Written By: NICK ASHTON
Photos By: NICK ASHTON
While the weather might have been predictably dull and grey (it’s a British summer, after all), the bands on offer at SOS Festival XV were anything but drab. The SOS team have a knack of selecting an eclectic range of artists from across the whole spectrum of rock and metal. As a result, there is something to please everyone no matter whether your tastes run to classic rock and prog or traditional heavy metal and headbanging heaven.
SOS began on Friday evening with Damnation’s Hammer who wake up the crowd with some chunky, doom-laden heavy metal riffs. They favour brooding intensity over all out thrash, which hits the spot nicely and goes down well with the early crowd who are eager to dive deep into the abyss where the dark twisted things live. The pace changes as we move outside for VMBRA whose complex, yet accessible prog brightens the mood. Vocal duties are shared between Ai Sanchez and Jack Hogg, which mixes up the flavours on offer. SOS is the first festival that the band have played, and their enthusiasm is palpable as they draw the crowd into their magical universe. Definitely a band to look out for if you enjoy all things proggy. In rather stark contrast, Dead Demons offer well crafted and highly entertaining heavy rock at its finest. A popular choice with the SOS faithful, vocalist Mark Hale is a great frontman who really knows how to work a crowd. He quickly gets everyone involved with the show, instigating a cheering competition between two halves of the audience and getting everyone to sing along to Overload. He also winds up bandmate Pete Harriman by claiming that his bassline on Dead Demons is taken from Living On A Prayer much to the amusement of the crowd (Pete take pains afterwards to strongly deny this accusation!). In addition to previewing new song Ripper, the set closes with a rousing gallop through Another Space In Time to end on a well deserved high.
Outdoors, the Viking Stage is playing host to another prog band in the form of Giant Walker. Theirs is a rather darker, mournful take on the genre which focuses on feelings of isolation and alienation. Challenging at times, with complex time signatures, intense brooding passages and soaring vocals this is music that requires your full attention. The band are currently working on their debut album, so you can expect to hear more from them soon. Next up we have Blackballed, who I first saw back in 2019 at Planet Rockstock. I enjoyed their performance and was keen to see them again, but fate conspired to ensure that we were never in the same place at the same time, so I was looking forward to the opportunity to catch up at SOS. Thankfully, the wait was well worth it as they were great fun. Vocalist/guitarist Marshall Gill (former guitarist with New Model Army) immediately strikes up a great rapport with the audience. Their good time rock and roll is delivered with a confident swagger which makes each and every person in the crowd feel part of the experience. Groovy, riffy and catchy as hell they even take a detour to the Gay Bar in a set which spans their three albums. Hopefully it won’t be another five years before our paths cross again.
So how do you finish off an eclectic evening of rock and metal and all things in between? The answer is easy: The Hot Damn! who bring a splash of rainbow colours to the sea of black that is the audience. You know that you are in for a good time when a roadie brings a giant inflatable unicorn out onto the stage, the intro tape fires up and the band hits the ground running. Dance Around is pop-rock perfection, About Last Night recalls hangover regrets and Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! gets everyone grooving. Drummer Josie O’Toole seems to have more arms than an octopus as she pounds her kit with boundless energy. Guitarist Laurie Buchanan and bassist Lzi Hayes jump around constantly while Gill Montgomery holds it all together on vocals and guitar. This is good time, infectious rock and roll: no agendas, no preaching just plain simple fun. Even when it comes to marketing the band takes a light-hearted approach, adapting Janis Joplin’s Oh Lord, Won’t You Buy Me A Mercedes Benz? to Won’t You Buy Me A T-shirt, … A CD, … A Hat etc along with a reminder that their debut album is due out on 27 September. How can you say no when they ask so nicely? The sales pitch over, we head to the disco for a touch of Hot Stuff which morphs into Hot Damn! before the set closes with a rousing I Didn’t Like You Anyway. A perfect end to a terrific day.
Saturday begins with Luna Marble who have the unenviable task of filling the opening hangover slot. Thankfully their hippy vibes and psychedelic inspired classic rock tunes have a restorative effect on the crowd which soon warms to their charms. Maria Rico has a big voice which is more than up to the task of filling the outdoor space, while guitarist DragoşColceriu looks every inch the 70s rock star and has the licks to go with the image. Look out for their new single, The Ride, out in early August. Moving inside and next up its KinStrife who are making their SOS debut. These guys are personal favourites who I have seen on many occasions, but today is particularly poignant as vocalist Mike Hoskins has recently announced that he is stepping away from the band for health reasons. Hence it is a bittersweet opportunity to see the band in its current form for maybe the last time while also looking forward to the next stage in their journey. However, that does not stop the fun and the whole band are on top form as they launch into Intervention followed quickly by Sticks and Stones and Getaway. We are even treated to a new song, Queen Of Broken Hearts, which has a Native American / southern rock vibe while still retaining the essential KinStrife big rock sound. Closing all too soon with Make Me and an enthusiastic reception from the crowd, the long journey to Oldham was well worth it.
