Stating the obvious, it’s been a rough old time since my last gig in March 2020 and it was fitting that I decided my first attempt at a gig in the Covid world would be my favourite festival. A new venue, that is so much like a previous one it’s a shock, but it’s fantastic, big and airy with great beer, food and outside area. And the cooling towers watching over us like elder gods materialising from the clouds.
Of-course it wouldn’t be Warhorns without the last-minute issues, this time with one band booted due to the disgusting behaviour of their singer and three more replaced at very short notice due to, well, Covid of course. But it also wouldn’t be Warhorns if they didn’t handle everything so well on the surface to punters even if I do know what work went on behind the scenes. Now this wasn’t a normal Warhorns either. It was more of a party as the name shows, a get together of people who had held on to tickets and a few new people. Numbers were limited to about 150 deliberately, care was taken on entering and there was lots of space outside too. Also, although fitting pretty much to the Warhorns ethos, the bands were often more chosen for the fun they would bring too. Oh and I didn’t have a friendly photographer with me either so, well, visuals are none existent
We needed this. The Warhorns crew needed it. So, we partied.
First night, the Friday, was just a get together and no bands. A chance to see people you hadn’t seen for a couple of years as music was played through the sound system and beer and mead were quaffed and food eaten. It was just so good to see people chatting and reminiscing and catching up. I did something very odd for me; I actually talked to people I recognised but didn’t know, just for a bit of human connection and to hear how their world was.
Perfect, in fact. Wandered home early-ish, leaving the diehards and the campers behind to whatever their night brought on.
Saturday
Arrived well in time for the midday start. Had a chat with various crew guys, got myself balanced. Looked at the set times. Not that it mattered but there were, for once, only three bands I’d ever seen before (Forlorn Hope, Iron Seawolf and the Warhorns acoustic house band Stonebearer who have played most years and bear a curious resemblance to Iron Seawolf), and only one more I’d even heard of Footprints In The Custard).
So, I figured I was in for lots of discoveries, and also curious as to how I would handle having people around me…
ElvenDale were the perfect and gentle introduction to live music. A three-piece acoustic band, offering Dark Age music from the Mead Hall. With a gent on the shamanic drum, another being the lyre player who doubled as singer and spokesperson and a lady on vocals they were a delicate but emotionally heavy performance. There were nerves (they hadn’t played live for two and a half years and apparently lots of notes were wrong but they overcame it with heart and soul. Steady, atmospheric drumming from Glodi Gyrdson, the superb voice of Grace Hulme paired excellently with Hrafn Rikardson’s vocs and lyre and it was just perfect. Closing song ‘Mother Night’ particularly touched me and thankfully the crowd response was warm and heartfelt.
They even had a CD or two which was nice.
Next up and Iron SeaWolf personified the Covid Era gig. Not only did they replace Red Rum as the perennial pirates and lost their drummer but, in a theme that became familiar, decide they could still do it. Just this time as an acoustic three-piece band as ‘they had a spare cellist’ (the superb and seemingly workaholic Arianna Mahsayeh). So, with a stage looking like it was sponsored by Capri-Sun (they had boxes of the stuff), accordion, cello and guitar primed and a cry from the audience of “Wooden SeaWolf!” off they set with a hearty jig being already ‘Three Sheets To The wind’. Ah, what can you say. With really excellent musicians and just a desire to play live and a crowd wanting to be there they were spot on. Engaging banter, not entirely serious songs and a fantastic sing-along that was such a great idea as it even got me, the miserable git, singing. Honestly – just what we needed to get the (Capri-Sun) juices flowing. Excellent. Odd that they look suspiciously like three quarters of Stonebearer.
Akilla had the job of following that. And guess what? They were a bassist down but awkwardly an entirely different plague to covid. Another completely new name to me, they were the first electric band, playing a melodic death metal style. Improvising around the lack of bassist and also the vocals that member performs should have been desperate but the opener ‘Cosmica’ is a cool song despite initial sound queries. A timely broken string, a change of guitar and it all came together very impressively through. A chunky, nicely aggressive riffing sound and fine harsh vocals but still not unlike someone like Countless Skies in the use of keyboards (backing tape but, fuck it if they can re-jig parts and play without a bassist then I’ll give them that one) and some neat hooks. Neat enough to get the crowd on the floor rowing along to the excellent ‘Song Of The Seafarers’ which was just so great to see. Great musical communication between the two guitarists and drummer in an unfamiliar situation. The current streaming signal ‘Echo’ is a really nice set indeed. Definitely want to check out the full band sound.
I had managed to look at a picture of the next band, the awkwardly named Vlka Fenryka and was convinced something was absent despite the axes and facepaint. Their rather tall singer. Again not covid, and we wish The Berserker a speedy recovery. In fairness they also spelled out their name in shields on stage to help numbnuts like me. So, explanations out of the way we raised a rousing chant to the ‘Halls Of Valhalla’. The sound opens out for ‘Board The Boats’ and by the time the rather excellent ‘Defenders Of The Realm’ strikes out they have set the heads banging nicely. It a kind of like being punched by riffs, and catchy ones too. A big powerful Viking metal sound. There’s some lovely guitar work and despite constant self-deprecating humour the bass player handles those duties and the harsh vocals well and really captures stage attention. Closing with ‘Berzerker Rage’ for their comrade not only have they delivered but the crowd has really got into it. Well done guys. Nice t shirt too.
