Firevolt 2026 Review
Hello Firevolters!
I’m Nige. Some people know me. Most people don’t. To put a face to the name, I am the man stood by the side of the stage looking like a ‘shit bouncer’ as Cashy describes me, as well as having a face like a ‘cowboy’s crack’ (harsh, but fair). I’m the Firevolt Press Officer, which is a position bestowed on me by our wonderful hosts, Stret and Bev, because once upon a time I penned a few music reviews and had a radio show (it was way better than Cashy’s btw😉.)
Anyway, enough of the introductions. I do a yearly review of Firevolt, trying to focus on a different aspect each year and offer something a little different to the typical band orientated reviews. In the past, I’ve focussed on a personal diary of the weekend, the volunteers, the people, the setting, the bands (I now leave the band reviews to our fantastic press who I have the honour of ‘organising’ each year) - I’ve covered most aspects. What is there left to say about this illustrious festival? Well, this year, I thought I’d just speak from the heart and tell a story and write a love letter to our esteemed hosts. It’s my usual approach to writing and how I write my books (shameless plug there from Manchester’s next Enid Blyton… according to another quip from comedian compere, Cashy.)
I don’t profess to be a guru of the music Firevolt offers each year, which makes me a little different to the rest of you, but trust me, I appreciate it, I love watching it, and I adore the community within it. This year, I have to give a shout out to the more theatrical performers. I could NOT take my eyes off you. It did make me think, is this what bands have to do to get noticed in this day and age, to stand out in a saturated, unforgiving industry? I’m not knocking it as it’s an inventive approach, and it’s certainly captivating. Anyway, I digress, that’s a question and a discussion for another time and platform.
I want to walk you through my history and affiliation with Stret and Bev and the Firevolt journey from my own perspective, and what it means to me. On the very same fields of Whitebottom Farm that you walk upon year in year out, ten years ago, at the foot of the hill by The Bludsucker Stage, a festival was going on called Blackthorn (the first at the site). It was a generic rock festival with an emphasis on the local indie scene. Somehow, I found myself stood next to this guy while a psychedelic band called Good Foxy were playing. As their set finished, we turned to each other and acknowledged how good they were. We continued chatting long after the performance. He introduced himself as Stret, and revealed that his girlfriend, Bev, had a make-up stand at the festival, so I should stop by and say hello at some point.
Later on, Sue and I made our way to the Barn Stage and saw the stand where they were both sat (pretty much where the coffee van is now), so we headed over. We all hit it off and it wasn’t long after Blackthorn that we were meeting up in Manchester regularly for some heavy all-day merriments. At subsequent Blackthorn Festival’s, they saved us a camping spot next to them for when we arrived, such was our close bond. Our meaningful friendship and random meet-up was testament to what music brings - chance encounters that bring people together to form relationships that last forever. The old adage of ‘some of the best people I’ve met have been because of music’ could not be truer.
As time went by, they spoke of their idea to hold a rock festival at Etherow Country Park and wanted both me and Sue to be involved. My role was simply to look after the photographers in the pit. I had no idea what this entailed, the rules around it, or what to expect, and approached the role and festival with apprehension. It wasn’t my music, I didn’t know anyone, and I kind of dreaded what was expected of me as I was thrust in at the deep end. I admit, I was as nervous as a politician strapped to a lie detector in the run up to that first Firevolt (Or Firestorm as it was known in its inaugural year.)
By the festival’s end, I was sucked into it and had a blast, making new friends along the way and discovering some new music I enjoyed watching. The following two Firevolt’s brought much of the same, but I was gaining more comfort in the role, and the friendship group expanded each year as it started to morph into a family.
I even got a band I recommended on the bill around this time, as Stret came to watch The Last Internationale with me at The Deaf Institute in Manchester. Soon after, he booked them for Firevolt 2024. To this day it’s one of my proudest moments to have a band I recommended perform at Firevolt (can we get them for 2027?) I am still waiting for Israel Nash to grace the stage at some point too.
Last year, Stret and Bev entrusted me to have more responsibility and look after the whole of the press, requiring me to be more proactive long before the festival started. I scoured the internet and social media for other writers and photographers within the rock industry to come and join the party, which led me to being Stret and Bev’s unofficial pre-festival PA in many respects.
This year was much of the same but required work to be done straight away, as soon as Firevolt 2025 ended, and continued on and off throughout the year.
When I look back on my position and the journey it has taken me on, I have to thank Stret and Bev for giving me such an important responsibility. The trust they put in me to help with press when I had little experience is testament to how Firevolt operates, but they gave me a chance to grow into a role and learn by doing, which has always been my mantra to working life.
What they have done for me personally in helping me gain more confidence and giving me more of a purpose around a working environment will never be forgotten, and I owe them a lot for that. Not just for myself though. Whether you’re in a band, a photographer, a reviewer, part of the media team, a stallholder, part of the backstage team, part of the sound team, a general volunteer etc… Firevolt puts faith in you and gives you a chance to shine and thrive, and you will make friends along the way and become part of this family… that’s the beauty of it!
It’s not just about the music that makes this festival so special. It’s about the care, trust and attention to detail these two individuals give, which spills over into the volunteers’ approach, encouraging them to make the same effort, and that makes it an incredible four days where you ‘feel like a cog in something turning.’