LaVire are a different prospect altogether, bursting onto the outdoor stage with huge energy and frenetic riffs galore. Vocalist Chloé Jolivel combines powerful and impassioned clean vocals with harsh howls that add to the aggressive feel of the music, while Aaron Hall’s guitar drives the songs forward relentlessly with big chunky riffs. You can easily immerse yourself into their sound and forget your everyday cares for a while. Inside next for Rockabye Reaper (great name!), a new band on the South Wales scene spanning that fertile creative ground between modern rock and metal. Their debut single, Betrayal, sums up their approach nicely: a good fast pace with lots of double kick action, chunky riffs, clean vocals courtesy of Keeley Shobbrook and harsh growls from Dafydd Jones. Despite being a new band, they are not thrown off kilter when Daniel Thomas-James experiences some problems with his bass and they quickly recover to plough on with the set. Second single Fatal Attraction, which is due out in a couple of months, also kicks hard and they finish their well-received set with a big bouncy number that bodes well for their future.
Heartbreak Remedy ooze sleazy confidence and a rock and roll attitude. Musically they mix up dirty blues, rock and country influences into a satisfying gumbo that hits the spot. With three albums under their belts, they have matured into a tight efficient unit that pushes all the right buttons. Latest single Working Man Blues, taken from 2023’s Let The Good Times Roll has got a strong southern vibe with a dirty grinding riff and a downtrodden hero whose lot in life is to work to live. Not so Zac and the New Men who are clearly living to work, albeit as rock stars rather than on the factory floor. I have seen these guys several times now, and on each occasion they have grown both in confidence and stature. They have always had the songs – huge 70s inspired goliaths – but now they have a confidence and swagger to match. While initially attention focussed primarily on vocalist/guitarist Zac Davies, over the past 12 months fellow guitarist Oli Poole and bassist James Dye have found their grooves and now all three are throwing rockstar shapes throughout the set. This development in their stagecraft, coupled with excellent songs from their debut album Reinvent Me is sure to enthral ever larger audiences over the coming months. Expect to see them much higher up on festival bills next summer.
Scottish metallers Wild Fire change the pace on the Viking Stage with their visceral riffs, fearsome drumming and powerful vocals. They are tight, focussed and on a mission to spread the word to the metal masses. The SOS crowd are clearly receptive to their message, as the band go down well especially when they finish their set with a blistering cover of War Pigs. Quickly moving back inside for ex-ERB Radio presenter Ryan Webb’s band WEBB, the room is packed and waiting in anticipation of the aural onslaught to come. Bursting into life with You’re Going Down, which bristles with pent up energy and rage, it’s clear that we are in for something special. A cover of Nights In White Satin, while remaining essentially faithful to the original in structure, is given a thoroughly modern, metal tinged make over that transforms the song and takes it to new heights. Spread Your Wings, Hate and Can’t Break Me fly past in a blur of riffing mania and pummelling drums and all too soon the set closes on a breathless high with Stay Alive. Continuing the metal assault, Belgium’s Eternal Breath unleash their brand of thrash metal on the outdoor stage. Combining power and prog metal influences with more traditional heavy metal, the powerful vocals of Andy Polfliet cut through the full-on riffing that drives their sound. These guys know how rock hard and they don’t let up, drawing the crowd in and encouraging everyone to get involved in a singalong. Classic thrash delivered with great enthusiasm.
Blackpool’s A’priori have an ever growing, loyal fan base who are well represented at SOS today. As the air raid siren that signals the start of Watch The World Burn echoes round the room, the band launch into a crowd-pleasing set of heavy blues-rock. Featuring Tony Lang on vocals and guitar, Mousey Lang on drums and Mark Wilson on keyboards this well-oiled rock and roll machine knows just how to pull out all the stops. Wasted Years has a groovy swagger, Better Manswirls and dives around the room while Nah Nah Nah Nah is all hip-thrusting lasciviousness. Set closer Making Love To The Devil sees the whole crowd singing along enthusiastically to its bump and grind dirty groove. Look out for their new album Voodoo Love coming out in September. Heading back outside, and Imperium are rampaging across the aptly named Viking Stage delivering their fast and furious thrash with great enthusiasm. This is high energy stuff delivered with laser precision. Despite being a man down (Dead Before Mourning’s Stephen Mussett is standing in for Rapha Comes), the band are a tight and lean killing machine. The riffs come hard and fast thanks to the twin assault of Hardip Sagoo and Scott Lomas, over which Ben Porter barks out the vocals with conviction. First class thrash metal with a modern attitude: highly recommended.
