Saturday Rockmantic February 4th
Ian “Roadie” Owen was on hand at The Brickyard in Carlisle for Saturday, February 4th, 2023, the second day of the Rockmantic Weekender. Here’s his report and photographs of the day for CGCM Rock Radio.
To read his Friday thoughts go here: Rockmantic Friday
Wild Fire
Lewis Stanners (Bass) Nick Smith (Guitar) Mikey Roberts (Vocals) Liam Roberts (Drums) Keir Ballantyne (Guitar)
Wild Fire is from the Scottish Borders as they proudly announce. It appears some of the audience are too, much to the band’s surprise. The crowd is a little sparse for my liking, Wild Fire deserve better but there are still plenty of people to make some noise. This band is an exciting band wrapped or smothered with NWOBHM influences. I think I hear Maiden and Diamond Head influences throughout their show.
The show starts with a new song which may have been “Buried Deep” but not sure, taken from their new E.P. Then onto the plundering Maiden-esque bass line of “Stronger“, featuring the very versatile vocals of Mikey Roberts, cool vocals and a good frontman. Encouraging a bit of a sing-along in a “woah woooah woooaaaahh” kinda way, “Stronger” once again nods in the Maiden direction. Although vocally different, “Stronger” has powerful dual guitars, that plundering bass again, this is really cool stuff. They finish their set with “Screaming for Mercy“, Wild Fire have lit the fuse this afternoon in what promises to be another hot fun day.
God Damn Smile
James Davey (Drums), Steve Harris (Bass) and Tom Salt (Guitar) along with Stuart McFarlane (Guitars) and Gary Salt (Vocals)
God Damn Smile like God Damn rock and judging by the punters around me they like God Damn T-shirts too. They are appropriately named because that’s what most people have on their faces. The crowd is building nicely considering it’s 17:10, quite a few in here now. They open the show with “Sasparilla Kids“, a song about growing up on a council estate with nothing. It sets the vibe nicely and then “Radio Show“, dedicated to Tommy Vance and his Rock Show. And then a song called “Air Guitar“, help you get a feel for the fun this band exude. Worryingly tonight, there were quite a few that admitted to not being able to play “Air Guitar” in the crowd. I was willing, but mine needs new strings and I hadn’t bought my Air Amp with me…..
Loud, fun, and engaging the crowd, Gary has a story for every song tonight. “Video Games” is up next and Gary, a quite stocky guy, looks like a bodybuilder but moves like an extra from Legs & Co, dancing in his little space on the stage. It’s a bit tight for a five-piece but it’s sounding cool. At 5.PM, God Damn Smile remind of what life was like when we were younger and partied all night, they certainly achieve their aim, gained fans and smiles finishing with “Superheroes” and “Chick Flick“.
Continental Lovers
Joe Maddox (lead vocals/songwriting
These guys enter the stage looking like rock n roll, head to toe, vagabond, Bohemian rock n’ roll uniform and the missing Ramone. Opening their set with “Tattered Star” followed by “Paraffin Lips“, they get their groove on and I like it. They are not new or breaking down barriers, but they play the kind of garage-style rock n roll I really love. I’ve not heard or seen these guys before but look forward to seeing them again. “Take Deck“, “The Girl” and “Really Doesn’t Matter” continue their show in an enjoyable fashion, I should be writing but I’m watching and enjoying the sound and attitude of the band. Joe Maddox is a cool frontman with style and attitude, fitting the bill perfectly. Joe warns the other bands “if you’re coming on the stage, don’t wear a coat” it was obviously getting pretty warm up on stage as most of the band removed their coats. It was heating up in the Brickyard too. I went to the merch desk to purchase a CD but they’re not available yet (they will be available when they play at Call Of the Wild later in the year). The show features a cover of Stiv Bators’ “Make Up Your Mind“. They finish the show with “Dale Arden” and the wonderfully titled and subtle “Whore”. I felt a little uncomfortable googling Continental Lovers but they are on my watch list, definitely ones to watch.