It’s the little touches that often go unnoticed, and the innovative ideas Stret and Bev conjure up that also contribute to making the festival so distinctive. There have been a number of them over the years, but just listing what was done this year alone is testament to the attention they give to make Firevolt an extraordinary event, not just for the festival goers, but also the bands.
With this being Firevolt’s fifth year, they gave those Firevolters who have been every year, the opportunity to have a free pint on the viewing platform backstage, giving them a unique insight into what goes on, with a bird’s eye view of the Bludsucker Stage.
They organised two secret pop-up gigs in the bus bar involving Fireheart on the Saturday and Waking the Angels on Sunday, which came as a surprise to fans as they crammed themselves in for two unique performances.
Twenty Apriori voodoo dolls were hidden around the festival village in honour of their song, ‘Voodoo Love’. If you found one, you could redeem it at the bar for a shot.
Lampshades were specially made for These Wicked Rivers and placed amongst the audience.
Manchester Hampers were laid on for the main acts on both stages from Stret and Bev to say thank you for playing their festival, including Vimto and Jaffa Cakes, which were incredibly well-received. The 50th birthday cake for the upcoming birthday of the ‘Duke of Spook’ from Wednesday 13 proved so emotive that he almost broke character, embracing the heartfelt meaning behind it. Even Ginger’s dog, Maggie, got a special selection of treats, including dog biscuits, dog chocolates, a toy, and even a special Firevolt bandana, with key volunteer Lee Saunders bringing her a personalised bowl and cool mat, highlighting how above and beyond the team are willing to go.
‘Jam with Jack’, a staple of Firevolt now, takes place late morning on Saturday and Sunday, serving as a warm-up to the face melting rock that consumes the day. People are invited to jam with Jack J Hutchinson, and it always goes down a storm.
Added touches to make it more than just a series of bands keeps the festival diverse and offers alternative entertainment. There was wine tasting, The Listening Lounge where members of bands, key volunteers and a few Frevolters picked a song and spoke about it. A yearly raffle is organised, raising money for the TGFL (The Grassroots Funding Lottery). For those who wanted something a little more leisurely and relaxing, Rock fit Friday, Saturday Pilates and Sound Bath Sunday were arranged and taken advantage of by the early risers.
This year, for the 5th anniversary only, saw the introduction of the Stretini card game (Stret’s new name in my phone contacts), encouraging Firevolters to engage with each other and swap cards. If they collected five in a set they could redeem them for a prize – ranging from shots to a guaranteed live in, on site vehicle pitch for 2027!
Finally, who could forget the giant, inflatable rubber duck! Stret had secretly arranged to fulfil one of Bev’s bucket list points that she mentioned to him on their first date twelve years ago - to crowd surf in a rubber duck. It was effortlessly pulled off, despite the fright in Bev’s face throughout the ordeal.
It’s these ideas that make Firevolt different. Where they get the ideas from, I do not know, but to execute them so successfully, is astonishing.
Many people might not see first-hand the work that goes into this festival, and I am honoured to have a front row seat to observe what it takes to pull it off. The work that goes in beforehand can often go unnoticed to most. Not only that, during the festival itself, the pair of them work tirelessly and run on only a few hours sleep a night, not just for the whole four-day period, but the building period the week before it. I honestly do not know how they do it and how every little detail is taken care of and never overlooked. It’s genuinely mind-blowing, and it’s all for the benefit of the Firevolters, as I know they both have very little time to relax and actually enjoy the festival they created, and for that they deserve some sort of medal.
When asked for comments about the festival and what they are creating, Stret and Bev said, “It’s more and more feeling like we are the custodians of something greater than being mere owners and with that comes fear, excitement and a driving force to do right by our Firevolters. We are you and you are us!”
Did I mention humble too?
To me, Firevolt isn’t about the music directly, it’s about what music brings and represents, and how it affects people and brings them together in a tight-knit community that is rare to find in this day and age. The true meaning of music, commercially speaking, has stepped off the beaten track somewhat in recent times compared to our rock forefathers and fans of yesteryear. Firevolt brings back some of that magic that made us fall in love with music in the first place, reminding us that we have souls and can tear ourselves away from the everyday pressures of life for four days.
I’m sure I echo the sentiments of all involved with the festival with this analogy, and on behalf of everyone, I just want to say a huge thank you to Mr & Mrs Firevolt. I thank you for the good times I’ve had, the laughs, the music, the friends I’ve made over the years, and helping me grow in confidence around something I knew little about beforehand that’s such an important aspect to festival organisation. You have truly opened my eyes to a world I didn’t know existed, in how a group of people can come together in harmony and have the best time imaginable through music in the modern era. This is our Woodstock! Peace and love at the heart and soul of it. You are creating a monster and are excelling. It is truly a unique, epic event that all lovers of rock, in whatever form, should experience. So from the bottom of my heart… thank you…never stop being you… never lose your energy and crazy ideas (Stret playing Merry Xmas Everybody in his pop up DJ session at Firevolt 2024 is still a highlight)… never stop caring too much making this what it is… let’s kick on for Firevolt 2027 and begin the start of the next milestone with you both at the head of this weird and wonderful family tree…
Your humble servant and PA forever, Nige.
All photos taken by Richard McCann from Labrat Photography. Please ask permission before use.