In complete contrast, Tom Killner slows things down with his classy country blues and Americana. Opening number Cosmic Sounds sets the tone with its gentle country vibe and a honky-tonk keyboard sound. There’s plenty of slide guitar action on the likes of Ride With Me while mellow, reflective pieces No More and One Day At A Time evoke the wide open spaces of the American Midwest. If you close your eyes you can feel the sunshine on your face and the wind in your hair as you cruise down the desert highway in a Cadillac convertible. If you enjoy country-flavoured blues delivered with soulful passion, then look no further than Tom and his band as they are the real deal. Which brings us nicely to Saturday headliners Fury, a five-piece rock and roll party waiting to happen. There are no excuses for standing still when the band hit the stage and launch into If You Get To Hell First, an explosion of good time rockin’ riffs and enough energy to power the whole town. Julian Jenkins (JJ) is rooted front and centre on vocals and rhythm guitar, but to his side Nyah Ifill (vocals), Tom Atkinson (guitar) and Becky Baldwin (bass) are a swirling mass of hair, smiles and enthusiasm as they bounce around every inch of the stage. The songs are mostly about crazy things such as monsters, pirates and radio stations in space: as JJ says they are written by the 10 year old who lives inside his head. They are also huge fun and as infectious as that well known virus from 2020, except that in this case there is no cure for the good times. Yet Fury can do serious as well: Rock Lives In My Soul has an important message about tackling sexism, homophobia and hatred in the music industry and beyond. Live and let others live as they choose. Then it’s back to the silliness with Embrace Your Demons and a singalong section which catches everyone unawares. After being admonished, the crowd get on board with a call and response that includes getting everyone to shout ‘I’m gonna buy JJ a beer’ which is apparently a legally binding agreement. Things slow down for the ballad Upon The Lonesome Tide (although it’s still about pirates) before the final energetic push to a climactic ending to the evening in the form of Casino Soleil and the end of the party, on stage at least.
Sunday brings grey skies and the threat of torrential downpours; but the SOS crowd are undaunted and there are a good number of people ready to welcome first act Wailing Banshee on to the stage. This Manchester five-piece specialise in high energy traditional heavy metal delivered with youthful vigour. Vocalist Dani Bentham throws herself into the role, bringing to mind Lzzy Hale in the way that she owns the stage. Their set, which is built around recently released debut EP Fight To Be Free, is a blur of chugging riffs and galloping bass lines which go down well despite the heavens opening towards the end. More heavy metal awaits inside in the form of Crusaders, who deliver bone crushing intensity, dense heavy riffing and thundering drums. The bassist wears a t-shirt proclaiming F**k Your Clean Tone while the set list includes songs titled Doomslayer, Terminate and Battlecry which tells you all that you need to know: this is a band who are not taking any prisoners! Those who survive exit battered and bruised to experience the rejuvenating powers of King Voodoo’s rock n roll circus. With debut album Hex City under their belts, the Voodoos are here to bring some good rocking times to the SOS stage. Ian Johnson and Jamie Suffield trade guitar licks and wide beaming grins while bassist Joshua Carvell throws Sunset Strip 80s rockstar shapes as they rattle through their set of catchy, riffy heavy rock. There is much to enjoy and the crowd certainly agree, lapping up the feel good vibes.
Fellow Merseysiders Attic Theory are mellower, offering up thoughtful grunge-tinged hard rock with a social conscience. Opener Violent Delight sets the scene for what follows: passionate vocals courtesy of Lewis Wright underpinned by an upbeat, catchy hook which breaks out into a tasteful guitar solo. There is a touch of melancholy to the likes of Narrow Lines, but overall the message is positive and uplifting. Next up we have skate punks Velour Fog who mix a Red Hot Chili Peppers funky freaky styley with rap rock beats and a SoCal aesthetic. With a too cool for school attitude, fiery fretwork and slamming bass these young bucks get the crowd moving as they throw in a cover of the Chili’s Give It Awaybefore busting some moves of their own. After that we return to the full-on metal onslaught of Prymå. Fast and furious riffage provides the foil for vocalist Gabi George who prowls the stage like a caged feral beast spitting out vitriolic contempt for all who meet her gaze. There is no let up as the dark brooding intensity builds relentlessly; grinding heavy riffing and pummelling drums first beat the audience into submission and then acceptance of their fate. This is primal stuff which triggers the reptilian part of the brain to enter survival mode.
