Where – Whitebottom Farm, Etherow Country Park Compstall, Stockport
When 7th – 10th August 2025
Review and Photographs by Linda McDermott
VIP Night 7th August
After nearly four hours on the road to reach this beautiful country park, the anticipation starts to build as we pull into the festival site. Tents are going up, campervans are parked, and there’s already a buzz in the air. Thursday at the festival might technically be the “get in and get sorted” day, but don’t be fooled, it’s anything but. This is the evening that sets the tone for the next three days of full-on, unapologetic, live rock music madness.
As arrivals trickle in throughout the afternoon, Thursday is all about finding your spot, getting set up, and then diving straight into the action. At 4:45pm, the festival officially kicks off with the Solo Meet-Up, a small but brilliant touch that shows just how much thought has gone into making the weekend inclusive and welcoming. Whether you’ve travelled from the other end of the country or just down the road, if you’re flying solo for whatever reason, this relaxed gathering is the perfect place to meet others, make friends, and set yourself up with a few festival buddies. After all, everything’s better when it is shared, especially loud music and late nights.
With the bar and food stalls open, the first pints are already flowing, and the smells of festival food fill the air. Whether you’re after loaded fries, a cheeky burger, or something plant-based, there’s something to satisfy every craving. And while the stage might not yet be pounding with live music, the pre-festival party DJ set ensures the volume is steadily creeping up.
Then it’s time to test your knowledge, and possibly your pride, with the Rock Quiz. This year, it’s done via an app where you download it, pick yourself a name (some choices were highly questionable, I might add), and get ready to compete. If you think you know your Lemmy from your Liberty Slaves, or your Sabbath from your Soundgarden, this is your chance to shine. It’s all about bragging rights, friendly competition, and a few laughs, exactly what a Thursday night should be about. For the record, my team, Limping Biscuit (named after a broken leg incident), came fourth. I probably helped with that… by getting exactly one question right. We would have won, but we had Mike Deeley from the band Waking the Angels on our team, enough said!
At 8pm, we get our first real taste of what’s to come over the weekend with a special session called An Audience with We Three Kings featuring live music and conversation with Paul Cash. If you’ve never seen We Three Kings before, they’re a two-piece rock band with more grit and punch than some five-piece outfits. Add in their skeletal stage companion, Bones (yes, really), and you’ve got a band that’s as visually entertaining as they are musically.
Loud, raw, and tight, with anthems and singalong choruses, they are the perfect band to throw open the doors to the weekend. I loved the interview, which gave insight into their name and how their music progressed from a more bluesy sound into what Paul described as a great fuzzy, punky, rock and roll sound. The audience were invited to ask questions, but definitely not what the band’s favourite flavour of ice cream happened to be! With an appearance from the Teletubbies throwing out balloons and a giant football into the crowd as well as inflatable skeletons rising from the dead the party feel was amazing.
Their set included, exclusive to Firevolt, three fantastic songs from the next album, which they are still working on and isn’t due out until spring next year. From what I heard, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on their socials for more news of that.
https://www.facebook.com/we3kingsband
https://www.instagram.com/wethreekings
Video
Blackout
Then The Screaming Conrods kept the entertainment going. It was smiles all round as people watched a couple of inflatable guitar players give it their best shot.
Then Kira Mac made a surprise appearance, stepping onto the stage to loud cheers, singing a couple of songs that went down a storm before disappearing again.
By now, merriment was in full swing as people who had tried to pace themselves for the weekend buckled at the first hurdle. But there’s truth in the drunkenness, with plenty of “this is going to be a great weekend” muttered between sips of cider.
Thursday might not be the main event, but it’s an absolute gem of a curtain-raiser. For those who make the effort to arrive early, it’s more than worth it. The stage is set, the mood is high, and as heads hit pillows, one thing’s for sure, the festival has well and truly begun.
If you want to be part of a great weekend, check out their Facebook page for when tickets go an sale for 2026
https://www.facebook.com/FirevoltMcr
Webpage
Firevoltfestival.co.uk
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