Okay so firstly, we gotta talk about the venue. Goddamn, the place is SICK. Firstly, the backdrop of the stage was like something out of a Ghost show, but the whole place was decorated so nicely. Add that to the fact that it’s a generally free-entry music venue in the center of Stockport, and it’s going to do phenomenally well and great things for the scene, even with it only being open since last year.
Then you have the actual night itself, in which three powerhouse hard rock/blues/metal bands blew the roof off the place. It was also a bit of a female-led lineup too, with all three bands featuring women vocalists, something still amazing to see in the genre to this day. So, when you have a great venue and some great music on a Saturday night, you clearly have the recipe for something great!
Bad Heritage kicked off the show in style! From the swaggering riffing to the powerful, attitude-dripped vocals, they made an impact right from the offset. Courtney is not only a phenomenal vocalist but a magnetic stage presence, holding the crowd in the palm of her hand throughout. And of course the rest of the band were no slouches either, putting on a damn fun, energetic show! And, whether it was their awesome original music or a sneaky Chapel Roan cover thrown in for good measure, it was all so good live! The band have made a great name for themselves in pretty short order and it’s very easy to see why! It’s only a matter of time before they explode and are touring regularly up and down the country with some big bands, if this show is anything to go by!
Next up were Eddie & The Wolves. Y’all know the drill by now. I even said to Edd I’ll be all harsh on the next one I do, but I don’t think I can, honestly. We had a lot of people come over after the set and tell us how good we did, so we must have been doing something right! Also shoutout to the sound guy, as it sounded great on stage and apparently out front, too. All four of us had an absolute blast up on stage and I think we played pretty well together, all things considered. A massive thank you to Wailing Banshee again for having us on, and for everyone coming out to a pretty packed out bar to enjoy three awesome bands!
After a lightening fast changeover, the headliners took to the stage. It has someone taken me until now to see Wailing Banshee, and I’m so glad I’ve finally had the chance to, as they smashed it! The band have a fantastic throwback style, like a modernisation of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, and it fits right in alongside a good number of their contemporaries in the scene. It’s heavy yet still catchy and melodic in all of the right places. It’s easy to see why they are getting a reputation as being such a good live band too, as every member was on fire the whole set, bouncing around the stage like they owned it. Whether it was the duel guitar solos, awesome bass bits or the drum solo, everyone seemed so locked in and gelled as a unit, as well as being absolutely phenomenally talented! And then you add the commanding presence of Dani fronting the machine, and you have a recipe for greatness! The band ripped through over an hour of fast-paced, awesome metal to a crowd that ate up every second. The band have quickly gone from ones to watch to must see, and have a hell of a future ahead of them!
And there we have it folks, another awesome night of hard rock/metal music! I had a blast playing and watching the other two incredible bands on the bill, and the venue was pretty packed out for most of the night so I imagine so did everyone else! Once again, thank you to the incredible venue for playing host, and for the sound/lighting guy working his ass off throughout the night as it all looked and sounded amazing. All three bands were amazing (and I’m not just saying that because I’m in one) and I can’t recommend seeing any of them live enough if they come anywhere near where you are. Do yourselves a favour and check them out on track, too!
It’s somehow been a little minute since we had the chance to cover some live country here at Overtone, having to look all the way back to January for it. So, between that and being a massive Kip Moore fan for years at this point, safe to say I was very excited for this gig. Add to that that he had one of the best and fastest rising starsin the scene supporting him, and it was surely a recipe for a good night. And it was the first night of the tour, on top of all of that! Let’s see how it was, shall we?
Firstly, can we talk about how INSANE it is that this was Gareth’s first live show with a band behind him? Not only was he insanely good, but he had some natural chemistry with his band, it felt. Yes, he was a little nervous and there was some slight technical difficulties, but neither stopped him from putting on one hell of a show! The fact that he’s only started writing his only music recently with his move to Nashville and is already this good I’d honestly insane. We got all the best songs from his EP, from ‘Last Thing I Do’ to the powerful title track, and they sounded just as good live as they did on track! His vocals are amazing, and honestly gave me slight Chris Robinson vibes while there, which I loved. There is no doubt he’s going to be a massive name sooner rather than later, and the fact that he’ll have so many eyes on him because of this tour, and how good he is on it, will surely accelerate that even more!
What an F’in’ performer Kip Moore is! He has evolved from a simple country star into more of a soft rock icon at this point, not dissimilar to the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams or even Billy Joel. And he and his band perform with that level of swagger and gravitas, too. They’re a well oiled machine up on stage, something that can only come from talent and experience. They treat it like a massive stadium-rock show, and it definitely comes across that way!
All of that is amazing, but it can also be an ever so slight downer at times. He’s a fantastic frontman, but given how long he was on for, it did lack a slight bit of crowd interaction at times. He seems like a great guy, so chatting a little more with the crowd may have been nice. He did mention late in that he does get anxious still though, so that may way attribute to it. And having said all of that, he is still a fantastic frontman. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout, them clapping and singing along whenever he so much as hinted. And the few songs where he put down the guitar and bounced around the stage mic-in-hand he really got to get the crowd going and show off his stage presence.