Thirteen Stars
Possible line up: Hoss Thompson – Lead Vocals/Guitar, Lauren Jackson – Vocals & Key, Andrew Bates – Drums, Scott Mason – Bass Guitar
In my senility when watching the band, I added three extra stars, 16 Stars are actually 13 Stars and you’d never have noticed any difference, until, Hoss let us know that everyone’s favourite JJ, Mr. JJ Watts was not here tonight. He then proceeded to aim various levels of sympathy at him, threatening to phone him near the end of the show to let him know what he’d missed. I saw this band many years ago and really liked them. Tonight is a different kettle of fish. Hoss has plenty of personality, full of self-criticism peppered with a wonderful sense of humour and timing. He’s very chatty between songs. Tonight, they open with “Tough Love“, Hoss could be singing for the likes of Molly Hatchet or maybe Lynyrd Skynyrd, He just has an enormous presence with his vocal tone. Even more special for me tonight is the addition of Lauren Jackson, she adds wonderful harmonizing with a clean, pure, polished, and beautiful contrasting vocal style, it works really well. Lauren appears to be enjoying the show as much as Hoss and I’m pretty sure she wasn’t with them back in the White Raven days.
This definitely isn’t how I remember this band, I still love the groove, and the funky bass lines being thrown into a deep southern vocal. It’s definitely not as full on as I remember, although I suppose the disruption with JJ not being here hasn’t helped, Don’t get me wrong though, I really loved it. The feel is a lot lighter but still great, even time to fit in a classy Tom Petty cover with “Listen To Her Heart“, brilliantly executed. Hoss continues to communicate with the crowd, having fun, and swapping jibes. The show continues with “Ain’t Playing No More” and “Gotta Be Your Man“, Hoss could quite easily have been a southern man rather then a Cumbrian Man, although I think I may have named his solo album.
Taken from the 2015 album The White Raven, “Tired of Waiting” is the track I absolutely love and remember from the album sounding brilliant tonight, a song to make you sing along and shake your body, boogie time… 13 Stars showing their versatility tonight still putting on an excellent show even with a man down. Toward the end, Hoss gently reminds everyone to spam JJ and tell him Hoss said he was a lovely man and he wanted to give him a massive hug, or maybe he said something slightly less complimentary, it was clearly in jest though. Great show, new CD purchased…. I shouldn’t keep putting my purchases in, just in case my wife reads this!!!
Takeaway Thieves
Peter Mcloughlin – Vocals, Neil Hunter – Guitar, Ben Gibson – Guitar, Max Yates – Drums, Adam Hall – Bass
These guys always enter the stage ready to party and tonight is no different, they know what they are doing, just keep them away from your food… Peter Mcloughlin was around for the weekend, I think as I’d spotted him a few times and thought to myself, “I’ve seen your face before” but couldn’t remember where I knew him from.
Peter possesses a great live vocal and great presence on the stage (been listening to the album and he sounds great there too). He sings with a bluesy style but it’s not limited to the blues, the band have a funkiness and a lot of fun on stage. Neil, Ben and Adam moving around, throwing shapes and groovin’ in their own way. It’s good on the eye and great on the ears. Opening with “13 Feathers” and the really catchy “Snakes and Daggers“. They have the crowd, to be fair the crowd has been on form all weekend. They run through a well-honed set featuring cool tracks from their current album 9, I say current it’s from 2021 but it’s a scorcher. Takeaway Thieves are good-time rock n roll band with tunes to match. “Hotcat“, “Gypsy Life” and “Lose It” continue the show in style bringing us around to the end of the Takeaway Thieves Rock n Roll party. They end the show with the romantic “I Wish You Were Dead” and finally “This is Rock n Roll“.
