Review by Gary Spiller for MPM
Returning to Steelhouse, for the festival’s closing day there’s much to chat over with Kelly. Most importantly the cameras have been returned to their rightful guardianship and the inveiglement of my notepad is certainly strong. It certainly feels peculiar waking up at home whilst in the midst of a festival – a full breakfast, shower, and cwtches with our hounds, it’s all rather civilised as we prepare to set off.
With a well-curated, diverse yet balanced lineup Saturday had pleasingly exceeded my pre-festival levels of expectations. A day which delivered excellence from beginning to end and only slightly tempered by attendance levels that appeared to be a little bit thinner than 2023’s record figures.
The last couple of miles are dusty ones as we ascend the oh-so familiar track. No queuing traffic, just a couple of traders in their vans and the shuttle bus for company as we climb up through the treeline. A gloriously sunny morning with a forecast, for the entire day, to match is in complete contrast to last year’s utterly saturated final day.
Whilst the Welsh Red Dragon flew proudly on Saturday, with no less than four homebred bands appearing, today is the day, with an equal number of Stateside outfits on the billing, to hoist the Stars and Stripes. First up, however, Australia’s latest rock n’ roll export Cassidy Paris confidentlysteps forth to take on the challenge of what is considered the most testing of festival slots – the dreaded hangover slot – the opening set of the final day.
We’re keen to see the progress this 21-year-old antipodean has made in the eighteen or so months since she played Swansea’s Hangar 18 venue on her initial venture across the planet to the UK. It’s a potential that has certainly been massively tapped into upon her debut album ‘New Sensation’ – becoming the youngest artist to sign with Frontiers Music SRL in the process.
That night in Swansea a young group from North Wales, Mad Haven, opened up and a bond began to develop. This afternoon the two Rogowski brothers – Alex and Tom – from that band are now firmly ensconced in Paris’ outfit alongside her proud father Steve Janevski. Tom makes a joke of the length of time him and his brother have spent on the ‘counter-continent’ and their lack of a tan. Apparently, it’s a ginger thing.
With just half an hour to introduce themselves to a rather bleary-eyed and battle worn lunchtime crowd it’s right down to business with the polished Vixen meets Chez Kaine crossover of latest single ‘Midnight Desire’ released just a few weeks prior. Cutting a young Avril Lavigne figure Paris tears into a svelte ‘Addicted’ as the arena continues to fill beneath blue skies.
This Steelhouse appearance, following on from last year’s Rockstock set, is the centrepiece of this tour, Paris’ first set of UK headline gigs. What’s immediately apparent is the considerable number of notches climbed since the first UK tour. Alongside the obvious Vixen and Avril comparisons there’s touches of Lita Ford within ‘Danger’ and the balladic side of the Scorpions in ‘Here I Am’.
A lively rendition of Paramore’s 2007 million selling single ‘Misery Business’ fizzes effervescently. Whilst the set-closing ‘Walking On Fire’ is bright and summery in a considered reflection of the sunshine that Steelhouse discovers itself basking in. Gloriously radiant Paris and her band have more than competently awoken Steelhouse, a fine opening despatch.
A remarkably familiar Liverpudlian, in these parts, takes to the stage with a composed swagger. Maintaining his ever-present post-Covid Steelhouse attendance Dan Byrne is flourishing organically here in the Welsh airs. This is his fourth consecutive festival up here on ‘The Farm’ and his busiest to date standing, last-minute, in for Elles Bailey in addition to singing in the Allstar Berniefest band on Friday prior to this early afternoon set.
The arena crowd swells, and he greets with an enthused “Steeeeelhouse Festival!” as he canters from side-stage. The well-polished rocker and soaring bird of prey on the wing ‘Hard To Breathe’ gets the set underway and receives a deserved loud roar of approval. Anyone doubting? Well, there’s the evidence that this gent is a bona fide Steelhouse favourite, cherished to the very core.
A couple of unreleased tracks, but now settled into the live amphitheatre, follow. The wild beast ‘Control’ along with the snarling heavyweight ‘Hate Me’ give strong indication of where Byrne and his band are heading. Comprising of bassist Colin Parkinson (Inglorioius), guitarist Glen Quinn and drummer Max Rhead (Tribeless, Kira Mac) it’s an assured lineup that has brought the much-needed stability.
The soulful gentle ballad ‘Easier’ eases the tempo before rebuilding with ‘Wide Awake’, from the Revival Black section of the back catalogue, cranking upwards to the finale. Byrne’s voice stuns and blazes outwards in all directions across the Welsh hills, it’s the land of song after all.
The Planet Rock approved pulsing tempest of ‘Like Animals’ and the compelling ‘Death Of Me’, with a gravelly touch of Seal in the vocals, provide a befitting crescendo to match the most ebullient of 4th of July fireworks. This is a rockstar being constructed right in front of our eyes, a talent destined to be around for many years to come.
