M2TM North Wales 2022 Grand Final Penny Black, Wrexham 01/07/2022 Review and Photography by Beth Jones
Metal 2 The Masses is always a marathon event, which draws you in and makes you really start feeling something for the local bands who go through the stages of the competition, all vying for that coveted prize, a spot on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock Festival. And, as ever, when you do reach that final lap, nerves are frayed, and everything is left in the lap of the gods. Or at least, God of the New Blood stage, Simon Hall.
This year would be the first year Simon had attended in person to judge the competition, and it was set to be a great night. Last year’s winners, Severenth were opening the show, then the 4 competing bands, Omega Throne, Apollyon, Bad Earth, and Thrashatouille would take to the stage. And to top off the whole party, Nottinghamshire Pirate Metallers Red Rum where set to headline.
Penny Black’s is a venue that North East Wales Metal Productions have used before, and it’s an interesting place. Laser lights feature heavily, and the bar is over-priced, but that’s the norm these days. I remember when you could go out with a tenner in your pocket, get comfortably wasted, and get a bag of chips, and still have change… Ah the good old days… Anyway, I digress! For this gig, the venue was rammed to the rafters, and we were hit by a wall of sauna – like heat as we made our way into the main room. My little, gothic, and slightly bizarre body does not like heat one bit! But it was great to see such a large crowd. It proves there is still a passion for Metal in our (newly endowed) city.
So, to the bands! Severenth are one of my favourite local bands and have been since their comeback gig a few years ago. They deservedly won M2TM last year, but sadly lead singer Peet came down with the Rona the day before Bloodstock, so never got a chance to strut his stuff on the New Blood stage, although the rest of the band pushed on without him. Here, they really brought the show to the already sizable audience, and I loved it. The sound was great, with every instrument crystal clear, and Peet’s screams and cleans cutting through everything brilliantly. It got the night off to a flying start and raised the temperature of the room another few degrees!
Omega Throne had drawn the opening slot at their heat, the quarters, the semis, and the final. So far it seemed to have been a lucky slot for them, as they had made it all the way to the last leg. But would tonight be the same? Only time would tell. The Liverpool based band look the part, and really like to give it some welly when they’re on stage, with the frontman, guitarist, and bassist all pulling a myriad of ‘let’s fuck some shit up and melt some faces’ expressions. I do love a good expressive face! And their music is powerful and chunky enough to go along with the expressions, with huge vocals, crunching riffs, and some kick-ass bass work. They put in another impressive performance here, but I think the heat in the room sadly dwindled the audience numbers a little. Me being one of them. I took my photos, then had to remove myself from the room for a bit so that I didn’t end up in a heap on the floor. What I did see of their set though was on point.
Now, I’m going to start this section with a disclaimer. I don’t like Classic Thrash. I’ve said this before, I know, but I thought it was worth saying again. It just does nothing for me, regardless of how well it’s played.
Apollyon are a Classic Thrash band from Wrexham. In my review of the Semi-final, I said they’re good at what they do, if you like that sort of thing, and I will stick by that. In fact, they are extremely good at what they do, and the sound here was better than it was at the semis. The crowd was also a lot more pumped, which helped lift their performance even more. They gave a very confident, assured, and professional performance, which really did show them off at their best, a fact that I think was noted by Simon Hall. It was slick, tight, and punchy. I just don’t like Classic Thrash!
Bad Earth are, for me, the most improved and most exciting local band I have witnessed round here for a long time. They make me do a lot of smiling with their high-powered, heavy as fuck ‘Rockcore’. And here they had pits and slams breaking out all over the place. Frontman, Jordie, had a bit of a mare at the beginning of the set, with a dodgy plug socket, and I think this threw him off a bit, in an already tense and nervous situation. But he was back in full swing by the end of the first song and was up and down on his flight box like a man possessed! Bassist Karl was also throwing some immense shapes around the stage, and drummer, Ben, was clouting hell out of his kit in true Animal fashion (he wins my drummer of the year award – he’s insanely good). The crowd were lapping it up, and for me, musically, this set was my favourite of the evening, and I could have gone on listening to them all night. They make everything feel alive and lively, and I really do hope that they break into the bigtime, because they truly deserve it for the sheer energy and gusto they put into every performance.
Our final competing band of the evening were Thrashatouille – Chef Metallers from Northwich, with our very own roving reporter, Rob Sutton, at the helm. These guys are always great fun, with their food based observational comedy style Modern Death/Thrash/everything but the kitchen sink Metal. Sounds random, and like it shouldn’t work. But, like cheese and jam toasties, it actually does, and should be on your ‘must try’ list. Here, they were really fired up, and had the audience pitting and throwing around enough inflatable ice-creams to lift the roof off the venue. Rob did have a bit of a nightmare at the beginning though, too. His microphone decided it didn’t want to play ball. Cue a slightly panicked expression, and a quick grab of a spare mic, and all was back on track though. Again, another fantastic performance, filled with energy and fun. BUT… and I am going to say it again and keep saying it again and again… the intro eats into their set time, and is only funny for people that actually know what it says, who know the band, and have followed their history. For fresh faces, who don’t know who they are, or what they’re about, it falls flat.
With the competing bands over, our headliners Red Rum, took to the stage. Now, there’s quite a lot of them, and the stage isn’t that big. So, the ensuing Pirate party was a little cramped. But these swashbuckling seafarers weren’t deterred from bringing their rum-fuel shenanigans to the slightly tiddled audience who were still ready to party! I do love a bit of yo-ho-ho in my Folk Metal, and these guys bring it by the bucket load, complete with Pirate attire, sunglasses, bare chests, and more twiddly-diddly riffs than you can shake a skull and crossbones at. Had I not been dying of heat exhaustion and ridiculously sober, I would have been in the merry mosh-up at the front, linking arms and chugging ales with the rest of them. But my aching body was about to give out, so I chose a comfy chair at the back, and a bit of head bobbing as the preferable option. Honestly, getting old has nothing going for it! This was a very fun set, and a great way to close the night. Although next time I see these guys I intend to be spaffed out of my head on Rum cocktails!
And so, with the merry madness over, it was time for the result. Unfortunately, Simon had had to duck out early, due to an ongoing back issue that’s been blighting him throughout this epic run of finals that he’s had to attend. I feel your pain Simon and wish you a speedy recovery. But he had left the result with our master of ceremonies, Beany. And without further ado, he announced that the band taking the spot on the New Blood stage would beeeeee…… APOLLYON. To be honest, I had a feeling this was the way it would go. While I’m not a fan of their music, they were the most professional band on the night, with the slickest changeovers and the most prepared and polished performance. Gutted for the other bands. It’s always a hard end, because all the bands become special to you. But it is what it is. It’s been a great competition, and I can’t wait to do it all again next year!