As for the setlist, it was stacked, and amazing! Opening on the incredible build-up that is ‘High Hopes’, and playing a set heavy of the phenomenal new album, including the likes of ‘Solitary Tracks’ and new crowd-favourite ‘Live Here to Work’, that alone would have been enough for me. But we had another 20-odd tracks on top of that, too! Whether it’s his wildly popular early stuff like ‘Beer Money’ or ‘Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck’ to more recent bangers like ‘Plead the Fifth’ and ‘Heart On Fire’. We even got a little acoustic break in the middle where Kip was just throwing in songs he felt like playing or that were asked about earlier in VIP, stuff that he hadn’t played in a while. We got so many amazing songs, and it seemed like the whole band were having a blast playing them! And closing on the epic ‘Last Shot’, especially with the extended middle with everyone singing, honestly gave me goosebumps, it was SO GOOD. Everyone in the band is so damn talented, and put on a FANTASTIC show.
So yeah, what a brilliant night! Both sets were absolutely amazing, and everyone really gave it their all. Gareth was the perfect opener and is going to quickly grow into a massive star, yet put on a great show as is. And then we had one of the most professional, mind-blowingly good sets from Kip Moore and his incredible band. There are still a few dates left on this tour so if you are anywhere nearby, head down, you certainly won’t regret it. But even if you can’t, I can’t recommend checking out either artist enough, both live and on track!
Somehow I have made it to the ripe old age of 28 before heading to my first Slam Dunk. It’s wild to me, given how good the lineups always are. But this one was especially stellar, so I finally popped my SD cherry. Find out how good it was below!
After seeing the crazy issues with parking a couple of years back, we decided to get in nice and early, having time to have a look round merch and get a drink before the first band started. For us, it was Lake Malice on the Kerrang! stage. I was familiar with the name, at least knowing the style and sound they brought to the table, but live they really blew me away! Firstly, shoutout to the sound guys too, as it was windy as shit all day and, for the most part, everything sounded awesome still. This hit hard, and not just because they were one of the heavier bands for us that day. They’re modern metal awesomeness, combining screams and cleans perfectly around the heavy riffing and catchy melodic sections. They’re essentially everything I WANT Spiritbox to be, but never get from them. And, on top of that, they put on a great show, too. From the backing dancers to Alice Guala’s magnetic stage presence, it all came together perfectly. They’re were the perfect way to open the day, and I can’t recommend them enough to any fans of heavier music out there!
Speaking of magnetic stage presence, next up were Save Ferris. I’ve seen a few videos of the legendary ska punkers over the years and, while Monique always seemed like a powerhouse of a stage presence, I was slightly worried they weren’t going to sound great. All said worries went out the door immediately, as Monique sounded just as good as she did back in the day, and the rest of the band nailed it throughout the set! The sheer energy from a bunch of forty-somethings was incredible, and certainly infectious as they got the crowd dancing and bouncing and joining in early on. Plus, they have so many bangers in their back catalogue that it was hard not to have a good time watching them! From ‘The World is New’ to ‘I Know’ to covers of everything from Dead Kennedys to Operation Ivy to, of course, closing on their incredible ‘Come on Eileen’ cover, it was a really fantastic setlist. The whole band had the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout, and I had an absolute blast listening to them!
We stuck around the Monster tent after that for Home Grown. I have to say they were one of the few bands heading into the day that I wasn’t too familiar with and didn’t have that nostalgia for like others. I do honestly think that hurt their set a little, for me. They weren’t awful, but they weren’t great live, and when I didn’t know the songs all I could really hear was the bad mix and questionable vocals. I think the fact that they had two kinda lead vocals didn’t work for their set, as both were cranked so when one was just doing backing, it kinda drowned out the other. Still, the band are undoubtably talented and I have come away being a fan of a few of their songs on track. Maybe they just had an off day!
Sadly, we didn’t catch too much of The Ataris, due to having to wait a solid 40+ minutes at the bar. For a cashless system and pre-poured drinks, I have no earthly idea how it was taking that long! However, they sounded good from the bar, and even better when we finally got in to see the last half of their set! Sadly, as with a few bands from this sort of era on the bill, everyone was waiting around for their big cover song. ‘Boys of Summer’ was indeed phenomenal, and both live and on track is better than the original. However, their own stuff was just as good! The band were tight and professional as anything, and what they somewhat lacked in putting on a show, they more than made up for in how excellent they sounded. I wouldn’t rush to see them again, but enjoyed their set (or what I saw of it) and if they were on at another festival I’d definitely check them out!
Next up were my band of the day (spoilers), Stray from the Path. We had the pleasure of seeing them at Graspop a couple of years ago, yet somehow they have gotten even better since then! Their anger and energy is off the charts, with Andrew’s stage presence being magnetic, certainly mirroring supposed influences like Zack De La Roacha and Jason Aalon Butler. Whether it’s mammoth tracks off their last album like ‘Guillotine’ and ‘III’ or brand new stuff like ‘Shot Caller’, they played a blinder of a set. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout too, the place going nuts and there being crowd surfers everywhere. It’s insane to me that this band aren’t absolutely massive as they are great on track and live, and have a fantastic message to back it up. Still, with the packed out crowd loving it here, they should have surely gained some new fans!
