Mayhem Rock Festival
- Dawn Osborne
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
it’s no secret that Nottingham has been the Glam Sleaze capital of the United Kingdom for years now. And so the faithful came! From early doors the indoor festival was packed out with Rock fans dressed to the nines.
It was a year of transition for Mayhem Rock Festival. Earlier this year they made the wise decision to focus on one full day date in Nottingham rather than three cities like last year, and it’s no secret that Nottingham has been the Glam Sleaze capital of the United Kingdom for years now. And so the faithful came! From early doors the indoor festival was packed out with Rock fans dressed to the nines. Another smart decision was, while they offered world class Melodic Rock bands as headliners, the line-up was packed with younger Rock ‘n’ Roll bands designed to bring people out early: it worked! Loads of bars, roaming nubile baristas offering Tequila Rose for three quid in test tubes so you didn’t have to lose your place in the crowd, onsite food-trucks, massive nearby loos, everything was there in spades to party all day - and we did. Maximum glamour and comfort! No queues! There’s a fabulous line-up onstage and no-one wanted to miss any of it!
‘We Wanna Be Rockstars’! From what we saw, they have pretty a good chance!
First onstage were Wasted Wizards, a young Scandinavian band that were in the same kind of wheelhouse as Little Angels, mid-tempo harmonic choruses, energetic vocals and statement guitar solos. Frontman Leo and guitarist Sam are both Mårtenssons, sons of Erik of Eclipse. It’s no lie that today is one big Scandinavian family! They’ve clearly been brought up on Rock music since when they are kids having absorbed good stagecraft, such that they look confident on stage and move and communicate with the crowd well. As I get there for soundcheck Erik was there watching over them and they have a great role model to manage their careers. As such they are able to play several singles, already out or coming up, including ‘Monkey See, Monkey Do’ and announce the next one with its stomping demand ‘We Wanna Be Rockstars’! From what we saw, they have pretty a good chance!
The band sounds much more like W.A.S.P. live than they do on record, largely because of his voice and intonation
Next were Smoking Snakes, a band that are signed to Frontiers and are definitely on the up and getting a lot of record label support. It’s no secret that our great Rock giants like W.A.S.P. cannot go on forever, even if we wish they would, and new blood has to come through. Singer Brett Martin sings and moves a bit like Blackie Lawless shaking his fist: with his South American heritage has naturally thick luxurious black shaggy hair. The band sounds much more like W.A.S.P. live than they do on record, largely because of his voice and intonation, e.g. his tremolo at the end of lines in songs like ‘There’s No Tomorrow’. The songs are good anyway, but I like them better live - always a bonus and vital for the best Rock bands that are going to last. ‘Sole Survivors’ (not the Asia song) is catchy enough to break through to people who do not yet know the band. Martin is all smiles and looked like he is really enjoying himself, running on the spot in ‘Run For Your Life’: it makes a difference giving things an easy-going vibe! Drummer Mackey Gee has a good line in drum tricks, making him entertaining to watch. Last song ‘Rockin Till The Morning Light’ with its lyric “Deep inside you” shows they are not afraid to put the sex back in Hard Rock. I would go to see this band as a headliner and we are only on band number two!
These guys are not resting on laurels though, and looking ahead to their next album they opened with a brand new track
I have been to see the next band Trench Dogs as a headliner and they play high energy Rock ‘n’ Roll with a twist; the twist being singer Andy Hekkandi, a lovable eccentric Aussie (now an adopted Stockholmer). He has made his own brand Googie Pickled Eggs (Googie being Australian slang for a soft boiled hen egg) and is so enthusiastic to promote them as a healthy snack he stands behind the merch deck giving them away. Apparently they are delicious, although since they look like they are marinated in river water I was not sorry I missed the rush to get one! They are marvellous on stage and it is lovely to see them smile with relief and confidence when early into the set ‘A Little Overdressed’ gets a roaring reception, which in cartoons would have sent their impressive barnets horizontally backwards vibrating in the hurricane of praise. Another highlight is ‘Homesick Parade’ with its irrepressible refrain “Little Rock ‘n’ Roller”, as guaranteed to get the party started as ‘Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul’ from the Rocky Horror Show. These guys are not resting on laurels though, and looking ahead to their next album they opened with a brand new track (although I know it because they played it recently at The Hope and Anchor) ‘Fighting Words’, and another unreleased track, ‘Churchbells’, makes an early appearance in their set. These new songs augur well for what we can expect from their new material. Hekkandi has a fantastic sense of humour and on his socials he gives himself the executive summary, “For someone who can’t sing I sing a lot!”. Mattias Johansson has one trouser leg rolled up and a bandage loosely wrapped around his ankle. (Hekkandi “I’ve seen hooker’s arseholes tighter than that!”) He still looks cool! But in case anyone thought it was a fashion statement (I am pretty sure it’s not really doing anything medically) Hekkandi confirms Johansson has hurt his ankle - “Congrats on being able to stand. I couldn’t stand last night at the pub, I had to go home early!” It doesn’t stop Johansson kicking and pulling shapes! The sheer joy Martini feels on banging his sticks very hard indeed comes through in his face. Safe to say they come from the Hanoi Rocks stable of looking fabulous and being uber cool, injecting any proceedings with their vibrant Punk energy and love of life! My favourite band on the bill for sheer entertainment value!
