Saturday 

A hangover of epic proportions gripped me on Saturday morning. How others were up and out already was beyond me… yes that did include Stret and Bev again. What kind of adrenaline they were running on was baffling. If I’d been in my day job, I may have pulled a sickie, but this was rock ‘n’ roll, there was no choice but to grit my teeth and get through it as my services were required. After another Sue special brekkie, I took the journey into Stockport to Bookers to pick up several cases of water, cans of fizzy drinks, boxes of crisps, lots of fruit and two trays of cupcakes that were to be presented to numerous band members who had their birthdays over the weekend (that going above and beyond factor Firevolt prides itself on strikes again). 

With the hangover I had, this wasn’t the easiest of tasks, especially when having to lug the hefty trolley through narrow walkways, manoeuvre it around tight corners, and navigate it over an uneven, pothole-filled car park, where the water bottles were dropping onto the floor with every bump. By the time my car was loaded up, I couldn’t see out of the back window. The excessive sweating from this mini workout did help as the alcohol dispersed from my system, so by the time I got back on site, I felt much better. Unlike some Firevolters, I wasn’t quite ready for a beer. Those that were imbibing were staying true to the good name of rock ‘n’ roll. Perhaps they’d not even stopped from the previous night. 

The suggestion of rain threatened to overshadow the event, but the only spots seen throughout the day was when I was on my travels. Thankfully, Whitebottom Farm managed to hold off any lingering downpour in the area. 

Talking to a few of the Firevolters, some chose to take in the scenic landscapes the vicinity offered that morning and go for a walk around Compstall Nature Reserve or Ernocroft Wood before the bands took to the stage. This was a common occurrence throughout the weekend given how pleasant the days were. It offered something a little different away from the festival’s activities, like a calm before the pending, blistering rock storm. Festivalgoers at rock events are notoriously early risers, and Firevolt was no different. I can’t imagine other non-rock festivals having as many people up and about as early there was. I am definitely not one of them!

Unfortunately, I had missed the first band of the day, The Hot One Two, due to my earlier excursion. They were billed as the ‘Ones To Watch Party’, and were late additions to the bill. Stret and Bev had seen them perform after the roster had been finalised, but Bev loved them so much that they came up with the idea to put them on first as an extra, earlier slot on the Saturday. To encourage people to the stage pre-lunch, a special Firevolt cocktail consisting of a mix of black sambuca and rose tequila to create a purple potion was offered to the first fifty people in attendance. What they didn’t count on is that Firevolters are pretty hardcore when it comes to their love of live music, and between three and four hundred showed up. I was gutted to have missed it, not that I would’ve had a shot at that time. I sadly missed Thieves of Liberty too, but I was assured both acts were exceptional. Am sure you can read about their performances from the accounts of the fanzine reviewers we had on site. 

A’Priori and Valhalla Awaits were the first bands I caught, both returning from slots at last year’s festival, evidencing their popularity. They didn’t disappoint again as the crowd were receptive to their high-voltage, hard rock fury filled with giant, overwhelming hooks that packed a powerful punch.

The sea of black t-shirts influenced my decision to ditch my white one (now full of alcohol-induced sweat) and wear an official Firevolt t-shirt, with the emblem ‘IT’S BETTER TO BURN OUT THAN FADE AWAY’ surrounding the number 27 and a skull with a purple rim. The merch had gone down a treat as most t-shirts had sold-out already, and we were only on a Saturday afternoon. Mental note for next year, get there early… or pre-order!

Female-fronted, blues rock outfit, Scruffy Bear were ones I was looking forward to seeing, having also performed last year. They were one of the ones that impressed me the most, and they were once again exquisite. Lead singer, Georgy Eaton’s forceful, Janis-Joplin-esque wailing vocals were on point, powerful enough to shatter the windows in the nearby campervans. When backed by a band blazing out a series of blues-soaked riffs, the tunes wouldn’t have looked out of place firing out of a jukebox in a down and dirty dive bar in the Deep South. 

