Mark Ashby is so metal that he actually goes to a gig as a warm-up to actually going to a gig. Ready to work, rest and play after a half time sugar burst, our man got his druid metal fix from a quartet of doom-laden bands battling it out in Belfast venue, The Pavilion.

It's snowing, it's Xmas, so that means one thing: Uber Rock is off to catch a show from Ginger. Gaz E finds himself in Bristol watching two of the brightest young noisebringers that the UK has to offer support a legendary artist who appears to be somewhat jaded with the live music scene. Read on for obscurities, favourites.....and headbutts.....

Not content with seeing The Quireboys tearing it up on the main stage of his favourite holiday camp, Dom Daley made his way into the big city to catch the band again while his ears were still ringing from the first time he'd seen them live that week. The Globe in Cardiff was the setting as our rock 'n' roll renegade found an unwell Spike using his perma-bandana as a hankie yet still managing to find his way around a set littered with classic tunes......

Motley Crue making a rare visit to UK shores and teaming up with Def Leppard in the process for a series of sixx co-headlining shows meant it was a case of Christmas come early for many, and with both bands going head to head playing 90 minutes a piece it was all set to be a true clash of the titans. Matt Phelps went along to check out the opening night of this juggernaut sized tour to find out if these Eighties veterans could still cut it in 2011, but more importantly party like it was 1989.

Now into its fifth year the UK's Hard Rock Hell festival is becoming something of an institution with those of us with a bent for hard drinking and hard rock music. Spread over 3 nights and 4 days there are more quality bands than it is humanly possible to watch with just one body so that's why we had Mark Taylor, Mark Ashby and Johnny H covering last weekend's events. Prepare for a few shocks and surprises as URHQ enters the Village Of The Damned.