As the embers on Bloodstock Open Air finally started to cool, what better opportunity to banish those post-festival blues than a long-overdue return to Fuel, and one of the first ventures for the newly formed Legions Promotions. Full marks to Alyn and Tim who ensured that the night ran to time, smoothly and with minimum drama off stage. On a filthy night and preceding a Wales v England egg -ball encounter the following day, it was pleasing to see a reasonable turnout reward the hard work.
There are very rare occasions where you see a band and simply cannot respond. Not because they are so bad (although that has happened – Iron Horses supporting Molly Hatchet several years ago certainly fit that bill) but because what you see is just so special. This was the case with Mother Vulture (10) who kicked off the evening with possibly the most high-octane performance I think I’ve ever seen in Fuel. A quick foray through the band’s Facebook page confirms. This is a band who are accelerating straight to the top. Currently in the middle of their UK tour supporting their new single Mr Jones, the band are kicking up a storm at every show.
Who is Mother Vulture? A four-piece from Bristol, the band play intensely revved up punk rock n’ roll in an original style which takes influences from RATM, Wolfmother, SOAD, Crobot and numerous others. The initial impression for me was a cross between the MC5, The Stooges, RHCP (in their heyday) mixed with The Rolling Stones and Jane’s Addiction. Certainly not the heaviest band to ever play Fuel, but a raucous mix which was accentuated by the non-stop movement of the front three. Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and roberto Firmino have nothing on vocalist Georgi Valentine (vocals), bassist Chris Simpson and Brodie Maguire (guitar). Valentine is a bundle of excess energy, his diminutive frame disguising a voice that was just amazing and unexpected. High pitched, totally in-tune and with a range that is rarer than hen’s teeth, his shock of curly hair bouncing around as he rampaged arounds the pit area, becoming more and more animated as the set progressed.
On stage it is a wonder that Maguire and Simpson haven’t beheaded each other yet, such is the frantic twists, jumps and turns that they insisted on performing. On several occasions you winced at the near misses and there were times I was pleased for their safety that the venue wasn’t as full as it could have been. Meanwhile drummer Matt West nailed everything down solidly, looking out at the antics in front of him with a degree of relief and jealousy I’m sure. By the end of their 45-minute set, most of Fuel was enchanted as well as exhausted with what they had just seen. A band who are destined for great things … quickly. You read it here.
Following that was going to be a challenge but fresh from their triumphant set at Bloodstock Open Air, Fallen Temples (9) grabbed the baton with a gusto that was impressive given the emotions of the week that had gone before. A similar set list to that at BOA was unsurprising, but the blast of Sabbath (was that a bit of Supernaut I picked out?) mixed in as well as a corking Immigrant Song helped mix things up a little. This was a relaxed performance and Fallen Temples never let you down. Joe Lewis never stops moving, his newly shorn head banging like a harbour buoy in a storm, whilst drummer Joe Stirland sucked up all the remaining energy from a tiring week to beat the crap out of the kit once more whilst adding those vital backing vocals.
Following that was going to be a challenge but fresh from their triumphant set at Bloodstock Open Air, Fallen Temples (9) grabbed the baton with a gusto that was impressive given the emotions of the week that had gone before. A similar set list to that at BOA was unsurprising, but the blast of Sabbath (was that a bit of Supernaut I picked out?) mixed in as well as a corking Immigrant Song helped mix things up a little. This was a relaxed performance and Fallen Temples never let you down. Joe Lewis never stops moving, his newly shorn head banging like a harbour buoy in a storm, whilst drummer Joe Stirland sucked up all the remaining energy from a tiring week to beat the crap out of the kit once more whilst adding those vital backing vocals.
Although Adam Vaughan’s vocals were slightly down in the mix, his guitar work was sublime as always and Broken and Blood From Stone were exceptional. Fallen Temples are a band I never tire of seeing. Their new style of classic rock stands apart from the more generic sound of current media favourites (e.g. Those Damn Crows, Gin Annie, Wild Stone) and with such a solid grounding, this is a band who deserve all that they are receiving. A big night at Newbridge Memo is looming large. Be there to see one of South Wales’ best bands deliver once more.
A partisan home crowd supporting local heroes, and a fresh new band that blew the (leaking) roof off. It was that level which The Black Hounds (7) had to follow and they didn’t quite make it. Nevertheless, the Black Country metal outfit, hampered by the worst sound of the night, delivered a solid set of tracks from their two EPs. Love & Death and Gallows, as well as a couple of newer songs. Plenty of heavy riffs kept the heads nodding, and their energy was high. Having travelled from Wolverhampton on a Friday into South Wales, they were rewarded with a good response. I’m not a fan of drum solos and Joe’s short blast didn’t do much for me, but a good classic split the crowd in two always gets a response. Stand out tracks on the night were Clarity and To The Gallows and although they were slightly outdone by the two bands before them, The Black Hounds will be worth a watch if they venture across Offa’s Dyke again soon.
A partisan home crowd supporting local heroes, and a fresh new band that blew the (leaking) roof off. It was that level which The Black Hounds (7) had to follow and they didn’t quite make it. Nevertheless, the Black Country metal outfit, hampered by the worst sound of the night, delivered a solid set of tracks from their two EPs. Love & Death and Gallows, as well as a couple of newer songs. Plenty of heavy riffs kept the heads nodding, and their energy was high. Having travelled from Wolverhampton on a Friday into South Wales, they were rewarded with a good response. I’m not a fan of drum solos and Joe’s short blast didn’t do much for me, but a good classic split the crowd in two always gets a response. Stand out tracks on the night were Clarity and To The Gallows and although they were slightly outdone by the two bands before them, The Black Hounds will be worth a watch if they venture across Offa’s Dyke again soon.
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