CGCM Rock Radio‘s Ian “Roadie” Owen was on hand at the annual Mayor’s Festival. The event, which Ian also covered for CGCM in 2023 (https://cgcmrockradio.com/mayors-festival-kks-steel-mill-wolverhampton-concert-blog/), took place in Wolverhampton. KK’s Steel Mill was the scene and by Ian‘s reports here, it seems all was once again a huge success.
MAYOR’S FEST OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE
**Just as an added commentary, in between all the main stage acts some terrific tunes were coming from an acoustic stage in the bar area. The first act was a really young couple of lads Retsecrows, God they made me feel old, they showed a lot of talent and nerve to play to such a crowd without fear. Slyder Smith played a wonderful set with tunes mainly lifted from his album Charm Offensive always good to hear “Maya“. Waking the Angels pulled out quite an emotional set sounding brilliant. White Skies sounded really good too although I had no idea who they were. Vocally brilliant though, really enjoyed their set. Alabama Crow another new one for me sounded great entertaining the crowds getting beer, food and merch. Buzzsaw Radio featuring local hero Blade Edwards playing a decent rock n roll set showing influences from the Wildhearts among others.
It was hard work trying to keep up with everything that was going on, that’s not a complaint, it’s admiration. Yeah, it was hard work but for the people that set this up the likes of Doddy White, Kathy White, Brett Hall, Greg Dean, Lisa Billingham, the staff, soundmen, security and a few others that I may have missed out, they had the real hard work putting this together and making sure it worked. A wonderful job, a brilliant event and a fun experience. For 2025 the work has already started, well done and thanks folks, loved it.
Jayler
As a fellow Tamworthian I should really have seen these guys by now, They have made quite an impression on several of my friends and they have a great reputation for the cover band circuit. Today is my first chance to get locked up with these youngsters. Man, it’s a warm one here at KKs, Jayler have opened with a few tracks from their EP available here. “Acid Rain” is first up sounding good. “No Woman” is next. I notice the legend that is Myke Gray shooting in the pit next to me, so cool. We get a stonking version of the old blues classic, love Dee Snyder‘s version of “Evil“, but they do it very well too. It’s an absolute monster of a track. The good-sized crowd, especially for early on it’s 1:30, they are enjoying these youngsters playing their brand of classic rock.
When you go “I wrote about a bird” ” the folks were right these guys do sound pretty cool. Hitting all the right notes with me, making me feel old at the same time. Jayler formed from Jay and Tyler which is where the name comes from. “We’re going on tour with Kira Mac and we wrote this one for the tour“, they gleefully announce. “Lovemaker“, which opens with a massive howl from Jay and a chorus of “Lovemaker, heartbreaker“. We’re on familiar territory but it’s all good. Overall for my first Jayler experience, I bought the E.P.!! Seriously though, there is obviously a lot of talent in this young band and they write cool songs and deliver them with a maturity that belies their age. If I had a concern, it’s a minor one, they are very good but sometimes they are very close to Zeppelin roots, I love that, others will use it against them. I loved Kingdom Come too and they aren’t quite that obvious. Great band with a very promising future.
New Saints
I thought I’d seen these guys a couple of times before albeit a few years ago. They are definitely not the band that I thought they were, in fact the singer tells of the loss of a band member through illness and the hiatus of the band, but now we’re back! They sound seriously accomplished musicians performing some polished rock. Starting out with the catchy “Resonate“, then “Last Man Standing” and “Down the Line“. “Blame” opens up with really heavy drum and bass, literally shaking the back walls, vocally sounds reminiscent of Queensryche, although they haven’t struck me that way. “Blame” is certainly heavy stuff. “No Tomorrow“, “Soul Giver” and “Saviour” finishes off the set with pounding bass and striking guitar. They certainly like the heavy rhythm section and why not, it’s an excellent sound and a really cool set.
Voodoo Sioux
Well, well, well, these are a surprise to me, the award for the maddest bass player (Mario Ermoyenous) has now gone. I know no one is going to be as entertaining as Mario, great to photograph. They look experienced and sound professional. Great vocal sound and the songs stand up excellently. Opening the show with “Better Man” and then “Smith or Jones“, we only get three songs in the pit but hey, the show sounds fantastic. A totally new band to me, I know they’ve been on the circuit for a while but these guys are cool and fun, that’s the way I like my Rock n roll. They give us “Pillow Talk“, and “Turnaround“. They then give us the really catchy, “Feels Like Falling Off The Edge Of The World“. Afterwards, they slow it right down with “Into the Garden“. Then they speed it right back up again and turn it up to eleven with “Backwards to Babylon“, Nick Flaherty/ Professor Balthazar is a really cool-sounding vocalist in the sleazy style that I like, a touch of AC/DC, a touch of rock n soul, that’s the way I like my rock n roll. “Damage” and “Jester” finish off an excellent set, consider me a surprised convert, Voodoo Sioux you’ll do. Brilliant show guys. Check these guys out Nige Halford on drums and JB Jon Blakely on guitars make up a wonderful band.