Having headed across the Atlantic a week or so previous granular hard rocking Jared James Nichols has sandwiched a number of dates with fellow Steelhousers Living Colour and The Commoners between this Welsh jaunt and his opening salvo at Maid of Stone last weekend.
In fact, the Wisconsin bluesman is one of a hefty seven band overlap between last weekend in Kent and this one. With five of the seven international touring acts perhaps a sign of the times with festivals opting to work together in bringing bands into the UK. However, has this in part precipitated lower ticket sales than a year previous?
Back to the music, after all this is why we are here, and Nichols and his band muscle their way on to the Steelhouse stage with all the force of a Dodge Charger combined with a Ford Mustang. Having completed a midnight deal with Ol’ Nick at the prescribed crossroads prior to the release of their self-titled release of 2023 the trio lean heavily in that direction. ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ roars off the grid with hints of Clutch inside.
The gentler strains of ‘Down The Drain’ has a lovely hint of Bernie Marsden in the guitaring, beautifully polished. Gritty and arenaceous ‘Hard Wired’ completes a triple despatch from last year’s studio offering before the appropriately howling ‘Threw Me To The Wolves’, from the EP of the same name, is lobbed into the broiling mix.
Brandishing ‘Old Glory’, his trusted six-string, a golden Les Paul Nichols is one mean mofo of a guitaring legionary and delights throughout. The crossfire of ‘Bad Roots’ catapults headlong into ‘Good Time Girl’ before some cattle are spotted. “Hope they’re enjoying it!” he banters.
The hard-rocking delta blues of ‘Keep Your Light On Mama’ precedes the gentler tempo of ‘Nails In The Coffin’ with a nod to Hozier’s mega-smash ‘Take Me To Church’. There’s an inverse strength when compared to the tempo employed herein, an utter powerhouse with a sensitive nucleus.
A pummelling version of Sabbath’s enduring and ubiquitous classic ‘War Pigs’ rages with typhonic fortitude. It’s raw and stripped back with no thrills, the perfect echo to that which has gone before. It’s well received, and Nichols has gone down a storm upon his first Steelhouse visit.
Via the age-old rock n’ roll apprenticeship of constant touring Canadian bourbon-infused southern rocks The Commoners are knocking ever louder upon the British rock scene. Venue by venue, track by track the charm offensive from Toronto is winning friends and influencing people.
This is their third visit to this side of the Atlantic having jetted across twice in 2023 to, firstly, co-headline with Troy Redfern and then provide support for Samantha Fish’s tour with Jesse Dayton. The hard miles and work are certainly working judging by a swelling in the crowd numbers gathered afront the stage.
The five-piece are right into action with vocalist Chris Medhurst greeting with the time honoured “How the hell are you Steelhouse?” enquiry. It’s the last date of the current UK tour having graced the Maid of Stone festival the previous weekend and, by all accounts, tore the place apart.
There’s Black Crowes right up there in the mix and The Commoners set about casting a Woodstock vibe where the inkling for something herbal atop a grassy knoll permitting the vibes and smoke of the campfires to weave about. Whilst not born at the time of that US festival I can draw similar lines to when the Crowes ripped apart Glastonbury ’95, the year the wall was torn down.
This year’s album ‘Restless’ gets the lion’s share of the set with the opening half dozen tracks being drawn from its environs. Deep Purple are hard dunked in the deep south in opening shot ‘Shake You Off’ prior to the Stonesey swagger of ‘Who Are You’ that alloys a dash of the Dandy Warhols into proceedings.
It’s all bright and airy and perfect for a sunny Sunday afternoon but I haven’t found any space on that grassy knoll; it’s fully occupied. “Planet Rock showed this a lot of love” informs Medhurst introducing ‘Devil Teasin’ Me’; good to see Planet Rock taking note of the emerging bands.
If Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd had offspring, then surely the atmospherics of ‘Body and Soul’ would be a member of the clan. The vibrancies wash upon and over Steelhouse, it’s perfectly chilled out. Music to be absorbed in vast quantities.
‘Gone Without Warning’ and ‘The Way I Am’ wrap up the visitation to ‘Restless’ in fine style; the former bringing laidback Skynyrd nostalgias to a captivated Steelhouse faithful. The soaring coupling of ‘Fill My Cup’ and ‘Find A Better Way’ prove a musical high the like of which is uncommonly good and should come with a warning of elevated levels of infectious melodies and choruses.
Originally scheduled to play Steelhouse back in 2020 before the dreaded ‘C’ word brought the world as we knew it to a complete and grinding halt New Yorkers The Last Internationale rampage out into the bright afternoon here atop the Hafod-y-Dafal hill.