We snuck over to the Key Club to catch the one and only Delilah Bon. Not too dissimilar to Stray from the Path, it’s no secret here that I love Delilah’s solo stuff. And it all translates so well to a live setting, too! Her rapping is amazing, even though the backing could have been boosted slightly so we could hear the odd line she dropped out for. And her screams… *chef’s kiss*… we need more of them on the next record for sure! The band did a great job backing her up too, but she was very much the star of the show, putting on one hell of a performance and bouncing around every bit of the stage. She certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved it and am going to have to get tickets for her tour in November!
Streetlight Manifesto were an odd one for me. On the one hand, they were absolutely phenomenal live, as they always are. Their heavy ska sound and truly masterful musicianship and songwriting comes across excellently, and I had a blast. I guess my issue was that after 50-whole-minutes, it felt like they were just getting started, and my god did I want more. Heck, they’re the only band, outside of the headliners, that I heard the ‘we want more’ chant at all day, and I very much agree. I felt myself waiting for more off Everything Goes Numb that we just didn’t get, which was a shame. However, as I said, what they did play was amazing and I cannot recommend seeing them live enough. It had been six long years since I had seen them last before this and hopefully this will scratch just enough of an itch until we get an actual UK tour… (🤞)
We managed to catch the first two or three songs from the legendary Less than Jake before we had to leave. Somehow I’d only seen them once before now, back in the day at Ynot, so it was great to finally get to see them again, if fleetingly. They sound just as fantastic now as they did a decade ago, and just as good as they do on track from even longer ago! It was a fun set to a packed tent, and once again the band brought so much energy. I wish I could have stayed longer, but there was no way I was missing the next band…
Electric Callboy. One of my favourite bands and a big reason as to why we went to the festival. We saw them last year at Graspop and they blew us away, so of course we were excited to see them again. And, once again, they didn’t disappoint! The band are on top form as one of the best live acts in the world right now, and this set proved that yet again. They are incredibly fun from beginning to end, Kevin and Nico being the perfect frontmen and playing off-of each other perfectly. The band don’t take themselves too seriously, hence the silly songs and costume changes, but are absolutely incredible musicians and songwriters, having some of the best big, melodic choruses and ch0nky breakdowns out there. And we even got them stripping it back here, playing acoustic campfire covers of Linkin Park and Backstreet Boys, much to the love of the crowd. And speaking of the crowd, it was absolutely packed. They were arguably too big for the size of the festival, which is saying a lot. But they deserve everything they’re getting, as they are one of the most hard-working and truly interesting bands around today, and they show up every single time they take the stage. Throw in a cheeky Sum 41 cover thanks to Frank Zummo filling in on drums, and you had the recipe for another fantastic set from the German metalcorers!
It was always going to be hard following up Electric Callboy, but Hot Milk did their damnedest to do so. Han and Jim are excellent fronting the band, and sound just as good live as they do on track, both together and separate. They also had plenty of energy, and both interacted with the crowd well between and during songs. I wasn’t as familiar with the band as some of the others on this review, but I loved the stuff that I did know, like ‘HORROR SHOW’ and the ever-epic ‘BREATHING UNDERWATER’. It was a little odd seeing a band on a smaller stage with less production after the massive beast that is Electric Callboy these days, but it was still a lot of fun and made me a bigger fan of the band for sure. I’ll definitely be going to see them again soon, especially with their new album coming out!
And there we have it, my Skam Dunk Cherry well and truly popped. It was an amazing day full of excellent bands and I had a blast throughout. Even the bi-polar weather didn’t bother me that much! I would happily go back to the festival again, especially if they sort out their bars, and would love to see just about every band I saw on the day again live as soon as possible! I would recommend any of it to anyone reading this, as it was a really great day-festival. Until next time, I’m sure!
We don’t cover enough live metal at Overtone, so when we cover any it’s hard not to fall in love with it. This show was no exception, as we had three incredible thrash/death/deathcore bands roll through Derby’s legendary Vic inn for very much a night to remember! And somehow, I’d not seen any of them live before, so I was excited to head down!
First up were the local(ish) aggressive thrash upcomers from Staffordshire, King Abyss. I’ve been a fan of them for a good while now, so when I saw them announced for the show I was pumped. They didn’t disappoint in the slightest, either! Being a surprisingly perfect blend of Megadeth, Death and Raging Speedhorn, they more than packed a punch, and their talent is off the charts. Dom is an underrated vocalist and frontman, showcasing not only some incredible screams, but more energy in their short set than I think I may have had in my entire life. And some of Sam’s leads and solos blew me away; another criminally underrated musician that needs to be recognised more. And the band very much played their hits too, all my very favourites from their album. They even teased new music, which I am already buzzing for. What an incredible way to open the show!
