Seems like the best way to end a heatwave is to hold a rock
festival, with three weeks of blistering sunshine cancelled out by the
start of the third year of Wales’ fledgling festival. It’s soon apparent
that we should have brought the land rover, as Steelhouse takes place
on top of what in some countries would be called a mountain. Seriously,
if there was an award for the festival with the shittest road, this
would win hands down, as the muddy, potholed ascent to the top has all
the grace and charm of Margaret Thatcher on her period. Once we get
there (past a grinning steward who is obviously enjoying drivers
astonished faces as they bounce around like ping pong balls) it all gets
rather quaint. The tents are set up and we stroll into the modest sized
arena, which feels like a nice country fete. Okay, so it’s a fete with a
big stage at one end, but I am disappointed that there isn’t a coconut
shy and a tombola somewhere. What there is, brilliantly, is an area
where you can recharge your mobile phone for free, the catch being that
you have to use pedal power. We grab a drink, set up the chairs in the
beautiful weather and pull up our socks so they don’t get completely
rocked off.
The first two bands are unknown to us, with openers
Fireroad having won a competition to get their spot. It’s well deserved
though, as their music is both powerful and catchy, and I vow to get
hold of their debut album. Dead Shed Jokers follow them, but their heavy
bass and riffs are held back by a vocal that needs to be deeper,
angrier and more passionate. Unlike Fireroad they get dull quite quickly
and our minds wander.
As the rain starts to fall we retire to
the tents, and as a result aren’t in the arena when Hand Of Dimes begin
their set. The thing is, as the singer starts belting out the first
number I can’t help thinking his voice bears an uncanny resemblance to
Neville MacDonald, he of Skin and Red, White & Blues fame. A quick
scurry from the tent reveals that it is indeed the man himself, fronting
a band I hadn’t heard about. Unsurprisingly, the music is rich and
bluesy, with Nev absolutely filling the arena with his powerful, soulful
vocals. Seriously, I could listen to the man sing all day, and if we
don’t hear more from Hand Of Dimes past their debut ep it will be a
great shame. Tidy.
Fighting Wolves are next, and the come onto
the stage in a flurry of decibels, keeping up the pace and volume
throughout their 50 minute set. They have talent and stage presence, but
as with Dead Shed Jokers the songs just don’t stick in my mind long
enough to make a difference. They’re a young band, and hopefully it’s a
more positive story on their debut CD, but today, on a mountain,
Fighting Wolves didn’t quite put up enough of a fight.
Boom!
That’s the effect The Temperance Movement have as they explode onto the
stage, channelling the Black Crowes and Quireboys via the Rolling Stones
through their pure energy, helped immensely by the very animated (and
rather skinny) frontman Phil Campbell. They fill their allotted hour
with a variety of tunes, the highlight for me being the long but never
dull “Pride”, and the Aoerosmith alike “Know For Sure”. Although still
to release their debut album (due in September), The Temperance Movement
have been making a lot of friends, as evidenced by the most attentive
and numerous crowd of the day so far. A cracking surprise and a very
entertaining band, The Temperance Movement are floating close to stardom
- lets hope they can grab it before it whizzes by.
And so to
Anvil, whose dead end career got a massive boost when they appeared in
their own highly entertaining documentary. The result, unfortunately, is
that we have to sit through their set. It’s immediately apparent that
Anvil were an average heavy metal band who didn’t get massive because
they were, well, an average heavy metal band: the world moved on, Anvil
didn’t. It’s pretty obvious, mind, that vocalist/guitarist Lips is
overjoyed to be here, to be anywhere, really. He is having a blast,
whereas I am wincing every so often at the quite awful music that they
are playing. You’d think after all this time they would have got better,
but as new track “Bad Ass Rock & Roll” shows, Anvil have a limited
time before people realize that entertaining in a documentary doesn’t
mean entertaining on stage. By the way: How many members of Anvil does
it take to change a light bulb? It doesn’t matter: they’re just glad to
be here.
So it’s time for FM, the stalwarts of British AOR, and
there’s plenty of eager fans happy to brave the storm (or was that Shy…)
as the band kick off with the chunky “Tough Love”. Although, in effect,
the cheese in the metal sandwich that is Anvil and Saxon, FM do their
usual bang up job, throwing classics and newies at the crowd. “I Belong
To the Night” and “That Girl” nestle comfortably alongside “Crosstown
Train” and “Over You”, with the band sounding tight as ever. Steve
Overland gets to flex his vocal muscles as the set ends with the now
inevitable “Heard It Through The Grapevine”, and all in all a good time
is had by everyone not sheltering in the beer tent.
Although a
different kettle of metal to FM, Saxon share the trait of being almost
guaranteed to give you a good, clean show, and tonight is no exception.
The rain stops for a while as they blast through 90 minutes of metal.
New track “Sacrifice” is a great, powerful opener, but the band
recognize the crowd’s lust for classic material and don’t disappoint.
“Power & The Glory”, “Heavy Metal Thunder”. ”Dallas 1pm”, and the
much loved “The Eagle Has Landed” are amongst those aired, with newer
tracks such as “Conquistador” and “Wheels Of Terror” fitting in nicely.
Drummer Nigel Glockler gets an early solo, made bearable by the fact his
drum riser shoots up to the heavens and sprays sparks all over the
place. Throughout the set we are also treated to massive jets of flame
that take a few photographer’s eyebrows off and the crowning glory of
the giant eagle at the back of the stage, making it’s first UK
appearance for 20 years. As Biff ponders the curfew (“We’re oop a fookin
mountain!”) we slip off as they bang out encores “Crusader” and “Denim
& Leather”, deciding to bugger off home and come back in the morning
rather than swim about in the campsite. So far, though, Steelhouse has
certainly been fun, and tomorrow’s line up says it might even get
better.