Ebullient and colourful vocalist Delila Paz asks, by way of introduction, “Are you alive?” furthering “I think it’s time we kicked out the jams!” Little does she know that Steelhouse, this Sunday tea-time, will prove a difficult nut to crack. Oddly indifferent and seemingly disinterested this is a Steelhouse crowd unlike any I’ve observed over the last few years.
To their complete credit Paz and fellow co-founder Edgey Pires and their band don’t fold under the gaze of the, in the main, languidly lacklustre crowd. Completely the reverse in fact as it seems to fire them up and the challenge is clearly relished. A particularly robust ‘Kick Out The Jams’, the MC5 1969 classic, begins a punchy set.
Four-wheel drive is engaged for the uphill task afront them and Paz and co. are right on the offensive with the pounding, politically charged ‘Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Indian Blood’. Maybe it’s a lusting for some nourishment from the catering section or a culmination of a few days partying in the Welsh sunshine but this is a gathering that’s going to require a good deal of winning over.
This is an all-action quartet with Paz’s vocals oozing a soulfulness alongside Pires warping his fret into hitherto undiscovered realms. The hard driving ‘1984’ takes on the baton and little by little TLI begin to turn the Steelhouse crowd around. The four-piece are the hard rock shot in the arm that the afternoon, with every respect to the bands before, required; perfectly typified by the low-end growl of ‘Mind Ain’t Free’.
Hyper-paced possessing strength to match ‘Hero’ is the proverbial pack of hunting wolves racing in the outside lane of the autobahn. The breathless powerage a true head-nodder. There’s likenesses of The Damn Truth with Paz and Pires’ chemistry to the fore. There’s a breakthrough with the crowd engaging in ‘Wanted Man’. With a Sabbath groove ‘Hard Times’ ramps up to the rough-edged buzzsawing of ‘1968’.
Paz notes “I’m so nervous being watched by someone so famous” as she catches sight of Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan readying himself, in the shadows, to join TLI onstage. Paz jumps right into the midst of the, by now accepting, ensemble. Realising that not all can easily descend to their knees she deals out sympathetic hugs and gentle rubs of objecting joints.
Consider Steelhouse won over and totally captivated. A job well and truly done, so very well executed in what must have been daunting circumstances. All this between flying in from Spain and then hotfooting it over to Greece and on to Portugal! Total credit must be given to TLI.
The last date of a whistle-stop two week European and UK American legends Living Colour make a shimmering and most welcome funky return to Steelhouse. Formed back in 1984 these New Yorkers were a part of my teenage fabric and, no doubt, a good percentage of the crowd basking in the Steelhouse solar rays.
The groundbreaking quartet that comprises this highly accomplished outfit has remained largely unchanged since the addition of the virtuoso bass talents Doug Wimbish to the ranks in 1992. Whilst not the most prolific of bands, in terms of recorded output, with six studio albums this is a band considered in many quarters as pioneers fusing funk, jazz and hip hop into the metallic dimensions.
Alongside Wimbish there’s the equally frighteningly dynamic skills of founding guitarist Vernon Reid, vocalist Corey Glover and drummer Will Calhoun. What Steelhouse receives is fuzzed up 110% rocking sunshine that meanders one way then the next seemingly almost at free will. It’s mesmerising and captivating; the hour in the company of this quadrumvirate passes so effortlessly.
It’s 60 minutes that mainly draws upon their first three long-players – ‘Vivid’, ‘Time’s Up’, and ‘Stain’ – a fine hattrick released on Epic between 1988 and 1993 which provides the opening and closing thirds of the set. The filling in this mighty Stateside sandwich is a trio of covers involving a reggaed up ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, a delightfully sandblasted ‘Sunshine of Your Love (incidentally recorded by Living Colour in 1994 for the soundtrack of ‘True Lies’), and a barnstorming knockout of Zeppelin’s ‘Rock and Roll’.
A seismic uplift ‘Leave It Alone’ fires the first shot and draws in an ever-expanding crowd and by the time Grammy-winning ‘Cult of Personality’, with an undercurrent Rage Against The Machine would revel in, rings out we’ve been right royally entertained. Personally, for me, the spiky speed metal of ‘Time’s Up’ (another Grammy winner) along with the tasty funk of ‘Love Rears Its Ugly Head’ are the loftiest of pinnacles in a memorable set full of the highest peaks.
It’s not very often this happens but for the second time in just over a fortnight bass strings outnumber those of a guitaring orientation onstage. This evening, to match this feat achieved by ZZ Top’s Elwood Francis at Wembley Arena, Mr Big’s legendary bassist Billy Sheehan wields a twin-necked eight-string bass behemoth for a few tracks.
