Surprisingly, despite this being the ninth iteration of this event, this was the first time we’d managed to get along and we weren’t disappointed. Three days of some of the best modern and classic rock the UK has to offer split between the intimate but iconic Giffard Arms (The Giff!) and the fantastic main stage of KK’s Steel Mill.
The now annual event was set up in 2013 by Doddy White (Rockers Through The Ages) and the then Mayor of Wolverhampton, Ian Brookfield to raise money for local charities. Sadly, Ian lost his battle with cancer in 2023, but his legacy lives on with each successive Mayor or Mayoress pledging their support and nominating charities to benefit from the thousands of pounds raised.
Musically, the emphasis is on showcasing some of the best live acts on the British rock circuit with a warm up night of three bands on the Friday at the Giffard and an after party day on the Sunday, also at The Giffard. The main event was held at the Midlands premier rock venue, KK’s Steel Mill which featured seven bands on the main stage and an acoustic stage in the bar area to keep the punters entertained during change overs.
Friday Night - 04.04.25
Kicking off the weekend were three bands at The Giffard, right in the heart of the city centre of Wolverhampton and right in the hearts of many rock and metal fans down the years.
First up were a young trio, Jaotar (8). Tony had previously caught these lads at a gig at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham when they went under the name of Rat Salad! For such a young band they play a confident set of 60’s inspired psychedelic rock and look the part, it’s great to see that young musicians are keeping that classic rock legacy alive.
The party really kicked into gear though with Alabama Crow (8), a five piece hailing from north of the border. They kick the party into top gear with a rip roaring set of southern rock inspired tunes that get the sold out venue dancing away. Front man Billy Jack has the Scottish banter to go along with the rocking tunes, I would definitely like to see these guys on that bigger stage at KK’s.
Finishing off tonight's party are East Midland hard rockers Doomsday Outlaw (8). Veterans of the UK rock circuit, they are slick and ooze confidence on stage. They blast out some hard rock tunes that bring a good counter balance to the other bands. Groove laden with punchy rhythm sections that round off a cracking night of live music.
Sunday Night - 06.04.25
We’ll get to the main event in a bit but I’ll just skip to the goings on at The Giffard on the Sunday. It started off with a nice chilled out afternoon of acoustic acts in the downstairs bar, which unfortunately we couldn’t get there in time for, but by all accounts everyone had a great afternoon, and it was well supported. We did get there in time though for the first of tonight's three band bill upstairs.
That first band was local lads Lynus (9), who we’ve seen a few times previously and enjoy their heavy rock which has vibes of Black Label Society, Alter Bridge, and Shinedown (to my ears anyway!) One of the sets of the whole weekend for me, Woody has a great voice that’s full of powerful emotion.
And now for something completely different! Never heard of Autumn Killers (8) before tonight so wasn’t sure what to expect. A three piece from South Wales, they play an alternative style rock, with keyboards/loops in the background giving an almost industrial feel to some of the tracks and more proggy stuff in others. They definitely fall into the category of a power trio with complex layers creating an interesting overall effect.
Finally, the last band of tonight and of the weekend. The honour of closing out Mayor’s Fest 2025 went to local band Seize the Void (8). Another trio that are full of groovy licks and kick ass rhythms that are definitely going down the path of a more progressive style rock. Not quite the out and out progginess of Rush or Tool, but you can see the influences there. Seize the Void bring it up to date and give a fresh clean sound to their tunes.
Their latest track El Dorado is a great example, complex time signatures, but with a heavy grooviness more akin to QOTSA. A brilliant way to finish off a great weekend. On a personal note, I can’t than Brett at The Giffard enough for helping to accommodate me with my mobility issues, allowing us to get in early to make sure I was comfortable!
Thanks for the review
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