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. Photography by Beth Jones. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Disclaimer: This photo album is solely the property of Beth Jones. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of these images, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Evil Scarecrow, Lullaby for a Unicorn, Severenth The Tivoli, Buckley 17/03/2022 Live Review by Rob Sutton
My second time at the Tivoli in Buckley and it is a fantastically large venue with a decent stage and plenty of good viewing points. For me this is about the only good thing about the venue, the beer is ridiculously overpriced and the toilets may as well just be a hole in the floor! No toilet seats, no locks and they hadn’t been cleaned! (I was the first one to use them). This is frankly unacceptable for a venue, especially when you are hosting larger touring bands.
Rant over.
It was local boys Severenth kicking off the night. These guys are very much out of place on this bill being a more ‘serious’ Metalcore band but this doesn’t stop them giving it their all. Sadly another downfall of the venue strikes here as the sound for Severenth through the first half of the set consisted of just drums and vocals. Both were done well, but I would honestly like to hear the guitar and bass! Oh wait, they come in during the second half of the set, but this time with the vocals being barely audible and everything then got drowned out by the backing tracks! Honestly I would love to have reviewed these guys properly, but the only bits I could properly get my head around was the addition of some guitar tapping over the solos and an effective use of a vocal harmoniser for the new song. Sorry Severenth, I don’t think this was all down to you; the sound guy seriously cocked this one up!
Lullaby for a Unicorn fared slightly better from the sound, as you could actually hear everything and the riffs really shone through beautifully. Not only, but that the guitar affects which add that little magic to the Unicorns worked a treat. After watching Lullaby at Hammerfest I was disappointed with the lack of charisma on stage. This was back tonight, which did elevate them somewhat but this sadly fell on deaf ears. I think the crowd either didn’t get the humour or didn’t find them funny. Perhaps they were just a bit too crude? To me a ‘comedic’ band should be entertaining to watch and even with the bassist dressed as a unicorn, he still looked like he couldn’t be arsed with the show and I don’t think the bass was even tuned correctly… As I said the riffs were solid, the drums were solid, but the whole show fell flat. I don’t even think the party poppers or the ‘cupping the unicorns balls’ would have saved them tonight. Oh and ending on a brand new song… rookie error.
I’ll be honest, by this point I was fed up. The sound was crap, the crowd was thin and seemed completely disinterested with the support bands (probably the sound), I’d taken out a mortgage for the bar even though I was driving and I’d had a tetanus jab after using the toilets. Evil Scarecrow were the only thing standing in the way of this being a waste of time but luckily they quickly turned the whole night around!
Their choreography on stage is so rehearsed, but still looks natural. Their banter with the crowd was side splittingly funny, we had many free DVD’s (not VHS to the crowds disappointment) and an improvised song about Asda. Not only that, but they brought with them their usual arsenal of stage props and even a new one! The giant inflatable karate kid!
Back when they started, each song fitted together; they are now just a mix of whatever comes into their heads and I love it! Each song has a completely different story with a completely different way of getting the crowd involved. Even without their keyboardist, it worked fantastically with backing tracks and their light show was sublime (even setting off the fire alarm a few times). Their set could have gone on for another hour and I honestly wouldn’t have minded this. It was by far and away the funniest most entertaining set I have seen to date.
Evil Scarecrow saved this night; the venue seriously needs a clean, a rethink on bar prices and a new sound guy. Had Evil Scarecrow not been fantastic I would have asked for a refund.
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rob Sutton and Ever Metal. All photographic images are the property of Beth Jones. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Severenth w/ Karma’s Puppet and The Shuffle The Swan With Two Necks, Macclesfield 3rd December 2021 Review by Robb Sutton
It’s been many years since I’ve been to Macclesfield, and to The Swan With Two Necks, which was a venue/pub I loved as it has an intimate and homely feel to it. Going back there was a proper blast from the past, and it still has the same friendly atmosphere and probably the best smoking area of any venue I have been to this year! I called it ‘Granny’s Shed’ as that was the feel of it: sofas, old décor and lovely blankets everywhere.
Tonight wasn’t about Granny’s Shed however! It was about 3 bands. First up was The Shuffle, an Alt Rock/Metalish band who I’m sure I had seen in their previous guise Monkey Shuffle. This was their first gig in a very long time. The band said they had been going for 19 years, and their longevity shows, as they offer up a very nostalgic, MySpace era feel, with the nod your head riffs and pop/punk style vocals. Mix these with a couple of cheeky screams and it all fits together very nicely. It reminded me of Alexisonfire, a band I used to be into as a teenager, it’s the mid 00’s vibes that really get you going. To me this is what The Shuffle are, a fantastic trip down memory lane, although I did feel like there was one song too many in this set. But that’s a minor setback for what was a solid and truly enjoyable set.
Next up was a band I have seen a lot of online but never managed to see in the flesh, Karma’s Puppet. They certainly had an air of professionalism about them, with the stage covered in their logos, and a cheeky box for the vocalist to stand on. Karma’s Puppet seem to take influences from many places in music, most notably for me was the Lamb of God influenced riffs, which offered the grunt and speed to their set, and this was backed up with some solid drum beats as well. They seem to take a lot of influence from the Metalcore genre as well, adding a mix of both clean and growled singing. The growling was really good, it fitted beautifully with the pace of the songs, the singing however was not so much to my taste. It isn’t bad, but it reminded me of Billy Idol. It does work with their sound, but just isn’t quite my usual go to style. Karma’s Puppet as a whole performed a brilliant set, and from this, I can see why so many people were wearing their t-shirts, myself included. They are carving a name for themselves in the North West, and performances like this will be a reason why I would see them again.
Finally was a band I have seen many times over the last decade, as well as having the honour of standing on stage with them at this year’s Bloodstock! It is, of course, Severenth. Each time I’ve seen them this year they have only had a half hour set, but this time was a full 45 minutes. This meant we were treated to the usual tracks, such as ‘Reveal’ and ‘Two Mirrors’, but also some others, including a brand new as yet unnamed track. This was a personal highlight for me, as it gave a glimpse into what’s to come in the next year for this band. Although, the new song still kept to the Severenth ‘UK band doing a German Metalcore’ sound, it did sound fresh. This performance was filled with little gems for us to enjoy; from the blistering drums to the jaw dropping dual guitar solos. Top this all off with a delicious mix of clean and screamed vocals and you have the recipe for a fantastic set. We were also treated to a really old song from their back catalogue, ‘Age of Paranoia’, which was a song I used to jam to so many times as a teenager. Here it did feel dated, though it was nice to hear the old song again. Severenth are one of those bands you can sing along to, mosh to, but most importantly, really enjoy watching, just hope they remember to get the merch out! Until next time boys!
