Call Of The Wild Festival 2022 - Day 2
- Rock Media UK
- Jun 16, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 4, 2022
Lincolnshire Showground
Live review by; DeeDee
Photos by; Rockin' Out With...
My first visit to COTW and after yesterday’s initial settling in, I’m liking the set up, small but perfectly formed as they say. Everything you need is a short distance away and there is plenty of time between bands to have a walk around. The third ‘Dead Skull’ stage is in a large marquee and the ‘Dead Skull’ coffee is fantastic. They will even add a little tipple if you require a wake up shot. Bags and equipment dropped off in the press room and it’s over to the show ground, just in time to catch Steal The City.
STEAL THE CITY are on stage at 11am, a little early for some but there’s a decent gathering in front of the Kilmister stage. Many might have hangovers, but this energetic band form Sheffield soon blot out any pain.
Frontman Joe Chuggy leaps around and encourages us to join in with songs off the ‘The Time We Needed’ EP. The heavy riff filled ‘Beating Heart’ being a favourite, with it’s singalong melody. Great to see these guys again, they are always so full of spirit.
Over on the Southall Lawless stage CAPULUS are a young 5 piece from the Bournemouth area and although they gave us original numbers, that were lively and rocked a few socks off, the appalling cover of Europe’s ‘Final Countdown’ ruined it for me. I think they would agree, that they were nowhere near ready for a stage that size and would have been more comfortable in the Dead Skull tent.
Back on the main Kilmister floor TWISTER know all about gaining confidence and choosing the right songs. Currently on their ‘Won’t Go Home’ tour, they are so hard working, that title says it all.
The kettle drum introduction for ‘Save Us Yourself’ off the hugely successful ‘Curse & Corrected’ album, gets the masses down the front.
Then it’s half an hour of soothing melodies and Stevie Stoker’s irrepressible and charming vocals.
Meanwhile THE SUICIDE NOTES start to set up on the second stage, Billy Tee waits patiently, we blow kisses to each other and share a laugh. As he sits at the front of the second stage, the vocalist is blissfully unaware of the attention his pose is getting on our camera’s. Their cowboy boots tread in the footsteps of those UK glam and sleaze bands of the late 80’s and early 90’s, a time of ramshackle and debauched rock and roll.
Don’t expect precise or polished music from the ‘Notes as you won’t get it. ‘Ragdoll’, ‘Smoke It like A Cigarette’ and ‘Black Dog Howlin’ aren’t meant to be played that way anyhow. This is unadulterated, bar room swagger and I just love them.
Another band that have a mass of originality are TAKEAWAY THIEVES tearing themselves away from their ‘residency’ at The Waterloo Bar in Blackpool, (only joking guys) the upbeat and diverse five are a breath of fresh air on this Friday afternoon.
The debut album ‘9’ is well represented and Peter Mcloughlin, with a feather in his hat as normal, leads us into participating at every opportunity.
It’s good to see them again, they are so down to earth and always happy to stop and chat. Head over to their WEBSITE to learn more.
One of the bands who have made a massive impact on the NWOCR scene are FLORENCE BLACK. The Welsh three-piece have been playing together since their school days and guitarist Tristan Thomas also played alongside ‘Budgie’ drummer Ray Philips in a side project. Hence the love of covering ‘Breadfan’ at every gig, which they do superbly. Heavy and full of pulsating rhythm, these lads know how to get into your head. When it comes to ‘Sun & Moon’ it’s time to sway with the breezy melody, before it deepens and Tristan adds those astonishing breaks.
The debut album ‘Weight Of The World’ is one of the best from recent years and as they leave the stage way too soon, there’s a round of applause that reaches from the back of the field.
The lampshades are placed around the stage and bohemian hippy throws, adorn the Marshall stacks. Yes, it’s time for THESE WICKED RIVERS and you have to admire their style. A little trippy and slightly psychedelic, they are wooing crowds and everyone I know. John Hartwell has such a croon of a voice, his band play smooth, hypnotic and entrancing rock, laced with Southern vibe.
Albums ‘Eden’ and ‘II’ are regulars in my headphones and they are soon be to joined by another. Playing a blinder of a show today, head over to their FACEBOOK page for news of the new album crowd funder campaign and the fundraiser in October, at their local venue the Hairy Dog in Derby.
I am with my friends Phil and Steve on the barrier for RAGING SPEEDHORN as you do! Nothing like some sludge metal from these legends, hard to believe they originally formed in 1998. After a 6 year hiatus they came back in 2014, the saviours of British metal indeed. Dan Cook is stomping all over the stage and grabbing heads on the barrier for support as he leans, shouting his lyrics to the crowd. Steve gets chosen and we help him recover afterwards, he was ok. Punishing ranting, as Dan and Frank ’Speedhorn’ Regan blast us with dual growling. The two axes of Dave Leese and Jim Palmer are unrelenting, riffs and pounding chords decimate our ears. The leads get tangled up with the monitors, which allows Frank to grab the stage hand, as he bends over to unwind them, that was a light hearted moment. With double vocals and double guitars, the pace is frantic and pressing, there’s a lot from ‘Hard To Kill’ which is Dan’s first album with the band and their 6th to date. The veterans showed it’s how it’s done tonight.
RICKY WARWICK & THE FIGHTING HEARTS are the penultimate band and grace the Southall Lawless stage. With Sam Wood (Wayward Sons) on guitar duties, looks like it’s going to be an impressive show. Ever since Ricky formed The Almighty, I’ve been a fan of his and so I’m happy to hear a few of their numbers. I can still remember the words to ‘Free N Easy’ as I join in with everyone else to sing along.
Of course the set wouldn’t be complete without a ‘Thin Lizzy’ cover and ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ is a fine choice. A lot of tunes from ‘When Life Was Hard And Fast’ make up the list. Just over from the USA, for a few dates, It’s good to see him again.
Nothing like ending the night in the company of MASSIVE WAGONS the ultimate party animals. Frontman Baz Mills takes us from ‘Back To The Stack’ and ‘Bang In Your Stereo’ to ‘China Plates’ and the crowd are wildly appreciative. The headliners know how to raise the levels and as the lyrics to ‘The Curry Song’ are repeated around the field, you get that feeling of euphoria from just being there. They churn out ‘In It Together’ and as proceedings draw to a close, the lights dim and the smoke clears as the crowd make their way out of the grounds.
What a fantastic second day, I can’t get over how friendly and well organised this festival is. Roll on tomorrow, as another sumptuous line up beckons. Now it’s time to head back into Lincoln and get some rest.
コメント