This is the final tour for US rockers Mr Big and it’s apparent, especially in the latter stages of the set, that co-founding vocalist Eric Martin vocal cords are suffering the effects of advancing years and a very ‘rock n’ roll’ career. It’s a team effort and his fellow founding members rally around – guitarist Paul ‘The Drill’ Gilbert, drummer Edu Cominato and Sheehan – working things well especially with timely solos either side of an enigmatic ‘Colorado Bulldog’.
Over the course of their allotted 75 minutes Mr Big blast through offerings from their first four studio albums with the majority of numbers drawn from the Platinum selling ‘Lean Into It’ including the emotional highlight everyone was waiting for ‘To Be With You’. Sung with a lusty resonance that choirs of the surrounding valleys would be proud of the multi-chart-topping balladic single ensures there are more than a few joyous tears to dry. ‘Green-Tinted Sixties Mind’ another highlight from this fine sophomore album.
The muscular V8 of ‘Addicted To That Rush’ provides a punchy opening whilst ‘Take Cover’ rolls back the roof with its sparkling Western seaboard feel. An electric drill appears from side-stage for Gilbert to indulge in a spot of ‘DIY’ in a swift ‘Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy’.
There’s a smattering of covers dotted here and there with ‘Lucky This Time’ (Jeff Paris), and Cat Stevens’ ‘Wide World’ taking the plaudits. The latter, incidentally, a top 30 US single for the band back in 1993. ‘Shy Boy’, the penultimate track of the set, is thunder of a consummate nature and is sprinkled with historical Sheehan connections with the bassist, taking the lead vocals tonight, having recorded both the original with Talas and an ensuing version with Dave Lee Roth.
A cartwheeling cover of ‘Baba O’Riley’ comes out of leftfield but nonetheless entertains sending electric shivers across South Wales. It’s been a dignified farewell for Mr Big, a triumphant one that will bear many memories.
With three spells of activity behind them The Almighty, formed in Strathaven in 1988, headline and close Steelhouse 2024 with just their fourth live outing since reformation last year. This is the legendary original lineup that tore up venues between 1988 and 1991.
Fronted by the ever-affable Ricky Warwick (Vocals, Guitar), with Stumpy Munroe behind the kit, Floyd London (Bass) and Andy ‘Tantrum’ McCafferty alongside, this is the lineup that produced the revered albums ‘Blood, Fire & Love’ and ‘Soul Destruction’.
It’s a selection of headliner that has, pre-festival, certainly polarised opinion. Compared to previous headliners, such as Airbourne, Black Stone Cherry, Saxon and Europe, there’s a tangible drop in numbers – something that, in fairness, has been prevalent throughout the day – but there’s no visible sign that this is of any concern to Warwick and his rocking cohorts.
The intensity and pugilistic output are as strongarm as ever and the memories of my tearaway younger years come flooding back. In addition to those first two releases the two that followed – ‘Powertrippin’’ and ‘Crank’ – are also given their respective moments in the spotlight.
The sun has descended behind the horizon for the final time of Steelhouse 2024 by the time The Almighty launch into the opening battering ram of ‘Resurrection Mutha’. We’re taken back to a time when rock was a leader with British bands like Thunder, Quireboys, Little Angels kicking up a storm.
The punk-infusion that The Almighty are renown for has lost none of its urgency over the years. They’re as no-nonsense as ever and it’s typical no-thrills in approach; just the pure 110% essence of bloody good hard rock! ‘Over The Edge’ quakes before ‘Power’ swings the wrecking ball.
It’s “All Loud, All Wild and All Fuckin’ Mighty!” as special celebratory t-shirts proclaim with the strenghty alloy of ‘Wrench’ keeping the onstage momentum going. “You got some fuel left in the tank?” enquires Warwick, neck muscles bulging, going on to further ask “You up for some rock n’ roll?” The noisy response is in the affirmative.
This is a party, if The Almighty had their own way, is likely to go on to late in the night but there’s guidelines against that so by the time the helter skelter memory inducing ‘Jonestown Mind’ and a trademark rumbustious ‘Free ‘n’ Easy’ crank up the main body of the set there’s only sufficient time for a three-track encore.
It’s been foot to the floor with the ‘occasional’ word of choice fruitiness from Mr. Warwick – something that he received an earbashing for from his mother upon returning to Belfast following The Almighty’s 1992 Donington appearance! – and beautifully unrelenting.
This pace continues into the final salvos of the growling ‘Crucify’, a raw ‘Jesus Loves You, But I Don’t’, and the set-closing grandeur of ‘Wild & Wonderful’ replete with a snippet of Bryan Adams’ ‘Run To You’ included. “Bryan Adams doesn’t fucking need the money” quips Warwick acerbically. It’s a rampaging festival closer and one that for all present brings down the house. The Almighty have come and conquered.
Photography by Kelly Spiller for MPM
