Just a few hours spent at Firevolt is enough to tell you why it has become the UK’s fastest-growing music festival. Big enough to attract top international acts but small enough to retain a friendly family vibe, it’s pretty much everything you’d want from a medium-sized music festival. This year, the organisers have done a great job assembling a nice mixture of established bands and the best new talent, and they’ve been rewarded with their biggest-ever attendance figures. Three days and two stages (with no clashes) jam-packed with talent means there’s a lot to cover this year, so without further ado… let’s rock!
Friday
Perhaps the best way to start Firevolt is with Shape Of Water, a power trio in its purest definition, and a testament to their drive is bassist/vocalist Luca De Falco, who prowls the stage with his foot all trussed up after a road traffic accident. They’re an unstoppable force and with original tunes such as ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ in their arsenal, the sky’s the limit.
“Exuberant” would be a good word to describe the Takeaway Thieves. Hitting the stage like a grenade detonating, they send shards of sonics shattering in every direction. Think early Quireboys jamming with classic Guns N’ Roses and you’d have something approaching this crew. A musical tonic to cure any hangover, Takeaway Thieves are just what the doctor ordered.
Doomsday Outlaw hit the ground running, but then some technical issues bring them to a shuddering stop. However, it’ll take more than a few glitches in the matrix to derail this bunch, and once those issues are resolved, they pick up right where they left off, delivering a bluesy brand of rock that’s full of soulful vocals, gnarly solos and swirling keys. A cover of Duran Duran’s ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ goes down surprisingly well and wins over the crowd.
Hitting the stage like a gang of whirling dervishes, Fireheart are definitely carrying the flame. We’ve already seen some energetic performances today, but this bunch take things to a whole new level and serve up a sound that’s vital and vivacious. Fireheart are a band built for the biggest stages and songs like ‘(Good Is) Good Enough’ and ‘Write Me A Letter’ are sure to take them there.
Ward XVI must spend all their money on props and the cast of people who appear in their musical carnival. If so, then it’s money well spent because their magnetic pull attracts people from all over the festival grounds. Whilst some bands use chutzpah to mask musical inefficiencies, Ward XVI have plenty of substance to back up their style, and songs such as ‘Cry Of The Siren’ are sublime pieces of ear candy. It feels as if an evil funfair has come to town, and with the likes of Alice Cooper and King Diamond shuffling off towards the great gig in the sky, there’s going to be a big space left in their wake, and Ward XVI could be the band to fill it.
Named after his second album with Thin Lizzy, Darren Wharton’s Renegade was created with the intention of celebrating the musical legacy of Ireland’s finest rock band, and that’s exactly what they do today. Drawing deep from Lizzy’s discography, just the mention of ‘Jailbreak’ and ‘Chinatown’ is enough to get the blood pumping, and when delivered in a no-holds-barred way, things go into overdrive. There are a few surprises in store, such as ‘Massacre’ (covered by Iron Maiden), and along with the appearance of Ricky Warwick to duet on a feisty ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’, it ensures that Renegade raise the roof.
As the world continues to be plagued by warfare and pestilence, what we need now more than ever is a shot of positivity and The New Roses are here to provide it. Although they hail from Germany, there’s a touch of Americana to their sound, and that becomes apparent on a nifty cover of Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’, a spirited version that’s guaranteed to get the follicles flying. It’s a testament to their songwriting that original tunes such as ‘Thirsty’ and ‘The Usual Suspects’ nestle next to Neil’s classic effortlessly. Today has been very well curated with the band’s slotting in perfectly and The New Roses pick up the baton thrown down by Renegade, attacking the stage like birds of prey and raising the party atmosphere exponentially. True to the adage, final cut ‘The River’ leaves the crowd hungry for more.