Next up were the band I was least familiar with, 1000 Scars. However, they were fucking awesome, and have a new fan in me, for sure! Firstly, they didn’t have a bassist, which was fucking wild, especially when the singular guitar filled out the sound enough that it didn’t even feel like it was missing. The band also had a slight hardcore/crossover thrash edge to the general death metal sound they had, which I also found fascinating and enjoyed a lot. The band were slightly less energetic than Abyss, but still had a great stage presence and felt very together and professional. The band have clearly been doing this a while as it felt like watching a well oiled machine, and an angry one at that! I loved their sound and have listened to them a fair bit since coming away from the gig. Another great band!
Then, after a brief changeover, the mighty Once Awake took to the stage. Hailing from all the way, way North (Norway, to be precise), this was one of the stops on their UK tour, and by the sound of it it’s been one hell of a tour, so far! They immediately had a more epic feel to them, having backing tracks to add layers, extra strings and synths etc. And yet, all of that, and still no bassist in sight. However, again, the band sounded awesome and full, the two guitarists working over time and sounding incredible together. And they all put on a hell of a show, all having plenty of charisma and stage presence, despite the slightly lacking crowd. And, as for the setlist, it was awesome. I’ve recently gotten into the band from their new album, and we had a healthy dose of that alongside the hits from their previous few. It was the perfect melodeath setlist, honestly, and they had the crowd in the palm of their hand throughout their entire set. The band are destined for big things, and the fact that they are able to tour different countries really proves that they have what it takes to make it massive. I cannot recommend them enough, one of my favourite live sets of the year so far!
So there you have it, folks. Three incredible bands at a great small, local venue, and it was even free entry! I cannot recommend any of the bands enough, either on track or live. If you are at all into metal, these are all must listens, all for different reasons and sounds, too! Even though it wasn’t exactly a packed house, every band put their all into the show, and I had a great night. If they play local to you any time soon, be there!
Two of the best bands in the US through the 2010s until now are finally touring the UK, and they’ve been doing so together! They’ve done a whole host of shows up and down the UK over the last month, and there was no way we weren’t covering the tour. We already saw them at the Manchester show, but wanted to put out a review of their show in our hometown as it felt extra special. spoiler alert, we had a blast!
You know the drill by now. Eddie & The Wolves are the best band ever. We’ve been over this before. But, in all seriousness, this was a dream come true for me and the rest of the band. To not only support the two legendary bands in Manchester but in our hometown too was truly special. To everyone who came down, the promoters, the bands themselves, and every single person who worked on every show, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know for a fact that all five of us had an absolute blast playing to the packed room of our favourite venue, and rumour has it we sounded pretty good, too! It certainly felt and sounded great my end!
After a quick, rather stressful changeover, the incredible Blacktop Mojo took to the stage. We obviously caught them in Manchester and loved them then, but honestly they felt like they were somehow on an even higher level at The Dog. They were absolutely incredible from the very first note to the last! Tour opener ‘Wicked Woman’ was incredible, and personal highlights for me are Pollen tracks ‘Red Enough’ and ‘Weary I Roam’ (no surprise there, given that I lovedthe album). Honestly, I’ve had the former stuck in my head since Thursday! ‘Burn the Ships’ and ‘Prodigal’ were also awesome, and capping off the set were two absolutely PHENOMENAL covers. Running into the Alice in Chains classic ‘Them Bones’ off the back of ‘Trouble on the Rise’ will always blow me away. Then, we got treated to something truly special, as the band closed out the set with their much-loved cover of ‘Dream On’.
The band, too, played their asses off throughout. All of the instrumentation was incredible and the sound and tone for it all was off the charts. Their unique blend of hard rock, grunge and blues was on full display throughout, and myself and everyone else in the crowd loved it. Meanwhile, Matt James’ stage presence and hugely underrated vocals fit perfectly over the top. Whether it was foot-stomping, fuzzy rock songs, slower ballads, or even just him and an acoustic, he sounded amazing and you couldn’t take your eyes off him throughout. But then again, Matt Curtis’ harmonies throughout also added so much, and really rounded out the sound perfectly. The band are all born performers who really put on a great, high energy show on such a small stage. I desperately need to see them on something bigger!
Not long after, the headliners Shaman’s Harvest came on. For a band that I have been a fan of over a decade at this point, they played an almost perfect setlist, and I loved every minute of it! Whether it was opening on the one-two-punch of ‘The Come Up’ into ‘Dangerous’, newer bangers like ‘Voices’ or classics including ‘Country as Fuck’, ‘In Chains’ or perennial set-closer ‘Dragonfly’, it was all amazing. Heck, even the new song, ‘Rock and Roll Queen’, sounded amazing live. And the fact that I got to see ‘Broken Dreams’ live on this tour… *chef’s kiss*. It was of course a big reason why I imagine a lot of people got into them in the UK, and for them to finally bust it out live, even if it was just for a couple of shows, was amazing!
