Francesco Marras will probably be best known to many as the current guitarist in NWOBHM legends Tygers of Pan Tang or in his own band Screaming Shadows. However, he also has a career as a solo artist, taking on the role of lead vocalist as well as guitarist. His latest solo album, “Out of the Fire”, was released on 21^st February and it features guest vocalists on four tracks alongside the six tracks Francesco sings on. I spoke to Francesco on Zoom on 25^th February and we talked about the new album, Screaming Shadows, Tygers of Pan Tang, his other projects and future plans. You can hear that interview on the Friday NI Rocks Show for 28^th February. - https://www.rockradioni.co.uk/hosts/ni-rocks-friday-rock-show 

The interview has been uploaded to our MixCloud page - https://www.mixcloud.com/NIRocks/francesco-marras-interview-on-the-friday-ni-rocks-show-28th-feb-2025/   and will be available to read here shortly.

Back in October we shared the announcement about the launch of the BEL-AOR ROCKS Festival in Belfast in May (https://www.rockradioni.co.uk/news/local-rock-news/3915-bel-aor-rocks-the-ultimate-aor-experience-arrives-in-belfast-this-coming-may ). More bands were announced in November and further acts were announced last week. You can check out the press release below. This is definitely an event you will not want to miss!!

Missouri based band Shaman’s Harvest formed back in 1996 and have released seven albums in that period. They finally make it to the UK and Ireland this year on the aptly named ‘About Time’ tour; alongside Texan band Blacktop Mojo. The tour includes a show in The Limelight in Belfast on 19^th March, plus gigs in Dublin and Cork on the following nights.

The band’s last three albums have been released through Mascot Label Group, including the latest “Rebelator” which came out in 2022. The label put me in touch with one of the band’s founding members, guitarist Josh Hamler, and we had a chat on Zoom on 12^th February. We talked about the new single “Rock n Roll Queen”, the upcoming tour, future releases, the history of the band and plans for the rest of 2025.

You can hear that conversation as well as four tracks from Shaman’s Harvest on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 14^th February. That Show is now available from the On Demand Player - https://www.rockradioni.co.uk/hosts/ni-rocks-friday-rock-show

The interview can be read below and the Show has been uploaded to our MixCloud page as well - 

https://www.mixcloud.com/NIRocks/josh-hamler-shamans-harvest-interview-on-the-friday-ni-rocks-show-14th-feb-2025/