Day two sees tents but not spirits dampened, and we try
hard not to look smug after a night in a comfy bed and a nice pub
breakfast. The rain has decided to start early, and mother nature has
now added a strong wind that proceeds to try and steal as many lead
vocals as it can throughout the day. Unfortunately some unexpected
trafiic means we only catch the last track from openers Blackbyrd (and
even then from the car patk), and that’s a shame because they sound
rather good. They are followed by Skam, who manage to put the “power”
into “Power Trio” with a solid wall of aggression and melody that is
rather impressive. Good songs, a good crowd and a rare break in the rain
mean they deservedly make a few new friends.
Trucker Diablo are
another new one on me, and as they take the stage to the strains of CW
McColl’s “Convoy” they look like they just crawled out of a Louisiana
swamp. As soon as the music starts, however, it’s clear these aren’t
inbred gator wrestlers. Power, anger and might riffs are topped off by a
singer who can also trot out an impressive guitar solo. When he speaks
to the crowd it’s apparent that the band are in fact Irish, and an
audience member tells me they’ve been around a while. They tempt fate
with “When’s It Gonna Rain”, rock out with “Voodoo” and finish a superb
40 minute set with “Year Of The Truck”. Hard and heavy but catchy with
it, Trucker Diablo are certainly the surprise hit of Day 2.
I
was happy to see Vega on the bill for the festival, and am even happier
when they rock up and deliver with what seems like no effort at all.
Although the wind steals vocalist Nick Workman’s efforts for a few
minutes, the sound guys grab it back and the fifty minutes fly by.
Special note has to made of guitarist Tom Martin, whose solos seem to
fly from his fingers. Workman himself is pitch perfect, and the songs,
culled from their two albums so far, are well chosen. “White Knuckle
Ride”, “Into the Wild” and the Chrry Pie a-like “What The Hell get the
crowd buzzing, and by the time they finish with “Hands In The Air” it’s
clear this is a band that can go places.
Heaven’s Basement seem
to have brought a decent following with them, and although different to
the band I fell in love with some years ago, they play good enough
modern rock and have lucked out with vocalist Aaron Buchanon, a natural
firebrand who fits in lik a glove. Appropriately, the heavens open
during the set, but it doesn’t hold them back and they finish with an
old(ish) favourite “Executioners Day”. Although I enjoy the set, and
have heard the album, I’m not half as excited as I was when I watched
the original incarnation. Maybe I’m just too old…
For me, it’s
now time for the highlight. I’m not a massive Schenker fan, and have
seen Magnum dozens of times, so when Snakecharmer take the stage I’m
grinning from ear to ear. Although Whitesnake covers are expected, it’s
great that they start with “Guilty As Charged” from their well received
debut. Chris Ousey has am amazing voice, and holds the stage with a Paul
Rodgers swagger and a ton of well earned confidence. He’s certainly
backed by pure class, evidenced by the impressive trading of licks
between Laurie Wiseman and Mickey Moody at the end of “Ready &
Willing”. “Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues” actually sounds bluesier
with Ousey’s vocals, whilst “Slow & easy” is nothing short of a
masterclass in rock performance, the crowd reluctant to leave for
shelter even though it’s absolutely pissing down. “Accident prone”,
“Falling Leaves” and “Nothing To Lose” again showcase the quality of the
new material, but the biggest applause is reserved for the final dup of
“Here I Go Again” and “Fool For Your Loving”. Simply astounding, and
the band of the day for me.
Magnum wrest back Mark Stanway and
Harry James from Snakecharmer for their 70 minute set, and there’s a
great feeling of warmth from the crowd for these stalwarts of British
rock. The set isn’t at all surprising, although opener “All You
Dreamers” is an odd choice when something fast paced would have done so
much better. It’s almost a half and half set, with newer stuff giving
way to fan favourites like “Vigilante”, “Rockin Chair” and ”Days Of No
Trust”. The band sound great, although Bob Catley could do with a bit
more volume on his mic, and Tony Clarkin as usual displays understated
virtuoso skills quietly in stage right. Always good to see and always
good, Magnum did their job, but hopefully we’ll one day get a more
varied set from the Midlands masters of melody.
Finally, and
rather later than advertised because of the bloody weather causing havoc
to the technical gubbins, Michael Schenker and pals get their go. It’s
his “Temple Of Rock” tour, and for it he has sensibly picked a set full
of fan favourites from UFO, The Scorpions and his own stuff. You can’t
really argue with a set that starts out with “Lovedrive”, “Another Piece
Of Meat” and “Assault Attack”. Vocalist Doogie White doesn’t really
look like a frontman, but he has a great set of pipes, whilst the ex
Scorps due of Herman Rarebell and Francis Buchholz keep the rhythm
going. Schenket himself doesn’t look up from his guitar much and comes
across like the Gary Busey of rock, but he sure can play guitar and was
on fine form, particularly for “Attack of The Mad Axemen”. New track
“Horizons” is okay without being amazing, and the Dio tribute “Before
The Devil Knows You’re Dead” is a bit embarrassing, but overall the lads
put on a decent show.
Steelhouse 4 has been announced for next
year, and it seems like the line ups have been getting better each year
so there should be plenty to look forward to. Hopefully a coconut shy
and a tombola…
For videos of FM, Vega, Snakecharmer and Magnum, go to my YouTube channel at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/alanrockunited
