Coming soon: Rifles out to hit the mark

Not content with a gruelling 40-date tour, Rifles are heading out for more punishment as they endeavour to storm the national consciousness.

Blood, sweat and beers will be the order of the day as the East London regiment promote their exhilarating second album, Great Escape.

The band have own a host of plaudits, including the following: "There's an intoxicating maturity...that is harder to ignore the second time around." Q

"Punk-tinged ska which also packs heartfelt pop hooks" The Sun

"The Rifles are here to pop the collars on your metaphorical Harrington" The Word

"As anthemic as anything the Jam put their name to." Clash

"All stomping , pedal to the metal guitar riffs. The Rifles musical heroin" ­ Loaded

Check out details of local dates at www.therifles.net or www.myspace.com/therifles

Papa Roach ready to rock

The multi-award-winning and Grammy-nominated Papa Roach will be promoting their new album Metamorphosis with a UK tour that includes a West Midlands date.

They're coming to Birmingham Academy on 18th April. Metamorphosis is out on March 23, featuring the new single Hollywood Whore, which is out on March 2.

The Californian quartet burst onto the scene in 2000 and have since toured the world and scored four top 10 US hits including Forever, Scars, Getting Away With Murder and the smash hit single Last Resort, which peaked at number 4 in the UK charts.

See AC/DC in Telford - sort of

Fans who don't want to steel themselves for AC/DC's forthcoming stadium tour can catch tribute act Live/Wire at The Place, at Oakengates Theatre, Telford, on March 20.

The tribute band are playing tracks from across the rockers' careers and tickets are available at the box office.