Planet Rock, The UK's Classic Rock Station

Click for Xmas Bash Photos

London's Carling Academy Islington was heaving with festive rock n' roll spirit on Tuesday night (11th December) for yet another cracking Planet Rock Xmas Bash and a few very special guests with a star turn from Free/Bad Co frontman Paul Rodgers and The Answer.

For those of you who were there to join in the festivities, we salute you. What a night indeed, stand-up Rik Moore kicked things off with a little comedy to initiate proceedings, followed by our presenters Rob Birnie and Nicky Horne preying on audience members to abandon all dignity and enter into a few silly games involving baby bottles, beer and karaoke! It was always going to get messy.

By 9 o'clock we were well and truly warmed up and ready for the evening's centre piece in the shape of Northern Ireland's fab four, The Answer, who blew everyone away with their explosive blues-rock. What strikes you most about these guys, is the feeling that they have been around for years, with a tight, polished performance, classic sound and confident frontman in Cormac Neeson, who oozes with Robert Plant overtones yet still manages to command his own style. No wonder esteemed Australian rock label, Albert Productions, (who look after rock icons AC/DC) snapped them up in 2005. In those few short years since, Planet Rock has been watching these guys as they "rise" and take on support slots for rock royalty such as Deep Purple, Aerosmith, The Who, the Rolling Stones and Whitesnake.

Following a sneak preview of 'All I Know' (the band's corking new song) and the Planet Rock audience whipped into shape, you would be forgiven for thinking that you'd had your fill and that was that but everyone knows Planet Rock likes to go large in the rock n' roll excess department, so we pulled out the big guns with a very, very special guest, one Mr Paul Rodgers, who joined the band onstage for 2 songs including 'The Hunter' from Rodgers FREE back catalogue. A match made in heaven considering the band cite Free amongst one of their many classic rock influences.

Of course Rodgers knows a good thing when he sees it and has already had the lads open for him at his Royal Albert Hall gig in London this year. Their Planet Rock reunion however, saw them together with Paul Mahon (Guitar), Michael Waters (Bass) and James Heatley (Drums) playing a blinder, seamlessly accompanying their legendary guest as their excited frontman beamed as if all his Christmas's had come at once (not to mention the ecstatic audience.) If there was such a thing, we'd swear we saw more than one or two grown men crying!

Could you ask for a nicer Xmas present? Rodgers was simply charming, taking the stage with grace and poised like the rock god he is, for a magnificent performance without overshadowing his fellow rockers, a true rock gent.

Oh what a night! What a crowd and what an atmosphere!

Thanks to everyone who was there - comedian Rik Moore, The Answer for a storming performance, the ever gracious Paul Rodgers, all our guests and all you lovely listeners whether you were at the party or not, your support for the station throughout the year is truly appreciated. We salute you. Merry Xmas.

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