Four down and the determination to play and to enjoy regardless of what rubbish the world chucks at them is palpable from all the bands. And the crowd are really having fun out in the world of gigs once more.
Stuffing chips in my mouth, I hurry back for Stonebearer, the defacto Warhorns house band and their (mostly) acoustic versions of Moonsorrow, Menhir and other songs. Not sure what I can say that I haven’t before but for those unlucky enough never to have seen them, the quartet of drum, cello, and electric violin are endlessly enthralling and magical in their ability to conjure these mythic heathen worlds. Their beautifully crafted renditions are so evocative and arranged to perfection. A little humour, a moment of laughter hints at a little rust maybe but more likely just enjoying being there. Closing with their seventeen-minute edit of Moonsorrow’s ‘Tulmyskyr’ which is just glorious and epitomises that they are way more than a covers band; they breathe a different life into these songs whilst keeping the soul whole. That is so very rare. They go down a treat with the crowd
Soul sated, it’s fair to say that the crowd are ready to give it some. Epic war historians Forlorn Hope come on to a rousing cheer and their latest single ‘To The Bitter End’. Clear, dramatic vocals and the hook laden guitar melody combine with live keyboards and a thumping, bouncing rhythm section. It’s fair to say that they’re popular; fists are flung, heads are banging and people are singing along already. ” Welll! Someone came out to play!” remarks the genial frontman to the cheers. ‘Talavera’ incites another chorus of singing from the crowd and its clear neither the band nor the crowd have any intention of sitting this set out. They have this fantastic traditional heavy metal sound, just vibrant and modern in execution and a feel of drama very few can relay. Every song seems to gallop or roll over you in an attack wave every song is different. ‘The Eagle Hunters’, ‘War In The Shadows’, ‘Badajoz’, a few centuries of history rolled up into ‘Redcoats’ and ‘The Last Ride’ all just raise the standard higher. A lovely timed (for my old bones) rendition of the Sharpe theme, the traditional ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’ has the crowd practically drowning out the band before the glorious, belligerent fist pumping closer of ‘Rifles’ finishes us off. Just exactly what everyone needed after so long.
Oh man, that was glorious. So bloody good, so bloody good. Get to see this lot as soon as you can.
A break follows for people to get some of the excellent food on offer by the venue, or some more of the great ales and we’re back. Next up is Elliot Vernon &The Flame. As there are solicitors and legal issues involved with recent occurrences, we at Ave Noctum felt it best to leave it at that. Apologies.
Now the trickier section. Have to be honest that what I think of as gimmick comedy bands are not my thing at all, but as always there have been exceptions so I always try. The last two bands were specifically here to bring the party.
First were Bootyard Bandits who I genuinely had not even heard of before but from asking around I’m guessing all have been or are in other bands as a couple were kind of possibly recognised by people I asked and much more importantly they were musically as tight as a nut. Really. Very slick indeed.
With a cowboy shtick and the odd moustache and a banjo to match they launched into something about MILFs I think. The Warhorners show their adaptability and willingness to get into the spirit with some impromptu line dancing which was great to see. Musically they pretty much lose me after a couple I’m afraid; at their heart this is late nineties style metal with average songs and lyrics like ‘my wife’s my mother and my sister too…’. As I say they are tight and clearly happy to be playing live but nothing hooks me. They go down pretty well too, which is always good to see. Was I alone in my experience though? No, definitely more than a couple drifted out with me. If you want a Cowboy Steel Panther then go for it, they are a party band with the lyrics to match and did what they do well enough. I think I’ll stick with Mojo Nixon myself, sorry.
Finally, to close the day were a band I did know and had even heard before, Footprints In The Custard. The Party Metal Band. Hawaiian shirts, light up shoes and glasses, lots of hair (jealous, me?) they bounce into their set like a dayglo Banana Splits. They have fans here clearly who get into it straight away and jump like lovely loons which is cool. Musically though, what can I say? It really does nothing for me I’m afraid and first time live it comes across a bit shapeless. Nothing grabs me and other than the section of the crowd who clearly get it and get into it nothing makes me smile. And a mankini? Ho hum. Ah I dunno, I guess ‘not for me’ is all I can say and again not entirely alone I went in search of smiles and a few last laughs outside.
So, in conclusion. Not your typical Warhorns bill. Not your typical year. This was curated for people to reconnect; with each other, with live music and just to goddamned enjoy themselves. You could be as covid safe as you wanted to be, we had families here again, we had Warhorns debutantes, we drank them out of mead. Bands ran on time too! Ah it was just so good to be here and in the hands of the same bar and kitchen staff who had looked after us so well at Eggborough! We had great lineup of bands just wanting to play and overcoming whatever the world had chucked at them and fans having a blast. Even the couple of bands I personally didn’t enjoy were enjoyed by more than not.
Band of the day for me was Forlorn Hope’s cracking set but honestly we were all winners.
Just about a perfect day. Roll on Warhorns Post Winter Camp 4/5 March 2022 and the full blown Warhorns in its traditional, well known and unchanged time on 1/2/3 September 2022.
Want to celebrate metal, community and respect, just toddle along to Warhorns. No one regrets it.
Review: Gizmo
Photos: Gizmo, Samantha Hornsby
Leave a Reply