We need something lighter and groovier after all that the darkness, and what better than Molly Karloff’s modern, catchy hard rock. With new bassist Nico Martin on board, vocalist/guitarist Simon Gee and drummer Jowie Adkins are rejuvenated and ready to rock out again in support of their debut album Breaking Out. I have been singing the praises of these guys for some time and hopefully we will see them venture northwards more often after the positive reception that they received at SOS. She Said, Do You Wanna? and Do It Again have a hip-tugging groove that just make you want to strut your stuff. The hooks are catchy, the drumming swings and the riffs are designed to please. Even if you can’t pronounce Supernaturalation you can dance to it and shout along to the chorus with a smile on your face. Back inside, Black Roze offer up some entertaining classic hard rock. Vocalist Viixen has a different look for each song, donning various hats including a black veil, a steampunk top hat and a dominatrix’s cap with accompanying whip which she uses lasciviously on guitarist Baz Roze who hams it up for the crowd. They even throw in a very sleazy cover of Eurythmic’s Sweet Dreams, making the song their own while drawing the crowd into their darkly gothic world.
SOS favourites Takeaway Thieves ramp up the sleaze back on the big outdoor stage. They offer up good time tunes that make you reach for your dancing shoes and plaster a big dumb grin on your face. 13 Feathers kicks things off in familiar fashion, and we know that all is right with the world. It’s vocalist Peter McLoughlin’s birthday today; but to be honest every day is a party when the Takeaway Thieves are in town so they need little excuse to let the good times roll. As well as tunes from their debut album 9, we get a preview of new album Diamond Point which is out soon and available to pre-order now. On the basis of new song Gypsy, album 2 promises to be bigger, badder and dirtier than its predecessor, which is no bad thing at all. Closing as ever with This Is Rock N Roll, the band leave us wanting more. Stepping back into the dark inside, we find a crowded room awaiting the arrival of White Raven Down on stage for some blistering hard rock. Transport problems have added to the already long journey from Essex, but all that is forgotten as the intro tape starts up. Now fully settled into the role of vocalist/guitarist, Stu Bailey launches into Mind Reader and All Day Long with a twinkle in his eye and we are off to a terrific start. Salvation slows the pace somewhat with its introspective lyrics but it still packs an emotional punch. Things ramp up again for Take Me which sees rhythm section Luke Chappell (bass) and Tomáš Mrázek (drums) really driving the song forward with a relentless onslaught. All too soon Lost Your Hold, with its woah woah woah singalong section, ends the set on a high as everyone joins in. It might have been a long day for the Ravens, but it was certainly worth it for those of us who got to experience their wonderful take on hard rock and roll once again.
It came as no surprise to those of us who have followed Dan Byrne’s career for some time to learn that he was headlining Sunday night at SOS. From the very start, the power of his charismatic voice and enthusiasm for his craft have been there for all to see. His stint with Revival Black brought him to the attention of the new rock community, but it was not until he took the decision to go solo that the full scope of his musical vison became clear. Collaborations with some respected musicians from previous generations, notably including Myke Gray, have helped Dan to get in front of wider audiences but he has now found his own feet and rightly stands as a solo performer who can hold a crowd in the palm of his hand. Tonight’s set takes in his debut solo EP (Hard To Breathe, Easier, Like Animals, Death of Me), highlights from Revival Black (Hemispheres, Wide Awake), some tasteful covers (Simple Man) and even teases some new material (Cherry + Leather, Hate Me). The one common factor that draws it all together is that wonderful voice which seems to effortlessly hit the high notes while having the power to add guts to the dirtier, heavier numbers. Dan is also the consummate frontman, keeping the audience with him at all times. His band are something special too: guitarist Glenn Quinn lays down plenty of tasty hard rock riffs and throws some rockstar shapes of his own. Rhythm section Colin Parkinson (bass) and Max Rhead (drums) keep things tight and punchy, providing heft that really kicks when the pace picks up and holding back in the quieter moments. This is really something special to witness. It will not be too long before Dan needs a far bigger stage to accommodate an ever-growing fan base: make sure that you see him now up close and personal before it is too late.
So SOS XV comes to an end. Yet again Lynne and her team have put together a diverse and eclectic selection of bands, offering up something for all tastes across the rock and metal spectrum. There have been a few surprises, a few new discoveries and the return of some old favourites which is exactly what a good festival should aim to deliver. SOS Festival will return once again next year and I for one cannot wait.
