Planet Rockstock 2021 - Saturday review with The Darkness, Stone Broken and Florence Black

The Graham Harding Stage:

Words: Chloe Robbins

The morning after Vandenberg’s Friday night headline set on the Main Stage, the Planet Rockstock faithful are back out bright and early at The Graham Harding stage with their pints in hands.

First in line to play The Graham Harding stage are emerging South Wales quartet Tribeless, who get the punters warmed up for another day of rock ‘n’ roll with their crunching bass hooks and ferocious drumming. Frontwoman Lydia McDonald hypnotises the room with her commanding stage presence and fearless energy – she owns that stage like she was born to play Planet Rockstock.

Local trio Häxan take to the stage to perform songs like ‘Black Sheep’ and ‘Killing Time’, displaying a killer set of lungs from vocalist/guitarist Sam Bolderson, intense drums, and a bassline so hard that the vibrations can be felt throughout the room.

Next up Liverpool hard-rockers and winners of Planet Rock’s Best New Band Award at The Rocks 2020, Attic Theory, rock the room with their monstrous drums and huge guitar hooks. Armed with a megaphone and powerful set of pipes, frontman Lewis Wright had the room clapping along to their rock ‘n’ roll tracks.

Voodoo Vegas, last seen with us at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End 2017 festival, play their first full-band show in 20 months, and their infectious energy shows how excited they are to be back at it. Shredding electrifying guitar riffs above a sea of clapping hands, Voodoo Vegas’ classic rock with a fresh edge clearly wins over the Graham Harding stage.

The Autumn Killers are fresh from releasing their debut in September, but already have a dedicated fanbase as members of the audience can be seen singing along. With their striking lead vocals and unique merging of classic rock riffs with experimental synth and keys, The Autumn Killers have found what works for them and even treat us to some exciting new, as-yet unreleased tracks.

The Graham Harding stage’s heaviest set comes from Liverpool’s Ashen Reach, whose blend of rock ‘n’ roll swagger and modern metal has the room tightly packed. The crowd lap up the hard-rock outfit’s cymbal-heavy drums and intricate guitar licks.

Elsewhere on site, the Trooper Lounge is packed with punters and band members alike in the early afternoon to watch a live recording of My Planet Rocks with Whitesnake legend Bernie Marsden.

As Ian Danter attempts to steer the show along, Bernie has the crowd roaring with laughter with his seemingly infinite stories of famous rockstars getting into scrapes, an encounter with Pan's People and more than a few expletives! Planet Rock's producer is left shaking his head and laughing at the idea of trying to edit the recording into a My Planet Rocks special before Sunday...

Listen to the finished show (fingers crossed) here!

The Main Stage:

Words: Scott Colothan

One of the standout artists on the second stage at Planet Rockstock 2019, Edenthorn make the rightful and effortless leap up to The Main Stage this year. A mighty fine and well-oiled live act, Edenthorn impress early on with the nostalgic ‘1993’ – an anthemic track that yearns for “simple times” and musically nods heavily towards the sounds of the decade from whence it takes its name.

Elsewhere, ‘The Noise In My Head’ is positively electrifying, while a thunderous ‘Heart’s Still Beating’ is propelled by gut-shaking bass lines from Faiba Gabrielle. Constantly bigging up his native Northeast, Kyle Tague is a vivacious frontman who relentlessly hops around the stage and jokes with the audience at one point “Are you all well? I bloody hope so!” The all-too-short set climaxes in style with a muscular rendition ‘Power’ leaving the Planet Rock faithful wanting more.

“They make one hell of a noise for a three-piece!”, an agape Planet Rock punter tells his mate shortly after Florence Black take to the stage. Easily the heaviest band to grace The Main Stage so far this year, the Merthyr Tydfil trio serve up a cavalcade of crushing and refreshingly raucous sounds – drummer Perry Davies frenetically pounds his kit like his life depends on it, frontman Tristan Thomas unleashes blistering riff after blister riff, and voluminously haired bassist Jordan Evans provides the booming heartbeat of the band.

Never taking their foot of the gas throughout the set, ‘Smoke’ is pummelling tour-de-force, their trademark cover of Budgie’s ‘Breadfan’ is positively riotous, and closer ‘Sun & Moon’ – a mainstay on Planet Rock’s airwaves for several months now – sounds like it was custom built for stadia. Judging by the adulation Florence Black get at the end of their hard rock masterclass, we wouldn’t bet against them climbing up festival bills and conquering larger venues very soon.