Stalls weren’t just confined to the cul-de-sac near the Trooper Stage. As well as a bar, a couple of rock-orientated stalls were by the Big Top, including Bev’s I’m Made Up make-up stand. As well as being an accomplished festival organiser, this is Bev’s main profession, and she is an industry expert in the field. She has also written a book on the subject such is her wealth of knowledge. The stall is a main staple of festivals at Whitebotom Farm, providing face art, glitter and hair braiding that always goes down a treat, adding to the overall vibe of festival life. 

I kept popping back to the cabin between bands to make sure everything was OK and grabbing a necessary coffee. What I always observed was just how hard the volunteers worked. Whether they were putting riders together, ensuring the smooth running of operations, running back and forth dropping items off at various places, they worked tirelessly to keep things ticking over nicely. Everyone was pulling together to make sure the festival was a resounding success for our esteemed organisers. Stret had racked up an impressive seventeen miles of walking in one day, and some of the volunteers weren’t far behind. It’s been noted that next year we’ll be taking bets as to what the highest mileage accumulated by one individual will be.

The volunteering even stretched to having someone required to take Stret and Bev’s Westie, Reggie for a walk. Given the intensity of organising, they obviously didn’t have time to take him out, but there were trusted people on hand to make sure he was just as well looked after as the bands. Reggie was a star of the festival, always attracting a comment or two whenever he was sat on the cabin porch rocking out to the tunes on offer in his own little world. He even had his own special rum, ‘Reggie’s Rum’ for the festival. I believe he concocted the recipe himself I’m told. 😉 But Reggie wasn’t the only dog in attendance as they were encouraged to be brought along. Numerous dogs were around, including the gorgeous Newfoundland, Alice Cooper, who is sadly blind. The dogs received more attention from the Firevolters than if Alice Cooper himself had rocked up to do a set on the Trooper Stage.

Back to the bands, where Manchester based, Absolva brought the heaviness back to the ethos with a raucous blend of hard rock and metal. Contemporary rock band, Vega were up next, and their melodious arrangements wouldn’t have been out of place in the 1980s heyday alongside the likes of Def Leppard and Whitesnake. 

The Virginmarys were a band I was familiar with from my time reviewing for fanzines. It’s a very different dynamic these days for this local act, who have become a duo (vocals, guitar, drums), and they don’t half exude a racket for just two people on stage such is their passion for performing. They’re a band that sometimes skirt on the fringes of indie music, but mainly they merge adrenaline-filled grunge with the zest of punk. Their pulsating set of thumping grooves and vigorous melodies were relentless and full of substance that had the Firevolters purring.

Glasgow rockers, Mason Hill, or should I say, ‘Mason Fuckin’ Hill’ returned again this year to close out the Big Top with an energetic and anthemic performance. Every thrashing guitar strum and crashing beat whipped the audience into an insane frenzy. Dubbed as the UK’s best new heavy rock act once upon a time, they are fulfilling that statement going from strength to strength. Their vibrant hooks were sensational viewing and wouldn’t be out of place in a stadium.

Irish Rockers, The Answer closed out the night on the Trooper Stage. A band that has been around for nearly twenty years, they have been on a seven-year hiatus until late last year, returning with a new album and a series of gigs later this year. You couldn’t tell they’d been apart for as long as they have as their experience and chemistry showed. The influence from past, guitar-heavy greats was paramount as foot-stomping, riff-drenched hits ripped through the Farm to provide the perfect tonic to end another fabulous evening of hard-hitting, full throttle rock. 

After the set finished, and the rapturous applause subsided, Stret came onstage to announce a special surprise. Tyger had returned to play a few songs for an afterparty. Firevolters refused to budge from the Trooper Stage as they air-guitared, danced, and lip-puckered their way through another onslaught of classic tunes into the night.