The Rigger

The Rigger is the premier rock pub/venue in Stoke-on-Trent. Situated 200yds from Newcastle town centre, we're just a short walk up the hill and you can leave your troubles at the door. Having staged great bands such as NAPALM DEATH, MICHAEL SCHENKER, CLAWFINGER, LOST PROPHETS and SPEAR OF DESTINY, we pride ourselves in a long tradition of mainstream resistance! 7Kw sound rig, gorgeous barmaids and professional doorstaff help make us the place that you'll tell your friends about.

Monday - Tuesday 12 noon - 12 midnight.

Wednesday 2pm Ð 12.30am. Joey Preece ( http://www.myspace.com/joeypreecemusic )presents our open mic night. Bring what you've got and do a turn on the stage for a FREE drink. Special guest players and local bands spice it all up when available.

Thursday - 12 noon - 2am. Look out for big names, classic tunes and blues talent, bookended by bITjAM - electronica open mic - on the last Thursday of the month.

Friday - 12 noon - MELTDOWN. DJ Andyman throws all the cheese at you in a classic rock style! Spirit offers...

Saturday - 12 noon - Munchkin gives us Resurrection, the best in goth/metal/industrial 'til 2am.

Sunday - 2pm - 'til midnight. The Rich plays indie/alt rock and presents the legendary Sunday quiz (Now earlier from 8-11pm). MONEY, Beer, vouchers and porn to be won!

THE RIGGER IS STRICTLY AN OVER 18'S VENUE. NO I.D.- NO ENTRY

ALL GIGS FREE UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. HEADLINE BAND USUALLY ON STAGE AROUND 9PM

The Rigger Myspace - The Rigger's own Myspace. Add us as your friend!

Venombase Studios - Newly opened studios owned by a top bloke called Chris. Give him a call and he'll sort you out good and proper!

Exhibit-A - Local boys done good. SERIOUSLY GOOD new album out soon, coinciding with a nationwide tour.

