Five-star hospitality is a key component of Firevolt. It was pleasing to see the number of guests arriving in the morning as so many cars, campervans and trailers were incoming. Traffic was well-managed by security to ensure the lane flowed efficiently on this unique site. When it was my turn to leave, I stalled the car, looking like a right pillock. To make matters worse this was in front of all the volunteers at the gate, who were thoroughly amused by my plight by collectively screaming “Wayyyyyyyy!!” 

Looking at the rider list, times have changed indeed from what I perceived to be a band’s request. They appeared to choose healthier options than what I was expecting. However, there was a bar facility available for them at each stage, so maybe some things haven’t changed. 

A couple of hours later I returned with about half an hour to spare until the first band graced the stage, so I took in the site, which was now fully open. The smells from the various food stalls greased the area next to the Trooper Stage, catering for every diet. Chicken, burgers, Yorkshire Pudding wraps, curry and pizzas could be detected in the air, and if it wasn’t from the earlier two bacon and egg buttys, I’d have been all over it. The bus bar was also open as drinking commenced. Too early for most cases in life, but this is a hard rock festival. Extremity is the key to the whole spirit of festival life and the rock ‘n’ roll way. It's always beer o’clock somewhere in the world. 

The various stalls were open, creating a cul-de-sac at the edge of the campers to create a mini village. A variety of goods were being sold such as jewellery, pictures, vinyl and clothing that depicted bands on t-shirts, and other accessories such as hats. It was all keeping in harmony with what Firevolt was about. 

Scores more people had arrived and it was evident already that Firevolt was a bigger event than the previous year. There was no question that this was a rock festival we were in the middle of as the attire of individuals pointed to that – long hair, beards, hats, tats, wristbands, funky makeup, chains, bandanas, and a sea of black t-shirts that percolated the lush greenery that made up the landscapes. These people were seasoned pros of the rock and festival scene. They knew their shit, and they were geared up in high expectation to what Firevolt would offer.

The next three bands, Hell’s Addiction, Sons of Liberty and Hollowstar, all offered to maintain the elevated intensity and energy with their own interpretations of high octane and pulsating hard-hitting rock, with meaty riffs and commanding vocals delivered by ultra-talented musicians and singers who live and breathe the religion of rock ‘n’ roll. 

It has to be noted at this point for those concerned of missing bands or having to walk far between stages that Firevolt is a compact festival, where you’re never five to ten minutes’ walk away from everything you need. The two stages are only a couple of minutes apart, and with no bands crossing over, there’s never any danger of missing a band, especially with a fifteen or twenty minute interval between each act to be able to grab a drink or something to eat. Long queues at the three bars are a rarity, and they offer a variety of beer choices as well as wine and spirits, all at a very reasonable price. There was even an independent bar serving alcoholic slushies, for those daring to walk on the wild side. Of course, there was a tea and coffee van for those not ready to start as early as most. As you can tell, at this point, I grabbed myself my first beer of the day, and certainly not the last.

With a beer in tow, I was ready for Cardinal Black, who offered something different to the onslaught heard so far. Last year’s intermittence of the thumping rock was delivered by Buck and Evans. The guitarist of that duo, Chris Buck, returned with this side project. Lead singer, Tom Hollister, joked that the Firevolt advertisement of ‘3 Days of Face Melting Rock’ was false advertising when it came to their dulcet tones. Soulful vocals merged with incredible intricate guitar work from Buck himself, creating a series of softer and harmonious arrangements, which relaxed our ears for an hour or so. But it was an exceptional performance where soul and blues fused to create the perfect late afternoon cocktail as we prepared for the final three bands of the evening.

The next band came from another Essex outfit, husband and wife duo, When Rivers Meet, who served to rev the crowd back up with a barrage of roaring bluesy guitar riffs and imposing, authoritative vocals. There was little wonder that they won in four categories at the UK Blues Awards back in 2021.

The evening was drawing in at this point as dusk was on the horizon. I took up my place in the pit ready for the next band and turned to look outside the Big Top, which I had done most of the day when the sun was blazing. It always brought a smile to my face to see so many people relaxing on the grass outside, or sat on the chairs they’d brought, or sat on the piles of haystacks towards the back that created a sort of amphitheatre setting. They sat in clusters… some with friends they’d arrived with, others sat with people they’ve just met in the last day or so. It just added to the friendly and safe vibe to the day, and that was something that could be felt all weekend. There really was a special aura around Firevolt.

Massive Wagons closed off the Big Top. There was much anticipation about their showing after being requested by many off the back of last year. They duly delivered with a series of fresh-sounding rock anthems that were heightened by the use of pyrotechnics to create a more magical show. They worked the crowd into a frenzy for the full hour, never relenting with their thunderous and thrashing heavy rock musings. The lead singer, Barry Mills, recognised Sue from her serving him food the previous night in the cabin and pointed to her, giving her a shout out. It’s the little touches you do for people that really count… and enable you to get a call out on stage. This was the most attended band of the day so far, and it created quite the spectacle to see arms bouncing up and down to the raucous riffs and beats Massive Wagons assaulted us with.

It would be hard to top the Big Top closures, but Swedish rockers, Royal Republic more than matched the expectation as they took the roof off the barn at the Trooper Stage. This was a convincing performance and a lesson in modern day, energetic, garage rock ‘n’ roll, filled with remarkable charisma, audience engagement and humour. “My Name is Adam” was a tongue-in-cheek phrase constantly uttered by lead singer Adam Grahn, much to the delight and amusement of the crowd. Grahn boasts a glorious moustache, and beforehand, fake moustaches were handed out amongst the Firevolters to don during their performance. When I looked over to the crowd from the pit, it looked like a seventies porn convention at times. Not only did they rock out and blitz through their repertoire of captivating songs, but they ventured into the crowd and lined up playing a couple of harmonious folky numbers surrounded by the fans, providing a real, engaging treat. They were one of the highlights of the whole festival and a fitting way to close off the first night. Their set was spoken about all weekend.

Once they finished, and I was officially off duty, that’s when the beer could flow more freely, and the party started. Through being down at the pit and traipsing back and forth between stages all day, it was hard for me to fully immerse myself into the festival from a punter’s perspective. But what I did observe throughout the day was that Firevolt was proving once again to be such a friendly and safe festival. There wasn’t a hint of trouble, there was plenty of laughter, and people formed a bond with each other when meeting for the first time. I was fleetingly introduced to many people as I was passing between stages. The music really did bring everyone together. 

I was able to relax and catch up with people I’d not seen most of the day. The problem with this is that beer goes down much easier and coupled with a superlative rock playlist playing in the background, it was hard to take it nice and easy as Tina Turner said. Before I knew it, a few of us ended the night in the cabin drinking red wine playing a series of music-related games, including guessing the song from a two-second intro. There was some knowledge in that cabin as we all tried to outdo each other with obscure songs, but someone would get it instantly. 4am later was when I eventually retired to my bed and judging by what was in store for me the following day, that was a huge mistake.

All photos apart from the below and outside the Big Top Stage was taken by Richard McCann from Labrat Photography. Please ask permission before use.

www.firevoltfestival.co.uk