Collection 'Broken Skies - Outspread Wings (1984 - 2006)' which includes today's Video OF The Day. Not only that, but Hackett has also announced that his band will perform 20 shows around the UK in November next year. For the first time ever, Steve will perform the seminal Genesis album 'Selling England By The Pound' in its entirety. Released in 1973, the album went to No. 3 in the UK charts and has been described as ‘the definitive Genesis album.’ It includes firm favourites such as 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight', 'Firth of Fifth', 'Cinema Show' and, of course, 'I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)'. Other favourite classic Genesis tracks will also feature in the show. 2019 also marks the 40th anniversary of one of Steve’'s most popular solo albums 'Spectral Mornings' and he will rightly celebrate this milestone by performing masterpieces from the album. Fans will also be treated to highlights from Steve’'s new album, to be released in 2019.

The Blues Club Podcast Track Of The Day returns today with another two hours of non-stop Best in Blues with More Music and Less Chat featuring New Releases, Classic Tracks, UK Independent Blues Broadcasters Association Presenters' Picks and much more. Music this week Includes tracks from King King, Detonics, Sons of Liberty UK, Joe Bonamassa, Trev Turley & Friends, Billy F Gibbons (pictured), Midnite Johnny Morana, Sari Schorr, Black Joe Lewis, Laura Rain, The Mojo Preachers, Khalif Wailin Walter, Lawrence Lebo, Tas Cru, Mike Farris, Connor Selby, Vargas Blues Band, Deborah Coleman, John January & Linda Berry, DC Blues, Frank Bey, Zoe Green Band, Josh Smith, Beki Brindle Band, Jethro Tull, Steve West Weston, Jim Allchin, The Jeremiah Johnson Band, Lindsay Beaver, B. B. & The Blues Shacks and many more.

With a review of Sunday night's The Bad Flowers, Federal Charm and Those Damn CrowsBorderline gig to come, today, as promised, we have our interview here with Federal Charm which is also today's Track Of The Day. We met guitarist Paul Bowe and drummer Josh Zahler in advance of their set, and the guys made us feel most welcome. So have a listen to some great banter as we discuss their tour, the release of their latest album 'Passenger' plus how they have got heavier and hairier since the very first time we saw them supporting Joanne Shaw Taylor at London's Jazz Cafe way back in 2015.

"Then Duane rejoined the fun surprisingly early (Stokes would also alternate with Stachela during the rest of the gig) for the ABB’s ‘Blue Sky’, before matters took an unexpected twist or two. Devon switched to acoustic as seats were brought on stage for all the six-stringers and we were treated to the Grateful Dead’s ‘Friend Of The Devil’ and Gregg Allman’s ‘Multi-Colored Lady’." It's been well worth waiting for, so today read the whole of Gary Smith's Devon Allman + Duanne Betts Islington Assembly Hall review from exactly one month ago here plus check out our Photo Gallery courtesy of Tim Russell here.

It was good to hear from Hats Off Gentleman It's Adequate frontman Malcolm Galloway who we recently saw at a Prog Night they promoted at Camden's Fiddler's Elbow in London (pictured) alongside IT and The Wood Demons. The band have just released the video for their first single 'Stand Up' which is today's Video Of The Day, which is taken from their next album 'Out Of Mind'. With their own brand of defiant Progressive Rock from London, 'Stand Up' is one of the Rockier songs on the album with the video being produced by Malcolm and Mark Gatland.

Consistency is often the foundation of a healthy career when it comes to BritRock. The Brew have been around for over 10 years with zero line-up changes and have churned out six, fine and varied studio albums as a result. The trio hailing from Grimsby, Northern England also have a reputation as an excellent live act that is capable of turning every European club into a sweat-drenched Rock hellhole. 'Art Of Persuasion', due to be released this coming Friday, proudly displays the band’s influences – everything from Led Zeppelin to Wolfmother. Yet, the record easily avoids schlocky retro clichés. That said, while fuzzy, killer tunes such as 'Gin Soaked Loving Queen' and 'Excess' may have been raised on that sweet 70's spirit, The Brew (Video Of The Day) rightfully consider themselves modern rockers with classic roots. High-energy, timeless, and brimming with unforgettable hooks, Jason Barwick: vocals and guitar, Tim Smith: bass and vocals and Kurtis Smith: drums are also touring mainland Europe in October/November supported by The Hydden.

Fight The Fury, the newly announced and eagerly awaited Metal project from Skillet frontman and bassist John Cooper, will be releasing their debut EP 'Still Breathing' on Friday 26th October via Atlantic Records. To herald the release, the band has shared the new song 'My Demons' - today's Track Of The Day. The band also features Skillet guitarist Seth Morrison, along with drummer Jared Ward and guitarist John Panzer III. While the Grammy-nominated Skillet have proven to be one of the most successful Rock bands of the 21st century, having sold more than 12 million units worldwide, Cooper wanted to flex his creative muscles outside of his main outfit with Fight The Fury. The music crackles with a Metallic, anthemic, and riff-driven intensity, along with unforgettable hooks. The songs that populate 'Still Breathing' will take up residence in your brain for days at a time. Fight The Fury will also embark on their first-ever tour in Russia this December and details regarding future North American tour plans will be announced in the coming weeks.

Exceptional UK singer-songwriter and Grammy-nominated producer Dan Lancaster has unveiled his brand new track ‘Wild Life’, via Raw Kingdom/AWAL, which will form part of an exciting EP due later this year. ‘Wild Life’ sees Lancaster move into stratospheric Pop terrority, and yet again displays his extraordinary vocals and follows in the footsteps of the success of his debut single 'Move A Mountain'. He has also written, produced and mixed 8 Radio 1 A-Listed records in the last two years, working with Blink 182, Good Charlotte, 5 Seconds Of Summer and Bring Me The Horizon, as well as Fickle Friends, One OK Rock, Don Broco and Lower Than Atlantis. In 2017 Lancaster built and has subsequently worked in his own customised music studio in London. He has scored multiple Platinum and Gold albums and had Number 1 albums in the UK, USA, Japan, Canada and Australia, as well as being involved in records with over 800 million Spotify streams. Tuesday 16th October sees Dan perform his debut show at London’s Oslo, Hackney, translating his exceptional talent on record to the live arena.