Hot One Two
I don’t know about Hot One Two, I think this band are one of the Hot ones now. Always a pleasure to see Kev Baker’s smiling face and a band that has the same effect on those watching. I don’t think I have seen the band on a stage this size, Kev’s practicing for a marathon, the guy can’t keep still, someone needs to tie him up, oh no, that’s the other magazine I write for!!! Opening the show with “Playing with Fire“, these guys are definitely a little hot, as I have stated! I have seen them before and it looks like tonight is gonna be a hot one too…. Kev hasn’t settled yet, still training for that marathon. “Bleed on Me” is more up-tempo mayhem showcasing Simon West’s wonderful classic soulful, bluesy, rock n roll vocal style, never missing a note or a beat. Nick Blackburn (Bass) and Joe Chivers (Drums) kick off “Godforsaken Blues“, more stylish classic rock and Kev’s still smiling, I think that’s a smile….”Demon Daze” slows things down a little bit, not for long though. Nick Manners (Lead Guitar) is competing with Kev with the gurning stakes, these guys really put on a show, hardly staying still and sounding great. Another track from their excellent album “You’ve Got It (I Want it All)” and then the opener for the album (I love this track) “The Fray“. No-nonsense full-on rock n roll with just about the right amount of aggression. The Hot One Two are another one of my current favourite live acts, full-on entertainment. “Rolling Stone“, and “Neon” keep the party flowing in a Hot One Two style. On with the show, everyone should know what it feels like “Feeling Good” but seriously, is it Hot or is it just me? “Tie Me Down” finishes off a wonderful performance from one of the hottest bands of the moment.
She Burns Red
Talking of Hot bands and bands of the moment! On the back of the release of their wonderful debut album (Out of Darkness) buy it! Buy it!!! She Burns Red have come a long way, yeah Glasgow is a distance, but musically they are on fire, burning red indeed! I have to confess, these guys can do no wrong in my eyes currently. They are sounding fabulous once again tonight. First up is “Touch“, the mega-catchy “Rise and Fall“, really captures the strength of the dual vocals (Andy Moore and James McCulloch) and then “Stronger” open up the show with great momentum. All of us in the photo pit are hoping James has bought his flying shoes and his hover kilt (although that sounds a bit wrong). “Copernicus Falls” fast becoming a classic and staple of their live set. “Heavy is the Head” is next up and the fire is in full flow, just brilliant. If there is a criticism, it could be louder!!! “Maelstrom” and the brilliant “Killing Time“. From brilliant we move to the awesome “Crosshairs“, it was great to hear the Wolverhampton crowd singing along with this modern-day classic tune. If you haven’t purchased the Out of the Darkness album yet, seriously what are you waiting for? Go on get out there and buy it, you won’t regret it. “Run” is up next, everyone is an absolute class song, singalong and shake your thing. Andy then cracks on with a mean cover of the classic GnR track, “It’s So Easy“, following on to finish the show with “Crack the Sky” and the album title track, “Out of Darkness” which is just fantastic. The one thing She Burns Red does is make it look easy, they sound brilliant and are writing great songs for us to sing along with, another great show.