One thing to note about this gig was the absence of a sound tech, this meant all the bands tonight were adjusting their own sound or helping others do so, this really shows the many talents that are hidden in the underground scene. It was another cracking gig with good bands, good music and lovely people. What more can you ask for?
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rob Sutton and Ever Metal. All photographic images the property of Sheri Bicheno. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Disclaimer: This photo album is solely the property of Beth Jones. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of these images, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Bloodstock M2TM North Wales, Grand Final 2020 (!) Central Station, Wrexham 03/07/2021 Review by Beth Jones, with interjections from Rick Tilley Pics by Beth Jones
You know that feeling you get when something you’ve been waiting for, for so long, finally happens? It’s a kind of warm nervousness, that consumes you and you literally can’t think about anything else. Well, that was me, leading up to this gig – the first since the dizzy days of early 2020, when no-one was ill, masks were something you wore at Halloween, and Covid was that new bug that people, thousands of miles away from us, were getting sick with. To say I was a little nervous was an understatement. A lot has happened since March 2020, and very few of us are the same people that we were back then. The thought of being in a room full of people was terrifying. The thought of having the responsibility of taking photographs after barely even looking at my camera for 15 months filled me with fear and trepidation. But the thought of seeing dearly missed friends again, and getting to watch live music as well, filled me with a kind of euphoria that’s actually impossible to explain, but equally doesn’t need any explaining at all.
The fact that this gig was the long-awaited Final of the Bloodstock M2TM North Wales 2020 competition made it all the more special, because one of the 6 brilliant competing bands would finally get the chance to grace the New Blood stage at, what is without question, one of the most loved festivals on the metal calendar. As an extra treat, Thrash metal legends, Virus were headlining. With the current restrictions, this gig had to be seated, and socially distant, with table service, masks, and hand sanitizer aplenty, so it was a little weird, but damn were we in for a treat with the music. So, here’s my rundown.
Thrashatouille
Thrashatouille have become a household name around these parts, with their comedic culinary Thrash Metal anthems that are guaranteed to cook up a storm. This would, in normal times, be accompanied by a lot of people violently hurling around inflatable food and generally losing their collective shit in a good old fashioned mosh pit – remember them?… Despite this not being able to happen, these crazy chefs still pulled off an awesome show. Given the fact everyone’s been out of the game for so long, it was amazing to see how tight and polished their sound still was. They supplied everyone with cake too, which was nice (although I couldn’t eat them because I’m allergic to pretty much everything)! They took us on a rip-roaring tour of their classics, finishing, as they do, with ‘Red Velvet Romance’. And what a joy it was to witness frontman Rob Sutton smashing a freshly primed red velvet cake into his face again. I’ve missed that.
Next up were Krank, those crazy kids from up the North Wales coast, whose show is guaranteed to be a little weird, if nothing else. Before they started, they distributed squeaky rubber chickens to the gathered crowd, and before long the venue sounded like a battery farm. I mean, the inner child in us all just can’t resist a squeaky toy, right? Now, it’s fair to say, in the past I’ve never really ‘got’ Krank. Their madcap zaniness was too much even for me. But this time it was different. They had a coherent story running through their show and were even joined on stage by some lizard people, and a sugarplum fairy fly! It was still zany and madcap, but it had a structure that I thought definitely improved the show, and certainly my enjoyment of it. Again, musically they were tight.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. These guys deserve to go a very long way. Their brand of Southern Blues Rock always makes for sweet listening, and they are thoroughly nice guys to boot. Over lockdown, they released their second EP “Automatic Breakdown” and debut album “Resist”, which I was lucky enough to review, and we got to hear some tracks off both, alongside some of their older tunes. Lead singer Kev Plant has a stunning voice and guitarist Andy Cutty knows exactly how to make his guitar sing the blues. But much as it pains me to say, I don’t think Bloodstock’s New Blood Stage would be right for them, although they would be superb playing a set on the Jager stage. However, I’d love to see them at some of the bigger Rock festivals as, at those, they would go down an absolute storm. (Call Of The Wild and Ramblin’ Man Fair please take note – Rick)
Scarfoot are a 3 piece that have intrigued us from their inception. And this performance was by far the best performance Rick and I have ever seen them give. Newish bass player, Rhys Jones, has really settled in now and what a difference he has made. Prior to him joining, they were good, but something wasn’t quite right. It was a je ne sais quoi that was missing from what they did, which always irritated us, because we could see the potential for them to be great. This performance answered our question of ‘have they got it right now?’ with a resounding ‘HELL YES’! They were by far the most improved band on the night, and they have grown their sound into a kind of dark Progressive Stoner/Sludge/Doom-esque thriller. Scarfoot are not easy to pigeonhole and that is to their benefit. Seeing as they’re still fairly young as a band, if they can keep this level of progression going then their future is pretty damn exciting.
Since their comeback gig in 2019, Severenth have been firmly planted on our radar. Their Modern Metal vibe and incredible stagecraft give me a little warm feeling – joy, I think! They are just so bloody good at what they do. They also have an incredible frontman in Peet Bailey. Not only is he super talented, but his stage presence and expressiveness are mesmeric, and exudes the passion that the whole band put into their performance. He’s also a photographer’s dream because he’s incredibly photogenic! Everything about their performance, for me, was next level, and I’m excited for their future as a band.
Rick Here – I agree with everything Beth has said but, as a former drummer, I have to also mention Severenth sticksman Dave Roberts, who is absolutely thunderous behind the kit. There were several occasions during their performance when I actually thought he and the drums were going to launch into orbit, such was his ferocity and precision.
This gig was probably the last time we’ll ever see Mad Spanner as, very sadly, they decided to call it a day last year, due to different personal issues and other commitments. But they came back for this gig to give us what we wanted – the madcap trio of Extreme Metal and comedy that they are. Unfortunately, drummer, Ben, had to pull out the day before, as Track and Trace identified him as a close contact of someone who was Covid positive. Bloody Covid! This didn’t deter Michael Randall and Dan Ashley however and they, bravely, cobbled together a show of Stand-Up comedy from Michael (something else he is annoyingly good at – Rick), some instrumental versions of their favourite Mad Spanner tracks, with Michael on Drums (yes, he is good on those too – Rick) instead of Bass, and Dan downtuned to make up for the lack of low-end sounds, and a guest appearance from Ashen Crown’s Kieran Scott to dep on vocals for several ‘classics’. It was still fun, it was still mad cap, but it was a real shame that their swan song wasn’t with all three of them together. They will be successful at whatever they, individually, choose to do next!