Sat 05 July	Gentlemen of Distorted Sound + Dead in Vegas(formerly Sevensphere)
I just had to get The G.O.D.S. on - they just seem so fucking weird! Support is from newly named Dead in Vegas, same line-up but why they've not got rid of Alb is a mystery!
Fri 11 July	Rollin Thunder
"We are a Classic Rock Style band in the same vein as Aerosmith, Guns n Roses, Whitesnake etc. Our main aim is to bring back REAL ROCK music and Fuck are we gonna do it!!! " They believe it. So should you!
Mon 14 July	The Business
The undisputed kings of OI! at long last! Fresh faced, fired-up and ready to convert the non-believers, you'd better be here for this one! Only £10 on the door.
Sat 19 July	Digicore
[DIGI]core - Industrial electronic metal from the North East of England. Touted as the quickest uprising stars from York, [DIGI]core have wowed audiences across the country with their mix of electronic beats and wall of sound as they genre-jump through their set with machine-like precision and absolute energy.
Thu 24 July	World/Inferno Friendship Society + Al Baker + Nemo
DO NOT MISS TONIGHT! Possibly the most entertaining night you'll have all year. A VERY welcome return for Jack and the crew all the way from New York. The band that definately deserve global success at your own little Rigger! Support from Manchester's finest Al Baker and our own local Nemo. Do yourself a favour and be here. This will be an "I saw them at The Rigger once" night....trust me. And it's free! http://www.myspace.com/worldinferno
Fri 25 July	Hope With Seasons
Local boys causing a stir in the local indie circuit. Give 'em a warm hand and prepare to be convinced. Ooh, the sexy little bastards! http://www.myspace.com/hopewithseasons
Sat 26 July	Axis
This is their myspace blog.... "Hailing from the birthplace of Heavy Metal, Axis are a new, midlands-based 5 piece rock outfit who hope to carry on the legacy of such heavy metal greats as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, while also, bringing the genre kicking and screaming into the 21st century with an infusion of the musical lessons learned over the last twenty years. Punk, goth and progressive rock are all combined into a sound that, whilst remaining true to its Heavy Metal roots, combines elements from all the musics that we love into something that is fresh and contemporary. Most of all though, Axis want to bring back a level of showmanship (and fun!) that we feel has been missing from most bands throughout the last decade. We hope to pay homage to the music that has inspired us so much over the years, all the bands who have stood by their fans and done their own thing, regardless of passing trends or what the media said was cool that week. Hopefully, this is gonna be a lot of fun for all! " Aside from all that they're dead polite, nice lads, they can spell and they fucking rock! All attributes that will get them gigs here for ages.
Sat 02 August	Wills and the Willing
Proud to offer you something you're not used to in The Rigger, I offer you Wills And The Willing. An excellent bend of rock/rap/alternative will intrigue and convert you. Who said rockers are stuck in the past? Prove them wrong and come check out London's best kept secret.
Tue 05 August	Sonic Boom Six + Grown At Home...only £5 on the door
From Manchester's dynamic musical landscape comes the most compelling soundclash to rise from the underground for years. Few bands can so smoothly mix dancefloor-savvy elements of reggae, jungle and ska with the rigorous commentary of hip-hop whilst retaining enough grit and aggression to be an active fixture of the UK's punk scene. Only Sonic Boom Six are propelled by the melodious rapping of Laila K who (characteristically contrary to the stereotype of a young asian female from Hulme) is one of the most incendiary vocalists to ever bounce around a moshpit of Mohawks. A true product of their environment - the sound of a thousand city-centre clubnights and student party mash-ups invigorate the righteous fury of distorted guitars and dubby grooves – SB6 create a sound as authentic as it is unique. Looking as at home on a festival stage as they are playing at a warehouse party, the band are retaining their grassroots ideation and positive, unifying message as their music steadily permeates a wider international audience. Check out ‘Sound of a Revolution' for the Boom in an instant – fluid grime vocals laid over a bass-heavy skank, detonated with a blast of punk-rock. GROWN AT HOME blend a dynamic, energetic and unrivalled live performance with the cutting edge of punk, hardcore and ska. Amongst the flying brass and bouncing vocalists lie contagious melodies so infectious you'll be humming them for weeks. All for only £5 on the door.
Thu 07 August	Diamond Head + Deadeye
Diamond Head on tour promoting their new album ‘What’s In Your Head?’ Don’t miss this phenomenal band fresh from a UK tour supporting Thin Lizzy.
Sat 16 August	Wooden Boy
At long last we all sorted our shit out and managed to get a gig with Wooden Boy sorted. I'm pretty damn sure it'll be worth it. Cutting swathes in their native Telford, these guys look promising for the future. Tight as a gnats chuff in in a chastity belt, they refresh the 3 piece power genre.
Thu 21 August	Justin Sullivan
An intimate acoustic night with New Model Army's frontman. If you're saying "who?" then stay away, put your Good Charlotte cd on and cut yourself happy, never knowing that you'll be missing the greatest singer/songwriter of his, mine and your generation. Tickets on sale now...£11.50. Limited number available.
Sat 23 August	The Subkicks