Just like Blacktop, the band were really on top form live, too. Everyone sounded incredible, and Nathan Hunt’s effortlessly powerful voice and suave, chilled-out stage presence was magnetic. And, while I don’t necessarily want to use the word chilled for a rock/alt metal band, that’s very much what it was. It was stomping swamp rock, for the most part, and everyone play their parts to perfection. It’s easy to see why they have toured with some of the biggest and best names across the US, as they and Blacktop are both incredible live bands. Everyone in the crowd hung on every second of their set, and Nathan had them in the palm of his hand throughout.
Overall, it was an absolutely brilliant night. The touring bands were incredible, and it’s wild to think that this was practically their first times playing over here, given how much they packed out each venue! We had a blast with an awesome night of live music, surrounded by likeminded people who are surprisingly hard to get out in Derby sometimes! I cannot recommend either band enough, both live and on track, and given that they are already teasing about coming back over here soon, you may not have too long to wait before you can check them out. Because, if you ever get the chance to see either band live, I cannot recommend going to see them enough, they’re well worth it! Oh, and Eddie & The Wolves are also worth a watch, too…
HOLY CRAP, THAT IS HOW YOU DO A FESTIVAL SLOT. Geordie pagan metal band LN blew the absolute roof off the place, and were a lot of peoples band of the weekend. It was clear the crowd had reservations when the band came on stage; they certainly aren’t the sort of style the festival usually books! However, the sheer talent, stage-presence and work ethic of the band won everyone over in no time! Frontwoman Ellen in particular was phenomenal, embodying her character and stage persona perfectly and really had the crowd loving it and interacting plenty. I’d never heard of the band before that day, and honestly was a little bummed that I wasn’t getting to see Any Given Sin, but I’ve come away as a HUGE fan of the band, and already have plans to see them again in June. Easily one of the highlights of the weekend.
Having a very tough act to follow, Devere were completely different and did a good job winning fans back over to the more glam/AOR style of the festival. The band’s sound and style feel ripped right from the 80s, in a good way, but did also get surprisingly heavy at times. They were a lot of fun to watch and put on a great show in their own right. As I said, they were a little more the crowd’s speed, and definitely held everyone’s attention. Think Motley Crue meets Guns’n’Roses, but with a more modern edge to it. It was great stuff, and it’s certainly made me check them out on track!
Serpentyne sadly had it a little rough. Between another curse of the backing tracksand them having a lot of moving parts anyway, their sound wasn’t great and they ended up going on late. I think because of this, it did discourage the band just a tad. Because of that, the set felt a little low energy. It’s a shame too as I really quite enjoyed the band on track. They’ve been going for years at this point so clearly have a proven track record, but I didn’t quite get it here, sadly!
After a short break, our good friends Muddibrooke took to the stage. You wouldn’t have thought they’d drafted in a stand-in drummer last minute with minimal prep time, as they sounded as fantastic as ever. Ripping through an awesome set of punk and grunge-tinged rock music, they had the crowd on their side from start to end. The band are really going from strength to strength at the minute, and that really feels thanks in large part to their incredible live shows. Their high energy and genuine likability is infectious, and both Harriet and Anna are incredible performers. I have a great time every time I see them, and this was no exception!
We’d sadly missed most of Beaux Gris Gris and the Apocalypse at The Long Road a couple of years back, only catching a couple of songs, so to finally get to see them live fully was awesome! The fact that they were THIS GOOD too was even better! They are the very definition of a good time, and have come so far since I last saw them, it feels! Whether it was slower, ballady-er stuff or more up-tempo stompers, it was all performed amazingly and sounded fantastic. Plus, their cover of QOTSA’s ‘Make it Wit Chu’ is arguably better than the original! She’s a hugely charismatic front-woman who held the crowd’s attention throughout, and really performed her ass off. But that’s not to take away from the rest of the band either, who sounded great and fit the parts well. They were another band that I wasn’t sure how well they’d go down on the bill, but the crowd turned up for them and loved every second, just like I did! Another strong highlight of the weekend!
I love Laurence Jones. I’m a big blues guy, so of course I do! He’s an exceptional guitarist and showed that off in spades throughout the set. He’s also a damn good vocalist and songwriter. However, I do think this was the wrong spot for him on the bill. Having a slower, lower, stomping blues guy on the last night, sandwiched between a high energy Louisiana rock band and a power glam band felt a little like mood-whiplash. Laurence has more than earned his spot, but putting him a little earlier on in the day and kept the party vibes going through the evening may have helped. However, that certainly shouldn’t take away from the set itself. All three of these guys performed amazingly and I loved every second!
I’d been waiting to see HEAT for years, and they certainly didn’t disappoint! I absolutely adore this side of rock music, and HEAT are easily one of the best to do it in modern times. From the moment they took to the stage to the very last note, they were amazing. The crowd loved every second too, singing along and going nuts throughout. Whether it was brand new songs like ‘Disaster’ or ‘Bad Time for Love’ to crowd favourite hits ‘Living On the Run’ and ‘Dangerous Ground’, it was an awesome set through and through! They even brought out their incredible tour support Chez Kane to duet ‘In and Out of Trouble’; a huge high point in the set as both vocals worked so perfectly together and they looked like they were having a blast. The sound was incredible, the power of the band in general was awesome, and you could tell they were all enjoying themselves being up there, only adding to the set. It was, if anything, the perfect set to close out one hell of a weekend!
