Thursday, December 8, 2016

Planet Rockstock, Trecco Bay, Porthcawl, 02-04 December 2016

Another splendid weekend down at Trecco Bay, Porthcawl with the Planet Rock Radio crew. Good bands, good venue, great value for money, and a really good sound and stage set up.

Girlschool

After nearly 40 years in the business, these women (they're hardly girls are they?), never fail to delight their loyal fans. With 3 of the original 4 members still in situ (and you don't see much of that these days), they stuck closely to their festival set, heavily biased towards their early 80s heyday, and I, for one, loved it: Emergency, Demolition Boys, Race With The Devil, Hit'n'Run, Screaming Blue Murder, Future Flash, Watch Your Step.


Girlschool on a Friday night...splendid..


Jackie Chambers....


...getting closer.


Jax and Enid

The Dead Daisies


Friday night headliners, The Dead Daisies, really did steal the show. With power, energy and stage presence all in abundance and now containing 3/5ths of the Whitesnake line up of 10 years ago, plus frontman John Corabi, once of Motley Crue, there is more than a hint of stardust about this band, as they returned to entertain the Trecco Bay throng.

With the new album 'Make Some Noise' going down well, and plenty of the good stuff from 'Revolution', they certainly rocked the Main Stage. A fine end to the evening.


A well oiled crowd enjoying the Daisies.


John Corabi, looking more like Roy Wood every year


John and Marco Mendoza


Doug Aldrich


John, close to the crowd


and Marco, in the crowd!

Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash)

Martin Turner playing all of the 1972 Wishbone Ash opus 'Argus' was always going to divide opinion. 

Some punters at the weekend were bored to tears.
Me? I thought it was great, but I've always been a sucker for early 70s hard rock with a proggy feel.

With a touch and feel reminiscent of 'Dark Side' Pink Floyd, the playing and sound quality were pure class. Interestingly, hearing this material live made you realise just how much Iron Maiden have 'taken' of this sound in their latter day albums, especially in the slower passages.



Steve Harris's British Lion

Well I gave it 15 minutes.

Iron Maiden fan to my shoelaces I may be, but I really can't get into Steve Harris's side project.
So it was a quick listen, and away for a swifty and Match Of The Day.

A good weekend nonetheless.


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