Live Review : Sweden Rock Festival on June 9th 2023

The third day arrives with a sigh of relief as a breeze graces us with its presence. It's a welcome breeze, although it does play havoc with the sound at times. Nonetheless, to be fair, it’s been noticeable that all the stages boast excellent sound. We snag an interview with the incredible hardcore legends Raised Fist before making our way past H.E.A.T. to catch Vended on the Blåkläder Stage. Griffin Taylor’s vocals undeniably bear a striking resemblance to his old man's, not just in style but also in phrasing and vocal melodies. Still, he and the band are carving out their own path and making a name for themselves, not just riding on the coattails of their family ties.

Live Review : Firestorm Festival on August 12, 13, 14th 2022

When it first hit social media pages back in March, most people thought Firestorm was either a wind-up or a scam. You see, if you are a fan of the current crop of new wave of classic rock acts, then this provided a mouth-watering line-up that put bigger setups (with bigger budgets) to shame. All that was before anyone had even seen the venue. Whitebottom Farm is set within Etherow Country park just outside Manchester and is awash with meandering walks through some amazing greenery and scenery. For a festival, it is perfect, as it manages to combine panoramic views with an intimate area.

Live Review : Call of the Wild Festival 2022 - Day 2

I realise as I am going about my morning ablutions that looking at the schedule there is no way I am going to be able to catch every band over the next 3 days. It’s already a late start for me (because bacon) so I decide to just roll with it and see as much as I can. Those I’ve missed, I will try to catch you elsewhere later in the year.

The first victims of the Bacon Incident are Steal The City, who sounded okay from the campervan! So the first band of the day for me was Twister. They play melodic hard rock and are from the north east.

Live Review : Rockin The Bowl (Forged In Fire & Steel) – Saturday September 11th at Don Valley Bowl, Sheffield

It’s an early start after a late night as we trundle along the M62 in the campervan. The weather is looking promising, and we arrive in plenty of time to get settled in before the bands start. This event has expanded from one day to 3 this year, to make up for having to roll over from 2020, and the campsite is busy but well-organised. You can pitch your tent next to your car (which is handy) and those of us in vans just park them up in an available space. Everything is compact, it’s a very short walk to the arena, in fact there are several places where you can sit outside your tent, car or van and both see and hear the main stage pretty well.

Live Review : Steelhouse Festival 2021 - Day 2

Saturday dawned bright and…… nah. This is Wales. The wind got up a bit overnight, the rain came in and Saturday morning was wet and blustery. Much re-pegging and such was done on the various campsites as people woke and surveyed the havoc wreaked by the unforecast gales. Thankfully casualties seemed to be minor, and it was soon time to head into the arena to see what the second day would bring.

Live Review : SOS Festival, Prestwich on July 13th 2019

Another mad dash up the motorway for me, and much to my delight I managed to catch all bar the first song of openers Hell’s Gazelles. They are a young band from Oxfordshire who play traditional metal – big riffs and soaring vocals abound. There’s been a line-up change since I saw them last but stalwarts Nate (guitar) and Cole (vocal) are still holding the whole thing together nicely.