With all the competing bands done, it was time for the headline act. Thrashers Virus, with Venom Inc. frontman, Tony Dolan subbing on Bass. I couldn’t help but have a little titter at the irony of a headline band named Virus in the middle of a pandemic…
Rick is a huge Virus fan, and a huge Venom Inc. fan, so was a little bit pleased about this choice of headliner. He was also really chuffed that he would get to see Tony again for the first time in 30 years. So, it’s probably best if I let him tell you about them…
Hi Everyone, It’s Rick. I never got to see Virus play back in the dim and distant prehistoric past of the 1980’s, and with the band splitting up in 1990, I thought my chance had passed. However, in recent years they have been active again and in 2019, released their stunning fourth album “Evolution Apocalypse”. When they were announced as special guest headliners for this I was overjoyed. To then find out that Tony ‘Demolition Man’ Dolan was standing in on bass nearly sent me over the edge! I last met Tony in 1990 after seeing him play with Venom and I was also a big Atomkraft fan so, as you can imagine, this was turning into something of a ‘bucket list’, must see, gig for me.
Did they deliver…HELL YES, THEY DID! The inimitable Coke Finlay was firing on all cylinders and the band were as tight as a tight thing. Tony hadn’t even had a chance to rehearse with them in person and had learnt everything, by ear, remotely. He was note perfect for the whole performance, highlighting what great musicians these guys are, he also throws some of the best shapes and bass faces in the business. This performance was pure joy for me and I hope I get to see Virus (and Venom Inc.) again soon!
Meeting and chatting to Coke, before they played and catching up with Tony, for the first time in three decades, afterwards, also proved what absolute gentlemen they both are. Honestly, after being stuck in the house for nearly 18 months, thanks to Covid, I really couldn’t have wished for anything better. There was definitely a tear in my eye as they came offstage!
Now I’m going to hand you back to Beth for the conclusion…
Just as Virus were heading onstage, we had the tough job of coming to a decision about who the winner of this North Wales M2TM Grand Final should be. Usually this would be decided by Bloodstock’s Rob Bannister, but again, due to the damn virus (not the band), this job was left up to the organisers, Fozzy and Beany, and a judging panel consisting of Rick and I representing the Ever Metal posse, and Powerzone’s Dani Maguire. For us, it was a pretty clear-cut decision, and after a short deliberation, it was decided. Severenth had played a blinder and were the fully deserving winners on the night. We hope they have a thoroughly amazing time at Bloodstock Festival.
And with that, some quick elbow bumps, a few more photos, Rick catching up with Tony Dolan and a few waves, the night was over. What a fantastic way to start getting back to some sort of normality. A huge thanks to Stew Bassett and the team at Central Station for ensuring that everything on the day was as safe as possible in these weird times. And of course, to North East Wales Metal Productions’ Fozzy and Beany, who never gave up hope, and were determined to put on a great show, come hell or highwater.
But the special thanks from the day must go to all the bands who turned up and played their hearts out to remind us why we’re all in this community. The love and binding power of music, especially live music, is what makes it a pleasure for me to be involved with our metal family, in however small a capacity. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that has never been truer. Friendship, as well as the music, make all of us tick. And damn did it feel good to be ticking along with friends again!
Disclaimer: This review, and photographs, are solely the property of Beth Jones, Rick Tilley, and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Disclaimer: This photo album is solely the property of Beth Jones. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of these images, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Pentre Fest 2020 Day Two Mcleans, Pentre, North Wales 22/02/2020 Review by Rick Tilley, Alun Jones and Beth Jones Pictures by Beth Jones
Rick Here.
Saturday’s Pentre Fest, Day Two review is a
collaborative affair between myself, Alun and Beth. I’ve made it clear who
wrote what and I would like to thank them for their help, as well as looking
after a broken 52 year old (me!) who cannot get around as quickly as he used
to!
On the Saturday
morning, pleasantly surprised that we weren’t hurting as much as we thought we
might, we set off back to Mcleans, pausing only to pick up Powerzone’s Dani
Maguire on the way, ready for a full day of Metal and Acoustic performances. It
was noticeably quieter upon arriving, but a fair amount of alcohol had been consumed
on the Friday, so I imagine there were a few sore heads! However, the always
faithful had dragged themselves out of bed to watch the opening band of the day
on the main stage…
Cheerfully Undiagnosed
Pop/Punker
Cheerfully Undiagnosed (aka Adam Robinson) had also performed early on the
Saturday at Pentre Fest the previous year, waking everyone up and putting a
smile on our collective faces. Now expanded to a two piece, (with the addition
of a drummer) they did the same this year. Vocalist/Guitarist Adam will
probably be the first to admit that the material is simple, but he performs it
with a huge glint of fun in his eyes and is very comical to boot. Getting a selection
of hungover and tired metallers to sing along to tracks such as ‘I’ve Just Been
Sick’ and ‘Unsolicited Dick Pic’ was hilarious to watch and take part in and
it’s just the sort of thing you need to kick your day into gear!
One person we
certainly hadn’t expected to see was Edd Case. In the week running up to Pentre
Fest Edd had been taken ill, spending two days in hospital, so to see him turn
up on the Saturday with his guitar, looking like death warmed up was a bit of a
shock. After telling him off, he proceeded to blow us all away on the acoustic
stage with a short set of songs, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him play or
sound better. His original songs are beautifully written and any covers he
plays are turned completely on their head, always recognisable but played in a
way only he can. He was excellent but, like Brian, he was still ‘a very naughty
boy’ for turning up!
Next up on the main
stage we were due to get our first proper Metal fix of the day from a band I
hadn’t seen live before but was really looking forward to, Manchester based
NWOTHM four piece Stormrider and ‘by the power of Greyskull’ did they deliver. If,
like me, you love a good dose of Trad Metal, mixed up with some Power and
Thrash influences, played as tightly as a gnat’s chuff and delivered with the
force of a Challenger Tank then you’ll love Stormrider. Their not long enough
set was excellent and looking around at the growing crowd it was clear I wasn’t
the only one who thought so. Afterwards I immediately went and bought their EP
and hope it isn’t too long before we see them again!
I nipped outside for
a breather and immediately got caught up talking to people. For my sins I
missed most of the next artist on the acoustic stage but, luckily, Alun didn’t
so here are his thoughts on Rhiannon.
Rhiannon Petrou (Why’d You Wanna Know)
Sadly, Pentre Fest
suffered a few casualties this year. One such example was on the acoustic
stage, where Rachel Sian Roberts, one half of the newly formed duo, Why’d You
Wanna Know, was hospitalised and (obviously) unable to perform. But the show
must go on: and Rhiannon performed a short but enjoyable set on the acoustic
stage. Admittedly out of her comfort zone, playing guitar as well as singing
(having only started to learn guitar a month ago) she soldiered on and won
plaudits for her effort. Only a few minor mistakes were noticed – and easily
forgiven. Possessing a beautiful singing voice she even managed to add a
ghostly, ethereal sheen to a cover of Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ – making it sound
good for the first time ever!
