Brofest – Northumbria University, Newcastle 1st and 2nd March 2013

It is a real commendable task to form a new festival with some forgotten names of the glorious NWOBHM genre in Newcastle – this was different. The venue was pretty amazing (much better than what the original venue would have achieved), it is very big and the sound was fantastic all weekend…hats off to the sound engineers – a job well done. The ugly was the bar charging £3.85 when you got the same product in the downstairs bar for less than 50% of that. In fact, profiteering was rife at some merchandise stands, I mean come on – mass produced Maiden albums for £15 on vinyl and most of the Bashful Alley 7 inch records on sale for £10 were on eBay a few days later for £25! This kills the scene and screws up the chance of new fans getting involved in the music – when will people learn, it’s pure greed and kvlt bollocks. But overall the BROFEST (UK) merchandise was cheap, camp (the BROFEST (UK) guys have a sense of humour obviously) and cheerful, although my event shirt lasted one wash before the print disintegrated.

I don’t know why the BROFEST (UK) chaps did not rotate the bill but BLACK ROSE opened the festival and rocked the venue with such classics as ‘Sucker for Your Love’ and the little lighter, American sounding ‘Boys Will Be Boys’, this was one of the bands I really wanted to see since the addition to the bill when Battleaxe pulled out and I was duly rewarded. After my initial surprise to see WYTCH HAZEL on so high on the bill I expected something special, I was so disappointed. They ran out of material for a mere 40 min set and then butchered Thin Lizzy’s ‘Emerald’ and UFO’s ‘Doctor Doctor’ by not even sounding in tune, this is the second gig I have witnessed by these guys with the same result, perhaps it’s time to write more material because their own track ‘Surrender’ is pretty decent if not dated. SPARTAN WARRIOR were the band of the day. Sounding amazing they go through a few of their greatest hits and keep the vibrancy of the day alive with songs hitting the preverbal spot. Headliner AVENGER were a real disappointment, I was really struggling to find any band member I recognised and the later material that they mainly played was very much a power metal rather than a NWOBHM experience. But there was hope, there was another full day to go!

Saturday began with a few jaded looks and hangovers ensured that fried breakfasts were the first order of the day! London’s AMULET kicked out the jams and played a stunning set. I must admit to being a big fan of these boys and we are treated to a couple of new tracks and some of their “classics” as I now call then. ‘Sign of the High Priest’ and ‘Running Out of Time’ show a band developing their stage craft (their ‘Black Magic Attack’!), their confidence and abilities are moving forward and this sets up the day magnificently. BADGE are really not my cup of tea and I don’t hang around much, but in between merch stand perusal I can hear ‘Silver Lady’ and their more blues orientation making waves and by many conversations during the day, they seem to have gone down a storm. DEEP MACHINE venture up north for the first time and they are the real deal here. Lenny Baxter’s vocal are great and by his stage mannerisms is a fan of Halford. Lead guitarist Bob Hooker sets off his pedal boards and blitz’s a crystal clear loud sound into the rooftops of the University whilst it was good to hear new track ‘Whispers in the Black’ sit alongside seasoned classic from their demo days in particular which also included ‘Killer’ and a track I have not heard before ‘The Gathering’, assuming I remember the right. Opting for food above watching SALEM I next encountered BASHFUL ALLEY. Whilst I don’t always agree with their music, I can say they put on a fucking amazing show. They had the vibrancy of a punk band and it was obvious they loved the large crowd reaction, especially to ‘My My My’ and ‘Running Blind’. I have to say, one of the bands of the weekend for performance, even if their music was not your cup of tea. The glory of ‘band of the festival’ actually goes to TYSONDOG who were an unstoppable metal force sporting their original singer Clutch Carruthers a change from their 2008 Headbanger’s Open Air appearance where I saw them last. Both guitarists are focused and are clearly having fun as Clutch screams ‘Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down’ and the Tysondog’s march forward with their ‘Dog Soldiers’ and proclaim you are all ‘Dead Meat’, these are certainly fellas you would not want to meet in a dark alley, Wallsend or not and this is a real uplifting professional show by a completely underrated band who put on a cracking live show every time. SCARAB  are another band who disappoint me personally, whilst Paul Britten is very enthusiastic (guitars/vocals), I fail to get excited about their set, especially after the previous local lads blew every band off the stage, but we are beckoned ‘Into the Labyrinth’ to form some sort of satisfaction looking back upon reflection. Headliners HOLOCAUST have never played in England, quite hard to believe that these Scott’s only have to make a short journey across the old border. However, after being rather excited about seeing these chaps they are a complete and utter let down based on their first couple of tracks. The crowd obviously want their early material, even though later material is more acclaimed, but this is like watch a bog standard pub band imitating the guy-liner of Michael Monroe doing battle with the glam period of Tom ‘G’ Warrior.

BROFEST (UK) as a concept works extremely well, it is good to see such bands play again and with DAMASCUS already announced for 2014, I can only see this festival growing more. As usual for NWOBHM, most attendees were from overseas, a sad fact that the UK doesn’t really give a shit about their heritage, that is until the next fad comes along of course. This was a cool weekend with a few surprises and a few disappointments, but all in all a good start for this festival.

Review and photos Paul Maddison

http://www.brofest.co.uk