AMPLIYULETIDE Festival
Gloucester Guildhall 18/12/21
Live review by; DeeDee
December 18th and time for the inaugural Ampliyuletide festival, which we at Rock Media UK are proud to co-host with Amp’d Presents.
As with Amplifright back in October the venue is the glorious Gloucester Guildhall. The upstairs public hall has a tremendous stage made of the old wood from former doors, fitted during the 1980s refurbishment and the acoustics are amazing. Now an arts centre, the Grade II listed building has all the facilities you require.
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Today’s line up is a monster and despite Bad Touch having to pull out at the last minute, amendments are made to the running order to enable the show to go on. Skam have graciously come in for Hells Addiction, who sadly couldn’t make it today and we have extended sets from Scarlet Rebels and Florence Black.
Circus 66 are a first for me and this band from the South East really got the day started with a bang. Fronted by Russian born Annabelle Alexandra Zaychenko, we heard five tracks from the recent debut album, ‘Follow The Black Crow’. Lively and with charisma it was a pleasure to watch Annabelle take to the floor, stealing selfies and dancing with the unsuspecting crowd. The opening songs ‘Jekyll Or Hyde’ and ‘A Thousand Miles From Home’ were also released as singles and do allow an insight into the superb guitar playing of Matt Pearce. The bass of Luke Ward is also a mainstay, with both numbers having a defining rhythm. Annabelle throws everything into her performance and she has quite a powerful and forceful voice as well as knowing how to hold the audience's attention. ‘Take A Shot’ has more bounce and squealing guitar, the drums of Leigh Holley are also a staple with lush sticks from the back of the stage. It gets more steamy with ‘Monster’ a chance for the band to hit a groove and deliver more direct vocals. They end on the eponymous track from the album which gently breezes in, before rising and providing the set with a brilliant finale.
Mother Vulture reside in Bristol but are already causing a ruckus around the country. There are no limits with this lot, protruding and shameless they jump and race around the stage with unabated mayhem. I have never seen a Gretsch swung about in the way Brodie Maquire manages to and it’s been a while since I saw a guitarist doing the dying fly, with his axe on the dance floor!
Bassist Chris Simpson looks like some mad geek in his yellow check trousers, as he twists and spins. The visual element is extraordinary and vocalist Georgi Valentine is quite captivating, so all in all Mother Vulture swoop and have you in their claws from the onset. But let’s not forget the music, most of the set has been out as singles and first up is ’Tell Me’ of course it’s as fast moving and unreserved as the band, crashing and screaming guitar and nonstop vocals. ‘Habits Die Hard’ has a swooshing howl and a slap of a rhythm, it reverbs around the room as the shaken and stirred audience grapple to take it all in. ‘The Wave’ is even more chaotic and blinding. ‘Rabbit Hole’ has to be the finest composition, heavy and sluggish it pulls you in with its messy riffs. ‘Mr Jones’ is chosen to finish on and it’s another pounding of substance. Fantastic guitar and hard hitting chords mixed with uncontrollable energy. What a band, what a storm of a set, it’ll take us ages to recover.
Unknown Refuge I have seen before, my first encounter was on the Friday night at the first Stonedeaf festival in 2018, when I wondered where had this bunch of kids come from to headline on party night!
Over three years later and with an awesome debut album in the bag, the youngsters have grown up and are now getting themselves firmly established on the current scene. All six on the set list are off ‘From The Darkness’ and if you haven’t got a copy yet I would advise adding it to your collection. ‘I’m Not A Bad Guy’ with it’s sublime guitar and pulsating rhythm, kicks off the performance and the room being quite full, has heads starting to nod in appreciation straight away. ‘Shadows’ has a cheeky building intro, then surges into a menacing, riff orientated grind, chugging with all it can muster. The band just flow into ‘Palace Walls’ which is quite a potent song, racing guitar shredding leads into this epic and while it’s one of the most demanding off the album, live it still comes across with such passion. Another rapid fire song is ‘To The Light’ and the Ampliyuletide attendees are loving this, including me. Unknown Refuge have come a long way, they are absolutely kicking it up there. I adore the intro to ‘Journey’ . It's like a highlander type of theme, the song itself is another that is truly astonishing and Alex’s vocals are so crisp today. ‘Battle Hymn’ sees the fine drumming of Morgan loaded to the roof, a cool number to end on and this showing must have brought them a host of new fans. Look out for them on the road in 2022.