Having seen the end of Rhiannon’s set and thinking what a beautiful voice she had, I headed back to the main stage to get another blast of METAL, this time from Huddersfield Thrashers RipTide, another band I hadn’t seen live before. Now Thrash is one of my favourite genres. I’m old enough to have been around when it all began and saw bands such as Exciter, Exodus, Testament and Destruction etc play when they were starting out. I was also lucky enough to see Sy Keeler’s first gig singing with Onslaught, which still stands as one of the best live performances I’ve ever witnessed. Why am I on a trip down memory lane you may ask? Well, RipTide filled me with that same sense of open-mouthed awe I got as a teenager witnessing my idols for the first time. They possess everything a Thrash band needs and they do it with style. There’s definitely an old-school ‘Bay Area’ element to their sound, but it’s mixed with a modern-day twist and slightly harsher vocals, which brings everything into the 21st Century. They were incredibly tight, playing at break neck speed when they needed to, but slowing down and leaving space for the groove as well. A highlight of the weekend, you must not miss them if they gig near you!
Mine and Beth’s
recent return to Ever Metal, for some reason, seemed to be going down well for
many people attending and I got chatting again outside after Riptide. This
meant I missed the beginning of Mike West’s set on the acoustic stage. Having
seen him before I knew he was good, but Alun hadn’t, so here’s what he thought!
Mike West
If the connection
between metal and outlaw country isn’t obvious to any readers, I can only pity
you. I’ve never witnessed Mike West before, but his amalgamation of southern
rock, dusty country and swampy blues was a delight to my old whiskey-soaked
soul. Mike delivers his songs with a hard rockin’ swagger, as if he’s just
busted out of Tombstone jail and is riding across the plains, lamenting women
and fortunes lost. A great voice and an outstanding presence, Mike is one to
catch when you can. Has anyone done a “Wild West” gag yet? If not, there’s a
headline for us there!
After Mike’s great
set, it wasn’t long before our Master of Ceremonies ‘Beany’ was rounding
everyone up to head back to the main stage. He didn’t have to coerce me because
I had been looking forward to seeing Forlorn Hope for about a year. Historical
Heavy Metal may sound odd to some (although, it’s never done Sabaton any harm)
but Forlorn Hope manage it with aplomb. They have been described as “a musical
version of Bernard Cornwall’s ‘Sharpe’ novels” and I couldn’t put it any better
myself. They haven’t been together that long, but arrived on stage like a much
more seasoned outfit. Their Classic Heavy Metal sound mixed with Military
History of the Peninsular War of 1807-1814 lyrics and a little in-between song
humour from vocalist/rhythm guitarist Chris Simpson works perfectly and you
should really seek them out. If there is one negative it is that keyboard
player Jade McKenna doesn’t get more involved or smile. Her playing is more
than acceptable, and the keyboards definitely add something to the music, but
she looks very ‘stiff’ on stage compared to the rest of the band!
By this point my
spine was starting to groan and I needed a break, so I’ll leave you in the more
than capable hands of Beth who went to check out Ben MIlford on the Acoustic
Stage.
Ben Milford
Normally we’re used to seeing Ben shredding in the shadows,
as he’s the super skilled, but incredibly humble, guitarist in OMV. His
acoustic performance wasn’t just a new experience for us – it was also the
first time he’d done an acoustic set on his own. Talking to him beforehand, we
discovered that he was pretty nervous about it, because it meant stepping out
of his comfort zone by singing as well as playing. He needn’t have been nervous
though, because his performance was brilliant, and he has a lovely voice. On a
couple of songs, he had extra vocal support from his band mate Richie, front
man of OMV, and the unstoppable Edd Case! To be honest though, he didn’t need
it. He did a fabulous job on his own, and we got to see another side of him,
which we really liked.
Scars Of Remembrance
Sore back or not, I
wasn’t going to miss our friends in Scars Of Remembrance, and it turned out to
be one of the best decisions I’ve made for a long time, so I hope you don’t
mind me waxing lyrical! Since vocalist Mike Edwards’ departure from the band
late last year, SOR have been without a steady frontman. They’d decided that,
for this gig, guitarist Mark Harris was going to sing (he already does backing
vocals and has a good voice), but it was clear beforehand that he was in pain.
It turns out he had cracked two ribs in a fall and wasn’t able to play guitar,
and I think there were nerves within the band as to how this was going to go
down.
They needn’t have
worried, because within half a song, the now much more healthy crowd was
looking at the stage and at each other in astonishment. Regardless of the pain
he was in, which must have been very uncomfortable and deserves a medal on its
own, no-one could quite believe the voice (both clean and screamed) that was
coming from Mark’s lungs. He is a very quiet individual off stage, but this was
an absolutely mesmerising performance, and easily the best I had ever seen
Scars Of Remembrance play. Having just four of them on stage gives them more
space. Bassist Karl Ditcher certainly came out of his shell (he also joined in
on backing vocals presenting an excellent bear-like roar), guitarist Daniel
Dawson admirably covered the missing guitar with his riffing, and drummer Ben
Burke played like a man possessed, thumping the living daylights out of the
kit. However, Mark was the star of the show and it’s quite obvious that they
don’t need to find a new singer!
Afterwards, many
people spent an awful lot of time telling them this, and I really hope they
listen. I already thought they were a great band, but this performance elevated
them to the next level! My band of the weekend bar none!
Back at the acoustic
stage it was time for Adam Robinson to play a set and I shall leave Beth to
tell you about that.
Adam Robinson (Cheerfully Undiagnosed)
Still stoked from what I’d just seen on the main stage, I
headed back to the acoustic room to watch Adam Robinson deliver his second set
of the day, this time acoustically and on his own. It was no less cheerful than
his earlier offering, and his witty banter and repartee kept the crowd
enthralled. Again, his chosen songs weren’t overly fussy or complex, just good
fun. He is a great act if the audience need a bit of a giggle and a livener,
and his endearing stage persona could warm the hearts of even the coldest of
souls!
At this point, along
with Dani from Powerzone, we had arranged to interview the bonafide superstar,
and absolute gentleman, that is Luke Appleton (Iced Earth & Absolva),
alongside Rishi Mehta (Babylon Fire) who would be performing an acoustic set
together later that day. While we did that Alun was watching OMV and here are
his thoughts!
OMV
On the main stage, OMV entered dressed like a bunch of West
Coast gangsters in masks and bandanas. Introduced as “hardcore street metal”,
these guys definitely showed some great musical skills and energy. Somewhere
between Bodycount, Suicidal Tendencies and Biohazard is where I’d stack them.