And there we have it, folks, another edition of Winter’s End in the bag. It was a fantastic weekend packed full of awesome bands and music from bands that we already love, or love a lot since! I’d recommend absolutely every band we checked out, be it live and on track, as I feel everyone would love all of them! Strangely, they haven’t mentioned a 2026 edition yet, but we’ll certainly keep our eyes peeled as we loved this one!
Kicking off the second day for us (the hangover sadly made us slow-moving Saturday morning) was the wonderful, quirky Chloe Mogg. The perfect mix of Janis Jopelin and Stevie Nicks, but with a more modern twist, too. I really enjoyed it! Her stage presence is magnetic, not seeming to have a care in the world, and her songwriting is fascinating and so varied. And the rest of the band had such an interesting presence to them too; it all clicked perfectly. And, much like Sons of Liberty the day before, they all looked like they were having a blast on stage. Her own stuff was really fantastic, and she did an incredible cover of ‘Piece of my Heart’ to close out the set. I’d never heard of her before now, but she was great fun live and certainly has a new fan in me! I’ll have to keep an eye out for her shows nearby in the future.
Next up, the old-school Creeping Jean took the stage. Having somehow a combination of 70s rock, old-punk and indie mixed up in their sound, it was an interesting cocktail that I certainly didn’t see throughout the rest of the weekend! And style and stage presence was also on point with their sound, and the crowd surprisingly ate it up. I hadn’t really heard of the band heading into the weekend, but came home being rather obsessed with their hits like ‘The Rattle’ and ‘The Big Cheese’. They put on an energetic show for their sound and definitely have a new fan in me!
Devastatingly, Detroit Run couldn’t get through a song. Once again, the plague of the broken backing tracks came back to bite the festival in the ass, and it completely destroyed the synth-heavy metalcore-esque band. A band like that with so many technical elements to it needed the backing tracks, yet after a minute or two each time, it would cut out and drag everything else out with it. It’s such a shame too, as they seemed like great guys and seemed excited for the gig and genuinely heartbroken when they couldn’t continue. Having checked them out before the festival, they were certainly one of the ones I was most excited for, so it did suck. The few minutes that they managed to play sounded awesome too, and they were performing it amazingly. It’s fine, just means we’ll have to head out and see them again ASAP!
After a break, we headed back in for our favourite band, The New Roses. What can I say about the band that I haven’t already said time and time again? This was my seventh time seeing the band live, and they never fail to disappoint. They’ve been all over this site, from live reviewsto studio onesto interviews, but I can’t not gush over them yet again here! They didn’t have nearly long enough, but their set was full to the brim of excellent songs, and myself and the crowd loved every second of it. Whether it’s the big tracks off their recent album or the hits from across their career, the band played their hearts out as they always do. They’d even had their instruments lost in transit, having to borrow off Dan Byrne, and still blew everyone away. Timmy had the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout, being one of the most underrated frontmen and vocalists around today. And the rest of the band were excellent, too. I obviously cannot recommend them enough, and they teased more UK shows for later in the year so of course we’ll be there too!
This was the best set I’ve seen from The Treatment in at least a decade. Don’t get me wrong, that may have been the skinful of alcohol I had in me, but they also got the crowd massively on their side by the middle of the set. They felt like a band with a renewed focus and drive, and all sounded awesome and tight as hell. Considering we only saw them as recently as September, they honestly felt like a whole new band. They played their arses off throughout and really put on a good show. And we got a pretty varied setlist of newer and older songs too, which I loved, especially since the crowd clearly knew a lot of it. Were they still a little cocky? Sure, but with a performance like this in this kinda genre, you almost have to be. It was an awesome set that really proves why the band are held in such high regard in the UK and European scene.
Florence Black are on the cusp of being absolutely massive, and this set is a true testament to that. They were the band that everyone was there for, and they played their asses off to repay that fact. I’ve seen themrise through the ranks over the last few years since their first album came out, and they have well and truly earned their spot at the top of this bill. Whether it was crowd favourites from their first album, huge hits off their most recent one, or even their much-loved cover of Budgie’s ‘Breadfan’, it was an absolutely incredible setlist. And the band’s charisma and showmanship on stage, especially for a three-piece, had the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout. Heck, the fact that they even got the typically older crowd at these things to pit for them says it all, really! I’ve been saying for the last few years now that they’re going to be massive, and putting on shows like this to huge crowds, as well as assumedly doing it while on tour with Tremonti currently too, is going to get them there fast! Another fantastic headliner!
Our second year at Winters End, and the lineup promised it could be even better than last year’s! Three days of awesome rock music and some of our favourite bands in the scene, without further ado, let’s dive in and see what we thought!
Opening the whole event were some old friends of ours, Sons of Liberty. The band have changed a lot in the few years since we firstsaw and interviewed them, but they honestly feel like a renewed, focused band. Between a new album and new frontman in Russ, their sound has changed a bit, but they’re just as fantastic as they always have been. Honestly, they looked like they were having a blast on stage, which always translates to a fun show for the crowd. The set was understandably heavy on their new material, but it all sounded excellent and after seeing them a few times, it was nice to hear the new stuff (after all, we loved the album). A fantastic way to kick off the weekend!
