Written By: NICK ASHTON
Photos By: NICK ASHTON
RockWich Festival describes itself as small, but perfectly formed and that summarises the experience at this family-friendly event perfectly. Hosted by Witton Albion Football Club, this well-established event on the festival calendar is now in its 9th year and attracts an enthusiastic and loyal audience. The event is the brainchild of Colesia Pryse and Mik Matzen who, along with their team at Prometheus Promotions, have built up the festival over the years and have an enviable reputation on the circuit for attracting the stars of the future. Looking at lineup posters from past events shows that they have hosted such bands as Massive Wagons, Stone Broken and Mason Hill, not to mention numerous other bands well loved by the followers of ERB. The only ones that got away were Those Damn Crows who were due to headline the cancelled 2020 festival. By the time that live music returned, the Crows’ stock had risen exponentially and they were playing far bigger stages. So, have Col and Mik done it again this year? Well, I strongly suspect that at least one if not two of the bands on this year’s lineup are destined for much bigger things too.
The event kicks off on Saturday night for the hardy campers with acoustic performances from MisAdventure X, Slyder Smith and Beth Blade, plus a comedy set by everyone’s favourite host Pete K Malley. Although I couldn’t attend these early sets, I am reliably informed that they went down well with the crowd and fun was had by all.
The festival starts properly bright(ish) and early on Sunday morning with Liverpool’s King Voodoo, whose grunge-inspired grooves and uplifting vocals soon gets the early birds up on their feet. Featuring songs from their 2023 debut album, Hex City, the Voodoo sound is riff-driven with plenty of low-end rumble. Singer/guitarist Jamie Suffield’s vocals soar over the heavy-duty guitar work of Ian Johnson to create a heady mix that draws you in and leaves you wanting more. As the band proclaim, everyone should #bemorevoodoo.
Despite their young age, the seriously talented Zac and the New Men are ones to watch for the future. Their look may be 70s retro, but these guys are not living in the past. They are on a mission to bring the best of classic rock’s heyday right up to date. Yet another band hailing from the South Wales rock and roll cauldron (seriously, what are they putting in the water down there?!), these guys have the blues rock chops to match their aesthetic. Sporting a faux fir coat, singer/guitarist Zac Davies leads the New Men through a short but sweet set of swirling lysergic rock that lodges itself deep in your brain and refuses to leave. Grab yourself a copy of their debut album Reinvent Me and keep an eye out for their name moving further up festival lineups next year.
KinStrife are one of my personal favourites on the lineup this year, and judging by the enthusiastic reception that they receive, I’m not the only one. Their secret weapon is singer/guitarist Mike Hoskins who combines a powerful and distinctive voice with enough personality to fill a stadium. Band mates Alan Kaye (guitar), Dave Richards (bass) and Simon Richards (drums) deliver some seriously catchy and crunchy tunes which lift the energy in the room and get people up on their feet. New single Sticks and Stones receives an early airing in a set which favours material from 2021’s highly recommended debut album Fools and Monsters. 2022’s single Ground Hammer is dedicated to members of the armed forces before we come all too soon to set closer Make Me with its earworm, sing along chorus. Okay, I’m biased, but I defy anyone not to come away from a KinStrife gig without a smile on their face.
Next up are Sheffield’s The Dukes of Bordello who bring some 1950’s rockabilly menace to the RockWich stage. These guys are the real deal, and a huge amount of fun. Songs fly past at 100 mph, ripping through All In The Name of Rock n Roll, Wreckin’ Ball (definitely not the Miley Cyrus song!) and a gloriously sleazy version of Kip Tyler’s 1958 classic She’s My Witch. Vocalist/guitarist Andy Barrott knows how to work a crowd and quickly gets everyone on side with well-practiced background stories to all of the songs. In traditional rockabilly style, low end duties are provided by a stand-up double bass slap that drives the songs forward and provides some visual entertainment value too as Steve Oxley throws the huge instrument around with ease. This is raw, high-energy stuff which makes you want to grow a quiff, buy a pair of brothel creepers and hang out with James Dean in a biker gang. All too soon Andy is challenging us to keep up with the words to set closer Scream If You Want To Go Faster which flies past in under 2 minutes of total mayhem.
