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Whitebottom Farm
Greater Manchester
August 2025
Friday review, HERE
Saturday review, HERE
Review and Photos – Rob and Danni Wilkins
Waking up on Sunday of a festival is a strange mix of emotions. Still so much to enjoy, but just slightly sad that all of the months of anticipation are coming to an end, and soon reality will beckon again.
The sun is shining though, and a great day of music still awaits, starting with a strong coffee (or more, as the bar is open early today) and more “Jamming with Jack”, featuring talented festival goers and musicians. Once again, the session flies by and showcases the virtuosity and flexibility of Mr. H along with his great sense of humour.
The honour of opening the Bludsucker Stage today goes to Liberty Slaves from Huddersfield. Goodness knows what they had for breakfast, but talk about hitting the stage running! No quiet, gentle wake-up set to say the least. It was amusing to say the least to see that those in the front row had outfitted themselves with safety hats, quietly banter with singer Ryan Meehan, who had recently fallen off the stage, but he managed to keep the focus mostly on the singing (although at one point it looked like disaster was about to unfold again!). The music certainly held its own, with “Ain’t That A Bitch” and “Every Man For Themselves” standing out.
A quick wander down to the distant third stage (today sponsored by Radio Wigwam) for a set by DGM favourites Sonny Jim, who had made their way up from Crowland in Bridgend to showcase their polished yet edgy sound. A varied set that featured influences of household names such as AC/DC (‘Sign Of The Times’ gives the neck muscles a proper seeing to) and The Cult (‘Fake It Til You Make It’ has some gorgeous Billy Duffy-esque licks from SJ guitarist Lloyd Jenkins), the hugely experienced quartet power through 30 minutes of well-constructed rock music – feast on that groove that makes ‘Wrong Side of Hell’ so irresistable. Sonny Jim’s secret weapon is the golden-throated Jay Donagh on vocals, and boy, can he sing. People’s exhibit ‘A’, m’Lord, being ‘No Shame’. Gigs from Sonny Jim are few and far between, but oh so worth the wait.
Leaving the third stage far too early due to clashes, I was rewarded with one of the standout sets of the day from The Soul Revival. Bought together around Steve Nunn’s bluesy vocals, their set effortlessly adds a heavy edge to a deeper soul. With Andy Dove’s scintillating guitar, it is noticeable that the food traders around are a bit quieter and the bar a bit busier as nobody wants to leave their set! Add in a dialogue with the crowd where they talk about their connection with a suicide prevention charity by running up Mt. Snowdon and in the process raising over £3k. Oh, and we never did find out who has the pictorial testicles in the band!
Back on the Bludsucker and Tom Killner’s set was the perfect opportunity to have an early afternoon late lunch in the sun, whilst letting his deliciously polished Americana wash over us. The melding of Country and Bluesy rock, played beautifully, was a welcome respite from the energy and riffs preceding, and I found myself nodding quietly along. The man himself has the ability to command the stage through his guitar alongside his quiet storytelling interludes. For me, this is perfect festival music, and the weather and natural amphitheatre viewing areas made this an unexpected highlight.
Back over to the Trooper Stage for Blue Nation, and a special guest appearance from Greek singer Nana Mouskouri, who we were gleefully told by BN vocalist/guitarist Neil Murdoch was playing bass! The lack of script for some of the hilarious interactions was clear when he then got somewhat concerned that she may actually be dead, and that drawing attention to Luke Weston’s similarity in appearance could be in bad taste. A crowd full of mobile phones and Google soon reassured him that she was still alive, and his banter continued. It wasn’t just a comedy set, though, as between monologues, the music was a superbly accessible blues showcase. A delve into “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” towards the end ensured that I was kept listening from start to finish and added to the quality of what, on paper, had felt like the weakest of the three days ‘ line-ups.
