Rather like buses, you go ages waiting for a decent gig then they all come at once. This was my second time in the Tramsheds in as many months for a Rhead/Evans/Steelhouse production.
A quick trip around the band socials and I found out that Valhalla Awaits is formed out of the ashes of bands like Revoker and Buffalo Summer (bit of a strange cooperation that – or was it!). Oli Brown has been around the scene since 2005 (ish) mainly as blues guitarist in the same stable as Joanne Shaw-Taylor but is also the guitarist with Raveneye (I thought I recognised him). I can’t say anymore about Florence Black than I haven’t already said in print and to the boys in person, except congratulations on the headline and the tour!
Introduced by Mikey Evans as a “slab of rock” Valhalla Awaits kicked off the night fantastic style. With all their music in Spotify, I had a rough idea what to expect but… it wasn’t a slab of any old rock, it was a serious giant lump of Preseli bluestone, like the stuff at Stonehenge. Kicking off with ‘Freak’, the guitar riffs were fast and furious; but, accompanied by Andrew Hunt’s (Buffalo Summer) vocal style and range it came fast, furious and granite heavy. They have been added to several tours and festivals and deservedly so. These are damed good. I look forward to a repeat performance on the Steelhouse stage in July.
Oli Brown had to put together a bit of a scratch band for his set with Sam Wood (Wayward Sons) on guitar and Wayne Proctor (drums) and Steve Amedeo (bass) as the rest of the Dead Collective. I liked Raveneye at both Steelhouse festivals but didn’t make the link until I started writing this. Whilst there is no doubt that Sam Wood can play guitar he was there as the supporting guitarist for Oli Brown. His vocal range was immense and when he stepped out from behind the mic to let his fingers do the talking, holy crap, he can play guitar!
Kicking off with ‘Father’ and ‘Everything You Want’ was a good way to open the set. ‘Sinking Ship’, ‘Another Day Lost’ and ‘I Won’t Leave’ followed in rapid succcession. Whilst there was no doubt that blues-based rock was the underpinning style, the guitar riffs were just virtuosity and style. The best (as with most bands should be) was left till last with ‘Sweet Home’, and the crowd were baying for more! However, there was the small matter of the Steelhouse announcements and then the Tydfil Three!
Maxx Rhead and Mikey Evans gave the crowd a taster for the summer with the announcement of Kira Mac being added to the Friday as well as These Wicked Rivers, but the biggest cheer was for the Graham Bonnet Band doing a Rainbow set (make a change from Bernie Marsden).
Tristan, Fozz and Perry came on to a blackout and some sounds from the film ‘Zulu’ before launching into the opening track from ‘Weight Of The World’: a real banger to start. Barely a beat missed, they rattled into ‘Don’t Stop’ and ‘On The Ropes before a quick thank you to the crowd was followed by ‘Bird On A Chain’, ‘Can You Feel It’, ‘Deep End’ and ‘Black Cat’. The crowd were loving every minute and so were the band.
A change of pace was needed (if only to give Perry a break!) so one of my favourites followed (‘Grove Street’) and ‘Faraway’.
‘Smoke’ was followed by the usual dose of Budgie (‘Breadfan’, albeit with a slightly different riff at the breakdown). ‘Fiesta’ and ‘The Light’ “apparently” ended the set. However, Tristan asked, “Do you want one more?” and the crowd cheered vehemently before they got “Well tough, we’re doing two!”; ‘The Ride’ first then the stunning ‘Sun And Moon’ to end the set.
I first saw these guys at Steelhouse in 2015 and have seen them many times since, was this a worthy headline show for them-hell yeah. Get your hand in your pockets and buy those headline tour tickets. Brilliant night, brilliant bands.