On hearing King Prawn were playing in Shrewsbury I had to get on this show as I loved this band back in the day! Plus Nick was in town and it was a good time to catch up!

I think I missed the first couple of bands due to being shattered from the night before as I’d been photographing in Birmingham the night before!

On arrival at the venue I headed off downstairs to do an interview with Al and Roger which was great and due to go on line on the 7th October 2026!

After the interview I took Roger on a little sightseeing around Shrewsbury and think I took him to see some cool places!

The first band I saw was main support were The Skalinskis!

First time I saw them was a long time ago and to be fair I didn’t get them! Probably down to me being a bit of a ska / reggae snob! Never bothered again!

However it’s fair to say I wasn’t looking forward to seeing them but as I was photographing them my opinion changed!

The Skalinkis played a tidy set fused with ska, dub and festival reggae with socially aware lyrics!

I loved the 2026 version of The Skalinskis and so did the audience who by now were dancing their asses off!

A band you need to check out for sure!

Next up were the headline act King Prawn!

I hadn’t seen this wicked Ska-Punk band since the late 90’s!

I don’t know why – Probably too many shows at the times and with a full time job and touring with bands myself there wasn’t enough time for every gig!

Anyway as soon as King Prawn hit the stage there was no let up with them delivering a tight Ska-Punk set with elements from other genres thrown in for good measure!

We’ve all got older but King Prawn still deliver the goods with no compromise on anything!

Check out this fab set list!

Taking the photos was mad as by now it seemed the entire room were skankin’ to one of the best live ska-punk sets I’d seen in years!

A warm feeling was felt as I watched how Al and co were enjoying themselves as much as the audience were enjoying what they were witnessing!

By now I had to sit down – Old age and health catching up with me but even from the seat I just want to jump in with the audience!

The Loop Venue was a new one to me. Opened up in May 2026 as part of the Loop Festival which is an annual 2-3 day event all around Shrewsbury!

A tidy set up for sure – I was impressed!

The sound was great. King Prawn were great and the audience were part of the amazing atmosphere!

Sadly I had to catch the last train home so missed the last 15 minutes but what I witnessed on Saturday night was amazing!

Thanks to Roger for the Press / Photo Pass.

Photos / Words: Kathleen Riot

I had no idea Wrex existed until I was in hospital having procedures done to find what caused my severe blood loss! While in the waiting area I a friend was pushing his daughter through to another area of the hospital. We chatted. I asked what she was listening to and I was passed the headphones.

It was Wrex!

Finding out they were on tour I decided to check them out and Mae kindly sorted me out for the guest list.

The rest is history!

On arrival at the venue I was met with a smiley face from Lauren who was working the door rather than playing!

Shame that as I love to see her perform!

Come 8pm it was time for the opening act to strut their stuff!

They were Cherrydead!

I’d never heard them before and at first I was a tad unsure with their extreme death metal / Nu-Metal sound!

My ears are a little sensitive these days due to old age, haha!

As the set went on I found myself enjoying what was on offer as the tunes started to come out!

It was pretty obvious that Cherrydead were not a one trick pony band!

The vocalist had one hell of a voice on her and her band kicked ass with their own instruments!

Yes I’d go and watch again especially having heard my favourite number by them!

Cynthia!

Go and give it a listen on You Tube.

Come 9pm’ish it was time for Wrex to hit the stage!

From the moment Wrex hit the stage they a fourty minute set that was exciting to watch as it was to hear!

Seriously you want to hear the vocals coming out of Mae Seaton’s mouth!

Amazing!

This woman knows how to deliver!

If that wasn’t Mae bounced around that stage like a demon possessed!

George Donoghue on guitar really gave it some welly as did the drummer (Sorry forgot your name) which added to my excitement!

With the electronics added into the mix I was simply blown away!

I saw Less Than Jake / The Bouncing Souls a few months back and that show was exciting but what I witnessed last Friday night with Wrex this was the best live show I’ve been to in 2026 for sure!

I love Wrex and was that excited with what I saw I simply was left in awe of what I just witnessed!

Wrex for me are the cream of 2026 and you should check them out!

Thanks to Mae for sorting the press pass out!

Words / Photos: Kathleen Riot

If you love catchy rock music then you’re going to love Sweet Electric and their new album Something Something Disco!

This baby just oozes rock n roll from start to finish and what a brilliant journey it was listening to this ten track album!

Opening up with Sick In The Head this fun rock n roll album grabs you by the throat and taking you on a wonderful journey with songs such as These Guns, I Remember You, I Remember You and closing with Psycho!

I’ve played this a few times now and each listen brings me more pleasure!

Everything about this album rocks from the vocal delivery to the brilliant musicianship and a top production to boot!

That’s what rock n roll should be about!

Go on and give this band / album a listen! 9.5/10

Self Released

This book arrived just as I was heading into hospital for a fourth time and I read it from start to finish! I couldn’t put the bugger down! There was nothing else to do! The TV in the room was broken and the internet seemed to be down too!

Not Just About The Fall… was my saviour

Paddy Shennan compiles 50 adventures around the Post-Punk movement in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

There’s a number of bands that I’d completely forgotten about and memories of those days came flooding back despite being very young at the time!

One thing that struck me was how little the fans paid for gigs back in the day!

Could you imagine seeing U2 and Altered Images for just £1.20!!!

While there’s some great stories about The Fall there’s some brilliant ones from other bands such Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Elvis Costello, Buzzcocks, The Cure, The Jam, New Order, The Nightingales and many more!

If you love music this book is a killer read! 10/10

Earth Island Books

For years I wished there were hard rock n roll bands in the UK like our USA counterparts such as Nashville Pussy, TX Terri and Betty Blowtorch!

