Pre-Festival Party

Thursday is billed as a pre-festival settling in night for the hardy campers who will be making the site their home for the next few days. There is the opportunity to catch up with friends while enjoying a drink or three and listening to some tunes courtesy of Radio Wigwam (other radio stations are available!). However, this year saw the addition of a new feature in the form of An Audience with We Three Kings, who invited me along a day early to shoot their set. The format was three songs followed by an interview with Paul Cash from the Radio Wigwam team, three more songs followed by questions from the audience and then a longer set to close. As such we got to hear a little more about the band’s backstory, including for those new to the band how Bonesy the skeleton became part of the lineup, as well as plans for their second album (keep your eyes and ears open in April 2026). We were also treated to the first live outing of three new work-in-progress songs. If you are already familiar with their fuzzed-out sound then you know that we’ll be in for a treat when the album finally drops.

Day 1

The festival kicks off properly on Friday at noon with one of the local Battle of the Bands winners Rare Breed who have the honour of being the first band to play on the new Bludsucker main stage. A laid back blues-rock 3-piece from not too far up the road in Mossley, they deliver their gritty, infectious grooves to the early birds who have ventured out into the sun. To date they only have a couple of songs available on streaming platforms, in the form of Pieces and English Rose which both get an airing today and are well worth a listen. The Grand Central third stage has been in the pipeline for a while now, and makes its debut this year as a showcase for upcoming talent. The stage is curated by a different sponsor on each day, with today’s bands having been selected by the Firevolt team themselves. Located a short distance away from the main drag with set times that overlap with better known bands on the bigger stages, the footfall is a little disappointing at times considering the quality of the bands on offer. First up today we have the Flint Guitar School which was established early in 2022 to provide tuition to aspiring guitar and bass players in North Wales. The School is represented today by a 5-piece band who deliver a creditable set of covers while gaining some valuable experience in front of a supportive audience. After an invigorating hike back up the hill to the Trooper Stage (I am sure that hill got steeper and the walk longer as the weekend progressed!) we are greeted by Dutch 3-piece Sonic Whip whose fuzzy stoner riffs are delivered with bags of energy which soon wins over the crowd. They throw in a funky cover of Let There Be Rock which segues into a snippet from Hocus Pocus before closing the set with their best-known song Spinning Around. Debut album Triskelion is well worth checking out. Skam need no introduction to ERB readers. The little ol’ band from Leicester look totally at home on the big Bludsucker stage as they gather the biggest audience of the day so far to bask in their feel-good hard rocking vibes. They invite the weather gods to Bring The Rain (unsuccessfully), Steve goes walkabout in the crowd, Matt puts on his best bass face and Neal hammers the bejesus out of the drum kit. We get to sing along to Teenage Wasteland before all too soon No Lies rolls around and then, according to the setlist, it’s time for 30 delicious ales.

The Monday Smile are a rough and ready 3-piece who bring a DIY punk energy to their grungy riffs and skater boy attitude. Their setlist is built around debut album Nothing which has a strong Soundgarden vibe: recommended if you enjoy stoner riffage and angsty lyrics. In stark contrast, Fury bring fun back to the stage with their rollicking pirate metal. Julian Jenkins and Nyah Ifill share vocal duties and broad grins as we enjoy one Hell of a Night and Embrace the Demons. Interceptor and What’s It Gonna Be give us a taste of the new album, due out in September, which promises to be another hard rocking monster. However, this is a band that truly comes to life on stage: do not miss the opportunity to see them when they next roll into town. Austria’s Roadwolf are making their UK debut on the Bludsucker stage and from the outset it is clear that they are taking no prisoners. From fist pumping opener All Hell Is Breaking Loose to headbanging closer Unchain The Wolf this is 70s style heavy metal at its finest. They transport you back to the days when Maiden were the new kids on the block and denim and leather were worn with pride. Grab your air guitar and rock out like there’s no tomorrow. After all that testosterone, Matt Fryers on the Grand Central stage gives us chance to relax and recharge with a laid-back solo performance. There is nowhere to hide when it’s just you and an acoustic guitar, but Matt delivers an impassioned set of songs that send a shiver down the spine. He combines the power and passion of a full-on rock performance with a stripped back approach that really hits the spot.

