Mayors Festival 2024 – Supporting Charities with Music.

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KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

Saturday the 6th of April

Review and photographs by Linda McDermott

The Mayor’s festival enters its ninth year and runs across three days in KK’s Steel Mill and the Giffard Arms in Wolverhampton. This festival has grown in reputation over the years and raises a lot of money for local charities through music. This year they have some amazing and exceptional groups to help raise funds.

Everything kicked off on Friday night with three bands playing a warmup gig to ease everyone into the festival. Pete K Mally was compere for the weekend and introduced Alabama Crow, Apriori and The Soul Revival, all bands getting a great reception from the eighty or so people gathered in the small but perfectly formed Giffard Arms. If this was a sign of what’s to come, it was going to be a fantastic weekend.

Saturday

After such a great start from the bands who played last night, I was ready for a full day of live rock music at KK’s. There were seven bands on the main stage, so there was plenty to keep me occupied.

In order of appearance:

Jayler

New Saints

Voodoo Sioux

The Hot One Two

She Burns Red

The Hot Damn

Terrorvision

Jayler

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Jayler as three of the band came out and took their places on the stage…… then out runs the singer like a hyper cocker spaniel puppy and raises the energy level in the venue just by doing that. They played classic rock songs that were polished and crafted, with intense guitar riffs that added depth to their music. Formed in 2022 it is evident that Jayler are on a mission for greater things, and I have the feeling they will succeed if this gig is anything to go by. Look out for them as they are supporting Kira Mac on her UK tour.

Video

Take Me Home https://youtu.be/ZiRTt53_H8o?si=JHXum6jzXsKk5RsK

New Saints

Local band New Saints are another band I’ve not seen before, but I like to get a first impression of a band when I hear them play live and I wasn’t disappointed one little bit as they played a cracking set. Playing all the songs from their new EP which came out in February called ‘Resonate’ they had me bopping about to the whole of

their set with its uptempo punchy beat. New Saints are a band I will be looking out for in the future. Check out the EP on the usual platforms, see if you agree!

Video

Resonate https://youtu.be/7P2hY_oUB2g?si=uepU8r0EEeRXmKYa

Not forgetting what this whole event is about the Mayor took to the stage to thank Doddy White and his band of warriors, as well as all the bands and the owners of KK’s who all helped make the event run smoothly.

There were three charities this event was supporting, ‘Wings and Paws’ an animal rescue centre, ‘Give Us A Break’ an organisation who help disabled young people and their families, and ‘The Haven’ who have been running for 50 years and support woman and children against domestic abuse and homelessness.

Then it was back to the music…..

Voodoo Sioux

The third band who took to the stage was Voodoo Sioux and just like the two previous bands they were on a mission to entertain KK’s growing crowd of rockers. As well as a powerful performance that had me captivated, I was transfixed by the bass player who commanded my attention with his theatrical poses and facial expressions, adding flair to the band’s energetic presence.

This is turning out to be a day full of high energy bands and I’m loving every single minute of it.

Video

Running on Empty https://youtu.be/Wh9iEb1XcTQ?si=yqr7-UlRW-jstMmx

Acoustic stage.

Not only was there a main stage but there was also a small acoustic stage set up next door. This meant that there was continuous performances from start to finish and I managed to catch a couple of the sets played.

Slyder Smith always delivers and today was no exception as he sang his own songs as well as some recorded with the ‘Oblivion Kids’ to a 200 strong crowd.

Next up was Waking the Angels who, on this occasion were, Biff, Mike and Greg. They have great charisma that captures the whole essence of playing music live, they just have a way of radiating that enjoyment out from the stage. Looking around there was a lot of smiling faces, which had nothing to do with them throwing out Easter eggs, I don’t think! Unfortunately, Mike Deely’s jokes were terrible, but probably just slightly better than Pete K Mally’s, so thank goodness Mike can sing!

In order of appearance:

Retsecrows

Slyder Smith

Waking the Angels

White Skies

Alabama Crow

Buzzsaw Radio

The Hot One Two

These five guys are gathering fans by the day as their reputation for putting on a show grows. They enter the stage shouting ‘hey, hey, hey’, that starts everyone repeating it back to them. This is a masterclass of how you get the crowd’s attention, with all eyes firmly focused on the stage they launch into their first high spirited song. Nick, Kev, Simon, Nick and Joe fill the stage with their energetic show, as they played all the songs from their brilliant Superbia album.

