ANOTHER YEAR, another festival and one that’s becoming a firm favourite is STONEDEAD FESTIVAL NEWARK, and whilst not as sunny as past events it nevertheless proved to be a winner, as this year we had Yorkshire boys Saxon as headliners.
Photography By: ROY GOODALL
Opening proceedings were The Hot One Two, an entertaining five some from Cambridgeshire. Formed back in 2017, they’ve already played more British venues than they care to think about which is great for learning one’s craft. With positive applause and a lengthy winter tour announced, The Hot One Two are a band most certainly going places. As are Tailgunner, another five some who are doing good business. With their debut Guns For Hire getting an airing and the music taking a nod back to the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal era, they too got strong applause from the masses.
Having seen Hollywood boys The Bites before, they must have been delighted to be playing such a large U.K. festival, with hot pant wearing frontman Jordan Tyler grinning throughout. Only a foursome today as one guitarist couldn’t make the show, The Bites ploughed on with Good Lovin’, Heather For Leather, and at one point mid-set nicely slipping into Led Zeppelin’s Good Times Bad Times. Again, gelling as a band in 2017 they finally left the stage smiling and waving happy in the knowledge that a good job had been done.
Photography By: ROY GOODALL
Conceived back in 2006 and hailing from Sweden, four piece Bonafide are out to prove there’s more to the motherland than Volvo and ABBA. This lot play dirty bluesy hard rock and over their career have supported many, with strong songs such as Smoke & Fire, and Hero To Zero gaining good cheers. With eight albums in their arsenal, they have great hooks belted out by tub thumper Niklas Matsson, bassist Martin Ekelund, fretsman Anders Rosell with front mouthpiece Pontus Snibb leading the charge, Bonafide tick many boxes and do the job right.
Stockholm outfit Eclipse continued the northern European feast, now celebrating their twenty five years as a band, their hook-filled hard rock delighting the Stonedead crowd. Current album Megalomanium was naturally showcased with the foursome delivering a well-received set and even after a milestone career of rocking the planet, Eclipse seemed to have even more drive in the tank. The journey will continue…
The last time I saw Doro Pesch she was fronting Warlock, who at the time were supporting Dio and many years later despite setbacks, band splits and legalities, she still happily out there with bags of energy and a tight band around her. Playing metal anthems like Love Me Back, Raise Your Fist In The Air and other strong crowd pleasers it was good to see a woman taking charge and giving the others a good run for the money.
Photography By: ROY GOODALL
Originally formed back in 1989 in California, Ugly Kid Joe, a band I’m not normally drawn to, did command a large gathering as one and all showed support and applause, all recognising the longevity and hard work the gang have put in deserved respect. Splitting for thirteen years they returned back in 2010 and have been powering on ever since.
Spending forty two years and sixteen albums with Judas Priest, guitarist K.K. Downing has more than defined the rock genre and now he’s out there on his own terms, this ‘Special Guest’ slot proved a wise move all round. With pyros a plenty K.K. Priest let fly, with his old stable mate Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens on screaming yet well-balanced vocals who did a sterling job, along with A.J. Mills on guitar, stuff like Raise Your Fist made the masses cheer as did other originals off both the Sinner albums and nicely chosen Priest classics. With bassist Tony Newton and drummer Sean Elg this midlands based unit almost stole the show but for Saxon opening up the top spot with Hell Fire & Damnation and from 1980, Motorcycle Man. Power & The Glory, Madam Guillotine and Heavy Metal Thunder all letting the crowd know who was now in charge.
Photography By: ROY GOODALL
Slightly slower and true story about President Kennedy’s demise, Dallas 1pm went down well, followed very quickly with Never Surrender and Strong Arm of The Law, making Saxon’s first Stonedead headlining appearance a history talker.
If I had to moan, more bands could have worn more colour, Saxon could have gone on thirty minutes earlier, and I never saw any vintage aircraft fly over as in previous years. That aside, same time next year folks.
WORDS & PICTURE: ROY GOODALL