After that, we got a little heavier with White Raven Down. A band that I hadn’t seen in years at this point, they really impressed me and it was so good to see them again! And that had only a little to do with the rather attractive gothic dancing girls on stage… The music was also amazing, though; the band playing their unique brand of metallic hard rock to perfection. From the melodic, catchy stuff to the heaviness and even some breakdowns, I loved the lot! It had been a while since I’d listened to them a lot but the band very much have a renewed fan in me! Everything about the set was awesome.
After a short break, the amazing Marisa and the Moths hit the stage. Despite some technical difficulties on stage and some broken backing tracks, they still sounded excellent! It was somehow the first time we’d seen them and they didn’t disappoint at all; you wouldn’t have even told they were having technical issues from their sound! Marisa is one of the most captivating front-people in the game right now, and her vocals were incredible throughout. And the Moths themselves were amazing too, playing their asses off and putting on one hell of a show. I’ve been a fan of their music for a while now so to finally see some of it live was great! Every track was amazing, it was impossible to pick highlights, and I’mma have to see them again soon!
Following on from that was the wonderful Oli Brown and the Dead Collective. His unique brand of darker, moodier, bluesier rock changed the pace of the day a little, but that was hardly a bad thing! He’s an incredible live performer, and Oli and his band all sounded fantastic here. They put on one hell of a show that showed the band more than deserved their high slot on the days lineup, and played an absolutely fantastic set to boot! It was somehow the first time I’d seen them, but it certainly won’t be the last!
Closing out the night was the always-fantastic Kira Mac. Yet another hard to believe first-time artist for me live, she’s such a charismatic front-woman that it’s impossible not to love any set they do. Playing a brand new, yet-unreleased album in full to headline a slot at a festival is one hell of a ballsy risk, but Kira and Co. pulled it off pretty masterfully here. It all sounded awesome and it’s certainly made me pretty hyped for the release of it, which my then-intoxicated mind vaguely remembered she said this year at some point(?). And we still got some time left over for a couple of her hits and even a cheeky Alanis Morissette cover thrown in for good measure! It had a real party vibe throughout, with the band and crowd having a good time in equal measure. A great way to close out day one!
We’ve been waiting for this for a while. The tour was announced months ago, and we’ve had our tickets since early last year. Plus, I hadn’t seen Brothers Osborne since they supported Cadillac Three way back in 2016, so to say I was excited for this would be an understatement! So, after being there and seeing the show, I just had to tell you how it was!
Opening the gig up was a relatively unknown name to me, Tyler Braden. I say relatively as I did recognise his big hit, ‘Devil You Know’, that he closed on. I’m not sure if that’s just from checking him out in the lead up to this show or just because it’s become a rather mainstream hit, but either way it’s a great song and was performed awesomely by Tyler and his band. However, that shouldn’t take away from the rest of the set, as every song was great and performed masterfully. Whether it was his own stuff or a couple of well-done covers, it was a blast of a setlist. Honestly, 30-minutes was far too short, I’d have happily listened for longer! He and his band played their asses off for the short set, and every track was awesome. I’d recommend him to any fan of country or even rock music, and I am already desperate for him to come back over to the UK so we can hopefully see him again!
After a short break, the main act took to the stage. I have to admit I do find it a little odd that we’ve been to three or four country tours now, and there is only one support. I guess I’m just used to getting spoiled by the rock and metal scene! Heck, just a couple of months ago I saw four US bands on the same bill at a smaller venue, so I don’t know what the deal is.
Still, it’s hard to complain, as Brothers Osborne were absolutely fantastic. An hour and a half of incredible country music and some mind-blowing playing from John and the band. Whether it was stuff off their latest album, like set openers ‘Might as Well be Me’ or ‘Nobody’s Nobody’ through live favourites such as ‘Shoot me Straight’ and ‘Stay a Little Longer’ and even a couple of covers of Tom Petty and Bob Marley, it was one hell of a setlist. TJ was his usual charismatic self too, making the crowd clap and sing and laugh all in equal measure throughout, and being all over the stage. However, the real highlight for me was the musicianship. ‘Stay a Little Longer’ has one of my all-time favourite guitar solos, and being able to see it live was incredible. John is one of the most criminally underrated guitarists around currently, so all of his soloing was phenomenal. Add to that Johnny Smith’s INCREDIBLE organ solo in the middle of ‘it Ain’t My Fault’ and I was a very happy musician! Another huge highlight of the set was them playing through their own version of ‘Three Little Birds’ before it morphed into ‘Rum’, the crowd being on their side every step of the way.
As a long time fan of the band, it’s so awesome to see them at this sort of level over here these days. The place was packed out and, from what I heard, everywhere else on the tour has been the same. They’re a great live band that have an awesome back catalogue, and my only complaint is that I’d have happily taken more of it!
