Much like the UK’s own High Voltage Festival, the US M3 Festival is dedicated to classic and retro rock acts, and the 2012 line-up was a cracker. Over the course of two days, rock fans were treated to live sets by Bang Tango, Dokken, Ratt, Enuff Z’Nuff, XYZ and more.

A highlight of the weekend was a 65 minute set by progressive rock/metal legends Queensrÿche. Queensrÿche also performed a superb set at High Voltage in 2011, although far too short at just over 25 minutes. They really ought to have been given the headline slot instead of Dream Theater… Still, this professionally shot set from M3 may provide a small amount of consolation for those in the UK, as Geoff Tate and company play a selection of their well loved classics alongside a few lesser known cuts.

The setlist in full:
Intro
Get Started
Damaged
I Don’t Believe In Love
Hit The Black
I’m American
NM 156
Screaming In Digital
The Lady Wore Black
Walk In The Shadows
Silent Lucidity
Jet City Woman
Empire 50:58
Eyes Of A Stranger

On April 23rd, Jack White released his much anticipated solo debut ‘Blunderbuss’. Following a legacy of work with The White Stripes and hugely enjoyable releases with The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, ‘Blunderbuss’ had much to live up to…but White managed to pull all of his previous influences together, alongside a couple of new angles and release a cracker of a disc.

Prior to his gigs in the UK, just four days after the release of the album, White performed a full show at Webster Hall in New York, a show directed by Gary Oldman and seen by millions as a webcast. For those who missed it – or for those who loved it so much it needs to be seen again – Jack White’s VEVO channel have uploaded the complete set to YouTube.

One show.
Two sets.
New material alongside reworked familiarities.
What’s not to enjoy…?

Sepultura’s 1990 release ‘Arise’ really put the band on the metal map. Both that album and it’s follow up – 1993’s ‘Chaos AD’ really tightened the band’s brand of thrash and bought them a vastly expanded fan base. By the time of 1996’s ‘Roots’, the influnce of Brazilian music played a bigger role in the band’s sound, something frontman Max Cavalera explored further with his band Soulfly following his split from Sepultura at the end of that year.

Whilst Sepultura continued to release solid albums and Soulfly were also incredibly strong, there were always fans who hoped for more music in the more traditional thrash vein of ‘Arise’. In 2007, they got their wish, as Max Cavalera teamed up with his brother Igor – also ex-Sepultura – to form Cavalera Conspiracy, a band which celebrated a more straight ahead thrasy metal sound than either of the Cavalera brothers had played for years.

The band’s debut ‘Inflikted’ was a solid effort, but it was 2011’s ‘Blunt Force Trauma’ which really hit the mark. In terms of riffs, attitude and pacing, it was one of the year’s best no-nonsense metal releases. ‘BFT’ could almost be the follow up to Sepultura’s ‘Chaos Ad’ that never was.

To make the album even more essential for fans, it was issued with a bonus 80 minute DVD, capturing the band’s complete performance at the 2008 Eurockeenes Festival in France. Also that same year, they played an hour’s set at Hovefestivalen in Norway. Filmed for a live webcast, that performance – not available on DVD – can be seen below.

‘Chinese Democracy’ was a long time coming. It was never going to live up to the fifteen year saga which led to its release, but truth told, it was a much better album than most ever thought it could be. No, it wasn’t “classic” Guns N’ Roses (for the want of a phrase), but it contained some great, rockin’ tunes. The presence of the mighty Buckethead on some tracks was always likely to give things a sense of urgency if nothing else.

Over the following couple of years, Axl Rose and his revolving pick up band played various live shows – sometimes absolutely killing it, sometimes not, sometimes turning up late, sometimes upsetting South American fans. Wherever they go, there’s often a small amount of rock star drama.

Just before Christmas 2011, the band played a mammoth three hour set at The Forum, Inglewood, which was simultanously broadcast on ye olde internet. Despite some vocal problems, the setlist was solid enough: a selection of ‘Chinese Democracy’ tracks, a bunch of classic numbers, a world of lengthy solo spots and jams. There’s even time for one of ex-Replacements man Tommy Stinson‘s solo numbers!

For those with more spare time than they know what to do with, the entire performance can be seen below. While it’s great that G N’R have spent a huge chunk of 2011’s second half on the road, it’s a shame it came at the expense of Soul Asylum’s planned trip to the UK (their first for sixteen years…)

After touring their 1997 release, the optimistically titled ‘Album of the Year’, Faith No More disbanded. Following the break-up, frontman Mike Patton went into recording overdrive, releasing various avant-garde records, not only under his own name but with metal band Fantomas, funk/alternative oddballs Mr Bungle and a whole bunch more besides.

As great as some of these projects were – always interesting, if not always entirely enjoyable – fans still held his work with Faith No More in very high regard.

In 2009, Faith No More reformed and played some festival shows. Over the following two years, the momentum grew and the band made even more appearances, though after two years of sporadic touring, appearances in the UK were somewhat under-represented.

In November 2011, Faith No More played four shows in South America, culminating in two festival headline slots. The first, at Maquinara in Chile proved to be a wholly unique experience as the band played the whole of ‘King For a Day…Fool For a Lifetime’. The following night, their slot at the SWU Festival, Brazil was professionally filmed and can be enjoyed below. The set-list may be more varied than Maquinara, but still contains it’s share of classic moments.

Perhaps most importantly, it still included what most fans are calling “mystery song” which appeared at the start of the encore. Could there be long-awaited new material on the way?