Review and Images by Paul McWilliams
Newark Showground for Stonedead Festival 2025, the first thing to strike you—beyond the hum of anticipation—was the sheer scale of the stage. This wasn’t just a platform for bands to plug in and play; it was a towering shrine to distortion, sweat, and salvation. A steel monolith where riffs would be raised like offerings. As the gates swung wide, the early faithful flooded forward, eyes locked on their altar of sound, ready to claim their patch of sacred ground for the weekend.
Friday Night’s Party Jayler Kick Things Off
Once a modest one-day event, Stonedead has evolved—thanks in large part to Friday’s now-renowned Planet Rock Friday Night Party, which this year drew a staggering 4,500 fans. The evening ignited with Jayler, the Midlands’ own 70s rock revivalists.
Though fresh on many people’s radars, their set was a welcome breath of rock’s classic roots, bustling with Led Zeppelin-inspired swagger and a hunger for reinvention. Their high-voltage performance was praised online as “historic,” a moment destined to be spoken about long after the encore
Groove, Grit & Proposals: Sweet Electric Stoke The Flames
Next, German rockers Sweet Electric barreled onto the stage with a swagger that landed squarely between AC/DC’s raw energy and The Black Crowes’ bluesy grit. Their groove wasn’t just catchy—it sparked real connection, even culminating in an onstage marriage proposal that added a sweet romantic flourish to an otherwise adrenaline-fueled night Sweet Electric. This Cologne-based outfit is quickly staking a claim in the UK’s rock circuit; their tour schedule shows the UK—Stonedead included—is firmly in their sights
Melodic Rock Reborn: Tyketto Delivers Hopeful Anthems
Capping the night, Tyketto —melodic rock veterans once thwarted by pandemic cancellations—returned to the stage with seasoned grace and a stack of fan-favorites.
Since forming in 1987 in New York, they’ve delivered stadium-ready power ballads with a polished edge—think Whitesnake meets Bon Jovi—earning acclaim from the early ‘90s to the present. Though fans have waited years to hear “Forever Young” live, they were rewarded with a set that blended nostalgia with renewed purpose. And, as highlighted on their site, fans still have plenty of chances to geek out: Tyketto is headlining Winter’s End festival on 29th January next year
A Perfect Storm of Riff, Revival & Reflection
Stonedead 2025’s opening salvo didn’t just rev chambers—it warped them. From Jayler’s vintage stomp, Sweet Electric’s dining-in grooves and surprise proposal, to Tyketto’s melodic mastery, Day One commanded attention across generations and styles. This was a festival that balanced legacy and resurgence with explosive energy, making it clear—Newark is firmly on the map for rock believers in 2025.
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