High Voltage 2011 - Sunday

Love Fungus ... I saw James May and thought this could be a laugh, but he wasn't in the band. They started playing then the singer opened his mouth and the noise had the same impact as standing next to someone with terminal halitosis. We reeled backward (almost spilt my pint) and headed for Metal Stage.  

Saw the first two numbers from the Furyon.

They were that good, we headed for the Prog Rock Stage. To be fare they weren't that bad it was just that someone had suggested we see Pallas!

Not sure I'll be taking suggestions from them again. Anyway headed off to see a favorite band of mine Heaven's Basement.  I'd first seen these at the Bar Fly in Camden early in 2009. Different line up now sound similar sing some of the same songs but different. I have to admit that while I like'd the voice of the original lead singer this new guy puts so much energy into it I hope it comes good for them. 

I saw them earlier this year doing an acoustic set (Download in the rain) The lead singer wore a Led Zep T shirt and the wove some Pink Floyed into the tunes - with pedigrees like that ...

Anyway after that (via the real ale tent) to Metal Stage to see The Treatment.. Talk about nostalgia!

This was like watching the Heaven's basement from two years ago. The two lead guitars, the talent and the long climb. There are several bands out there called the Treatment including a very good Brummy blues band so be careful if you look for them.

Gentlemen's Pistols  were next on the Metal Stage. Probably the best Metal/Hammer band I saw this weekend. 

No wonder I was thirsty all this walking --- back to the Main Stage for Michael Schenker

There is no pleasing some people and I fond it totally underwhelming. Some nice (very nice) bits but as a set it had all the right ingredients but...

 And then Thunder - A bit older but somehow fresher for the break. An absolutely 5* performance.

Also saw Black Country Communion - a band I need to here more of.

Finally headed off to see a bit of Jethro Tull. I'm not a great lover of Mr Tull's work, but he has produced pieces that are amongst may favourites and I hadn't seen him live. He didn't disappoint, but I think all the walking (and possibly the beer) had taken its toll and I headed off before the end.

High Voltage 2010 - Day 2

Day 1 had taken its toll. My feet ached from the previous day I’d left home at 10:00 I arrived home at 1 am on the Sunday, 15 hours, most of which I had spent standing and drinking and of course listening to some fantastic rock music.

When the alarm went off on Sunday morning I discovered that; I had blisters on my feet, the back of my legs were sunburn, I a ringing in my ears and a slight hangover as well as being 48 quid lighter (that works out at about a pint an hour which wasn’t bad as I was travelling for at least three of those hours).

Day 2 required that I abandon my trainers and put some proper boots and socks on as well as sun barrier on my legs.

I wasn’t quite so eager to get out of the house so arrived to hear the last 30 seconds of “The Reasoning”. Before making my way across (via a beer tent) to “The Qureboys”. I think some of the band had been drinking, but a great opening to my day two.

I broke with tradition and went to look for some food. On a side note the larger on site was crap, so mostly drank the cider. The food... there was a lot of choice. Some was a rip off and other was OK value wise. You could tell the best value as food as they had the longest queues

Anyway some food and a second pint I was ready for some "UFO". Now they did have some problems with the sound of one of their guitars again ... and again... and again. I think the sound man should have been shot as he appeared to give up. However "UFO" played on. I could imagine other bands storming off, but not "UFO".

Bachman Turner... I have to admit I lost interest and wondered off to the Metal stage via the Prog stage

Clutch is a band that my son introduced me to and I have to say “Thanks Dan! You owed my for introducing you to Led Zeppelin” I think “Clutch” play some inspirational music. I’d seen them once before live and was not going to miss another opportunity. They didn’t disappoint.

I got into early Led Zeppelin some time ago and that lead to bit of obsession with the blues. During this time I discovered Joe Bonamassa. Technically brilliant but pretty much the same intricate guitar solos one after the other. The medley of guitar riffs was a high light, but Joe needs a band around him to add some colour to his repertoire .

“The Down n’ Outz”, I’d seen these at the Borderline a couple of days earlier. I think it’s commonly known as a warm up. I think the band were there for the same reason! There was some f#@king around at the start and waiting for Ian Hunter to come out. This cut their set short and the crowd were deprived of some sing-a-long stuff they had finished with at the Borderline Alas they finished on a low as they were cut off to prevent an overrun that would have eaten into ELP’s allotted time.

Finally “ELP” – by this time the 55 to 65 year olds were flagging. At one time the audience resembled hungry starlings as they simultaneously yawned while the “ELP” rig was going on. Several gave up and left as sleep become more inviting than “ELP”. But they should have stayed as ELP did not disappoint. Fantastic way to finish off the festival. Hats off to Palmer, we worked so hard, Emerson hasn’t lost the ability to tickle those keys nut the knife thing is old hat find something new. Lake voice sounded OK actually the sound was the best it had been for the whole show. But Lake... leave the pies alone!

Some tips for next year – obviously the music needs to be at least as good. But recognise your audience has a high percentage of old gits that like real ale. Their Mrs will probably drink wine. The food needs to have a Marks Simply Food style option.

Some more seating! We are relatively rich, but we are old! Deck chair hire, or am I just taking the piss?

Put the headline act on as the penultimate band. Finish off with a tribute band to play the crowd on their way home. I know that is crap idea but the odd (but excellent) tribute band would go down extremely well.