Taking us into completely different musical realms, Buck & Evans fuse rock with soul and blues to startling effect. Sublime and almost Fleetwood Mac-esque opener ‘Slow Train’, which is only a couple of years old but already sounds like a bona fide classic, is delivered with verve and panache. Eponymous singer and keyboardist Sally Ann Evans’ soulful voice is truly faultless throughout and Chris Buck’s blues guitar playing is genuinely awe-inspiring at times – especially on their cover of Otis Redding’s ‘I’ve Got Dreams To Remember’, which builds to a virtuoso and jaw-dropping solo from Chris.

True, their music might be finely polished and serious, but Buck & Evans’ on-stage patter is absolutely hilarious at times. After Sally Ann stands up for one number, Chris quips with the crowd “That’s the height of our stage show – Sally Ann gets up and then sits down!”, he also jokes at one point: “If only my grandad could see me now. He’d be so proud, he used to come to Porthcawl on holiday.” Great stuff.

With Blaze Bayley forced to pull out after getting Covid, Stone Broken only received the call a week ago to step in for the former Iron Maiden frontman at Planet Rockstock. From the moment they step on The Main Stage in front of a rammed-to-the-rafters room and launch into a powerful rendition of ‘Stay All Night’ and a bruising ‘Doesn’t Matter’, it’s clear the Walsall quartet were the perfect replacement.

Despite being Stone Broken’s first show in five months – and their first indoor gig since pre-pandemic – the band are a formidable live force tonight as they serve up gargantuan chugging riffs and an onslaught of colossal tunes. Established Stone Broken anthems like ‘Worth Fighting For’ and ‘The Devil You Know’ are typically towering, and there's an exclusive treat for the Rockstock crowd as frontman Rich Moss announces new tune ‘Black Sunrise’. With its refrain of “Black sunrise, fall into the shadows again”, it hints at very special things to come from the band when album number 3 eventually lands.

Later, the night takes a poignant turn when a visibly emotional Rich stands alone on stage and pays tribute to their close friend, late Wolf Jaw frontman Tom Leighton who sadly passed away last month. Launching into a stunning and emotionally charged version of ‘Wait For You’ in Tom’s honour, there’s barely a dry eye in the room.

Six years on from their last fabled appearance at Planet Rockstock, Lowestoft’s beloved sons The Darkness are back at Trecco Bay ahead of the release of their fervently awaited new album ‘Motorheart.’ Looking resplendent as ever in a vibrant shirt, Justin Hawkins is in fine comedic form from the offset and jokes with the crowd “Are you guys social distancing?! I wish I could be among you, but... I’m frightened.”

Proceedings kick off with a barnstorming first live outing of new number 'Welcome Tae Glasgae’ before The Darkness dispatch ‘You’re Really Growing On Me’ (featuring fine cowbell playing from Frankie Poullain). Melding new tracks like 'Nobody Can See Me Cry' with old classics from their distinguished musical arsenal, The Darkness are in imperious form and flaunt their scintillating musicianship on every track. Not even a wardrobe malfunction when Frankie’s platform heel falls off his shoe is enough to stop them in their collective tracks.

After performing with his top off midway through the set, Justin returns in a trademark skin-tight catsuit with tassels and jokes “I’m not sure when Rear of the Year 2022 voting opens but I’ve worked really hard on this.” He then proceeds to perform an obligatory headstand on stage as the band fire into ‘Get Your Hands Off My Woman.’

Truly saving the best for last, however, The Darkness return for an encore of their signature tune ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ and their pension plan, the festive anthem ‘Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)’ with Justin sporting a Santa hat. It may be November 13th, but the Rockstock crowd don't want to let the bells end...

Planet Rockstock 2021 - Thursday review

Planet Rockstock 2021 - Friday review

Planet Rockstock 2021 - Sunday review

Saturday at Planet Rockstock 2021 in photos:

Now see:

PHOTOS: Thursday at Planet Rockstock 2021

PHOTOS: Friday at Planet Rockstock 2021

PHOTOS: Sunday at Planet Rockstock 2021

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• planet rockstock
• the darkness
• stone broken
• florence black
• edenthorn