Saturday night's 2016 WRC Award winning Rock On The Ridge Track Of The Day includes music from Dirty Thrills (pictured), Black Mirrors, Like A Storm, Alter Bridge, The 69 Eyes, Black Star Riders, The Answer, Jackson Hewitt, Scorpion Child, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Crobot, The Bad Flowers, Bad Sign, The Temperance Movement, The Brew, Elephant Mountain, The Devil In California, Avenged Sevenfold, Saving Abel and on their introducing stage Artful Candid!

Following their announcement of a date at London’s Eventim Apollo on Wednesday 14th June which quickly sold out, multi-platinum rock band Evanescence have added a second date the night before. Led by Amy Lee’s operatic and passionate vocals, Evanescence has sold nearly 25 million albums since the band’s 2003 debut, 'Fallen'. The album’s premiere single, 'Bring Me To Life' won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. Other massive hits followed including 'My Immortal', 'Going Under' and 'Call Me When You’re Sober', establishing Evanescence as worldwide tour headliners. These dates will be the band’s first in the UK for five years.

The WRC originally "introduced" you to The Hexmen (Vid Of The Day) in February 2015 and the guys are currently putting together a promo tour for their new album 'King Bee'. The band’s music is Blues based certainly but the defining quality of The Hexmen has always been energy with an aggressive, Indie edge and a psychedelic undercurrent that lends extra dimensions to the music. The album features current band members George Wickstead on vocals and harmonica, Ian Fuller on guitar, Mike Cain on bass and Mat Shaw on drums plus Cindy Hoten on backing vocals on track one and three. Watch out for a WRC review of 'King Bee' coming soon!

Amplified is an exciting new three-day Rock/Metal festival featuring a top quality line-up of chart-topping artists, breaking new bands, great food and drink, and excellent amenities. Situated in the glorious Cotswold countryside, it takes place over the weekend of 21st - 23rd July at Quarrydowns, between Northleach and Aldsworth in Gloucestershire. Confirmed acts across the Main Stage, Very Metal Art Stage, Shoot Your Hoops Stage and The Tavern Stage include Puddle Of Mudd, Evil Scarecrow, Trapt, Diamond Head (Vid Of The Day), Acid Reign and many more.

"Therefore this one-off gig followed some pretty extensive promotional gigging in 2016 which included Planet Rockstock and Standon Calling. It was a bit disappointing therefore to learn (but understandable) towards the end of our interview that, with a strict curfew at 11pm, BOE's set was to be restricted to just half an hour! The band are currently writing their second album and kicked off with a newbie 'Mouth Of The Wolf' which was immediately followed by the more familiar and punchy 'God Is Awake' with it's stand out vocal harmonies from Visser and Ferguson - their second single from 'Archetype' (and part of their "Empire Strikes Back" video trilogy) which has deservedly received plenty of airplay on Planet Rock. Given the short setlist - the self explanatory quick fire 'Riff Of Death' again from 'Archetype' was proof, if needed, of what a meticulous power trio BOE are - not only further evidence of their strength but the fact that they are all riffing from the same hymn sheet." Read the rest of AJ's Black Orchid Empire Camden Monarch review from last Thursday here plus check out our photo gallery here.

Today's Black On Blues Track Of The Day is another popular Blues women special featuring GMichelle Siedman & The Midnight Ramblers, Koko Taylor, Alberta Hunter, Brigitte Purdy, Liz Mandeville and Erja Lyytinen (pictured).

'The Source' (Vid Of The Day) is an exciting new chapter in the Ayreon saga, due to be released on Friday 28th April, with contributions from renowned vocalists like James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Simone Simons (Epica), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia) and Russell Allen (Symphony X). 2017 will be a particularly exciting year for Ayreon fans thanks to a unique chance to actually see Ayreon live. Limited to three exclusive performances, “The Ayreon Universe” will take place in September in the prestigious 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. This unprecedented live event features the best of twenty years of Ayreon music, brought to life by a top cast of musicians such as Jansen, Allen and Kürsch plus Damian Wilson (Threshold), Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Anneke van Giersbergen and various others. The reclusive Arjen Lucassen himself (pictured) is also expected to make a rare appearance on stage. The tickets for all concerts – 9,000 in total – sold out within a day, proving once again that the Ayreon magic is still very much alive and kicking.

Edenbridge, Austria’'s premier Symphonic Melodic Metal act, have announced the release of their stupendous ninth studio album, ‘'The Great Momentum’', on Friday 17th February on Steamhammer/SPV, as a DigiPak CD, double gatefold 180 gram golden vinyl album (with printed inner sleeves plus CD in a cardboard sleeve), box-set, download and stream! The band, formed by composer, multi-instrumentalist/main man Lanvall and soaring, expressive singer Sabine Edelsbacher, have once again succeeded in raising the bar ever higher on ‘'The Great Momentum’', a powerful, diverse, hauntingly atmospheric symphonic Melodic Metal masterstroke!

Last Great Dreamers are special guests on two forthcoming UK tours in March and April with The Quireboys and Bang Tango. Possibly one of the most essential British rock bands of recent times, they are due to embark on 22 dates so catch them live and they promise “you won’t regret it!” Their latest album 'Transmissions From Oblivion' is an energetic yet sensitive album that celebrates music and storytelling, with 14 finely crafted songs overflowing with rock’n’roll attitude, emotion and glamour which includes the singles 'Glitterball Apocalypse', which documents the tragedies of rock n roll, the raucous 'Dope School' and the flamboyant yet urgent Power-Pop classic 'Oblivion Kids' (Track Of The Day).

Bad Pennies (Track Of The Day) - the tight, no-nonsense Rock & Blues band hailing from the Medway Delta - are playing the Iron Horse in Sidcup, Kent, tonight. The four-piece band pay tribute to Rory Gallagher, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Moore, Dr. Feelgood, Thin Lizzy, ZZ Top, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter and more. So if you're all dressed up with nowhere to boogie - why not get along tonight with admission just £3!

With an interview and a review still to come - today we have our photo gallery here from Black Orchid Empire's gig at Camden's The Monarch from Thursday night which also includes pics of support band The Indya Band (pictured).

"I find it hard to listen to this style of electric guitar driven Blues Rock without making comparisons to one of my heroes Mr. Joe Bonamassa, who, without doubt is one of the best guitarists I have ever seen. I would find it hard to believe that Ash wasn't influenced by him for track five 'Words Of A Woman'. It has a great sound, with strong lyrics revolving around a woman's troubles when her husband leaves ("Does She Have To Start Again"). A great ballad with an excellent solo from Ash at the end, definitely my favourite song on the album." Read the whole of Phil C's Ash Wilson 'Broken Machine' CD review here plus check out our Vid Of The Day.