Review: NICK ASHTON
Photos By: NICK ASHTON
Can it really be 12 months since I last made the journey to Witton Albion Social Club for RockWich? Doesn’t time fly when there is so much going on across the grassroots rock scene?! Yet it must be the case, as it is August bank holiday Sunday and the RockWich irregulars have gathered once more for a packed lineup featuring some real treats.
First up we have The Wicked Jackals whose no-nonsense, good time rock ‘n’ roll is just what’s required to kickstart the day. Over The Top and A Bad Excuse, both from 2022’s It’s A Fiver EP, get proceedings off to a roaring start. The Jackals’ modus operandi is fast and furious riffing with rabble rousing lyrics designed to get everyone up on their feet, and they do just that. The short set ends with Born to Be Wild which takes a diversion into The Cult’s Fire Woman before coming to a tumultuous conclusion. The pace changes for Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids whose more laid-back mixture of Americana and power pop soothes the ears. Bassist Tim Emery has some technical issues after opener Pleasure Victim, which sees drummer Andy Knott filling in as a human metronome until they can carry on with Calico Queen. They throw in a cover of Last Great Dreamers’ Crash Landing in Teenage Heaven which is slower and more reflective than the frantic original, yet still retains the melodrama. Overrunning their time slot somewhat, the band are keen to make the most of every minute on stage before closing with Hanoi Rocks’ Malibu Beach and the spiky Oblivion Kids. Riding high on the success of their sophomore album Late Night Lightening, which hit the top 10 in the UK Rock and Metal charts, Electric Black are revved up and ready to go as they launch straight into Come On Over. The crowd is now on its feet and plenty of people are dancing along to the swagger of Jonny’s riffs and Ali’s sweet vocal melody. Ryan manages to break a string on his bass which, as Ali comments, is the first time that he has done so on stage. Unperturbed, they crack on with Put It Down On Me, which has a dirty sleazy riff at its core and raises the temperature in the room. Master Or Disaster is dedicated to Sharkfest organiser Mark Parsley, as they always seem to leave it off the setlist whenever he’s at a gig, and then all too soon they close with the dirty groove of Sick Of Myself.
Things take a heavier turn with King Kraken’s blistering metal riffing. Sadly there are no inflatable tentacles this time, but there is still fun to be had screaming along to Bastard Liar and headbanging to the frenzied Green Terror. The band are on a high having recently played at Bloodstock, as well as finishing recording their second album, so the metal-riffing madness is turned up a notch or two this afternoon.Veins has an underlying swing rhythm which tugs at the feet while closer Castle Of Bone is a grinding epic that pummels the crowd into submission. Look out for a new single in November. Time now for the greatest juxtaposition of the day with the laid-back Americana and bluesy good time rock ‘n’ roll of Tom Killner. Cosmic Sounds oozes Californian sunshine and wide open spaces, while Devil’s Gate country-lite twang is designed to get you dancing. The crowd are appreciative and both Tom and his band seem up for a good time. There is some beautiful slide guitar on No More and set closer Borrowed Time courtesy of Andrew Mewse who finally cracks a smile after remaining stoic throughout the set. There is no such reticence amongst the Thieves of Liberty who sport wide grins throughout their hot and sweaty set. Opening with latest single Sweet As Today, the energy in the room immediately steps up a couple of notches as their feel good, hook-laden rock gets people up on their feet. Shangri-La has a swaggering groove while vocal powerhouse James belts out the lyrics as if his life depends on it. We are also treated to a couple of unreleased songs from the forthcoming debut album in the form of Sick Pup and Rabbit Hole, which add further weight to the suggestion that this will be a must have purchase when it comes out in November. Twin guitarists Liam and Kieran up the feel-good riffs for closing number Calypso which ends the set on a high with a singalong and smiles all round.