If ever one band was aptly-titled, then it’s Ricky Warwick And The Fighting Hearts. With a sound that’s tough-as-nails and unleashed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, a Fighting Hearts show is not for the weak of constitution, but those who like their music with a steely edge will find a spiritual home here. Ricky and band arrive with little fanfare and operate with a pared-back aesthetic that makes them seem all the more dangerous. Perhaps best known for his tenure in UK metal band The Almighty, Ricky grew up on a diet of The Damned, The Jam, and Buzzcocks, and that’s something that shines through every note of these songs; they are hard-boiled, but with a melodic centre, and devoid of fluff and filler. With Ricky looking like a general leading his troops into battle and the Fighting Hearts cutting the figure of a tough street gang, they deliver a tenacious set and one that’s going to be hard to beat.
Friday night headlining a festival is always a prestigious slot; the opening night can set things up nicely for the rest of the weekend. Yet, it is also fraught with danger; this is the set by which the rest of the weekend will be judged, plus the crowd is still full of energy and enthusiasm and can be hard to please. If Scottish rockers Mason Hill are feeling the pressure, then it doesn’t show because they emerge between the pyro shooting up from beneath the stage and look like they are in their natural habitat. Aided by a bombastic sound, they deliver each note like a well-aimed blow to the solar plexus. Replacing a vocalist/lead is one of the hardest changes a band will ever make; as the focal point of the group, they are the individual with whom fans most identify. However, Thomas Ward has found a fitting successor to former warbler Scott Taylor, and he looks right at home in his new role. Yet, if the new track debuted is anything to go by (titled ‘Atheist’, I believe), they are currently in a rich vein of form. Like a welterweight boxer, Mason Hill are both fleet of foot and pugnacious of punch, and they flit between the two poles, and it is never quite knowing in what guise they’ll appear next which makes their set such an engaging affair, meaning it is over far too soon.
Saturday
It seems that dabbling in the dark arts has cursed occult rockers Crowley. The gremlins that interrupted their set at this year’s Uprising festival are back again, meaning the band play their first two songs sans bass player. However, they seem accustomed to such shenanigans and carry on stoically, casting a spell over the crowd with their devilishly good sound. With a new album promised soon, this could be the season of the witch.
McHale’s Permanent Brew have a sound that sits easily on the summer breeze. An electric guitarist who knows his way around the six strings is counterpointed by an acoustic, which in turn makes a nice foil for the elephantine rhythm section, the band illustrating why high-octane rhythm and blues will never go out of style. Incorporating some Grandmaster Flash into their songs was totally unexpected but also renders them totally cool.
Rather than being plunderers, Thieves Of Liberty actually deal a nice line in hard rock. Whilst vocalist Jay Buchanan might look like James Corden, he actually sings like an old bluesman and moves with the fancy footwork of Michael Jackson. However, it would be wrong to single out any one member of the band; they lock in tightly to deliver a groove-laden sound, and on a sweltering August afternoon they raise the temperature by a few degrees.
With several acts on this year’s line-up hailing from the North East, it feels like that area of the UK is undergoing a cultural renaissance, but none quite capture the essence of that locale like LN. Delving deep into the region’s rich history, LN create an arresting sound and, dressed in animal furs, make a strong visual impact, too. Like marauding Vikings, they haven’t come to take prisoners; vocalist Ellen has an impressive range, whilst the band are equally malleable, and in an age when things tend to veer towards the generic, LN’s folksy take is refreshingly original.
Muddibrooke have a sound that seems intent on punching its way through the speakers. Imagine the heaviest thing possible, then attach an anchor, times it by two and you’d have something in the region of this Derbyshire crew. While there’s a strong song sensibility at their core, Muddibrooke have a grungy sound dredged from the depths of their souls, meaning these songs come laden with raw emotion that only adds to the overall feeling of heaviness. It all conspires to create an unforgettable set.
