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Steelhouse Festival
Hafod y Dalal Farm
26th to 28th July 2024
Friday review, HERE
Review and photos – Rob Wilkins
After a rare, sunny opening day, normal service looked set to be resumed when Saturday dawned with the sound of rain on the motorhome roof. By the time I was up and fed, however, the clouds had already started to dissipate, the sun showed its face, and another glorious day seemed in prospect.
Opening the day were the young Swansea quartet Zac and The New Men. Arriving with a chilled, laid-back vibe, there was an initial nervousness about their performance, but as the set progressed an energy developed that drew me in and impressed immensely. The short set contained two new songs, the pick of which was “Off to The Moon” which truly showcased their energy and musical ability. Initial reservations well and truly banished and certainly one to look out for in the future. 
Following to the stage were Creeping Jean from Brighton, featuring, unusually, one band member who showcased the tambourine! They deliver a set with a cultured, bluesy feel but I will be honest and say that I struggled to embrace their sound and needed more energy and vibrancy to wake up the early crowd. Maybe in another setting songs such as “Angel Breath” and “Bandit” would grab me more firmly than they did up the mountain as the musical elements were certainly all in place!
In contrast, I positively enjoyed Cardiff’s James and The Cold Gun. Led by the imposing figure of James Joseph they turned up the volume as well as the energy levels. Making waves with some impressive support slots it is clear to see a band that have the potential to go far! Particularly impressive is new song “Fragile”, which is mature and yet fresh at the same time. “Something to Say” gets the crowd jumping and provides the much-needed energy, whilst set closer “Long Way Home” again shows depth and songwriting as well as musical ability.
So far, so gentle and laid back.
Enter South of Salem to pick the day up by the scruff on the neck and pull forward one of the biggest crowds of the weekend! This is a band that are making big waves in the genre and it is easy to see why as they hit the stage running with “Let Us Prey”. South of Salem have found a very clever niche. Firstly the image is well-crafted and merchantable. Then the stage show is a whirlwind of activity and energy with band members not standing still for more than seconds at a time and each having a unique personality. Finally, the songs are so damned catchy and memorable, far more accessible than the image and name may at first suggest.
Singer Joey Draper has the crowd in the palm of his hands as he moves menacingly around the stage but with a glint in his eye. The stage show is full on with pyro and smoke, plus risers and frequent use of the ego ramp to take the show to every individual watching. I have seen the band play four times this year so far and this was by far the best yet, I get to see them again soon at Firevolt Festival in Greater Manchester, and I cannot wait!
Another band making waves are The Warning from Monterey, Mexico and from the moment they take to the stage it is easy to see why! They look incredibly young, so to realise that the trio of sisters, Alejandra, Daniela, and Paulina, have been playing together for ten years or so is mind-boggling. That connection is clear in the way that they simply control the stage and crowd with one of the best sets of the weekend.
Visually you might expect fluffy and lightweight, but instead are treated to songs such as “S!ck”, “Choke”, “Queen of the Murder Scene” and “Hell You Call A Dream” with raucous guitars, thudding bass, driving drums, and raw vocals. Quite honestly I am blown away and The Warning goes straight to my “Need to see again” list.
A band from much closer to home next with Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, another band that I have seen multiple times in a variety of settings. You know exactly what you are going to get from the ex Mötorhead guitarist and his brood: good, honest, heavy rock with a smattering of songs from his past and today doesn’t disappoint.
From the past, we get the speedy “Going to Brazil”, “Born to Raise Hell”, “Killed by Death”, of course, “Ace of Spades”, and a cover of Bowie’s “Heroes” (dedicated to Bernie Marsden) as well as a cover of the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen”. Standing up well against such classics, the Bastards’ material holds its own with songs such as the brooding “Dark Days” and set opener “We’re the Bastards” slotting in beautifully. It’s an easy home run in front of so many local fans and keeps the pace of the afternoon going in a slot that sometimes comes up against the anticipation of the headliners and special guests.
The lineup for this particular iteration of Steelhouse certainly created a lot of online discussions as it could be described as diverse, but tonight’s special guests gained almost universal positivity when announced.
Taking to the stage which had been dressed impeccably in line with the latest album, German metal heroes Accept delivered a master class in guitar-led heavy metal. This particular lineup showcased Joel Hoekstra (ex Whitesnake, etc) completing the lineup of THREE Flying V guitars and watching him living his best life joining in the choreography was a joy. Only one member of the original lineup remains, the towering and constantly smiling Wolf Hoffmann, but along with vocalist Mark Tornillo, this is without doubt a lineup worthy of the name and reputation.
Accept aren’t a band I have followed that much, but the set flies by with operatic and Wagnerian influences, and by the time we are treated to “Balls to the Wall” I am a convert and can say I enjoyed one of the classic sets performed up The Mountain.
Finally to that divisive headliner: Skindred.
Now, firstly, I am a HUGE fan, having seen them play MANY times over the years and enjoyed every single time, but to some, they aren’t typical of the Classic Rock genre that Steelhouse represents.
The “Imperial March” rings out and frontman Benji Webbe appears in a typically understated stage outfit to rip into “Set Fazers” and on to two classic Skindred tracks: “Pressure” and “Rat Race”. Benji is a superb frontman, at times he veers to the comedic, then to pathos, then to an almost aggressive demand to the crowd for more, but underpinned by consummate professionalism.
The thing that some of those dissenting voices miss with Skindred is just how well they fuse together so many styles. A single song may start out with a reggae lilt, and then end as raw metal. Sometimes it feels like even the band doesn’t know which way a song will go but it works beautifully.
Webbe is a raconteur. Stories about his past, and his first introduction to The Specials after family tragedies (to the tune of Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs) somehow both elicit sadness and humour before the quartet launch into “Kill the Power” and the intro to “Life That’s Free” where he talks about being estranged from his son (containing the line “They start drinking from the bottle then the bottle begins drinking from them”) is genuinely moving.
Of course, what everyone is waiting for is Skindred’s party piece and saving it till last the band brings a superb day to a close with a spirited Newport Helicopter as they rip into “Warning”.
The very thing that some criticised, the musical variety of the lineup, for me made the day so special. Every band played their part and I left the arena smiling and exhausted, ready for the final day.
