Merry Christmas Everyone

Have a great festive season. Peace, good health and best wishes for the New Year.

Hard Rock Hell 3 - Day 2 - evening

And so it was back out for the Saturday evening to finish off Hard Rock Hell for another year.

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With a superb atmosphere building at the main stage, everybody singing along with the music played over the PA, it was time for a show and boy did we get one.

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WASP
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Frontman Blackie Lawless allegedly pulled out of a gig in Swansea just days before because the venue was said to be 'a shithole'.

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No such problems here, as we had power, volume and presence in abundance.

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Basically it was a greatest hits set with a few new ones, featuring:
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Love Machine (you tube)
I Wanna Be Somebody (you tube) and
Blind in Texas.
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Queensryche
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It's fair to say that 'thinking man's metal' band Queensryche are not everyone's cup of tea, and their headlining spot here definitely split opinion.

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Technically proficient no doubt, they did little to win over new fans here, by sticking to material from 3 albums only, and excluding some of their more accessible material.

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New York Dolls

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With just 2 original members, New York Dolls took us through the midnight hour with some good heavy/punky rock. They over came some early sound glitches overcome to deliver a full set of sleazy rock n roll.

Lauren Harris
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Now I like Lauren Harris. I've got the debut album, saw her at Twickenham supporting Maiden, and have followed her progress since. But it has to be said that this was a rather strange set.
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In announcing that next year the band would have a new name, there'd be a new album, and we were going to hear lots of new songs, it seemed as though a line was being drawn under the solo career.
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I'm really not sure where's she's going because to be honest she could learn a lot about stage presence and energy from her old man (Steve of Maiden).
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A lack lustre set in my view with too many new numbers.
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Out of her older stuff, here's the cover of Gun's 'Steal Your Fire' (you tube)

And that was that for another year @ Hard Rock Hell - there was thrash still going on on Stage 2 - but I'd had enough, 19 bands in a day and a half is pretty good going!

An excellent festival all round, the best of the 3 HRHs so far in my view.

And so to HRH4 next December - how about Y&T and the Michael Schenker Group? - book me in now.

Hard Rock Hell 3 - Day 2 - afternoon

Oh well, it was on to Day 2 of the 3rd Hard Rock Hell, and it was a case of shake off the hangover and get your gear on for another full day of rock.

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Pig Iron

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First up at around 5 to Midday by my watch was the Southern Rock of Pig Iron.

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Lots of people did seem more concerned with getting the old 'hair of the dog' at the bar. Nonetheless, their solid rock'n'blues went down pretty well.

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Dumpy's Rusty Nuts

Back to the pub for one of the great bands of the pub'n'club circuit. Fresh from a Friday night in Abertillery was Dumpy (Dunnell) and his Rusty Nuts. With his usual combination of blues covers like C'Mon Everybody (on you tube) and 80s tunes like Hot Lover and Box Hill Or Bust (on you tube), they really went down well, and livened everybody up for the day ahead.

Dumpy...

...with his Nuts and the crowd

...still going.

And then....
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Girlschool
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Surprise, surprise that I made it up the front of Stage 2 for the afternoon pleasure and power of Girlschool.

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With the exception of 'I Spy' from the 2008 album Legacy, it was really a set of oldies and goldies from a band that still attracts a worldwide cult following.

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Old favourites included:

Screaming Blue Murder

Take It All Away

Hit And Run (on you tube)

Race With The Devil (on you tube)

Future Flash (on you tube)

Demolition Boys.

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Great stuff - and they looked fantastic as well!

Jackie, Kim and Enid

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Jackie 'Jax' Chambers

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Kim McAuliffe

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Enid Williams...looking and sounding great

.Take It All Away!

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and with some real 'iron maidens'....
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Kim
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Jax
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Tigertailz

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Flying the flag for Wales on Saturday afternoon were the Cardiff based Tigertailz and they certainly didn't disappoint. In fact, their set was exceptionally well received.

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As an encore they were joined by the Girlschool ladies for a blast of Ace Of Spades (you tube).

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Quireboys
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Drawing my afternoon to a close was 1980s party band Quireboys. With a set heavily drawn on their heyday, numbers like 'Sex Party' and 'Hey You' went down a storm.
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Hard Rock Hell 3 - Day 1

Having now done all 3 of the Hard Rock Hell festivals held at, firstly Butlins Minehead in 2007, and for the last 2 years, Pontins Prestatyn, I have to say that this 3rd one was overall the best of the bunch.
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There was barely a spot in the day when you couldn't find something to your rock taste.
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Voodoo Johnson

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My festival started in the Queen Vic with the RATTM, QOTSA, Foo Fighters inspired rock of Voodoo Johnson. Great stuff and very loud (especially where I was stood)

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Remedy
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Next up were the female fronted Remedy with their good, simple, melodic rock. The singer had a good voice I thought.
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9 x Dead
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Next up were the much trailed 9xDead from Caerphilly. Not really my cup of tea (or pint of beer), but they were entertaining enough.

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Dead Against The Rest

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A fast paced 'glammy' set from more Welsh rockers. Possibly a little samey, but the 'get well' message to Ronnie James Dio via a cover of 'Holy Diver' went down well.
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Logan
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Over to the main stage for the evening, opening up with Glasgow boys Logan, and what a great sound the twin guitar band made. It included a cover of 'War Pigs', which the singer didn't seem to get.

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Gun
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Probably the highlight of the 1st day. Magnificent rock band now fronted by Toby Jepson. Polished, professional and crowd pleasing, exactly what you want at a festival.

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Here's 'Word Up' (you tube).

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Ratt
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My personal favourite of Day 1, and it was great to see them after all these years. With Warren DeMartini back in partnership with Stephen Pearcy, they cranked out the 1980s classics: Lay It Down, Round and Round, You're In Love (you tube).
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Terrovision
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With the alcohol now well and truly kicking in, Terrovision gave us a blast of tequila.
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Monster Magnet
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Friday's headliners came and went for me - sorry just not one of my bands.
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Edens Curse
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Last band for me before bedtime - I can't really remember much.
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