As the stage is prepared, it is furnished with rugs, a coat stand, a globe and standing lamps, which all transpires to create a softly focused, homely atmosphere, and it is in perfect sync with These Wicked Rivers‘ sound. Theirs is the kind of party everyone is invited to, and as such they’ve attracted a wide demographic to the Trooper Stage this afternoon. They fuse antiquated blues to a modern rock sound and deliver it with plenty of vim and vigour; it’s a nice tension of opposites, and one which gives them an exorbitant amount of freedom, and they put it to good use, playing a set that has an organic feel and flows like a smooth river of silk. With a new album dropping later this year (working with Andy Sneap and Colin Richardson, no less) and a real buzz surrounding the band, I think the next time These Wicked Rivers return to Firevolt, it’ll be as headliners.
The more eagle-eyed amongst the crowd will recognise Dare vocalist Darren Wharton from yesterday’s set with Renegade (in fact, both bands share several members), and whilst things take a more melodic turn here, it’s no less impactful for it. Testament to what a great frontman Darren is, he’s equally vivacious today, working the crowd perfectly and getting everybody involved, imploring all to punch the air and sing in unison. Looking around me and seeing the sheer joy on people’s faces is perhaps the greatest gift that music can give. With Darren’s vocals gliding like a bird, Dare have an atmospheric sound that would soundtrack life-changing moments perfectly. He who Dare(s) wins…
Perhaps the best thing about Firevolt is the sheer variety of acts on display, and that means we can jump from the AOR-leanings of Dare to the satanic shock rock of Wednesday 13, and all without missing a beat. Right from the very first note, Wednesday 13 proves himself the consummate entertainer, prowling the stage like a younger version of Alice Cooper, so cool and glacial, it looks like he’s stepped straight out of the freezer. ‘Look What The Bats Dragged In’ finds The Duke Of Spook in fine form, yet we mustn’t underestimate the power of his band, who operate with mechanical precision and handle all the time changes with clinical precision. As the band barrel through a set that’s all killer and no filler, everybody from teenagers to octogenarians have fallen under his spell. The band return for two well-deserved encores, firstly ‘Bad Things’, then ‘I Like To Say Fuck’, and never has swearing felt so good.
Wednesday 13 brought a certain class to the stage which is hard for any band to follow, but if anyone can rise to the challenge, Massive Wagons can. Using the Sex Pistols’ ‘Pretty Vacant’ as an intro tape is a wise move; it gets the crowd primed and ready for action and means that when the band arrive with ‘Everywhere We Go’ everybody in the vicinity of Whitebottom Farm is primed and ready for action. Massive Wagons are the type of band who give their fans exactly what they want, i.e. a high-octane romp filled with sing-along anthems, and tonight they deliver both in spades. They stomp all over the stage like they own it, which they pretty much do; having swum through the murky waters of the music industry to get to this point, they are taking nothing for granted. They are playing with the same kind of energy that characterised their early career. They aren’t the type of band to take themselves too seriously and are all smiles on stage, but when it comes to music, they’re all business, drawing the set list from a cluster of albums that gives things a tight, compact feel. After 75 minutes of full-on rock mayhem, it is with another tape that they depart, this time The Village People’s ‘YMCA’, ensuring the crowd are not only battered, but bewildered, too.
Sunday
There are many among us nursing hangovers, yet Mad Haven are suffering from no such ailments and hit the stage like a powder keg with the taper lit. With just half an hour in which to strut their stuff, there’s no time to waste, and they get straight down to business, assailing us with some of the finest rock known to man.
Opening the Trooper Stage are the force of nature known as Häxen. Thunderous is a word that doesn’t do them justice; three musicians who operate as a collective whole, but who each attack their chosen instrument with great gusto, powered forwards by a drummer who seems intent on pulverising the kit to dust. This set, and new track debuted (titled ‘Blackheath’, I believe), signpost a bright future.
A balls-to-the-wall, hell-bent-for-leather metal band is what’s required at this moment in time, so enter stage right Pyroclast. With a twin guitar attack hypnotising the crowd, a pounding rhythm section, and a singer with a great set of pipes, this quintet encapsulates all that’s great about metal. However, they avoid the usual lyrical tropes, instead offering a more cerebral approach to songwriting, and that certainly gives them an edge.