The Hot Damn
Gill Montgomery (guitar vocals), Josie O’Toole (drums), Laurie Buchanan (guitar & Backing Vocals) and Lzi Hayes (Bass Guitar)
Aptly named The Hot Damn, damn they look good! Vibrant in their orange, pink, turquoise and lime green suits. Gill later laments on the choice of polyester not being the best option. They look great and as they burst into “Fizz, Crash, Bang” they sound even better. I was always going to like The Hot Damn, I’m a sucker for female vocals. I liked Tequila Mockingbird and loved The Amorettes, don’t think they were going to have a problem. Dance around, Can you hear me now? and nicely linked is “Loud and Clear“. Gill’s vocals are nice and clear too, this band play fun time party rock n roll. It’s light, it’s bouncy, it’s fun. You know me and smiles, love to see bands enjoying themselves, these girls just wanna have fun, they want us to have fun too. It’s working! “Live, Life, Love“, bounces in next before the band look for a merch model for the “Merch Song“. I spot a guy at the front wearing a tie-dye and take great pleasure in pointing him out, he’s then encouraged onto the stage to model the merch. The band launch into “Oh Lord Won’t You Buy Me Some Hot Damn Merch”. A catchy little number and poor guy (Steve Lyth) looked totally struck by stage fright, he did say that if he had been sober he would never have gone up on stage. The Hot Damn are hot stuff, they really know how to entertain. They finish off their set with “Going Down” and the excellent “Didn’t Like You Anyway“. I came here alone but with this audience you never are alone. Once again a cracking night and Hot Damn have livened it up even though it didn’t need it. Two days of sensational rock n roll, different styles, different faces, different vibes but all-around smiling faces and now for the finale.
Bad Touch
Stevie Westwood – Vocals, Rob Glendinning – Lead Guitar, Daniel ‘Seeks’ Seekings – Guitar/Vocals, Michael Bailey – Bass, George Drewry -Drums
I could actually sum this up review-wise, I could just say Bad Touch – sensational!
Bad Touch are another one of those bands that I never really got. You can’t knock the fact, they are a hard-working rock n roll band. I say I never really got them, that is until a few years ago, I watched them again and ping! I was a bit of a fan but until tonight, I had none of their albums. As the T-shirt I wanted wasn’t there, (don’t tell my wife), I now have three albums by them. They always look the part, and tonight they sound great. Great vocal, tick, rhythm, tick, lead, tick, bass, tick, drums, tick, the band, just pure class! They opened the show with “Lift Your Head Up” and Stevie sounds superb tonight. His vocals a classy blend of blues and soul and full of funk and feeling tonight, next up, “Good On Me“. This is good time rock n roll done well. Think Black Crowes debut, danceable rock n roll. “Strut” is next up and it’s no wonder I went a bought a few CDs, sooooo good. There are lots of influences in here and they’re all good. “Dressed to Kill” and they have really set a pace tonight. Bad Touch feel more like a good touch to me with “Let Go” continuing this brilliant bar room boogie bluesy barrage of awesomeness. If you were in the audience tonight and weren’t converted I give up. They even throw in an excellent and clever cover of Alanis Morrissette’s “Hand in my Pocket“. They finished off the night with “Come a Little Closer“, it was hard to do in a packed-out Brickyard. They encored deservedly so, with “Outlaw” and “99%“, ending the party with loud clapping and cheering. What an absolute ball of a weekend.
Upstaged, the staff, the soundman, the bands, fellow togs, the audience the venue, everything was an absolute delight, really enjoyed the whole experience and would highly recommend Carlisle Brickyard as a venue to play, to visit, and, if I’m able even though it’s a bloody long way, I wanna come back!!! Cheers guys!! Rockmantic, fantastic, superb. They have another one of these coming up in November and I’m arguing with myself about going……it’s my birthday weekend!!!! In Grimsby!!! Awesome guys
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Ian “Roadie” Owen’s Rockmantic Blackpool coverage for CGCM Rock Radio