Their enthusiasm is contagious, and I just got caught up in their foot-stomping lively set. If you’re heading to the Stonedead festival this year, make sure you catch them opening up proceedings.

Set List

Playing With Fire

Bleed On Me

God Forsaken Blues

Demon Daze

You’ve Got Me

The Fray

Rolling Stone

Neon Move and Shake

Feeling Good

Is It Hot

Tie Me Down

Video

The Fray https://youtu.be/VpMAfUbd9N4?si=Wvx2gx2GeQr9LT3

She Burns Red

Going by the amount of people wearing their tee-shirts and hoodies, She Burns Red had brought the whole clan down from Scotland to join their English fans at the front of the barrier. Playing all the songs from their phenomenal debut album ‘Out of Darkness’ as well as playing what will be their next single ‘What are you waiting for?’ (release date 17th May) the crowd were like putty in Scott, Naz, James and Andy’s hands. Their thirteen song set was over way to quickly for my liking. This band are growing in stature every time I see them, so if you’ve not seen this band play live, they will be headlining at KK’s on the 24th of October, so catch them then if you can.

Set List

Touch

Rise and Fall

Stronger

Copernicus Fall

Heavy is the Head

Maelstrom

Killing Time

Crosshairs

What Are You Waiting For?

Run

It’s So Easy

Crack the Sky

Out of Darkness

Video

Heavy is the Head https://youtu.be/ErsFC4FfCgI?si=tllKl8JgTOWG0slF

The Hot Damn

The penultimate band before Terrorvision took to the stage and just radiated warmth and energy with their diverse coloured outfits which I felt mirrored their individuality. Not only that, but they are also accompanied onto the stage by two very large inflatable unicorns, what’s not to like about that?

They kick off their set with a couple of great tracks from their EP which was released in December last year. I loved ‘Dance Around’ with its harmonies and melodies; it just had a great boppy pop feel to it that was hard to resist moving too. Listening to the whole set, they just provoked summertime vibes for me, that and their fun stage presence had me hooked.

Set List

Fizz Buzz Crash

Dance Around

About Last Night

Can You Hear Me Now

Jukebox on the Radio

Loud & Clear

Damn, Damn, Damn, Damn

Automatic

Live, Laugh, Love

Merch Song

Going Down

I Didn’t Like You Anyway

Video

Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! https://youtu.be/3HWy64-2Q3o?si=7Uiw4xqDSzCdNnog

Terrorvision

What can I say about Terrorvision? This band are just pure unadulterated entertainment, with stage presence that had me exhausted just watching Tony bounce around like he was on a pogo stick, (remember them?) They have so many hits under their belts, from this millennium and for the last, that have everyone singing along.

With everyone on stage wearing something pink they pulled out hit after hit including the likes of ‘Tequila’, ‘Alice What’s the Matter’, ‘Oblivion and ‘Whales and Dolphins’ and with everyone knowing at least the chorus, the place was jumping and in party mood. I couldn’t believe it when they walked off stage at the end of their set, surely that wasn’t ninety minutes? I had only one thing to say after that and it was “we want more, we want more!”

Set List

Pretend Best Friend

Da Ya Wanna Go Faster

American TV

Stop The Bus

If I Was You

My House

Enter Alter Ego

Problem Solved

Dog Chewed The Handle

Tequila

The Night That Lemmy Died

Alice What’s The Matter

Some People Say

Alone

Come Home Beanie

Babylon

Oblivion

Celebrity Hit List

Middleman

Discotheque Wreck

Josephine

Perseverance

Video

D’Ya Wanna Go Faster? https://youtu.be/giFnAKVB860?si=VEvNxu5c8birNyH6

So that was my first of many Mayor Festivals in Wolverhampton and what a festival it was. I honestly couldn’t have asked for more. The organisers must be so proud of what they have achieved, not only for the charities but with supporting and promoting all these amazing bands. Well done to all concerned, and I’ll see you next year.

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