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BULLDOG BASH, 25th Anniversary Friday 12 August 2011
As I collected my press pass just before midday on Friday I could already hear the distant roar of motorbikes revving up on the drag strip at the far end of the old airfield, ready to lay down times for the various trophies on offer. Walking down the access road on my way to the main gate, I could already feel a buzz of anticipation for this 25th anniversary Bulldog Bash. Then came the unmistakeable sound of a band getting ready to play... one, two, one, two, as the first sound check of the day got underway. Kicking off proceedings on the Area 81 Rock Club stage were London based rock foursome Virginia Slint, with Miss G and Kit taking turns in providing vocals. They were followed by six piece Kent rockers The Self Titled, whose vocalist Joe did his best to wake up the slowly gathering crowds, many of whom had arrived the previous day. Next up were Empire of Fools, whose heavy riffs mixed with melodic vocals drew in crowds of people who would have otherwise just wandered around the various nearby stalls, in spite of a few drops of rain coming down from the dark skies above. Black Country heavy rockers Liberty Lies followed them on the Area 81 stage. While there were still overtones of their earlier blues influenced classic rock, this band have got heavier, albeit still melodic, since a line up change earlier this year, and are all the better for it.
Meanwhile back on the Area 81 stage, Livin in a Valvestate, a glam metal band from the west country, were keeping the crowds around the stalls entertained with songs influenced by the likes of Metallica and Whitesnake. Back to the main stage, Andy Sharrocks and The Smoking Jackets were getting the crowds dancing to what can only be described as dirty blues and country with menaces...with Andy Sharrocks doing a very passable impersonation of Johnny Cash. Following on from Livin in a Valvestate, the Area 81 crowds were treated to an energetic set from Riot Noise, another west country rock band, who were followed by alternative blues/roots duo Henry's Funeral Shoe from Wales.
I then made my way back to the main stage to catch Macclesfield based The Virginmarys. I first saw this band when they supported Skunk Anansie last November at the Brixton Academy, and their raucous, grimy rock felt right at home amongst all the bikers gathered around the main stage at Bulldog. Frontman Ally Dickaty has a strong, growling, vocal presence (if he were 30 years older you'd think it was down to drinking gallons of Bourbon and smoking 40 Marlboros a day) while drummer Danny Dolan constantly jumps off his stool and beats his drums and gong to within an inch of their lives. Bassist Mat Rose is no slouch either, keeping the rhythm section nice and tight whilst supplying some crashing riffs. This is a band definitely on the up and up... although they've only been around a few years, they already own the stage.
The last two
bands on the Area 81 stage were The Stone Kings and Godsized.
Infuenced by the likes of Korn, Guns'n'Roses, Alice in Chains and
Soundgarden, The Stone Kings provided the crowds with their own blend of
raw, energetic and powerful rock with vocalist Gregg Stageman and
brother Ryan on guitar driving the songs along, ably backed by guitarist
Gary McCarthy and the rhythm section of Dom Holloway on bass and drummer
Gavin Ransley.
Godsized
are a band that will provide audiences with duelling guitar solos,
soaring vocals, heavy riffs and metal that even those who don't like
metal can't help to want to listen to. The sheer enthusiasm for their
music, and the earthy, raw power of the whole band is infectious.
Headlining
the second stage were a band I can never tire of seeing; Godsized.
As well as sporting some of the most luscious beards in the business,
Godsized are a band that will provide audiences with duelling guitar
solos, soaring vocals, heavy riffs and metal that even those who don't
like metal can't help to want to listen to. The sheer enthusiasm for
their music, and the earthy, raw power of the whole band is infectious.
They were followed by 90s Glasgow rockers GUN, fronted as usual by brothers Joolz and Dante Gizzi on guitar and vocals respectively and joined by Derek Brown on Bass and Paul MacManus on drums.