There’s plenty of Apriori t-shirts in the crowd, which must be a good omen for a band, but also means that there’s a tension crackling the air as we await their arrival. They’ve appeared several times at Firevolt, working their way up through stages and line-ups, and they have the potential to return as future bill toppers. Sometimes it sounds like they could use a second guitarist to pad out their sound, but songs like ‘Shotgun Blues’ go straight in for the kill. The biggest stages beckon.
If you want to know just how heavy two people can get, then look no further than Macclesfield duo The Virginmarys. They have songs that have been boiled down into their purest form until all that is left is pure, unadulterated rage. Drummer Danny Dolan often plays standing upright and as such looks like he might throw down his sticks and invade the crowd at any moment, whilst vocalist/guitarist Ally Dickaty delivers slabs of angular chords, each a brick placed on the other to create an impenetrable wall of sound. That said, the band are far from generic, mixing up tempos and rhythms to ensure things never become staid. Eardrums popped, mission accomplished.
As flames lick the stage, Cats In Space arrive in a blaze of glory, all flares, sequinned suits and top hats, and suggest that this will be no ordinary show. Each band member has a deep lineage in music and the arts that would fill a weighty tome, but needless to say, they bring a wealth of experience to this project, and the results are as spectacular as you’d expect. It’s a set that screams “showbiz”; the band are determined to give the crowd a good time, and the fact that they come armed with an array of classic tunes doesn’t hurt, the band firing off their songs in quick succession, intent on cramming as many tunes into their allotted time as possible. They become a well-oiled machine; the individual parts are cogs working in perfect synchronicity so that the songs can dazzle and shine, and that they do. New track ‘Not Big In Japan’ bodes well for the future, and along with their wild live show, should send Cats In Space into the stratosphere.
As with Cats In Space, FM know how to make an entrance; each band member appears individually, raising the crowd’s volume incrementally, so when vocalist/guitarist Steve Overland arrives, the cheers become a deafening roar. Of course, coming armed with a bunch of oven-ready anthems doesn’t hurt, and whoever said AOR bands can’t be heavy has never experienced FM on stage. They deliver a masterclass in stagecraft, having pieced together a set that ebbs and flows between slower cuts and rockers; of the latter, ‘That Girl’ (a song Iron Maiden would go on to cover) is particularly potent. The vocals (and accompanying harmonies) give things a nocturnal feel and conjure images of illicit meetings in neon-lit metropolises. The band display a joie de vivre that suggests there’s nowhere they’d rather be tonight than rocking the Trooper Stage; it’s highly contagious and sweeps up everyone present, creating a shared experience as band and crowd lock into a singular groove. FM are broadcasting loud and clear.
There’s something so very special about a headliner at a music festival. As a slight chill bites the air and the stage lights illuminate the darkness, it creates a magical feel that’s hard to replicate in any other environment, and when the band due to appear are The Wildhearts, well, things don’t get much better. “Ginger, Ginger, Ginger,” chants the crowd, and that means their arrival is imminent; when the band does appear, it’s with deafening pyrotechnics and brilliant, blinding white light. It’s an arrival that finds the band in top gear, racing like speed freaks from song to song, the only respite coming during the between-song banter. It is during one of these breaks that Ginger’s dog Maggie makes a welcome appearance to give Ginger a lick (she’s almost as famous as the band and gets a huge cheer), but mainly the band get their collective head down to unleash rock banger after rock banger. It’s a career-spanning set, with new track ‘Spider Beach’ (a taster of the new album Northern Spirit promised for later this year) nestling next to ‘Everlone’ from their 1993 debut album Earth Vs The Wildhearts. Despite the decades that separate these songs, they hang together effortlessly. As with many Wildhearts shows of late, it is a very tearful finale, yet there’s a lot of love in the house and a feeling that we’ve seen something very, very special.
As the final speeches are made and the sun sets on another successful Firevolt weekend, our thoughts are already turning towards next year, and with some top names already announced, now would be a good time to start making plans.
https://www.firevoltfestival.co.uk
Review & Photos By Peter Dennis