Planet Rock- RockStock festival Dec 2014

Post by **garthrockett** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 12:44 pm

A bit late with a review but here's one I wrote for another forum and might be of interest:

Our Kidderminster metal Massive took a chance on the rock stock festival at Trecco Bay 5-7 December. Opinion?? Read on……

We booked a caravan for three, which worked out at £133 for each of the three of us. From the West Midlands the M5-M50-M4 journey was 2 hours 15 mins…..

Book-in admin was fine. Caravan we were issued was superb; clean, electric and gas all free. We were 5 mins walk from the venue too.
Main stage had a large standing area in front of it with raised platform for the seating area in an arc behind, with the bar behind that; well laid out, in a sort of ’stage 2’ size the festivals in the old Haven venue up in Prestatyn had.
Second stage was in a cafeteria type area, all chairs and tables with the raised stage in the corner.
Food was the usual fish and chips/pizza, and there was a Nisa supermarket on site. Worthington's smooth pour (urgh) was £3-75 a pint. Real ale 4 quid a pint.

Friday was main stage only. The Treatment opened up, and did a fantastic hour long set. Sound was pretty good from all areas around the stage, and while change over between bands took place everyone could sit down! (hooray! Relief for my damaged hip….)
Gun next up with a near original line-up, 'Better Days' and the obligatory 'Word Up' the highlights, then Phil Campbell's All Star Band , cheesily entertaining with loads of classic rock covers- singalong time! For me though the highlight of the night was Joanne Shaw Taylor; her amazing gritty smoky voice and adroit blues licks made a nice change of pace from the previous two acts. I’m definitely checking out the next tour.
So on to the Friday headliner, Glenn Hughes' California Breed.
I’m not a fan of the CD so I was hoping Glenn would mix and match a load of classics from his career for a festival crowd. No chance. Based entirely around the new album, 30 minutes in guitarist Andrew Watt threw a wobbler. Declaring into the mike...."I'm not playing another note until someone sorted out this f***ing feedback".
After five minutes, the guitarist simply walked off stage left. Glenn followed without a word and the drummer gamely did a two minute solo before leaving to a chorus of boos and heckling.
After a few adjustments by roadies and some scurrying about out the band trudged, Glenn gave us his ‘all my love…. you're my brothers' speech and they carried on....the moment however was lost and many of the bemused audience wandered away as the set proceeded. By 'Burn' the crowd was noticeably sparser.

Saturday noon saw the second stage open and some decent smaller acts ply their trade to packed crowd. Serpentine ware great, Dante Fox melodic as ever, though with most people seated the atmosphere was a little reserved.
With less going on the dynamic of the day was a bit laid back; many were meeting and greeting in the sports bar or watching the footy or rugby.
Fantastic full breakfasts as well!! (As its Wales Lava bread and cockles included!)
Main stage was Graveltones which I missed, Cadillac Three (who's Southern rock went down a storm but I couldn’t see why). This was followed by Def Lep's Joe Elliott's and his Down 'n' Outz ( good glam-rock set but wow, the guy has put on some weight…..), and the incomparable Michael Schenker Group who had an absolute stormer- well worth the entire weekend on their own.

After catching the magnificent The Amorettes and Liberty Lies on the small stage on Sunday afternoon The Answer and FM graced the main stage, Brummies Magnum finishing the weekend off with a set of recent stuff which in all honesty washed over me a bit.

After the main bands finished each night there was a 'rocki-oke' on the second stage from 12-2 am. This was basically a karaoke set up but with a live band ( trio of drums, bass, guitar) backing you as you sang the lyrics off an I-pad!
Song sheets on the tables listed over 200 tunes......the backing band were bloody awesome!! (just learning the repertoire must have been a full time job.)

There were no lack of singers, and naturally the more attractive rock ladies among us who did a turn got the most applause, (there was one gorgeous blonde that did paranoid and she.....sorry, I digress )
But it was lots of fun and a great way to end each night!

All in all, a great weekend. The festival hasn’t got the oomph to really rival other winter festivals like Hard Rock Hell, and is an altogether more restrained and alternative to all the mayhem one gets in North Wales. But depending on the line-up , well worth a further trip next year.