As they
played a selection from their back catalogue (Welcome to the Real World,
Don't Say it's Over, etc), so the press pit began filling up with
everyone who had an Artist, AAA or VIP badge in readiness for the main
acts booked to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Bulldog Bash.
As the
stage lights came on, a roar accompanied the wailing of the brass
section... "I think I can see him" said an excited young lady next to
me, and then he was on stage, looking more than ever like Uncle Fester,
jumping around as if his previous heart attacks had happened to someone
else. As the stage lights came on, a roar accompanied the wailing of the brass section... "I think I can see him" said an excited young lady next to me, and then he was on stage, looking more than ever like Uncle Fester, jumping around as if his previous heart attacks had happened to someone else.
Buster Bloodvessel and Bad Manners were here to entertain, and entertain they did. Who can resist dancing around to their 2Tone ska? Certainly not the bikers who only a few short hours earlier had been rocking their heads along to heavy rock and metal acts. All the old songs we knew so well were included in the repertoire; Special Brew, Just a Feeling, My Girl Lollipop, Samson & Dellilah, Skaville UK, Lip Up Fatty and ending with Can Can. Fantastic!!! What a way to warm up a crowd for the headline.
People may joke about their inability to play more than three chords (a joke turned back on them by their 2007 album In Search of the Fourth Chord) and the tempo may only have changed slightly from one song to another (Living on An Island being a rare exception), but the crowd were kept dancing and tapping their toes throughout the hour and half set.
You know what you're going to get with Status Quo. Their boogie rock style is unmistakeable, as are all the hits they were about to play... Caroline, Whatever You Want, Rockin' All Over The World, Something About You Baby I Like, Down Down, In the Army Now, all interspersed with songs from the new album Quid Pro Quo. Rossi and Parfitt are now widely regarded as national institutions, and with over 118 million albums sold worldwide, these ageing rockers still know how to put on a live show. People may joke about their inability to play more than three chords (a joke turned back on them by their 2007 album In Search of the Fourth Chord) and the tempo may only have changed slightly from one song to another (Living on An Island being a rare exception), but the crowd were kept dancing and tapping their toes throughout the hour and half set. In an interview before BB25, Francis Rossi had said "We love playing the Bulldog and it's fair to say that we are delighted to be back. It's one of the liveliest shows that the band play anywhere on the circuit and we're looking forward to giving the crowd a serious Quo rocking!" It showed. All in all a great day of music. Saturday 13 August 2011 Saturday saw bluer, sunnier skies than the previous day, and a slightly earlier start on the Area 81 Rock Club stage, with Swindon grunge rockers Eye for an Eye kicking things off at 11.30am... a tad too early perhaps for those still nursing hangovers from the previous night. They were followed by rapcore/new metal band BoneMud, made up of three Poles and and a South African vocalist now based in Bristol, who certainly added to any headaches audience members may have had. Next up, and slightly more melodic, were Welsh band Tequilla Dealer who entertained the gathering crowds with their take on post punk and bluesy rock. Following on the blues rock flavour, perennial Bulldog Bash favourites The Snorting Dogs had the Area 81 crowd tapping their toes to their selection of raucous, dirty and grimy blues.
It was then time for me to make the trek to the main stage where The
Hovercraft Pirates were opening things up. This London-based trio
entertained the few people gathered there with a set of impassioned
punk-edged pop-rock, all delivered with controlled aggression and a
fiery attitude. Rumour has it that this was their final ever performance
together... only time will tell. Vocalist Matt Alonso Ilsley's high-pitch wailing complimenting the gruffer riffs of the four musicians behind him. Then it was time to turn the volume up to 11... hell, no... let's make it 12!!!
Gloucester
based Hellbound have occupied a stage at Bulldog Bash for a few
years now, and you can see why this alcohol-fuelled metal foursome are
so popular with the biker crowds. Drawing on Pantera, Megadeth,
Metallica and Anthrax as their influences, they deliver no-nonsense
heavy metal with attitude to spare.