Over on the Trooper stage the Tygers of Pan Tang are leading the vanguard for the heritage bands on this year’s bill. Being a fan from way back in the mists of time (their debut album was released in 1980 which is 45 years ago – shreik!) I was looking forward to experiencing some of those great songs one more time. Robb Weir is the only remaining original member, but the current version of the band can still belt out the classics and when they get to Suzie Smiled I am in seventh heaven. After a quick dash back to the Grand Central stage it’s time for the Jamie Porter Band’s brand of bluesy, southern hard rock. This is no nonsense, authentic blues rock: there are no frills, no gimmicks, just real guitars and real stories told from a lifetime’s experience. Continuing the heritage theme, next up we have Graham Oliver’s Army playing the songs of Saxon. Everyone knows the riffs and the words to the likes of Strong Arm of the Law, Dallas 1PM and Wheels of Steel. Like the Tygers before them, with just one original band member there’s a danger that this could feel like a tribute act going through the motions. However, the factor that turns this into an enjoyable experience is vocalist Brian Shaughnessy whose between song banter and frequently barmy musings are laugh out loud funny. Girlschool are yet another band from the glory days of the NWOBHM who offer up a set of classic songs from way back when. Demolition Boys, Hit and Run and Emergency bask in comforting nostalgia but can still pack a punch while the band’s cover of Bomber always hits the spot. However, it’s not all about looking backwards as the band showcase the more recent It Is What It Iswhich shows that they still have the drive to produce new music.

By now the light is fading and anticipation is rising ahead of South of Salem’s headline set on the big Bludsucker stage. My fellow togs and I have been briefed to expect pyrotechnics from the outset, so we are corralled outside of the pit until the first spectacular plumes of flame have died down and the band explode onto the stage. From then on it’s a wild ride through as much of The Sinner Takes It All and Death of the Party as they can cram into their set. This is a band who have worked hard to achieve festival headline status and they are determined to reward their loyal fanbase. Everything is bigger and better than you have seen before: the pyro continues throughout the set and the energy levels are off the scale with everyone throwing rock star shapes on the risers at the front of the stage. No one is more deserving of the glory of tonight’s show than South of Salem. Yet they do not forget those who put them there and have supported the band from the outset. Joey is genuinely grateful when he thanks everyone from their “little gothy black hearts” and you can feel the love reciprocated by the crowd.

Day 2

Saturday brings more sunshine and the promise of a day packed with bands representing the broad rock spectrum. The day starts with the return of the Jam with Jack sessions during which people are invited to sign up to play a song with Jack J Hutchinson. We got a smattering of musos and punters alike who joined in on some familiar covers as well as some of Jack’s own tunes. The first band proper is the second Battle of the Bands winners, The Heavy Souls, whose blend of soulful blues-rock hits the spot as the day starts to warm up. They go down well with the early crowd and are genuinely pleased to be up there on a big festival stage. Their debut album Have You Got Soul is highly recommended and is the perfect accompaniment to a sultry summer’s day. Eddie and the Wolves on the Grand Central stage, sponsored today by Leaf Promotions, also fall into the blues-rock category but offer up a different take on the genre. They take a more in your face, harder rocking approach and are not afraid to turn up the heat when required. Fronted by husband and wife partnership Eddie and Char, the band are a force to be reckoned with. The task of opening the Trooper stage today falls to Kit Trigg who has been building an enthusiastic fan base with his up-beat positivity and hippy vibes (his set list includes notes to self to “think of your family” and “this is a good thing”). Opening with Snake in the Grass, which sounds like Rage Against the Machine meets the Beach Boys, the band soon settle into a hippy groove. At one point Kit encourages everyone to hug their neighbour, which adds to the communal feeling and relaxed nature of the set. Ramping up the hard rockin’ riffs, Juliet’s Not Dead’s passion shines through as they blast through their set of polished hard rock on the main stage. Focusing mainly on their most recent, post-name change album This World Is Ours they also throw in a few Twister tunes from Cursed & Correctedwhich go down well with an appreciative audience. The band’s sound has continued to mature and they now have the tunes to match their ambition.