Chris Damien Doll is a good frontman with one of those huge big American movie advertising voices
Suicide Bombers are from the same kind of wheelhouse, playing very loud Rock ‘n’ Roll with even dodgier fashion choices that shouldn’t work, but they absolutely carry it off. I’ve seen them before at festivals, and maybe it’s the great sound system here, but they sound the best I’ve ever seen them. Chris Damien Doll is a good frontman with one of those huge big American movie advertising voices (even if he is Norwegian) telling stories between songs about intergalactic Rock stars. It is totally larger than life and I’ll be paying more attention to this band in future, as I thought they are getting even better and played a great set.
He makes the most effort so far to reach out to the audience, wetting the heads of the front row
Toxic Rose look like an old school Metal band à la Manowar, but in reality their material is pretty commercial, a bit like the philosophy of Ghost. There is the occasional death growl, but in reality their material fits right in with the Melodic Rock ethos running right through this festival, and it’s pretty clear that there’s a Glam heritage there, even it if it is not expressed in the music it comes out in their theatricality. Putting on a good show is also a theme of this festival, and although frontman Andy Lipstixx apologises for some technical difficulties amid the great theatrics of his skull and blood routine and their intense unshakeable Metal attitude, I don’t think anyone noticed. He makes the most effort so far to reach out to the audience, wetting the heads of the front row with blood and talking directly and passionately to the crowd to keep them engaged.
They are one of the heaviest bands on the bill, bringing a real Metal injection into the music
Confess explain to the crowd how much fun they are having at this all Scandinavian festival; “All our best friends are playing here tonight… like a high school reunion”. It does make a difference as all the bands feel at home, primed to give their best performance. John Elliot is a skilled frontman, giving the best microphone stand action. They are one of the heaviest bands on the bill, bringing a real Metal injection into the music, their latest album being called ‘Metalmorphosis’. They pull the biggest crowd so far and the venue is really getting packed: it’s hard to find a place to stand. No gimmicks, no over the top gear, just no-nonsense Hard Rock which goes down great with this crowd tonight.
Draper gets down into the pit to greet the front row one on one
South Of Salem bring a darker Gothic aesthetic with their neon coffin, cemetery and flying bat electronic backdrops, but once again their material is very commercial, so there’s no downers here, just up-tempo Melodic Hard Rock. It’s a slim-line show for them tonight, the first show I have seen recently from them without dancers and following the recent departure of guitarist Kodi Kaspar. He was known for his stage jumping, and frontman Joey Draper makes sure that he fills that gap personally, kicking higher than his head from the platforms at the front of the stage and doing a few very high jumps himself. Draper’s found himself a Faster Pussycat style guitarist instead in the shape of Ed Van Egan. Their Classic Rock heritage shows when they do a traditional style sing-off between the left and right hand sides of the crowd. Draper gets down into the pit to greet the front row one on one, and you can really feel his connection with the crowd. One of the nicest guys in the biz!
This band prioritises fine songs and technical excellence over image and the place was packed with their fans who knew every word.
Eclipse are well known as the main Melodic Rock band of Erik Mårtensson, the Hard Rock powerhouse, producer, songwriter and frontman. He is fiercely professional with massively high standards, and while he mentions technical difficulties and being unable to hear himself, they did of course deliver a highly polished and impeccable show. It was lovely to see Adde Moon (former drummer of Hardcore Superstar) playing again, and absolutely killing it! Mårtensson knows a diamond when he sees one and takes the very first opportunity to introduce him to the crowd. This band prioritises fine songs and technical excellence over image and the place was packed with their fans who knew every word. ‘Saturday Night (Hallelujah)’ was a well-timed party anthem, setting up the climax of the show with ‘Black Rain’, ‘Runaways’, a little bit of ‘House Of The Rising Sun’, ‘Anthem’ and ‘Viva La Victoria’ closing out the show on a high.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Kenny Leckremo has one of the finest voices in Classic Rock.
This left H.e.a.t last, but definitely not least. It is not an exaggeration to say that Kenny Leckremo has one of the finest voices in Classic Rock. When I watch him I am reminded of a young Bruce Dickinson, and if anything happened (god forbid) to Dickinson, he must surely be a choice as a replacement, as he also sits in the highest echelon. Blessed with a bigger mouth than Mick Jagger, he knows how to use every millimetre of it and his vocals chords to project and sing the finest and highest notes. When they do the first verse of ‘War Pigs’ it’s the first time I have heard anyone sing it better than Ozzy. In the same way Eclipse do, H.e.a.t bring the best Melodic Rock songs and share the same fan base, and so the placed is rammed with their fans, enthusiastically singing passionately to participate, such is their love for this band. Leckremo jokes that he has not, in fact, come to rape and pillage like his forebears, but to provide the UK with Rock ‘n’ Roll, saying that that spirit runs through Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. We did miss the impossibly handsome Mr Crash on drums, but they had Erik Modin from Wildness instead who did not try to be Crash, but engaged the crowd, not simply remaining an anonymous presence on stage. I’ve seen them before on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, but tonight as headliner they ruled, no doubt!
As the strains of Night Ranger’s ‘Sister Christian’ rang out we can all say we had a great time today! Pretty much all the bands hung out with the crowd after their sets and some of them before (Hekkandi!). Still small enough to be a family atmosphere, and yet fiercely professional, this is my first UK festival this year and I have started as I mean to go on! And keep the venue please! It is so rare to be at a festival and get all your food, drink, meet and greet and sanitary needs met so effortlessly. They could teach the larger festivals a thing or too already, can’t wait to see what they achieve long term!
Review: Dawn Osborne
Photos: Dawn Osborne
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