The honour of opening the weekend falls to Joshua Carvell’s new band, Roxy & The Lockhearts. This is their first gig, but if there were any nerves as the band hit the stage they didn’t show as they launched into a set of sleazy, bass-heavy rock n’ roll packed with attitude. Accompanied by dance troop The Lost Girls for an extra touch of Sunset Strip bump and grind, the band turn up the heat as they race though whisky-soaked tales of debauchery and bad decisions. It might be cold and wet in Carlisle, but in Roxy’s world it’s always 90 degrees in the shade. The band throw in a glammed-up cover of Paranoid before closing with current single Rip n’ Tear which earns a well-deserved cheer from the crowd. Expect to hear more new music with live shows and an album at some point in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, file under ones to watch. Alt-rockers To Nowhere are up next with a mixture of angsty pop-punk, grunge and emo vibes. Their approach blends melody-driven verses with energetic shouty choruses that blast the audience and raise the spirits. Vocalist Robbie Crown is the main focus of attention as he bounces around the stage and offers up the first jump shot of the festival. With a set list based on the Violent Kicks & Dirty Sounds EP plus a couple of new tunes, the music hits home even hearing it for the first time. Things take a darker turn next as we enter the dystopian industrial world of Anti-Clone who occupy the same twisted space as Marilyn Mason. There is a para-military feel to Human that is paired with the claustrophobic Inhuman which feels like there are spiders crawling under your skin. Vocalist Peter Moore spits out the lyrics with a sneer while Liam Riachardson (guitar) and Patson Godinho (bass) grind out the nu-metal riffs over Drew Moore’s incessant drums. This is a fully immersive performance which drags you into a dark and fetid cellar where the sick things live.

Time now for some good old-fashioned sleaze in the form of Dead Zebras, who are polar opposites of the preceding bleakness. No chorus is too cheesy and no innuendo is too big for these lovers of all things ’80s. As frontman George Alex, who sports an 80’s porn star moustache and big hair, informs us that the next song is about f**king, a theme starts to emerge with tracks such as Your Mum and Anal leaving no doubt about the band’s fixation. But that’s kind of the point: in a world where there is nothing but doom and gloom you need some tongue in cheek escapism as we dive headfirst into more hedonistic times for 30 minutes of fun. After a brief pause to refuel we have another change of pace in the form of metalcore stalwarts Manørs and the first of several powerful female vocal performances across the weekend. This is vocalist Ellen Hirst’s last gig with the band and it’s clear that she intends to go out with a bang as she dominates the stage. Combining clean and scream vocals that caress your ears before bludgeoning your senses, Ellen is a powerful presence only matched by the intensity of the grinding riffage. The moments of lightness are offset by the depths of darkness creating a cathartic and draining experience. Which leads us to another strong frontwoman in the form of Wailing Banshee’s Dani Louise who leads her leather-clad bandmates through 60 minutes of NWOBHM-inspired heavy metal. Clearly inspired by the greats of the genre, Wailing Banshee’s aim is to keep the spirit of traditional metal alive rather than reinvent the wheel. And boy do they deliver: the riffs are rabble rousing, the bass gallops along and the drums pound your skull while the vocals soar majestically. If you like Iron Maiden et al. then you are going to love Wailing Banshee.

So, to tonight’s headliners Trucker Diablo whose mantra can be summed up simply as Drink Beer, Destroy. In a crowded space, the Big Truckers stand out as being able to deliver a riff-heavy set of hard rockin’ songs that are guaranteed to raise a smile as well as a fist. This is no nonsense, good time heavy rock n’ roll. However; it is not all foot stomping and head banging as they can lighten the mood with feel-good singalong songs such as Rock Kids of the 80s or take a mellow approach with the introspective Murder Ballad and Where Angels Fly. By now we are approaching the end of the evening and it’s time to raise the energy levels again with some tasty riffs courtesy of Dig, Stop The Bleed and The Rebel which leave everyone happy and exhausted. The Big Truck rolled into town, rocked hard and rolled onwards until the next time.