Blackpool’s A’priori are building themselves a reputation for delivering powerful, modern rock. Led by vocalist/guitarist Tony Lang, who sports an enviable mane of hair and is a photographer’s dream (if you can capture the hair flicks), the band is completed by the equally hirsute Mouse on drums and keyboardist Mark Wilson. Despite the lack of a bass player, their sound has plenty of bottom end kick and the songs rock with serious attitude. Attracting the biggest crowd of the day so far, it’s easy to see why more and more people are drawn to the band’s catchy, riffy rock. With two albums under their belts, there is plenty of material to draw on, and today’s 30 minute set is packed with bangers. Nah Nah Nah Nah includes the obligatory sing along, and Tony recruits a willing member of the audience to bang along on a tambourine. After a number of successful festival appearances this summer, these guys are certainly ones to watch in the future.
Lords of Ruin are beset with technical problems at the start of their set, which disrupts the momentum somewhat. Undaunted though, once Dox manages to sort out the issues with his mic, the band reset and restart. Their sound is heavier than the bands that have come before, sitting on the cusp between rock and metal. Although the vocals are mostly clean, only dropping in the occasional growl, there is certainly a metal rasp in the riffs which induces involuntary head nodding. The rhythm section provides a suitably heavy rumble which underpins the weighty guitar work during the verses before breaking out into more melodic choruses. 2022’s EP Ruin Within is worth further investigation if you like your riffs on the crunchy side, and let’s face it, who doesn’t?
High energy Swiss rockers Daxx & Roxane always bring the fun to the party and today is no exception. Their brand of upbeat, good time rock ‘n’ roll brings a smile to your face and a wiggle to your hips. The band seem to be enjoying the set as much as the crowd, exchanging grins with each other throughout as they go through some well-choreographed moves which are all the more impressive on the tiny stage. Indeed, I didn’t think that Cal (lead guitar) and Simon (rhythm guitar) would be able to perform their party-piece which sees Cal take a flying leap over a prone Simon, but they managed it much to the delight of the audience. But Daxx & Roxane are not just about gymnastic gimmicks; they have the licks too and some memorable tunes that lodge themselves in your auditory cortex and refuse to leave. Vocalist/bassist Cedric has a raspy voice that cuts through the party-time riffs and complements the mayhem going on behind him. It’s no coincidence that they have a song called Sugar Rush, because that describes the kick induced by their music perfectly.
RockWich favourites Takeaway Thieves are here to continue the good time vibes with their sleazy, ramshackle rock ‘n’ roll. This is no nonsense, straightforward old school rock delivered with a take it or leave it attitude. You know what you’re in for from the opening riff and the set doesn’t dip for a second. Their signature song is This Is RocknRoll and that is exactly what you get from the Takeaway Thieves. Placing third in Planet Rock’s Best New Band of 2023, it is clear that the Thieves’ brand of dirty sleaze and roll really hits the spot. Album 2 is due out next year, and you can expect more good times to follow.
Twister have undergone some lineup changes on guitar and bass after an unsettled period, but they are back bigger and better than ever. Determined to showcase the best that the band has to offer, Stevie promises us a kick ass time and that is exactly what we get. Twister deliver good time, modern rock with plenty of attitude, and the crowd laps up every second. Last time they played RockWich, Stevie managed to break two guitars: fortunately, no guitars were harmed this time round but that was not for want of trying as the energy and enthusiasm were turned up to the maximum. Closing their set as usual with 64 White Lies, and with the crowd singing back the choruses at the top of their collective voices, it is evident that Twister have lost none of their passion. Hopefully a period of stability will follow allowing them to deliver a killer follow up to 2020’s Cursed & Corrected debut album.
