Where – Great Yarmouth
Day 4 – Saturday 9th November
Review and Photographs by Linda McDermott
It’s the final day of the Hard Rock Weekend in Great Yarmouth and there are still fifteen great bands to get my ears around and I can’t wait.
Bands
Hearts and Souls
Greyfox Conspiracy
MY-HI
Lixx
General Jack
Syteria
Electus
Crowley
Electric Boys
War Dogs
Dobermann
Magick Touch
Gilby Clarke
The Hot One Two
Lizzy Borden
Hearts and Souls
The last day of the festival and it’s still full to bursting with undeniable talent, starting with Yorkshires Hearts and Souls with their melodic bluesy sounding tunes to ease everyone into the day. Check out their latest single ‘Anjalie,’ it encompasses what the band are all about and it’ll have you wanting to hear more from them.
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Hearts and Souls – Anjalie
Greyfox Conspiracy
Dressed to impress and as cool as you like, the band came to rock and did exactly that. There was no short supply of guitar riffs as they worked through their set which featured some of their singles including, ‘Renegade,’ Preacherman’ and their latest song ‘Crazy Horse’ with all of them having a solid rock beat that everyone loved.
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Greyfox Conspiracy – Preacherman
MY-HI
I love discovering bands that I haven’t heard before and the alternative punky rock band, MY-HI is no exception. Their music is fresh and bouncy, adding a different dimension to the festival’s overall lineup. They have cracking songs full of energy and by the end of their set, I’m already mentally adding their music to my playlist.
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MY-HI – Skintight
Lixx
From Dundee in Scotland, Lixx can blether (chat) and were very funny in between their foot stomping songs. Encouraging everyone to move closer they treated us to a mix of old and new songs that included the great ‘21st Century Wreck.’ They have been on fire this year, releasing five singles, the last being ‘Elemental Baby’ with its glam punk feel, with a bluesy twist thrown in for good measure. A great festival band.
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Lixx – Once is Enough
General Jack
The music just keeps on coming and its now time for General Jack who crammed as much as they could into their forty-minute set. They hit the ground running with their up-tempo rock songs. I loved the heavy bass, and drum beat that complimented the guitar riffs and vocals. They sang a great song that was written over thirty years ago call ‘Fantasy’ which just showed how timeless their music is.
General Jack – Show No Mercy
Syteria
It’s great to hear powerful female vocals in amongst the sea of male voices that dominate the festival and who better to deliver this than Syteria.
Their upbeat, high-energy songs keep the crowd bouncing through their thirteen-song set, that showcases impressive musical skill and vocals as they deliver each song. I loved their tracks and the chemistry between Steph, Jackie, Julia and Pablo.
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Syteria – Monsters
Electus
Yet another great rock band with their roots firmly in the classic hard rock sound that combines driving riffs, powerful vocals, and catchy choruses that takes me back to bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. They are easy to listen to with songs such as ‘All the Way’ and ‘Nightwalker’ sticking in my head.
Electus – Killer Joe
Crowley
Bringing a heavier sound to the proceedings are the brilliant Crowley. I’ve seen them before at the Call of the Wild Festival and was as impressed with them then, as I am now. What a band, the vocals are phenomenal and are matched by the sound they produce. They have an angst filled hard rock sound, check out ‘Hell Hath No Fury’ and ‘Pyre’ and you’ll get a flavour of how talented the whole band are.
Crowley – PYRE
Electric Boys
Bringing a wee bit of their bluesy hard rock to the day, the Electric Boys had the crowd enjoying every second. I like when a band engages their fans, and a little bit audience participation goes a long way in my book. This band had the feel-good factor about them that comes across in their music, as they encourage chorus singalongs.
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Electric Boys – Karma’s Gonna Get You
War Dogs
I walk to stage two to see a band I’ve not seen before and with no idea what they would be like. They start their set with ‘Psychotherapy,’ and I think, brilliant, I love the Ramones and it’s a fantastic way to get the crowd going. Five minutes later and they’re onto their third Ramones song and it dawns on me they’re a tribute band. My husband and friend are now glued to the barrier in front of them, singing every word to every song at the top of their voices and having the best time. That to me is priceless.
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War Dogs – Glad to See You Go
Dobermann
I’ve not seen Dobermann since they were flame throwing at Call of the Wild back in May, but I was looking forward to hearing them again. They had a blistering set that Paul, Valerio and Antonio just nailed. Hailing from Italy the guys have honed their skills and delivered a punchy upbeat sixty minutes of pure rock.
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Dobermann – Shaken to the Core
Magick Touch
A three-piece heavy rock band from Norway are next to gain the approval of the punters who are surprisingly still going strong. They turn it up a notch as they launch into an array of powerful songs backed up with guitar riffs and strong vocals.
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Magick Touch – The Judas Cross
Gilby Clarke
The talented singer song writer and ex Guns n Roses guitarist generated a buzz around the room as it filled up for his performance. He didn’t disappoint his fans as he sang songs from all his albums and released singles, including ‘Gospel Truth,’ ‘Cure Me or Kill Me,’ ‘Dead Flowers,’ and ‘Tijuana Jail.’ He went down a storm and made it all look so easy!
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Gilby Clarke – Born to Lose
The Hot One Two
After a difficult few weeks, the guys from The Hot One Two take to the stage to a room full of fans. They launch into their set as they always do, with Simon shouting hey! hey! hey! The words are like a call to get ready to sing along to a set full of feel good songs that has the crowd ready and willing.
They are slick and polished, and with the crowd behind them, it is clear that everyone is enjoying themselves. Their set passes way to quickly for everyone, and it’s clear that The Hot One Two are an incredibly special band. I for one can’t wait to catch them again.
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The Hot One Two – Tie Me Down
Lizzy Borden
I’m not sure where I’ve been but it seemed that I was the only person in the hall not to have heard of the American band Lizzy Borden, but that was about to be put right. With the atmosphere building, the band entered the stage and gave us nothing but pure theatre for an hour and a half. They delivered epic songs, that along with the dramatics, had the crowd and me captivated.
There were costume changes between songs, as well as a sacrifice that saw blood spraying everywhere, which meant it was impossible not to be swept up in the energy the band produce. The finale to this festival was nothing short of extraordinary, wrapping up the weekend in style, leaving everyone on a high.
Lizzy Borden – My Midnight Things
In the end, the festival is not just a series of performances, it’s an immersive experience, a weekend filled with unforgettable sounds, surprising new bands, and a community of fans who make this festival and others like it as special as the music itself. It’s a celebration of rock music in all its forms, and a reminder of the power live music has to bring people together. I leave the festival knowing I’ve seen and heard great music, my ears still ringing, and a playlist of new bands to follow.
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