Either way, OMV delivered some brutal songs and bounced around with massive
crossover riffs. They were very entertaining, although hugely confrontational
onstage – I wasn’t sure if they were actually going to pistol whip the audience
into submission. The music has enough intensity and power to speak for itself.
While I took a plethora of pain killers, washed down with a
pint (don’t have a go at me) Beth headed to the acoustic stage to watch the
second performance of the weekend from the excellent Cry For Mercy.
Cry For Mercy Acoustic
We’re quickly running out of adjectives to describe these
guys, but I’ll have a bash at a few more here, to describe their set on the
acoustic stage! We’re big fans of these guys at Ever Metal, and have seen them
many times now, but not stripped back like this. As usual though, their
performance was a masterclass in how to deliver a great acoustic rock and blues
set. Drummer Steven Taylor kept the rhythms going on Cajon, which gave the set
that extra acoustic feel, and the grooves were upheld by guitarist Andy Cutty
and bassist/vocalist Kev Plant. This set upheld their super-tight musicianship,
with all of them on point all of the time. One of the things I like most about
them is how comfortable they look when they play. The feel they give to the
music is both smooth and charismatic, and you can’t help being drawn into it,
making toe-tapping and head nodding obligatory! This set was so chilled that it
would not have been out of place on a ‘hideout’ stage at a midsummer festival
somewhere in the Texas Deep South. It oozed groove and proved just how
versatile these guys are.
By now I was going numb so I knew I could manage some more
music and I went back to the main stage to watch Son Of Boar, however Alun
rather enjoyed their set (I did too), so he’s written this short, but very
complimentary review.
Son Of Boar
They have a cool name, and they looked pretty cool on stage
in matching denim battle-vests. From the very first notes of the bass rumbling
on the very first song, I had a feeling that Son of Boar would be something
special. I wasn’t wrong. These Bradford bruisers have everything in spades:
they’re unfeasibly heavy; they have slow, doomy riffs with a Sabbath-like
infectiousness and they have a sludgy, swampy groove that can pack an
aggressive punk punch. The best band of Pentre Fest 2020 as far as I was concerned,
Son of Boar were superb. I even bought a t-shirt!
At this point Edd Case played a second set on the acoustic stage and it was the one time, all weekend, we missed a performance. However, as we’d seen him earlier in the day and he was still a very naughty boy for even turning up, he’s going to forgive us…aren’t you Edd?
Severenth
Back at the main
stage it was time for the awesome Severenth to play and, once again, they
showed why it is so good to have them back on the scene. When these guys were
around the first time they toured the US and played the hallowed Wacken Open
Air, among others and their pedigree shone through from start to finish.
Vocalist Peet Bailey is a wonderful frontman, possessing a huge voice and bags
of energy, Ben Jones thunders on the bass, guitarists Jack Somers and Adam
Sidor are the perfect foils for each other, and drummer Dave Roberts is a mass
of arms and rhythm. Together they a make a brutal, but very catchy team, and
the sooner they release a new album the better!
We were now heading
towards the climax of the Festival, but there were still two performances to
go. First up were the headliners on the acoustic stage, namely Luke Appleton
(Iced Earth, Absolva) and Rishi Mehta (Babylon Fire) who put on a wonderful
performance. As Alun hadn’t seen Luke acoustically before he kindly supplied
the write-up of the set!
Luke Appleton and Rishi Mehta
A really fantastic
set was delivered by Mr Luke Appleton on the acoustic stage. In truth, this was
a duo performance with Rishi Mehta (of Babylon Fire) playing too, and it was a
genuine highlight of Pentre Fest 2020. Dubbed “acoustic metal”, the songs were
both suitably laidback, yet delivered with a metal edge. Expertly performed, we
had tunes from Luke’s solo “Snake Eyes” project, plus of course some Iced Earth
and Absolva numbers. Not to mention a bit of Dio and Tenacious D for good
measure! A real class act in every sense of the word, and both very talented
and down-to-earth gentlemen.
After a short break, where some of us braved the horrendous
wind that was pummelling Mcleans outside (actually, now I think about it,
bearing in mind who was due to appear onstage, it could well have been the
‘True Metal wind of Joey DeMaio’s 24 string bass guitar), we headed back to the
main stage to witness the climax of Pentre Fest 2020 – WomenOwar!! Now, there
had been rumblings (no, not from my stomach) that WomenOwar were threatening to
pull out of their performance as there’d been a massive argument between Floss
The Boss and Davina Shenkles over who was going to wear the deep blue eyeliner
and baby oil, but luckily tragedy was averted! Of course, had this been the real
Manowar we would all have been sat twiddling our thumbs calling Joey a complete
and utter wan…!
Yes I’m joking, sort of! WomenOwar are an ‘all women, not
all women’ Manowar Tribute band and they were absolutely brilliant! Formed for
a one-off performance in 2018 they now find themselves in demand, possibly
because Manowar really do argue over who is going to wield the He-Man sword and
get the best painted on six-pack, but more likely because they are very funny
and play the songs superbly!
Made up from members of the awesome Dakesis, Fury and
Christgrinder you just knew the musical prowess was going to be top notch, and
so it proved to be. Armed with a wig and mascara collection that Steel Panther
would be proud of (in fact Manowar would be proud of it as well), they
proceeded to blow us all away with a majestic set of Manowar classics that the
crowd lapped up! It was the perfect climax to a wonderful weekend. As it says
on their website “the band have weathered even the most unconquerable
challenges to consistently bring you 100% of the Manowar for 1% of the price of
actual Manowar”, and that says everything really. Go see them! You won’t be
disappointed, because WomenOwar will actually turn up and play!!
So, that’s Pentre Fest wrapped up for another year. In all
seriousness, it was incredible and everyone I spoke to enjoyed themselves
immensely. Sound was perfect all weekend on both stages and the only thing that
let us down was the weather but having the sometimes ‘not acoustic’ stage
inside really worked well!
Massive thanks must go to the team at North East Wales Metal
Productions for assembling another cracking line-up of bands and acoustic
artists, and especially to Fozzy for getting through what must have been an
awful weekend for him.
We were all well looked after by Pat and the staff at
Mcleans, they do a sterling job, the bands were friendly and approachable all
weekend and, of course, it wouldn’t be the same without all of you who turned
up to watch.
Pentre Fest is a wonderful grass roots event and it should
be thoroughly applauded. I’m already primed for 2021!
