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| Gig Reviews...Cambridge Rock Festival | ||||
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CAMBRIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL 5-8 August 2010 Photos by Noel Buckley Additional view (Mostly Autumn) Additional view (Panic Room)
Friday 6
August
It's been a busy year for festivals, Download, High Voltage and Sonisphere the week before, but one festival I was looking foward to was the Cambridge Rock Festival which is now in its seventh year. Formerly known as the Rockinbeerfest, the Cambridge Rock Festival may not attract the mega thousands as the other festivals I just mentioned but therein lies the attraction. Here, you can relax and enjoy the festival without the hustle and bustle of losing your friends, you're only a minutes walk away from the live action, and for those with families, a great place to bring your children along to enjoy a festival at first hand. With some great ales on offer too, there's every reason for dad to unwind for the weekend listening to some great rock and blues. The Cambridge Rock Festival plays host to some established artists who may not get on the major festivals themselves these days and some new shining talent who are getting their foot onto the first step of the ladder to stardom. The action started on the Thursday where some were impressed with the headliners The 80's Rocked, a band consisting of singers Danny Vaughn (Tyketto) and Carl Sentance along with ex-Thunder members Chris Childs and Harry James. The band did exactly what it said on the tin and gave a professional set of classic 80's rock hits leaving everyone in a party mood for the weekend. We didn't arrive until the Friday with the day halfway through, so once the tent was set up it was all systems go to check out the action. There were two stages thankfully set undercover in huge marquees. The second stage had a small stage just a foot off the ground. The main stage where I watched most of the bands this weekend was more of what you would expect, with a high rise stage and amazingly a screen either side showing the bands in action filmed on three different camera angles. Voodoo Johnson are a Brummie act who are one of the few acts who can blend grunge in with the 80's arena rock to good commercial effect. For once we have a new British act who could well go global. A new album out next week called '10,000 Horses' should see stable sales and which could see the band playing in front of just as many people in the future. The Dreaming Tree are tagged as a progressive rock band, but there's no reason why lovers of 80's pop shouldn't love this band too. The modern day progressive elements are there but a lot of their songs have a commercial edge that lies between Heaven 17 and early Marillion. For those with a broader knowledge the band remind a little of Canadian pomp rockers Saga.
Time for some blues with Danny Bryant's Redeyeband who played some deep heart wrenching blues that struck you through the gut.
Deborah Bonham is a talent that needs much more recognition. Along with her fine band Bonham captures you into the bossom of her heart. New songs like 'I Need Love' and 'Killing Fields' shows where she is progressing but it was the last number of her main set 'Old Hyde' that really brings tears to the eyes. A song about where Deborah grew up along with her brothers who are now both sadly departed which featured a guest appearence on guitar from Chantel McGregor. Deborah Bonham encored with the Led Zep classic 'Rock 'N Roll' and if anybody has a right to perform this then surely that honour belongs to Bonham herself.
Turning the volume to ten were the Tygers Of Pan Tang and despite only featuring one original member in guitarist Robb Weir, the band now have the longest running stable line up in their history. The band have recently been playing at many Europeon festivals and are turning into one very tight act. Three news songs from their critically acclaimed LP 'Animal Instinct' were played including 'Live For The Day' and the heavy 'Dark Rider'. Balancing the set was the melodic ballad 'Don't Stop By' from the classic second album 'Spellbound' and made a welcome return to the set.
Encoring with the hit single 'Love Potion No.9' the Tygers just go from strength to strength. The current line up are all worthy members of the legendary Tygers Of Pan Tang family tree. A joyful evening that carried on into the early hours in the Nags Head tent with some acoustic sessions but it was time for me to retire to hopefully recover from some horrible summer flu that I had picked up after partying too hard at the recent Sonisphere festival. Night all folks.
Review by Mark Taylor Photos by Noel Buckley/GRTR! All rights reserved. Additional view (Mostly Autumn) Additional view (Panic Room)
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