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 2011 - Saturday

Was it better than last year?  In some ways yes, in others no!

Lest start on the positives - the real ale tent. So popular, they struggled to keep up with demand.

Excellent range of ales. Some I wont try again but others I'd go an extra mile or two for. They even had men wandering around selling Hobgoblin from barrels on their back. It didn't make sense that these hovered around the real ale tent in stead of wandering down to the main stage! Anyway it was far better than last year and I managed to sup 19 pints over two days, compared to about 8 last year.

Food - The variety was good. The staples: sausages, burgers etc and some Caribbean, Mexican selections and not forgetting the Ginsters pasty stall.

Having revealed I sunk 19 pints there is no surprise that the availability of XXL T shirts also struck a positive note compared to last year. There was more seating outside the bar tents too. In fact ignoring the music this was like a good natured fate.

Attendance was obviously down on last year and that was probably due to a less compelling line up of bands. The metal stage was one that I thought suffered.

Before I go on to the music, I think it is worth noting that this time next year will be right at the start of the Olympics. If there is a High Voltage in 2012 it will be at a different time, or a different location, or maybe both...My suggestion is West London - Epsom downs - well away from the Olympics so no impact on transport, might attract a new audience, Only problem will be finding the port-a-loo's, I understand there will be shortage at this time.

So on to the music...

I may have missed some stunning performances but here is what I though of what I did see.

First up was Michael Monroe. Not a band I had heard before but OK,

OK in the sense that I would listen to them again, but not good enough to make me want to rush out and get a copy of there output. And just to show it was really rock and roll, he pulled the anarchistic climb the stage stunt.

 Next up SKIN. A much more passionate performance that started to get those rock juices flowing.

For our 4th pint we decided it was too far to walk back to the real ale tent, so opted to buy a pint of larger. My friend (his round) can't help chatting to the ladies and so it was, while queueing for a beer.

Then came Rival Sons. Each band was better than the last.. or was that the beer working! No definitely very good. If you haven't heard them then you need too ASAP 

Waited for the start of Queensryche but wasn't expecting to be impressed and wasn't disappointed. So headed off to the Metal Stage via the Ace Cafe tent - This has got to be the hidden gem. I have not been disappointed with the talent that they have managed to put on last year and this. Not always my cup of tea, but the talent is undeniable. No programme so I don'y know who I saw.

Via the real ale tent we arrived at the Metal Stage and caught the end of Ravens Creed

Ravens Creed stereotypical metal band. Lost of gruff shouting and everything being beaten to make as much noise as possible, with the base/drum/lead interjection. Not much more to add.

Then Trigger Finger.. Metal Stage? How many Metal band have you seen in a three piece suite?

  

To tell the truth there were hints of metal in their set but this was very much a good rock band. A well polished set. The singer worked the audience and everyone was taking part. Someone had recommended them to me. I must remember to thank them. I have already got their latest album.  If they hadn't have been that good I'd have made it for Thin Lizzy. As it was I was happy to catch the end on the Main Stage.

Thin Lizzy a well practiced performance, that because of its classic set, was simply good fun.

We headed for the real ale beer tent, but yet again as we passed the Ace Cafe tent and were drawn in to the strange world of Arthur Brown

I do like a bit of prog rock and this hit all the buttons form me. This was one of the highlights of High Voltage 2011. 

We headed back to the main stage to catch Judas Priest which we probably would have stayed at apart from two things  1 - it wasn't that good,  2 - I'd heard that Electric Wizard had been caught up in the Norwegian bomb and shootings and that Rival Sons where going to do another set.

Not a completely new set, but I only noticed two from the set they did early and they were so much better on the smaller stage. They looked more comfortable and they worked like a well oiled machine.  

Some 11 pints down, we tottered off home ahead of the main crowd.