“We’re going dooooowwwn to Margate” – well, it had to be the opening line, didn’t it?

As someone with a singing voice for a silent movie, this was mercifully not belted out to the unfortunate eardrums of the rest of the Devolution crew as we made the trip down to Kent’s seaside resort for the second edition of the Margate Rock Festival. Hosted in beloved theme park Dreamland’s roller disco room, the day promised a lot more for the discerning rocker than Chas & Dave’s summer jolly suggested, with nearly twelve hours of rock awaiting us. So, we got our skates on (sadly, only metaphorically) and jumped into the pit with gusto.

Samavayo

In what proved to be a day featuring a few firsts, German rockers Samavayo opened proceedings in what was their first show outside of London, wherein the trio provided a delicate mix of light and shade. With their brand of rock, a little stoner-influenced and featuring touches of psychedelia throughout, their riffs bounced appropriately and shook any stiffness out of the early crowd’s collective limbs admirably. By the time the anthemic “I Keep On Rolling” provided a delightful uplift to round off the festival’s start, the crowd were set for the day.

Atravion

Shorn of a guitarist who was unable to make the show (though in spirit, with a guitar placed on-stage), Kent’s own Atravion soldiered on as a four-piece. Among the heavier acts of the day, their brand of melodic metal was warmly welcomed amongst the festival’s early patrons, with vocalist Kelsey Graham marshalling the crowd like a seasoned pro. In another first, the new song “Outsider” got a run out and showcased the band’s prowess that led to their appearance at the Metal 2 The Masses final earlier this year. On the evidence here, you would expect to see them challenging once again.

The SuperMicks

While the two opening bands made do with the house lighting, Kent sons The SuperMicks broke out the smoke machine to add a new visual thrill to the day’s midday knockings. With both vocalist and guitarist Wayne Jones and bass player Greg Edwards working the crowd with sparkling warmth, the band’s set provided a healthy dose of rock ‘n’ roll. The likes of the defiant “We Don’t Need Work” and “In This Town” brought an upbeat, feel-good factor to the roller disco floor that lent itself terrifically to the burgeoning festival atmosphere. Especially as the beer began to flow freely and the crowd began settling in for socks to be duly rocked.

Tankzilla

When was the last time you encountered a rock duo this bombastic? Dutch dynamic duo Tankzilla brought forth a spectacularly fun set, which encompassed some singalong passages and an odd gag about AI that left everyone a touch bemused. Yet it was the madcap songs that enthralled, with the synth-punctuated “UFO” and “Brother From Another Mother” providing a bounce and sense of amusement that livened up the place. Turns out it is not the size of the band that counts but what you do as one (?) Not bad at all for a first UK show!

The Motherz

With a swagger befitting 80s hard rock and a compelling cohesion, The Motherz continued the day’s festivities with nary a whiff of momentum being dropped. While vocalist and bassist Cedric Pfister brought wonderful melodies to the fore, and drummer Jake Cook laid the impeccable foundations, it was guitarist Miguel Montalban who brought the effortlessly cool shred god feel with riffs and solos aplenty throughout. As they straddle that line between heavy metal and hard rock neatly, peddling it at Dreamland proved richly rewarding for all with working ears.

Margarita Witch Cult

Hailing from the home of heavy metal, Birmingham, and sporting arguably the best band name on the bill, Margarita Witch Cult’s brand of stoner-influenced rock provided a healthy hunk of heavy riffage to the fold. One of the standout moments from the entire set was the sublime triple-vocal harmonies that were peppered throughout, and how enriching it was! “The Witchfinder Comes” sounded gargantuan, whilst “Scream Bloody Murder” and “Sacrifice” brought a terrific energy (see frontman Scott Abbott calling out “1, 2, 3, 6 6 6!”) that rounded out the set beautifully. But what Birmingham-based rock band could perform without a tribute to the godfathers, Black Sabbath, and the brummies delivered a colossal medley of “Black Sabbath”, “Iron Man” and “Paranoid” to hearty cheers. Well done, chaps.

Bobbie Dazzle

There are no awards for “most energetic performance”, but if there were, then Bobbie Dazzle and her band would take it without argument. The band seemed genuinely delighted to be playing, and the musicians moved about the stage like whirling dervishes, changing mic positions and looking like they were having the best time. Dazzle herself sounded incredible, with “Back To The City” and the cover of ABBA’s “Watch Out” eliciting well-earned roars from the crowd, whilst her flute solo brought some much-needed prog to the afternoon! With the entire band singing to great effect, theirs was an absolute highlight of the day.

Bad Touch

If you wanted just pure rock ‘n’ roll delivered with gusto and a good amount of warmth, then Norfolk’s Bad Touch were the band for you. With vocalist Stevie Westwood cracking funnies about the roller disco sign behind them (“We are ‘Roller Disco’!”, “We are the artist formerly known as ‘Roller Disco’!”), Their set was just downright enjoyable throughout. “Don’t Look Back”, “Come Get It”, and the uplifting “99%” were 100% joy, and it permeated throughout the room to leave the spirits high and the ears ringing. It’s a festival and a celebration of music, so Bad Touch ensured it was so by the time they took their bows.

The Vintage Caravan

On a day that promised plenty of big riffs, among the biggest were saved for a tremendous Icelandic trio in The Vintage Caravan. Further proof that great things come in little packages! In a lively performance, the Icelanders captivated the crowd with songs that were both rockin’ and incredibly catchy, with the likes of “Crystallised” proving the highlight. Their set culminated in bass player Alexander Örn Númaso hopping the barrier and joining the crowd for a brief period, proving their ease in their surroundings and that the rock ‘n’ roll spirit is alive and well.

Lucifer

Weathering storms is as much a part-and-parcel of being in a band as creating music, and hard rockers Lucifer certainly had their share here. With singer Johanna Sadonis already battling illness, the band’s set was delayed due to sound issues, so starting on the back foot would be completely understandable. Admirable, then, that Sadonis et al. powered on to deliver a set replete with marvellous vocal harmonies through the likes of their title track, “Lucifer”, and a stellar cover of “Because The Night” by Patti Smith. Apparently, the “medicine from the Dark Lord” that Sadonis received mid-set did the job!

South Of Salem

While delays to set times are a pain, spare a thought for the day’s headliners, South Of Salem. What should have been the crowning moment of a successful day’s rockin’ finally succumbed to tech gremlins shortly after the day’s main support took their bows. While the sound techs worked diligently to sort the problem, they could not avoid the Bournemouth rockers having their hour-long set halved with a looming 11pm curfew, ensuring a hard stop to the day.

It was not all bad during the wait, as the band’s impressive light-up coffins were set up to complement the light show, whilst the crowd had a rousing singalong to Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” – a possible nod to Adrian Vandenberg, who was slated to play the festival – as it blasted over the PA. Yet when the band took the stage, they made those 30 minutes count. Bringing along pyrotechnics and cheerleaders, the band were in fine form, and the raucous “Jet Black Eyes” showcased the band in full force. It may have been briefer than they wanted, but for half an hour, there was certainly no death to the party.

Yet, as always, such parties must end at curfew, and as everyone traipsed off into the night with ears ringing (ear protection!) and a chill that was exacerbated by the frigid North Sea air, a good day’s rockin’ drew to a close. While tech gremlins may have had their moment, the eleven bands on offer brought riffs, variety and fun in largesse, and made for a thoroughly enjoyable day out on the Kent coast. Eyes will turn to the 2026 edition, so we look forward to seeing you there (once we have thawed out, mind)!