For me, the highlight of the day was next on Bludsucker when The Lazys from Australia hit the stage like a cyclone. From the first note, they were a whirlwind of energy and movement, delivering a straight down the line set of rock n roll. It is always good to be present when records are set, and vocalist Leon Harrison not only set the record for cursing at Firevolt, he set the new record so high that it is unlikely anyone else will ever get close…some poor kids spent the entire set with their parents’ hands over their ears; it was utterly hilarious. Highlights other than hard riffing and a new lexicon of profanity? “Half Mast Blues”, “Hot Under The Collar” and “Little Miss Crazy”. A special mention to the guy in the crowd who, when thrown a pint of beer mid guitar solo, managed to catch it without spilling a drop! Set of the day for me by some way!
From the edginess of The Lazys to one of the nicest guys you will meet in the business, Dan Byrne and his band. Every time I have seen Dan, he seems to have grown a little more. His vocals have always been jaw-dropping in range and power, but as he gels with this particular troupe of musicians, he brings even more out of the material he is writing. When you can be bold enough to open a set with a cracking song like “Hard to Breathe” you have to have the material to keep the set going and “Hate Me”, new songs “Saviour” and “Cherry and Leather” (moving into a heavier territory and boding well for the new release to come), and a closing pair of “Like Animals” and “Death Of Me” show the reason for his climb up festival bills over the last few years. The support cast of Max Rhead, Colin Parkinson, and Glenn Quinn allows Dan to shine, but are far more than backing musicians, each adding their own flavour to the overall dish.
The festival kicked off with a guitar/drum duo and back on the Bludsucker stage, it was time for The Picturebooks, compère Paul Cash’s choice for the bill, to deliver their innovative and energetic set. Featuring Fynn on guitar and vocals and Philipp on drums (often using huge mallet-type sticks on a much reduced kit), all supported by their roadie, manager, and sound engineer (Aka Fynn’s Dad!), their set is unique amongst the offerings of the weekend. I think of it as tribal blues as Philipp’s rhythms are hypnotic, played with incredible power and strength that leaves him dripping with sweat and panting, whilst Fynn’s guitars provide a bluesy sound. At one point on “Why Mother Why” a gospel choir is played to provide a huge soundscape. The Picturebooks have recorded with both Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry and Lzzy Hale, so they clearly have a wide sphere of influence!
Shortly after writing this review, The Picturebooks announced that Philipp was leaving the band to focus on his new fatherhood. We wish them well for their futures in life and music.
A complete change of style and pace back on Trooper as we are treated to the glorious soundscapes and textures of the Von Hertzen Brothers. Bringing a Finnish snowstorm to the Manchester summer, this was a set for sitting back with a drink and immersing yourself in complexity, yet far more engaging than many of the prog genre. That complex layering comes from the sheer variety of instruments on stage, and it is good to see and hear a flute and saxophone played live rather than replicated on keys or backing tracks. This was my second experience of the Finns live, and I found it just as enjoyable as the first, but also with time and space to immerse myself more deeply in the lyrics and song structure.
Finally, as the sun sets on the last night of a hugely enjoyable weekend, we head en masse to the Bludsucker stage for Swedes, Eclipse. Festival organiser Stret has a habit of ending the festival with bands that aren’t on the usual UK festival roster, and tonight is no exception. Once again, he pulls a rabbit out of the hat, and the closing band delivers a set to linger long in the memory. There was an audible intake of breath when vocalist Erik Mårtensson welcomed himself to “Stonedead”, but that faux pas was soon forgotten as they delivered an uplifting and fun lesson in singalong melodic rock.
Once again, we poor photographers in the pit were mocked with a red wash of light, to such an extent that it became comical, and most simply enjoyed the music with a camera in hand as photographs became almost impossible! Once out and able to simply enjoy, however, songs such as “Run For Cover”, “Battlegrounds” and “Black Rain” kept energy high and the crowd enthralled until the music came to an end and the organisers took to the stage along with many of the volunteers to say the required thank yous.
The music wasn’t quite over, however, as back at the Trooper stage, a Firevolt Supergroup made up of the musicians performing off the main festival itinerary entertained with covers until midnight.
Once again, this little festival punched far above its weight. Tickets are already selling well for next year, and knowing Stret, the lineup will throw some curve balls, introduce some new music that will become a favourite, and also reintroduce some old friends. I can’t wait! Hope to see you there!