Matt Long and the Revenant Ones, a project put together by the Catfish man, who is joined by fellow band member Adam Pyke on Bass and ex Raven Eye drummer Kev Hickman. Like so many, before hearing the debut album ‘The Other Side’, it was deemed we were in for more electrifying Blues, from the award winning guitarist and company. Nope, this collaboration is, as it says on the album cover, the other side and in this case the alter ego is Matt's love of heavier and more messed up and dirty guitar. Think Bonamassa hitching up with Metallica and you get how industrial and whopping the weight is.
The album is represented with around five tracks for the set today and they get underway with ‘Have My Say’ a rousing start and it lets us in relatively gently, superb licks from Mr Long who also has an impressive voice. ‘Take It All’ comes in with a strong flow and caressing vocals. I like how the trio blend so well together and let the music do all the work. The band get into a deeper riff for ’Stone Bones’ which also pours out a stunning guitar solo. I do like ‘Feel Like A Saint’ the low levels and taste of bluesy grunge are so unique. Then there’s the working of the strings, to achieve one of the most penetrating and thudding of middle elements, it’s a work of art. ‘So’ is also a favorite, this earworm of a song, gathers all around it and spits out another earth shattering riff. Matt Long and The Revenant Ones are glorious today and deserve to be elevated in the ranks, sublime and totally engrossing.
Doomsday Outlaw come on stage with the Christmas spirit and anyone playing Whamageddon, have lost, as soon as the introductory song is played.
I have followed these guys since seeing them at the Breaking Bands festival in 2018, where they were exceptional. These days they are still a quintet but have a new line up and it’s the strongest I have seen them. The albums ’Suffer More’ and ‘Hard Times’ are both like chocolate boxes full of your favorite flavors and tonight Doomsday Outlaw gives us a rundown from them with the added newbies ‘In Too Deep’ and ‘Runaway’. With stacks of monstrous guitar playing by way of Alez D’Elia and Rowan O’Sullivan, the sound is rich with deep, wandering and powerful. Combined with Phil Poole’s standout vocals the set drives home and the room is buzzing.
Indy Chanda handles his bass with fondness as he covers the stage adding more depth and soul to the Christmas party. ‘All That I Have’ and ‘Bring You Pain’ are unfaltering stalwarts and the groove gets even deeper. New drummer Nic Rudd is sensational to watch and has fitted in really comfortably with the band.
The lads stayed around all day and had a few eventful moments, to quote them ‘Saw some ace bands. Drank too much. Lost a drummer. Played a killer set. Stopped someone nicking our gear. Whamageddon. Drank too much. Thanks for having us Gloucester! And Alez saved some bloke’s life. Which was nice’.
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We also had a music video from Wolf Jaw, the film shows many messages of sympathy, from friends and fans of the frontman Tom Leighton who sadly passed away recently and we take time to remember him today.
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Skam are a band that have grown on me over the last year or so, the three piece from Leicester deliver hard edged rock that they push to the limit. I like the way they write ‘Green eyes’ opens their show tonight, it’s from ‘Intra’ which has just been voted the best EP of 2021 by the NWOCR guys, along with ‘Venous’ that came second, how cool was that. The distortion on ‘Iron Cross’ is superb, Matt Gilmore on bass and vocalist/guitarist Steve Hill pairing up on the fast mover, allowing it to resonate around the Guildhall. A brace from ‘Venous’ are next, 'I'm Not The Only One’ and ‘Circles’ which is a delightful crashing of a song. They add another from ‘intra’ the intriguing and slithering ‘One Track Mind’ which reduces the tempo for a while. Skam knows how to handle the audience and Steve is a charming frontman, therefore they soon have the crowd swaying and clapping along. ‘No lies’ is the older number chosen to bring proceedings to an end and it’s a staunch rocker that discharges all the fiery energy Skam have left in them.