The trek back down to the third stage is rewarded when Salford’s LIM launch into their trippy, jangly psych rock. Their sound is laid back with plaintive vocals and fuzzy guitars that suddenly break out into stratospheric solos which take you for a trip round the cosmos. Brave Rival bring us back down to earth with their country-flavoured blues-rock that really hits the spot. As soon as the band launch into opener Heart Attack it’s clear that we are in for a treat. Lindsey Bonnick’s powerful vocals complement guitarist Ed Clarke’s bluesy riffs perfectly as she whirls like a dervish around the stage. It’s easy to see why they won the UK Blues Awards 2025 Blues Band of the Year Award when they have quality songs such as Bad Choices, Run and Hide and Fairytale in their canon. Continuing the theme of powerful female vocalists, Marisa and the Moths bring a swaggering attitude to the main stage. Marisa is the focus of attention, drawing the crowd into her world and connecting with some of the young girls in the audience as she belts out hard rocking tunes such as Skin and Get It Off My Chest. The rest of the band are no slouches either, keeping the pace up throughout their set. Things then take a left turn into low-fi fuzzed-out heaven with alt-rock duo Sustinere on the Grand Central stage. There are no airs and graces; just grungy riffing and pounding drums which create a sound far bigger than you’d expect from the two people on stage.

Trudging back up the hill (I am really beginning to hate that hill!) it feels like I have travelled back in time too, to the heady days of the NWOBHM when Tailgunner explode onto the aptly named Trooper stage. You cannot fault their devotion to the heavy metal cause, with more leather, studs and chains per square inch than any other band on the bill this weekend. They are truly enthralled by classic Maiden and put on the kind of high energy show that Bruce can only dream about in his dotage. The songs come hard and fast, with non-stop riffage, frantic solos and remorseless drums that leave you breathless. You’d be hard pressed to find a greater juxtaposition of styles in the placement of Shape of Water next on the lineup. Riding high after the release of stunning third album Petrichor the day before and drawing by far the biggest crowd to the third stage across the weekend, expectations are high. Naturally, the set list favours the new songs and affords the opportunity to hear many of them for the first time live. As you might expect if you are familiar with the band, the music is grandiose: one minute soaring across the abyss on Rox Capriotti’s luscious vocals while the next reveling in electronica and groovy riffing. There is still room for The Snoot, which sees guitarist Luca De Falco defying gravity by spending more time airborne than on the stage before we get to the batshit crazy set closer The Silence of the Lambs and the most rock ‘n’ roll moment of the weekend as Luca launches himself full length on top of the drum kit. After that it’s back to old school heavy metal in the form of Blaze Bayley who delivers a solid set of classic metal built around his 2000 album Silicon Messiah. There is a nod towards his stint in Iron Maiden in the form of Wrathchild which sits nicely along side his own solo work which is in a similar vein. There is much affection in the crowd for Blaze whose between song banter raises a smile and receives a warm welcome. By now it’s well past 7 O’Clock, but in Spike’s world it’s always time for a party. He may now be touring with his own version of The Quireboys, which features Thunder’s Luke Morley on guitar, but the songs and slurred bar room tales remain the same. The band have certainly got the chops and the crowd sing along, but some of the stories have passed their sell by date.

I have to admit that Reef passed me by in their 1990s heyday so I was interested to hear what I had been missing when this year’s headliners were announced. I was familiar with Place Your Hands but other than that I couldn’t have named another song by the band. Sadly by the end of the night I was in pretty much the same boat as their grunge-lite set didn’t leave a lasting impression. They were appreciated by many in the crowd, although it was noticeably smaller than it had been for South of Salem’s headline set the night before. Each to their own, I suppose, but I’m afraid that they didn’t spark my interest.