Disclaimer: This review and photographs are solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Top Ten Photographic Moments of 2019 By Beth Jones
Hi Everyone – Rick Here. For her Top Ten, Beth has decided to do something different this year and that’s present you with the favourite music photos that she took this year and to tell you why they are special to her. I’d like to thank her for all the hard work she has put into Ever Metal in 2019, live reviews, album reviews and ever improving photography, as well as getting me to and from all the gigs we have attended and last, but certainly not least, being my fabulous other half and keeping me in check lol!!
This year’s been a funny old year. It started off strongly, with the prospect of a blisteringly full gig calendar, but, for one reason or another, ended up not being quite as full as we’d hoped. Looking back through my pictures from this year has reminded me of the brilliant gigs that we did attend, as well as the amazing people we have encountered along the way. With that in mind, I decided that my top ten photographs from 2019 would not necessarily be the sharpest shots that I caught, but instead would be the pictures that captured something special and mean more than just the image. So here they are; my top ten photographic moments of 2019.
#10 Evil Scarecrow @ The Tivoli, Buckley 31/01/2019
Way back at the beginning of the year, on a cold, snowy evening, my eldest, Sian and I headed over to The Tiv, my old haunt from yesteryear, to watch Evil Scarecrow, Footprints in the Custard, and Ten Foot Wizard. It was an awesome and crazy gig, but also the first outing of my new lens, which is always a fun time for a tog!
Pentrefest, and the Pentrefest Summer Sessions, have both been awesome this year, but Midnight Prophecy’s set took it to a whole new level of awesomeness. We had seen these guys at the end of last year in Manchester and were impressed, but they managed to blow us away even more at this gig. I also chose this photo as bass players just don’t get enough recognition! Ladies and gents, I give you Pete Mansfield, awesome bass man!
#8 Lullaby For A Unicorn @ Bloodstock North Wales M2TM Final, Penny Black / XS Wrexham 07/06/2019
These guys! They are my boys. They didn’t win the final, but as always, they gave it their all in the madcap way that only they know how. They frustrated me at this gig, because they overthought it, but it doesn’t stop them making the list, mainly because they are just great people. This is a picture of their lovely bassist, Anthony Baxter, who is another fabulous bass man!
#7 Red Method @Rabidfest 2019, The Bullingdon, Oxford 17/08/2019
Rabidfest ended up being our only festival this year, but it was a good one, so that made the pain of missing out on many others more bearable. We met some fantastic people, including, at long last, Ever Metal’s Sheri Bicheno! It also introduced me to my band of the weekend, and probably my favourite performance of the year – Red Method, who absolutely blew my mind, and they were properly nice chaps too.
#6 Arkdown @ The G21, The Saddle Tock Bar, Chester 05/10/2019
It was a dreary October night and, once again, Sian accompanied me to Chester to see Scarfoot, In Which It Burns, and Arkdown. We already knew Scarfoot from previous gigs, but it was the first time seeing them with their new bassist, and the improvement in their sound was huge, which really pleased me. In Which It Burns were a new name to me, but I loved them, and Arkdown were another new name and they absolutely smashed it! This was made all the more commendable by the fact that the audience was tiny. I got really mad about this, because they and the performance they gave deserved so much more. If you ever get the chance to get out and see Arkdown, especially if it is round here, please do so, you won’t regret it.
#5 Severenth – The Comeback Show @The Live Rooms, Chester 05/07/2019
Severenth had been a name that I vaguely remembered from a few years back but hadn’t paid much attention to. When rumblings of a comeback show came about, we decided that we should go and check them out, seeing as they were local. Bugger me, am I glad we did! For a start, the venue was absolutely packed to the rafters, which made for an electric atmosphere! Lullaby For A Unicorn opened the night, then In Depths played as main support, and Severenth headlined. Every act was superb, and I was in awe of Severenth vocalist Peet Bailey, not just for his versatile voice, but also for his epic dreads! Great night!
#4 Twisted Illusion – The Excite The Light Tour @ The Zanzibar, Liverpool 12/05/2019
Matt Jones is a colourful character, and some people just can’t get on with him because of that, but for me he is not only a really nice guy, but unquestionably one of the most talented musicians and songwriters I have ever experienced. It was a privilege to be at this gig, and the emotion and effort that he put into every single second of this performance had me blubbing like a baby. There is nothing flash about the Twisted Illusion stage show, it is just Matt and his bunch of equally talented musicians letting the music speak, and it is beautiful.
#3 Fun Times – Pentrefest Summer Sessions 2019 @Mcleans Pentre 06/07/2019
This picture sums up how music, and our little scene, makes us feel. In it are Michael Randall, bassist and resident Tigger impersonator with Mad Spanner, and my wonderful other half, and Ever Metal commander in chief, Richard Tilley. It was a great capture of the mood on that day. Whiling away the hours, listening to great music and having excellent fun with some of the best friends you could wish for. All problems are left at the gate, and life is perfect, for a day at least.
#2 Inspiration – Will Tudor @ The Amplified Press Day 20/04/2019
We all know now that Amplified 2019 didn’t happen, and that was very sad and upsetting for a lot of people. I will admit that I cried a lot, for a long time, and not because I wasn’t going to see the bands, or have fun in a field for a weekend, but because it meant that I missed out on the chance to work alongside, and learn more about our craft from this man; Mr Will Tudor, who over the last two years, since I first picked up a camera, has been an inspiration and a guide for me. So thank you Will, you have no idea how much your input has meant to both Sian and me.
#1 Love Music – The Fans @ All The Venues On All The Dates 2019
My number one picture for this year was shot at Rabidfest, at the end of Red Method’s blistering set, but it could have been taken at any one of the other gigs and more. It simply sums up the reason that bands make music, and in turn the reason why I get to go out and pursue something I love – photographing bands making music. If it wasn’t for the fans, there would be no bands, and the world would be a much darker place. So, thank you, to all of you, for sharing the passion that we all feel for the music, and getting out to watch it live, which tops off any other feeling in the world!
Peace, love and respect to you all. Merry Christmas x
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
The Alma Inn July Showcase 2019 The Alma Inn, Bolton 20/07/2019 Review by Beth Jones
What is the best way to drown your sorrows about not being sat in a field listening to great bands with the best people? That’s easy – go and sit in a pub and listen to great bands with the best people instead! And that is exactly what we did on Saturday 20th July, by making a trek up to Bolton, to the Alma Inn for the Badgerfest Promotions / Alma Inn Presents July Showcase. It promised a cracking day of music, with some familiar names, and some that were new to us, and it didn’t disappoint!