The good times continue with Scarborough’s This House We Built, a melodic four-piece who have been creating quite an impression over the past 18 months with their energetic feel-good rock. Frontman Scott Wardell makes an immediate connection with the crowd as soon as they kick off their set with Fairweather Friend and from then on it’s a non-stop roller coaster ride. The melodies are catchy as hell and the harmonies are luscious on the likes of Nobody’s Fool, and when they turn up the riffs a notch on Walk The Line they pack a punch too. They leave us with a preview of new song Coming Home To You which starts off slowly before developing into a full on lighters (or these days mobile phone torches) in the air anthem. In contrast, The City Kids take us to the scuzzier side of town with their rough and ready, sleazy, punked up Filth. There are no airs and graces, just dirty rock ‘n’ roll tales of debauchery on the wrong side of the tracks. After they rattle through the likes of Alone, Pretty Fucked Up and Rats you are left with that morning after the night before, oh my god did I really do that, I’m never going to touch another drop again feeling. The only cure is a blast of modern metal riffage from Ashen Reach whose new EP, The Fear, has been a big hit with the listeners to ERB Radio. Unfortunately, the gods are not smiling on the band today (perhaps it’s because “my gods are dead”) as it takes a little while to evict some technical gremlins that hold up the start of their set. To compound these problems, guitarist Joe has twisted his ankle and is hobbling around on crutches, which means that he has to play sitting down. Despite these adversities, as soon as the band launch into Broken Column the cobwebs are well and truly blasted away. It is hot, sweaty and loud, just as nature intended. They play The Fear in full and the buzz around the room afterwards from those who had not heard it live before was one of excitement. Sadly, due to the delays at the start of the set and the cumulative slippage in the schedule across the day, there wasn’t time for the customary set closer Homecoming; however Lost ends the set on a high note.
Blackpool’s A’priori are crowd pleasers and, with the imminent release of their new album fast approaching, there is a palpable sense of anticipation in the air as they kick off their set with Watch The World Burn. Their blues inflected rock is full of lascivious intent and is lapped up by the enthusiastic – and mostly female – throng at the barrier. New single Turn It Up is a catchy singalong perfectly crafted to be yelled back at the band by a fully refreshed festival crowd. Make sure that you catch them on their forthcoming Voodoo Love tour and forget your everyday cares for a while. The same result can also be achieved by listening to The Karma Effect who are still celebrating the chart success of sophomore albumPromised Land and are about to go out on their own headline tour. Tonight they hit the ground running with All Night Long, which is full of hip thrusting swagger and has an insanely catchy chorus. The good time grooves come hard and fast with the likes of Doubt She’s Coming Back, The River and Livin’ It Up. Henry is a swirling mass of golden curls while Robbie maintains his cool behind a pair of shades as he throws rockstar shapes. All too soon it is time once again to Testify, brothers and sisters, as we reach the end of a truly uplifting set. After a breather while the stage is rearranged to accommodate Danny’s drum kit, The Virginmarys are greeted like conquering heroes returning from battle. With a sound stripped back to the basics of just a guitar and drums, there’s no excess fat and nowhere to hide. Instead, it’s just buzzsaw, angry, punked-up riffs and a massive drum sound that combine to batter you into submission. Throughout the set, Ally and Danny are a seething mass of kinetic energy threatening to detonate at any moment. Latest single Northwest Coast, a pean to bracing days out at the seaside, is a riotous explosion; Lies Lies Lies is full of bitter rage; Motherless Land seeks escape from a bleak and screwed up world; You’re A Killer is a parting shot of bile aimed at the political classes.
After the well-received, no-nonsense debut album From The Flames and 2015’s follow-up Stand Up And Be Counted, Northern Ireland’s Screaming Eagles seemed to disappear from the scene. I had written them off as another casualty of the music business and the pandemic, so I was very pleasantly surprised when in 2023 they reappeared like a phoenix from the ashes with High Class Rock ‘N’ Roll. It was as if the intervening years had been a matter of months, as the new album picked up where they had left off and the AC/DC-influenced good times were back. Consequently, I was really pleased to see that Screaming Eagles would be headlining this year’s RockWich as their return to the live circuit was long overdue. Despite the by now much later than planned start time, there was still a sizeable crowd waiting to share the experience and for those who stuck around, it was well worth it. If you have seen the band before or heard the albums, then you know exactly what you’re going to get: infectious, riff-heavy hard rock. Newer songs such as .45, Thunder and Lightning and Heart of Stone are cast from the same mould as Eagles classics Hungry For More, Vampire and Rock N Roll Soul. But that’s the point: it’s not about reinventing the wheel; it’s about cranking out feel good tunes that make you want to drink beer (other beverages are available), bang your head and yell out the words along with the band. No agendas, no politics, just good honest rock. What better way to end a long and exhilarating day? Organisers Colesia and Mik, along with the rest of the RockWich team, have pulled off yet another successful event with a bit of something for everyone. The festival returns once again next year on August bank holiday Sunday for its 10thanniversary. Colesia tells me that they have something really special lined up, and while I have been sworn to secrecy, I can promise you that it will be well worth it.