Day 3

It’s Sunday morning, the sun is beating down and you have the hangover from hell. What you need to ease you gently into the day is a nice acoustic set or perhaps some melodic AOR. Well dream on because Liberty Slaves are here to rattle your skull with their dirty, sleazy raucous rock ‘n’ roll. Vocalist Ryan Meehan makes Lemmy sound like a boy soprano while guitarist Paul Brooke churns out the riffs. Having fallen off the stage a few weeks before at SOS Festival, the front few rows of the crowd were taking no chances and wore hard hats just in case Ryan repeated the escapade again. Luckily for all he managed to stay put as the band rattled through Ain’t That A Bitch, Struggle Is Real and Never Enough to the enjoyment of all. After which its time for the first trip down that bloody hill to the third stage, which today is sponsored by Radio Wigwam. Sonny Jim have travelled up from Bridgend to share their infectious hard rockin’ riffs with the Firevolt crowd. Singer Jay Donagh packs a vocal punch that deserves to be heard by a wider audience while guitarist Lloyd Jenkins certainly knows his way around a fretboard. I’d definitely file them under ones to watch. Similarly, The Soul Revival are a band that should be on your rock radar. Featuring another powerhouse vocalist in the form of Steve Nunn and stellar guitarist Andy Dove, the band are completed by Matt Higgins (bass) and Karl Selickis (drummer). The latter soon sheds his shirt, causing more than a few hearts to flutter as he lays down a solid groove at the back. The songs are melodic yet have a sleazy underbelly that hits the spot. The band have been raising money for the suicide prevention charity Ian’s Chain by running (yes, really!) up Snowden. They announced that they were just short of their £3000 target and by the time that I saw them play again the following week at SavFest, which runs in aid of the charity, they had smashed that goal so massive congratulations are in order. After simply the thought of expending that much energy, Tom Killner’s laid back Americana was a welcome chance to chill out in the early afternoon sunshine. Songs such as Cosmic Sounds and Devils Gate get your toes tapping and even if they are unfamiliar, you can’t help but pick up on their groove. Tom’s between song anecdotes raise a smile while guitarist Andrew Mewse impresses with his unassuming approach.

I first saw Buried in Bermuda back in March this year and was impressed by their modern metal, so I was really pleased to learn that they had secured a place on the festival lineup via the Radio Wigwam Battle of the Bands event. Sadly because of the overlapping set times I couldn’t stay to watch their full set on the smaller stage, but openers Break The System and Fire In Your Eyes reaffirmed that they have riffs galore and a powerhouse vocalist in the form of Gilles Macey. They already have a good local following in Bristol, so hopefully they won over some new fans today and will make the journey back up north sooner rather than later. Dashing back up that damn hill once more, I get to the Trooper stage in time for fun and games with Blue Nation. If you have yet to see the band in a live setting then you have missed out on the full experience. Yes, their music is a sublime blend of blues-rock, but it is vocalist/guitarist Neil Murdoch’s between song interaction with the crowd that completes the show. He is a natural raconteur and is always ready to share a joke with the audience, be that at the expense of his long-suffering band mates, a punter or himself. Today we are informed that bassist Luke Weston looks like Greek songstress Nana Mouskouri; Neil then feels guilty and apologies if he is insulting a dead woman. A few songs later we get the news that Nana is still alive, to cheers all round. As I said, the music is almost secondary to the bizarre flights of fancy! Nonetheless, the songs are wonderful and in the form of Echoes in particular, deal with some serious and heartfelt subjects. There is no such introspection from Aussie rockers The Lazys who are simply awesome. Every single song is an earworm, the riffs are more contagious than measles and the raw energy coming off stage is enough to power Stockport for a week. Vocalist Leon easily wins the swearing award, regularly dropping the C-bomb in a way that only Australians can get away with. Guitarist Matty Morris is a force of nature, riffing hard one minute and peeling off a face melting solo the next. The rest of the band don’t stop for a second as the set batters you into glorious submission. It’s near impossible to pick out highlights but Half Mast Blues raises more than a smile and Punk Come ‘N Get Me is the ultimate fuck you. The band will be back in the UK early in September and I cannot recommend them highly enough. After that we need a breather, but instead we get Blacklight Vice who are a cracking metal band from Southampton. They are another band new to me and one that I would like to see again. The riffing is hard and heavy, with a mixture of clean and scream vocals that punch you in the right places. Check out Vultures and Them Bonesfor a taste of what to expect.