We had never been to the much talked about Alma Inn before, so weren’t entirely sure what to expect. What we found was this: It is a cosy little venue, and really has the feel of a classic metal pub from the 80’s / 90’s, with some spectacular graffiti art in the beer garden, and interesting toilets! But the atmosphere was instantly warm, and the girl behind the bar, whose name I didn’t catch, was great! Ninety Nine Mercies
First on the bill, and a new name to us, Ninety Nine Mercies kicked off the proceedings. Being the first band up is always a tough job, and their set was delayed by, and then hampered by a range of technical difficulties and sound issues that were beyond their control, so it was difficult really to get a good judgement of them. They were pretty solid, but had a few timing issues in places, but again this may be because they couldn’t really hear properly what each member was doing. I think I need to see them again to make a better judgement of them. They certainly gave it their all, which is always good to see at that time on a Saturday!
https://www.facebook.com/NinetyNineMercies/
Severenth
Fresh from their comeback show after a 6 year hiatus, the Severenth guys put on yet another stonking show here, and gained a whole pub full of new fans in the process! They are exciting to watch and musically they are spot on. Peet Bailey, as a front man, is brilliant. He can scream and do clean vocals with ease, and has a very expressive face, which makes the performance hypnotising to watch. The rest of the band are also not afraid of showing their spirit, and don’t hide in the background. Bass player, Ben Jones, provides some mighty powerful backing vocals, and this, combined with the heavy rhythms of Dave Roberts on drums, and some really technical guitar work from Adam Sidor and Jack Somers make for an all-round package that would not look out of place much higher up on a bill. I cannot wait to see these guys again very soon and would love to see them back on the festival circuit next year.
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSeverenth/
Black Sheets Of Rain
This band had actually recently done an EMQ’s for us, so it was nice to put faces to names and see what they were about. They were very different from what we had seen already today, in so much as they were more a classic hard rock band, so a lot lighter in style. They were very tight, and very good, but my one ask would be that they didn’t look quite so nervous on stage. They all looked slightly terrified, possibly because they were having to follow the Severenth performance we had just seen, but they had no reason to be, as they were very good, and we certainly enjoyed their set!
https://www.facebook.com/blacksheetsofrain/
Lost In Lavender Town
In a showcase, you always like to see a bit of variety, and what better way to do that could there be than to chuck in an instrumental prog band, with three guitarists?! These guys were a bunch of insanely talented musicians who clearly live for noodling! They were like Pink Floyd after a marijuana binge, and it was incredibly relaxing! It was certainly music to chill out too!! I was however disappointed, as they had a brilliant ambient keyboard sound running through each track, but sadly no real life keyboard player, instead opting to use a backing track. Call me an old fuddy duddy if you like, but I do like live music to be 100% live, and if you are going to have keys as an integral part of your music, please use a real keyboard player!
https://www.facebook.com/lostinlavendertown/
Portrayal Of Ruinn
So, now we were all nicely mellow, it was time to get the shit beaten out of us, in a metal sense, by the insanely heavy Portrayal Of Ruinn. There are times when being a gig photographer can make you realise why the sofa and a nice cup of tea are so comforting – this was one of those times! Trying to take pictures when lots of big gents are erupting into pits in a space not much bigger than my living room is, err, interesting shall we say!! That aside, Portrayal Of Ruinn really know how to put on a great show, and delivered a punchy brand of melodic deathcore to the delighted crowd. Frontman Calvin Fayle has a terrifically manic look in his eyes when performing, and this captured the audience. Whilst vocally they are a little heavy for me, I really enjoyed their performance, and I didn’t die, so that’s a win in my book!
https://www.facebook.com/portrayalofruinn/
Daybreaker
I saw Daybreaker opening last year’s Badgerfest, and was impressed, so I was looking forward to seeing them again today and was glad that Rick also got a chance to see them. Again, they put in a great performance, which produced another lively reaction from the crowd. Bass player Lynden Garrad has a hugely expressive face and looked like he was having a ball on stage, whilst front man Sam Higgins paced the performance area like a man possessed, delivering some hellish hardcore vocals that bang you right in the gut. They are fun to watch. I like them.
https://www.facebook.com/daybreakerUK/
Kringer And The Battle Katz
Well! This performance was an experience. I want you to imagine The Sex Pistols, but with more musical skill, and heavier, having a crazed party following a month-long binge of mayhem and debauchery, and that kind of explains this performance! They describe themselves as Idiotcore, and are a mixture of punk, groove and deathcore, which bizarrely works pretty well! Even if you didn’t really like the music, it is impossible not to smile and get drawn in by their madcap insanity. They were perfect for this point in the day when us oldies are starting to flag a little – it peps you up and gives you a second wind! Bonkers. That is all!
https://www.facebook.com/Kringerandthebattlekatz/
Witch Tripper
We have seen these guys almost as many times as we have seen Lullaby For A Unicorn (and that is quite a few!!), but we never get tired of them. They are pure funky groove metal, and playing music is their life – this comes across in every show, and this one was no exception. It was hot, it was sweaty, but it was so much fun. Their all-round performance is always exceptionally tight, and the now packed out venue lapped it up. Their new drummer, Gary-Eric Evans, has really added a further depth to their music, that has enhanced an already superb product, which is brilliant. Add to this the fact that they are all truly lovely chaps, and it is easy to see how they have endeared themselves to so many audiences around the country and further afield.
https://www.facebook.com/witchtripperuk/
Vice
Finishing off a great day of metal were Vice, a gang of three young and aspirational local lads, who you can’t help but love. Again, we have seen them a few times now, and absolutely loved their first album, “The First Chapter”, and are eagerly awaiting their second. They are superbly polished, and each show is measured and well thought out. They delivered a sterling performance again here, and it was great to see them getting such a warm reception from the crowd. We had to duck out a little before the end again, because we have no staying power! But we left a venue full of very happy people behind us, with big smiles on our faces.
https://www.facebook.com/Vicemetaluk/
Again, this was another brilliant day created by the seemingly unstoppable John Badger! There had been a few technical and sound issues towards the beginning of the day, which delayed things a little, but the people didn’t care, and it didn’t take away from the day at all in the end. It was great to see so many familiar and friendly faces, and to make some new acquaintances along the way. The metal scene in Manchester is alive and well and totally thriving, thanks to a host of brilliant underground bands, and the tireless work of people like John Badger, and James and Jayne at 0161 Manchester Underground Metal Community, and it really is a joy to be close enough, location wise, to be part of it. LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Badgerfestpromotions/
https://www.facebook.com/alma.inn/
https://www.facebook.com/0161MUMC/
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
https://www.facebook.com/NinetyNineMercies/
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSeverenth/
https://www.facebook.com/blacksheetsofrain/
https://www.facebook.com/lostinlavendertown/
https://www.facebook.com/portrayalofruinn/
https://www.facebook.com/daybreakerUK/
https://www.facebook.com/Kringerandthebattlekatz/
https://www.facebook.com/witchtripperuk/
https://www.facebook.com/Vicemetaluk/