They were
followed by Neck, a north London based Irish band who claim to be
the bastard child of Joe Strummer and Shane MacGowan... a punk ceilidh
was definitely on the menu. Due to headline the Area 81 stage were Gentlemen of Distorted Sound, but their set had now been swapped to allow the more dance orientated Black Hole Horizon to end the evening, as this would lead in more easily with the start of the nearby rave tent.
Gentlemen of Distorted Sound are not a band to be missed. These guys don't just have the raw talent needed to cut it, they have the swagger to go with their ability.
From the top hat and tails of vocalist
Gareth Nugent to the snake-hipped pirate Mako (guitar), this band have a
style all of their own. While gently spoken when addressing the crowd,
Nugent's voice truly comes alive when he roars into the microphone,
without ever overshadowing the melodies.
Hailing from Northern Ireland it would be easy to make the obvious comparisons with Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore, yet Simon McBride deserves better than to be labelled in this way... especially as he doesn't really sound like either, but a guitar virtuoso he most definitely is. It's easy to see the influence of Free, Jimmy Page, Hendrix, and even Robert Johnson, in his music and he played a selection of songs from his two albums Rich Man Falling and Since Then. British blues rock at its best with Take My Hand being the standout song of the set.
It was difficult to imagine how anyone could top Simon McBride, but Nico's Alchemy certainly did their best, and succeeded. With feet firmly planted in the 70s, Nico Tamburella's Anglo Italian heavy but melodic rock has sometimes been described as "Blackmore on steroids". Kicking off with No Time For Sadness from the Fundamental Darkness album, Nico treated the crown to a mix of old and new songs...She Is A Killer from the forthcoming album being a particular highlight... before finishing off with a cover of Highway Star, followed by the new single Live Until We Die then Dawnie's Blues (a glorious jam session enjoyed by musicians and crowd alike) and Far Beyond The Sun. Those who remember the band being main support to Motorhead at BB23 will have noticed a couple of changes in the band, and Geoff Paice's vocals are far better suited to the songs than previous vocalist Candido.
All that remained now was the original gothic punk rockers The Damned to add the cherry to the icing, and they didn't disappoint. Led as usual by Dave Vanian's crooner-like vocals and Captain Sensible's soaring guitar, with able assistance from Monty Oxy Moron (keyboards), Pinch (drums) and Stu West (bass) The Damned reminded everyone what 35 years in the business does in terms of stage craft and tightness. All the old favourites were played; Elouise, Disco Man, Anti Pope, Lovely Money, Grimley Fiendish, all topped off by the Captain's version of Happy Talk. All that remained was to watch the celebratory firework display and to grab a few beers.
I know that
some of the bikers who attend say "it's a biker rally not a fucking
festival", but given there is live music, it's a shame the acts didn't
always get the support they deserved. For this year's event a few, major, changes had been made. Instead of the "big tent" housing the main stage, there was no big tent at all. Fortunately the weather held off, but the main bar had previously been in the big tent, which meant that all the acts played to decent crowds (especially when it rained). This year, however, the bars were further away from the main stage which sadly meant that some of the earlier bands were only playing to a handful of people. I know that some of the bikers who attend say "it's a biker rally not a fucking festival", but given there is live music, it's a shame the acts didn't always get the support they deserved. Maybe, expecting a larger crowd for this 25th anniversary event, the organisers didn't think everyone would fit inside the tent. Music aside, however, the big tent did provide a focal point at previous Bashes which was sadly lacking this year. The idea to have to queue to buy tokens and then to queue again to get a drink was also ludicrous and maybe again this was a one off. From a musical point of view, highlights for me were Livin in a Valvestate, The Virginmarys, Pig Iron, Godsized and the Quo on Friday, and Hellbound, Gentlemen of Distorted Sound, Simon McBride and Nico's Alchemy on the Saturday. Roll on BB 26 Review and photos by Bob Singleton
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