West Midlands based four-piece, formed from the ashes of indie label darlings EXIST. (Exist having been signed to EMI in 2005 and ISLAND in 2006, releasing a single for both, too much acclaim) School friends Matt Bellamy and James Allen formed the original band in school with local friend Chris Robinson and original bass player Simon Riley. After a number of Uk tours and supports with the likes of Boy Kill Boy, Maximo Park and the Shins to promote the singles, they began to work towards getting an album ready to record. Simon departed, James moved onto bass and another scene friend Andy Brookes completed the now renamed and re-invigorated subkicks………….. I know indie isn't really our usual genre but I just had to jump on this bandwagon. They've just done a SERIOUSLY sold-out tour of Japan and are making all the right moves to head in the right direction.
Sat 30 August	Boob Aid 2. Charity all-dayer.
What greater way to raise money and awareness for breast cancer, and have a good time enjoying this precious gift of life, than a festival entitled Boobaid. Boobaid, quite simply is all about Boobs, the music and the Aid from the proceeds, all contributing towards the great work of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity! The 2008 Boobaid is to be held at the brilliant live venue, The Rigger, in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Saturday 30th August, start time TBC. Bringing you the best in top estabilished and up and coming bands, this year with the emphasis on female performers. It's an all day and night concert showcasing FIVE fantastic bands. The event is FREE, with a voluntary donation to be made at the door (be generous!). There'll be raffles, prizes and much more... Almost 41,000 women and 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK alone! More than 1,000 women die from the disease every month, and, approximately one in nine women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Breakthrough Breast Cancer is the leading charity committed to fighting breast cancer through research and education. Breakthrough's scientific work aims to eradicate breast cancer by discovering the causes of the disease, finding methods of prevention and developing new treatments, with results being translated as rapidly as possible into practical help for patients. You too, can really make a difference by supporting this great event... Dante Fox Dante Fox was formed in September 1989 by vocalist Sue Willetts. Through the summer of 1997 Sue Willetts and Tim Manford started writing for the new album. This time they wanted to make a conscious effort to make the second album sound tougher but not sacrificing the harmonies and strong vocals that the band is known for. In February 1998 Dante Fox entered Mad Hat Studios to record the second album "The Fire Within". The album features Shy's Tony Mills on backing vocals and Hard Rains Paul Hodson on keyboards. Again with a positive response from the press and some great shows, it was time for a well deserved break. In February of 2005 Dante Fox were offered the support to US Melodic female, for their summer tour of the UK. Dante Fox recruited Mick Hales on drums. In 2006 Dante Fox recruited new bass player Mike Dagnall and Keyboard player/ guitarist Roman Wieckowski and began to record their third album at Mad Hat Studios. This album is not only their strongest album to date, high in the individual performance factor, but also features some very mature songwriting. The title track on the new album "Under The Seven Skies" boasts the combined songwriting talents of the new line-up and is the first song finished and written as a team. The first track recorded "Breakin me Down" has had heavy rotation on Steve Price's Show on ARFM with great reaction and support. "Under The Seven Skies" is out now (Frontiers Records, 2007) www.myspace.com/dantefox Spiked Spiked are a young all girl pop/punk rock band hailing from Hitchin. They have their eyes set on rock “n” roll stardom and are really paying attention to all aspects of the business, including strong song writing, good musicianship, image and putting on a damn good show. A four piece all-girl indie/rock band with pulsating tunes mixing heavy riffs and teenage angst ridden words, they'll have you dancing in no time! Spiked who are Sian Wilson (vocals), Jenny Lucas (guitar, BV), Cassie Perkins (bass), and Lauren Wilson (drums, BV). They mix pop-punk with an earthy grunge sound. It's fast, fresh and feisty! All this from Spiked, four girls well short of ordering their first snakebite and black! www.myspace.com/spikedmusic Racune Combining diverse influences from various aspects of music, Racune are exhuming the old and embracing the new. Combining aspects of metal, rock'n'roll, 80's synth, funk and soul, Racune are a refreshing sound surging through the depths of todays musical flat line. They are currently performing all over the local scene, constantly expanding out, trying new things and always evolving their set. www.myspace.com/racune Sirenide SIRENIDE are a 5 piece rock band. The band consists of 3 girls and 2 guys who have found their destiny rocking the music scene. With raunchy female vocals, backed by angelic harmonies, ripping guitar solos and primal drum beats. www.myspace.com/sirenide My Sergeant Mask My Sergeant Mask are a four piece band from Stoke-on-Trent. The band formed in 2006 after meeting at a performing arts weekend, with the exception of Shaun on bass who joined later in 2006. We had all performed in a number of various school bands, but decided to take our passion and determination forward into creating our own unique sound. we developed very quickly from covering other people's songs to writing our own material. Now just aged 16 we have several music videos and six recorded songs soon to be released as an E.P. My Sergeant Mask were crowned the 2007 winners of the BBC Midlands Today School of Rock competition. The female fronted band were only formed in 2006 and have beaten off competition from numerous bands from around the Midlands to win the prize and once again fly the flag for the local music scene. www.myspace.com/mysergeantmask We would like to thank ALL of the bands for donating their time and effort, without them Boobaid would not be possible !

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