Hard Rock Hell 4, Prestatyn, Friday 3rd December 2010

And so it was THAT time of year again. You know, the manic weekend of Hard Rock at the 'Spinal Tap' village - (c) BP - that Pontins Prestatyn becomes on the first weekend of December.
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Leaving home at 7.45 on a Friday morning, and encountering temperatures touching -13C driving through the Welsh Marches, I was questioning my sanity and maturity, but after another outstanding weekend of rock, I have to say I can't wait for next year to come around.
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Friday afternoon in the Queen Vic
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It's one of the few times of the year I get to check out new bands these days, and three were worthy of note.
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Liberty Lies from the West Midlands were excellent (below).
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I only saw the end of the quirky Scutty Neighbours (below with punter), whose singer was standing on the bar when I walked in.
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Best band in the pub were Glasgow's 15 x Dead (below) and they won through on a fans' forum Dark Circle vote, and it wasn't difficult to see why, despite the fact that they looked like the long lost cousins of the Eastenders' Mitchell Brothers. It seems that Black Sabbath riffs are never too far away at a rock festival.

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Friday Night - Main Stage
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Diamond Head
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There isn't much that hasn't been said about these NWOBHM veterans, therefore I'll just repeat the cliches: How on earth weren't they massive? How are they just a support band (at 5 o'clock in the afternoon)? And, good God, I never knew that was their track?
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They were awesome, and of course they played Am I Evil? as well as other great stuff including Pray For Me (my you tube video).
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FM

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Never really got into FM before (below), but I have to say they delivered a great set of professional, melodic rock.

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UFO

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Regular visitors to this blog will know how I feel about the magnificence of UFO's music. Tonight was no different.

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Two new ones, Saving Me to open, and Helldriver (my you tube video), and then a stack of old classics to rock the Friday night crowd: Mother Mary, Only You Can Rock Me, Doctor Doctor, Too Hot To Handle, Shoot Shoot, Love To Love.
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More details and better pics on the unofficial UFO site (here).

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Phil Mogg

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UFO - 2010 style
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Paul Raymond
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Phil and Barry Sparks
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Paul Raymond, Vinnie Moore + fan

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Uriah Heep
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I actually feared for Uriah Heep. Sandwiched between UFO and latter day AC/DC reincarnation, Airbourne, the 70s veterans could have got blown away.

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They had no need for my sympathy. Mick Box conducted the throng like the maestro he is, and they won over many sceptics with a thoroughly professional display, earning the first encore of the weekend. Check out Stealin' (my you tube video).
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Mick Box

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Airbourne
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And so to the Friday night headliners. Brash, unsophisticated, three chord wonders they may be, but by God they can put a show on. (Haven't we heard that before about a long haired, stripped to the waist, Australian outfit?)

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AC/DC rip off or not, you can't doubt their energy, volume or ability to work the crowd - I do wonder if they last as long as the previous two bands?

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Anyway check out Girls in Black (my you tube video) to see how I got up close and personal!

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Skid Row
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My final band of the day was Skid Row. I never really bought into them in the Seb Bach era, but I thought they did a fine job here, following the raw energy of Airbourne. They have some great hooks in their back catalogue. Rock radio staples, 'Youth Gone Wild" and "Eighteen and Life (my you tube video) were present of course.

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And so that was Friday done by about 1.30 in the morning, absolutely knackered but ready to do it all again on the Saturday.

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All pics (c) the webmaster.