And there we go, folks! Two incredible country artists rocking a sold out academy on a weeknight, and it couldn’t have been any better! I can’t recommend either enough, both on track or live, and would jump at the opportunity to see them again!
So, the first bit of our official Rockmageddon coverage is here, and of course it was a review. Everyone knows we like a good review here, and with the sheer calibre of awesome bands on the show, we couldn’t not gush over all of them! Thank you once again to every single one that played, to everyone who showed up and to the Hairy Dog for being such wonderful hosts, as well as everyone working with them on the night!
Kicking things off in incredible style were the amazing Rattlesnakes. They seem to have exploded onto the scene this year, getting announced for some awesome shows across the UK, and it’s pretty easy to see why! For a band so young and new, they put on one hell of a show, and sounded awesome too! Their original stuff is amazing, but they also threw in a couple of covers for good measure, doing them just as good as the originals! Rowena is such a powerful, commanding front-woman and it really helped propel the band to an even grander state than they would have already been at. I know they are recording some stuff currently, and between that and the live shows, I very much think next year will be theirs for the taking! I hadn’t seen them before and they left a fantastic first impression!
Following them swiftly were another Nottingham band, Death Warmed Up. I hadn’t heard much from them before now, but I was once again blown away, they were awesome! Much like Rattlesnakes, their stage presence was incredible for such a young band; putting on a show far beyond their years. We again got a mostly-originals set packed full of amazing vocals, fantastic riffs and awesome soloing; all the hallmarks of the sleazy hard rock the band are! They’re another band that have a very bright future ahead of them if they keep up playing shows like this!
No Setting Sun were a band I was pretty familiar with heading into it, having seen them a couple of times before. They were on top form as always here, too! Their unique take on the hard rock sound, adding a slightly heavier, grungier element to it, will never not be awesome to hear live, and they perform it all so well! The band deserve to be so much bigger than they are currently, as the whole band put their all into every show and sounded awesome as a unit. I always love seeing them live, they played a blinder of a set here, and I can’t wait to see them again soon!
Next up were our good friends at Tattoo Molly. They brought just as much high-energy and a fun vibe as they always do, and blew the crowd away! Hitting the crowd with banger after banger from their already impressive catalogue of original songs, and performing them amazingly. The band have gone from strength to strength in the last year or so, and it’s as much attributed to their awesome live shows as it is their studio work, as well as being genuinely nice lads! They played their arses off at the Dog and I can see huge things coming for them in the coming years!
We’ve also done a reaction video to their recent single! Find it here!
After a short changeover and band we have become close with, Dig Lazarus, took to the stage. This is the first time I’d seen them as a two-piece, with Atticus leaving and then just being guitar, drum and vocals now. Outside of missing a couple of backing vocal bits, it sounded just as good here as it has any other time I’ve seen them. Ash manages to get such a huge sound out of his guitar, filling out the lower end perfectly. And whether it’s tracks from their debut or recent sophomore album (review here), they all sounded fantastic. Heck, I even got their Bowie cover live, which made me a very happy man indeed, I love ‘Moonage Doomdream!’. They have been one of my favourite discoveries over the last few years that I’ve been doing Overtone, especially in the NWOCR scene, and being able to see them still thriving as a two-piece is amazing. I already can’t wait to see them again soon!
Up next were the best band in the world, Eddie & The Wolves. All jokes aside, almost all readers should know by now I’m in this band (far left in the video below), and it was one of the many reasons as to why I wanted to put on this show. And, in all honesty, I thought we played and sounded pretty great here! We recorded and videoed it for some exciting upcoming stuff, and from what I’ve seen it looks and sounds pretty good. And everyone worked their asses off to make it a good show. I am immensely proud to be in the band, and of every single other member for being so insanely talented. I had a blast, loved our setlist and just hope anyone else there enjoyed it, too!
Check out our review of the recent EATW album here!
Following us were metallic hard rockers Phoenix Lake. Another band that I am pretty familiar with, and another band that blew the roof off the place! The talent of every band member is off the charts, and the quality of their original music is truly phenomenal. Couple that with their impressive live performances and there’s no wonder why they are gaining so much traction! The band are incredible, and the fact that they stepped up to the plate last minute and still pulled out all the stops to put on a blinder of a show is amazing. They kept teasing new music, so I can’t wait to hear what they have in store this coming year!
Finally, we reached the headliners, the incredible The Howling Tides. They’re another band we are no stranger to, and once again they blew me away with their performance. Being pretty familiar with their music at this point, it’s always great to hear it played live, and the band always do a good job bringing the energy with it! They’ve always been a great band but really carry themselves with a confidence and professionalism that makes them feel like a massive deal. I enjoyed the band’s set a whole lot, and they were a fantastic way to cap off the show!
So, what is there left to say other than we had an absolute blast all day! Every band was incredible and so kind and professional, and the show went off (at least on the day) without a hitch! Thank you to every single person that came down, be it fan, band member or staff. We had an absolute blast, and I hope you all did too! While we have no solid plans for an immediate sequel, keep your eyes peeled, we have some ideas…!