Skam are;
Steve Hill (guitar/vocals)
Matt Gilmore (bass/backing vocals)
Neal Hill (drums/backing vocals)
Revival Black I remember watching these Liverpudlians when they were called Black Cat Bones down at
Iron Road Evesham. They have transformed a little since then and are now one of the top NWOCR bands to watch. Gaining popularity with every gig, you can't help but admire them. Singer Dan Byrne immediately gets the audience participating along to ‘So Alive’ which is the first of many tonight from the debut ’Step In Line’ album. I’m sure I am not alone standing here tonight, thinking what a great band Revival Black have become, at Steelhouse earlier this year they were outstanding and I think the recent string of shows in 2021 has helped them solidify even more. I do laugh when I recall Jamie Hayward at Steelhouse, failing to get back up on stage for the final band pic, when he got lost! After the earthy blues of ‘Hold Me Down’ they give us the latest single ‘Believe’ which sees guitarist Alan Rimmer and rhythm guitarist Adam Kerbache, in all their glory. The cover of Deep Purples ‘Burn' is just one of the numbers when Dan shows us how well he can belt out lyrics and the Ampliyuletide room is packed and singing along to this. There’s a new album out in May that will feature ‘Believe’ and the other new one they demo tonight ‘Hurricane’ I would pre-order ‘Under The Light’ now to save disappointment, the first batches could easily sell out. Winding up on ‘Wide Awake’ and a load of thank yous, they have been tremendous.
Revival Black are;
Dan Byrne - Lead Vocals
Alan Rimmer - Lead Guitar / Rhythm Guitar
Adam Kerbache - Rhythm Guitar / Lead Guitar / Backing Vocals
Ash Janes - Drums / Backing Vocals
Jamie Hayward - Bass / Backing Vocals
Scarlet Rebels are another band with a lot going on at the moment, a new album is due at the end of January and the band plan to hit the road to promote it with several gigs already lined up. Tonight they arrive in the Gloucester Guildhall and the crowd stand in anticipation, Scarlet Rebels have a massive fan base and the Llanelli boys are just as eager to get up and play as usual. The multi award winners set is composed of many from the awesome ’Show Your Colours’ album and they slip in a few from the highly awaited new one ‘See Through Blue’. Frontman Wayne Doyle likes to get his feelings across and these are sometimes aimed at social or political issues, while doing so the Rebels produce some heartfelt music and tonight is no exception. Regulars to their shows know the score and are familiar with the blinding ease at how the band can turn from the heavier tracks to the more melodic without any gaps. This ability is seen here at Ampliyuletide and the set is both lovingly poignant and totally indulging. I love ‘Heal’ and I’m sure it’s a favourite with their fans, in fact it has to be one of the highlights of the day. Again I recommend pre-ordering the new album, a few tracks have already been released as singles, take a listen, as these give you a taste of what will undoubtedly be one of the albums of the year.
Scarlet Rebels are -
Wayne Doyle (vocals/guitar)
Chris Jones (lead guitar)
Josh Townshend (guitar)
Wayne ‘Pricey’ Esmonde (bass)
Gary Doyle (drums)
Florence Black have been given headline status and I think it’s their first for a festival. 2021 has seen the rise and rise of this three man army from Merthyr Tydfil and they have already received awards, the latest is their guitarist and vocalist, Tristan Thomas being voted ‘Best New Guitarist in the World’ by Music Radar. I saw them on home soil at Steelhouse in the summer and they were phenomenal. They cover Budgie’s ‘Breadfan’ and without taking anything away from the unbeatable original, they do it justice. I only recently discovered that Tristan played in a band with Budgie drummer Ray Philips years ago, so the connection is sealed. So are the Welsh guys ready for Ampliyuletide? The audience certainly are, the hall is full and the atmosphere is one of anticipation. The debut album ‘Weight Of The World’ was one of the best releases last year, I think what makes them so appealing is the merger of such fierce and acute harshness with the dense but often melodic vocals, (listen to Grove Street for instance) and this sees Florence Black appear like a breath of fresh air from the valleys. Tonight they storm through their set, the sound and lighting is perfect as well. Despite a hitch with Tristan’s lead during ‘Breadfan’ it does nothing to spoil the show and we are held in awe. Tracks from the album are handled so immaculately live. Jordan Evans on bass and Drummer Perry Davies complete the line up, have to agree with the current form, the future looks good for Florence Black.
Another fantastic day in Gloucester and what an achievement for all that organized Ampliyuletide. The line up was a brilliant mix of well known, up and coming and new to the ear bands, which gave us so much variety. Glad to be reassured that rock music has a healthy future and it was a pleasure to be involved.
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