Dan Byrne continues to go from strength to strength. He has always had a fabulous voice, but he now has a stable band and a growing catalogue of quality songs that make this feel more like a group working towards a common goal. The 4 songs from his debut EP Beginnings form the backbone of the set, but he also shares some new songs that the band have recently recorded in the form of Saviour and Cherry & Leather. The former has a dirty earworm riff and singalong chorus while the latter is a no nonsense up-beat rocker. The heartfelt acoustic Hemispheres will always be a moment of pause in the set and is well received by the audience, but it is those big chunky riffs and soaring vocals for which Dan will be remembered. In stark contrast Pale Strangers are an angry alt-rock duo with bags of energy. The songs batter you over the head one minute and then tickle your ears with a gentle melody the next so that you never know what to expect. As is often the case with duos, the singer/guitarist has to do a lot of heavy lifting to make the show interesting, but Chris Thompson is more than up to the task. He lurches round the stage at every opportunity while drummer James Whitehouse lays down some heavy rhythms. Next up on the main stage we have another duo The Picturebooks who throw a wide and eclectic range of sounds into the mix. Like The Virginmarys, drummer Philipp Mirtschink is a major focal point of their performance as he throws himself wholeheartedly into the show, building the songs from the ground up with tribal rhythms. Vocalist/guitarist Fynn Grabke provides the rest of the soundscape, wringing a mixture of distorted howls and pop melodies out of his guitar. This is definitely a marmite band who you either get or you don’t. I have to say that I fall into the latter camp, but they were well received by many so maybe it’s a case that you need to know their songs to fully appreciate the performance. And so to our last visit to the Trooper stage for the Von Hertzen Brothers who bathe us in glorious uplifting prog. Their songs are complex and compelling, drawing you into the story telling which frequently carries a serious message. They can rock out when necessary, as on The Relapse and New Day Rising, or they can create fleeting ethereal beauty as on All of a Sudden, You’re Gone which is guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye if you have ever lost a loved one. To witness VHB is a fully immersive experience and one that is highly recommended if you enjoy complex yet accessible music.

If you want to close a festival on an up-beat note then who better than Swedish meolodic hard rockers Eclipse? Soaring melodies – check; big singalong choruses – check; fist pumping rockers – check. No matter how tired you are after three and a half days of partying hard you can’t fail to bounce along to songs such as Roses on Your Grave, Runaways or Saturday Night. This is the closest you will get to living in a Bon Jovi video for the rest of your life without time travelling back to L.A. in the 1980s – AOR perfection.

Firevolt delivers once again with a range of big names and small bands who gave their all for the festival crowd. The changes to the geography of the festival worked well, particularly with the introduction of the large outdoor main stage. The third stage was a welcome addition, showcasing a lot of promising new and upcoming bands across the weekend that will be of interest to ERB readers. Next year if there is a way to bring the stage closer to the main drag, thereby encouraging more people to check out the smaller bands on the lineup, that would be a benefit to all as there was some amazing talent on display. However, this is just a minor gripe as yet again Firevolt was a huge success.

Early bird tickets for 2026 are on sale already so don’t delay and secure your spot for next year. http://firevoltfestival.co.uk

Full photo gallery available here: https://www.nickashtonphotography.co.uk/-/galleries/festival-season-2025/firevolt-festival-8-10-08-25