The Hot Damn
Talking of bands that put a smile on your face, the most colourful band on the planet, The Hot Damn are aptly described. Let the rock n roll party begin. These ladies know how to play a show and like what they see in Wolverhampton. Opening the show with “Fizz Buzz Crash“, they ain’t crashin tonight, next is “Dance Around“, The Hot Damn are fun and move around giving Kev Baker a run for his money. Lzi throwing shapes and pulling faces but plundering that bass. Laurie twirling dipping and diving, Josie is just an animal on the drums, smashing like her life depends on it and Gill leading the band in her own rock n roll style. “About Last Night“, a really catchy song about last night. “Jukebox on the Radio” opens with the pounding of the drums and develops into a catchy poppy rock n roll tune lifted from the debut album. “Loud and Clear” is a more serious-sounding song that shows the cool vocals Gill has. The Hot Damn are a hard-working rock n roll band and it shows, plenty of smiling faces in the audience, plenty of their T-shirts across the venue, I would have got one myself but the colours clash with my beard!!! “Damn, Damn, Damn” is next keeping the pedal to the metal and the party flowing to the maximum. “Automatic” and “Live, Laugh, Love” (probably one of my favourites) continue in a similar vein, uptempo rock. Apparently, a friend of the band a girl named Janis helped them write the next song, “The Merch Song“. The song has a certain familiarity about it, a wonderful little ditty reminds me of an old classic, “Oh lord won’t you buy some hot damn merch!”. Then straight into the excellent “Going Down” mirroring a woman I used to love (Donna Summer) featuring a touch of disco “Hot Stuff” in the middle before tonight’s closer “I Didn’t Like You Anyway“. As stated earlier, yep, The Hot Damn are Damn Hot and a great band to party with.
Terrorvision
You gotta love Terrovision, entering the stage looking more colourful than The Hot Damn. “Pretend Best Friend” opens the show, and Tony looking like a long-distance runner, the guy never slows down. Vocally sounding great when the settings get put right. “Do You Wanna Go Faster?” And “American TV” and the brilliant “Stop the Bus“, they mean business, they haven’t come along to make the numbers up, Terrorvision is in the mood. I was amazed to hear a couple of negative comments about the band, I have loved them for ages and again tonight they are superb. Hey, you can’t please everyone, I’m telling you though, KKs was fairly well-packed and there is a lot of love for the band.
This song is a thousand years old which technically makes it a folk song, “My House“. This house is jumping, why not it’s a cracking tune. “Enter Alter Ego” another corker from Regular Urban Survivors album (1996) what??? 1996…blimey, awesome tune. The problem is they go back further with “Problem Solved” from 1993’s Formaldehyde album. “Dog Chewed the Handle” and the ever-popular “Tequila!” are next and the place is lapping it up. “The Night that Lemmy Died” is a fairly new track but proves the guys still write great songs, talking of which!! “Alice! What’s the matter?” And one of my favourites, “Do You Think I Care?” and “Some People Say“, love it, love it. I really don’t understand why people don’t like them but it’s personal taste I suppose? “Alone” from the 2012 album Good to Go, uptempo cheery poppy rock n roll, it’s not miles away from the Wildhearts, probably why I love Terrorvision.
Tony has a way with words, he asks about the Mayor being on stage earlier, what kind of music did he play? He looked like a rapper to me, with all that bling, maybe like Eminem!!
This is just one hit after another, fantastic songs from “Oblivion“, to the wonderful “Celebrity Hit List“. “I’m not gonna tell you what this song’s called but it’s about three blokes.” “Middleman“, constant brilliant songwriting. Next up it’s a “Discotheque Wreck“, then “Josephine“, just brilliant, always loved “Josephine” although she has a certain Je ne sais pas! The night finishes with “Perseverance“, and “Whales and Dolphins” yeah!
A show full of massive songs from the Terrorvision back catalogue, crowd pleasers every one of them. I actually spoke to two people who told me how poor Terrorvision is, I stated both times, that I really like the band, I think they are a great band and that’s backed up by the great songs they are feeding us tonight. Awesome stuff but obviously not to everyone’s taste, well two people, just my luck!! Terrorvision once again timelessly terrific.
Just as an added commentary, in between all the main stage acts some terrific tunes were coming from an acoustic stage in the bar area. The first act was a really young couple of lads Retsecrows, God they made me feel old, they showed a lot of talent and nerve to play to such a crowd without fear. Slyder Smith played a wonderful set with tunes mainly lifted from his album Charm Offensive always good to hear “Maya“. Waking the Angels pulled out quite an emotional set sounding brilliant. White Skies sounded really good too although I had no idea who they were. Vocally brilliant though, really enjoyed their set. Alabama Crow another new one for me sounded great entertaining the crowds getting beer, food and merch. Buzzsaw Radio featuring local hero Blade Edwards playing a decent rock n roll set showing influences from the Wildhearts among others.
It was hard work trying to keep up with everything that was going on, that’s not a complaint, it’s admiration. Yeah, it was hard work but for the people that set this up the likes of Doddy White, Kathy White, Brett Hall, Greg Dean, Lisa Billingham, the staff, soundmen, security and a few others that I may have missed out, they had the real hard work putting this together and making sure it worked. A wonderful job, a brilliant event and a fun experience. For 2025 the work has already started, well done and thanks folks, loved it.