She Burns Red gigs are like buses: after waiting ages to finally see them live, this is now the third time that I have seen them on stage in the past few months. What can I say, except that the experience keeps on getting better. After a Pete K Malley introduction that has towering singer/bassist James McCulloch looking perplexed and downright scary before the punchline has him and the audience in fits of laughter, the band launch into their compelling brand of modern rock and we’re off on a thrilling ride for the next 40 minutes. There is a depth to songs such as Crosshairs, Rise and Fall and Copernicus Falls which keeps you coming back for more. The catchy riffs draw you in, the melodies force you to sing along with the choruses, but it is the depth of the lyrics that burrow into the subconscious and make you think again. It is the quality of the songwriting that marks She Burns Red out for bigger and better things; but it is the live shows that reveal the band in their full splendour. Their debut album Out of Darkness drops on 15 September and promises to be a strong contender in album of the year polls. With a support slot on the forthcoming South of Salem tour it looks like I’ll be seeing them live again soon. Speaking of which….
Just 24 hours ago South of Salem were on the huge outdoor stage at Stonedead in front of a crowd of 5,000 people, and that environment is where you are likely to find them in future; but today they are here to entertain the RockWich faithful. And that is exactly what they did, in spades. Given their recent rise in popularity, the band could easily have pulled out of this gig or have coasted through on autopilot. But that is not the South of Salem way: vocalist Joey Draper is quick to acknowledge that they would not be on the cusp of much bigger things were it not for the loyal fans who have turned out to all those small gigs and support slots over the years. Consequently, the spook show was firing on all cylinders as the band raced through the highlights of their debut album, The Sinner Takes It All. Those B movie, schlock horror lyrics and ear worm riffs sound terrific in the smaller confines of the clubhouse, where you can get up and personal with the band. Each band member is up for it, engaging with the audience at the barrier and all the way to the back of the packed room. I seriously doubt that you will be seeing these guys on small stages once their second album, Death of The Party, drops in January, so today was a special moment for everyone present.
Hollowstar have been absent for a while, and I had feared that they might have joined the ranks of those bands that go on hiatus never to return. Thankfully, they are back and rearing to go. The room emptied out somewhat after South of Salem, but those who stuck around were treated to a passionate set that incorporated two new songs and well as a cover of Simple Kind of Man. The band clearly have a lot of pent up energy after all those months off taking care of domestic life (both Joe Bonson (vocals/bass) and Phil Haines (guitar) are new dads), and they are determined to give us their very best. Before beginning Good Man Gone, Joe explained how starting the band helped him to get through some difficult times grappling with his mental health. With the arrival of his new son too, Joe is in a very happy place and this clearly spills over into the performance tonight. New music is promised next year, which hopefully means that we will see more of the band on stages up and down the country if only to avoid nappy changing duties!
Headliners The Treatment have their work cut out for them following a great line up of bands over the preceding 11 hours or so. It is going to take something special to squeeze out the remaining energy from a crowd that has been treated to a series of terrific performances during the day. Fortunately, their brand of AC/DC inspired, no nonsense straightforward hard rock is just what is needed. The band have scored some high profile support slots, and will be on the forthcoming Buckcherry tour, so they have learnt a thing or two about working a crowd. The set kicks off at some pace, ensuring that flagging spirits are raised, before settling into that irresistible ‘DC groove which carries everyone along in one sweaty, exhausted mass. Then, in what seems like no time at all, RockWich is over for another year.
But fear not: RockWich returns next August bank holiday Sunday, 10 years after its inception. Thanks to Covid, there have been 9 rather than 10 events over those years but that hardly matters to the faithful supporters who snapped up the early bird tickets for 2024 within 24 hours of release. You don’t earn that sort of loyalty without getting something right, and it is clear that year after year Col, Mik and the team have done just that. They have created a small but perfectly formed festival experience that can attract some seriously good bands to a venue that is happy to look after everyone and provide exactly what is required for a brilliant day. I’ve got my tickets for next year, and recommend that you don’t hang around too long if you are planning to come along as it is sure to sell out again.
View the full photo gallery here – https://emergingrockbands.co.uk/photo-gallery-rockwich-festival-27-august-2023/