Day 2 starts with the young but extremely enthusiastic RetsecroWs. Despite their tender ages (vocalist/guitarist Luca is just 14 and the oldest member Ollie is only 17), the band rock out enjoying their time in the limelight. The stage is adorned with pot plants (much to the stage manager’s [faux] chagrin!) but the focus of the crowd is on the band who prove that they can hold their own on the festival bill. They throw in a couple of covers in the form of Breaking the Law and Paranoid as a nod to their Midland’s heritage, but the band’s original material shows promise and demonstrates an understanding of the song writing craft. Listen out for their new single Maniac due out in March. Somewhat older hands at the R’n’R game, Liberty Slaves were on next bringing an early highlight to the day. Ryan Meehan is a natural frontman, and his banter with the crowd never fails to raise a laugh as he throws himself (often literally) into the role. Today the set is packed with good-time hard rockers, including fan favourites Never Enough, Losing My Touch and latest single Queen Obscene which proves the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. It was also the first outing for new drummer Shayne Witton, who passed his initiation with flying colours and seemed to be enjoying himself as much as the crowd. The mood darkens next as Bright Black invite us into their world of complex and atmospheric alt-metal. There is power and passion in Talitha Al’s vocals as she rails against the world while guitarist James Evans conjures up intricate yet catchy riffs that drive the songs forward. In order to fully appreciate this music you need to surrender to its twists and turns, but the effort is rewarded. No such introspection is required for the Soho Dukes, a bunch of geezers from the seedier part of London’s West End ‘aving it large. Song titles such as Camden, Holloway and Bovver Boys tell you all that you need to know: this is a knees up in the same vein as the Quireboys (indeed Spike has guested with the band on previous occasions). Tall tales told with bags of energy and plenty of dropped H’s.

The moment that I have been waiting for finally arrives as Prymå unleash their monstrous riffs and brutal aural assault upon an enthusiastic crowd. My affection for the band has grown on each occasion that I have been able to see them live and tonight they are at their most ferocious to date. Vocalist Gabrielle George changes from the smiling face wandering around the venue before their set into a snarling demon as the band launch into the feral Dead To Me. The riffs batter your senses while the bass drum punches you in the gut as Suicide Storm kicks in without drawing breath. New single Mask, due out on 18 February, is another slab of monolithic metal and all too soon we are being invited to join in on the chorus of Freaky Fright Night as the set comes to a tumultuous end. The tone lightens for pop-punks Hell’s Ditch whose stories of working-class struggles are offset by bouncy, singalong choruses and jangly guitars. There are echoes of The Pogues in the upbeat Celtic-flavoured melodies on offer here which hark back to the political protest songs of the 80s. The social commentary is ever present; but if you just want to kick back and dance the tunes are sufficiently catchy. Kit Trigg ramps up the feel-good hippy vibe with a set of blues rockers bathed in California sunshine. I Gotta Red Strat and Light At The End Of The Tunnel conjure up a vision of cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down and one of the sun-bronzed beautiful people by your side. No mean feat for a drizzly February night in Carlisle. The band revel in the energy coming from the room as the crowd lap up the groove emanating from the stage in a karmic positive feedback loop.

It’s striking how quickly the new lineup of The Karma Effect has gelled into a lean, mean rock & roll machine. The new iteration of the band has been hard at work on album, Cruel Intentions, which is due out in May and they have been gigging heavily since their live debut in September last year. That time working together in the studio has paid off as they are now obviously very comfortable as a live band. From the opening chords of latest single Dangerous Love to the closing notes of Testify, the band are absolutely on fire. Henry Gottelier is a tousle-haired bundle of energy while guitar-slinger Robbie F’n Blake is iceberg cool pumping out the riffs. New members Nathan Keevil (bass), Alan Taylor (drums) and Tom Pitt (keys) have firmly established themselves in the band and have stamped their mark on the groovy, soulful Karma Effect sound. If the crowd reaction tonight is anything to go by, the live dates that are due to follow the album’s release are definitely not to be missed.

It’s easy to see how Rockmantic has become an established event in the grassroots festival calendar. Organiser Raz White and his team have the knack of drawing together an eclectic bill mixing both established artists and lesser-known bands on the circuit so that there is always someone new to discover as well as enjoying your favourite acts. The team at The Brickyard work tirelessly to ensure that the event runs smoothly so that everyone can have a good time and enjoy the music on offer. What more could you ask for? By the time that you read this the early bird tickets for 2027 will have sold out, such is the popularity of the event. With a cracking preliminary lineup announced and more bands to follow, I wouldn’t wait too long before securing your spot for next February.

Full photo gallery available here: https://www.nickashtonphotography.co.uk/-/galleries/festival-season-2026/rockmantic-6-7-02-26