A few years ago my wish became reality when Bristol gave birth to the Split Dogs and the rest is history!

Now their third album Nice N’ Rough is set to be released later this month through Venn Records!

Opening up this killer album is Be Somebody which just oozes pure rock n roll with some awesome vocal delivery from Harry Atkins! This is a brilliant opener!

The album just gets better with tracks such as Breaker, Get The Look, Rock N Roll Business, Mamma Said, Dirty Denim and closing with Power Out!

Nice N’ Rough is one solid album and they take no prisoners from start to finish!

Harry’s vocals just rock but lets not forget the rest of the band with some class guitar riffs from Mil Martinez. Not forgetting some driving bass lines from Suez Boyle and some terrific drumming from Chris Huggall!

Between them they deliver some tight as fuck rock n roll and I for one love it!

On top of that there’s that meaty production which adds to the charm of Nice N’ Rough!

This album is in my top five albums of 2026 and I don’t say that lightly either!

Split Dogs rock! 10/10

Venn Records

Release Date: September 25th 2026

I don’t usually review singles but this is the Hellflowers and this single is the first track from their forthcoming album in 2027!

I love these guys!

They’re a fun catchy punk band who remind me of the bastard child of the Clash and the Ramones having a baby with Debbie Harry of Blondie fame!

Wild Ones is a great track to promote the album!

If the catchy hooks don’t grab your attention then the vocals from Christina Eskew will!

The spirit of 1977 is strong in this band and if this taster is anything to go by then you’re going to be blown away with the new album!

I can safely say one you hear Wild Ones by the Hellflowers then you’re going to want to see them live. An American tour is coming soon with hopefully a UK / European tour in 2027!

You’re going to love the Hellflowers live too!

The Hellflowers

Hey! Ruts DC are back with a new EP and I love it!

I’ve been saying this band are the best outfit doing the rounds in the UK whether it be playing live or in the studio!

Lyrically, musically, production wise nothing comes near this three-piece and anyone who says any different really has no concept about great music!

Opening up with the title track Bound In Blood you’re immediately blown away! Originally released on ElectrAcoustiC vol.3 this number has been given the full electric experience!

What an opener!

The passion along with amazing tunes shine through and one of the best songs I’ve heard in 2026!

Next track up is Born Innocent a kick ass Dub Mix featuring the wicked Matt Gamon who passed away a couple of years ago! I love this Dub tracks by Ruts DC as they really do capture the moment!

Wear The Crown is the third track and really reminds me of early Clash! In fact if the Clash had released this number it’d be considered the best thing since sliced bread! Ruts DC really capture something magical here!

Dub The Crown closes this record and this blew my mind to the point I phoned up a couple of Rasta DJs and played it down the phone to them! They loved it as much as I do!

If you’re after something that blows The Clash out the water then track this EP down!

This 4-track EP is the best thing I’ve heard in 2026! 11/10

Ruts DC

Release Date: September 11th 2026

Recently released is the fourth album from Folk- Punk artist Simon Wells and as usual this is pretty much a faultless album from start to finish!

Most people know Simon’s musical history from a founding member of Snuff to several years with the punk/mod/soul fusion band Southport!

Simon Wells then went solo and roll on 2026 sees his fourth album Slow Mornings finally released.

Kicking off this fourth album is Part In Parcel which is a tremendous start to this release and this album just gets better with the likes of Peace Now, the title track Slow Mornings right through to the Shape Of Time to covers of Cable Street by the Young’uns and Streams Of Whiskey written by the late Shane McGowan for the Pogues.

Ten tracks in all and every one a winner!

Simon has some help from various musicians from Ed ‘Shred’ Wenn and Steve Cox from London band Dealing With Damage. In fact there’s seven musicians on this album and they all play a part in its greatness!

Production is top notch and I love the love the art work on this album!

If you want something very cool to listen to Slow Mornings is the album to buy! 10/10

Crime Pays

It’s certainly taken a while to read this as there’s over 600 pages dedicated to bands, labels, magazines from all over the globe talkingh about how crossover bridged metal and hardcore punk!

Alexandros Anesiadis certainly has done his homework and I swear the level of writing and research is on par with what Ian Glasper has done with his books.

You get to listen to the bands themselves ranging from Agnostic Front to DRI to Discharge to the Crumbsuckers yo Cryptic Slaughter to the Electro Hippies and much more!

It’d be easier to tell you who’s not in the book!

It’s not just the well known bands who are featured either!

There’s bands who’ve been over looked in the past such as Legions Of Parasites, Sacrilege B.C. and Lethal Aggression!

There’s more than 180 interviews from bands from the 80’s to the 2000’s to the current day and they’re cool in their own ways.

On top of that there’s flyers and bands / live photo’s on top!

Anyone in to the crossover scene will get a lot from this bible!

A brilliant read that needs to be picked up! 10/10

Earth Island Books

I don’t usually review albums I purchase but I was listening to this 2026 album and was bouncing around the room so I thought why not give it a write-up!

Not The Face! are Brighton based and they play a mean Ska/Punk sound similar to bands such as No Doubt and Save Ferris but with a lot more social awareness about them!

There’s twelve tracks on this album and they rule!

Kicking off with Not The Face! you’re treated to some very cool songs such as Don’t Preach To Me, Oh No! It’s You, Jack Off, The Other Morning and closing with Secondhand Boy!

This is where it’s at and Not The Face! are one of the best Ska/Punk bands doing the rounds in the UK at present!

This is a top notch recording with some brilliant music played along with some superb vocals from Cat Goodman.

This album comes highly recommended! 9/10

Self Released