Winter's End 2023 – meet the bands
Listen to all 21 artists performing at Trecco Bay
Last updated 14th Dec 2022
Returning for a sixth year in 2023, Planet Rock presents Winter’s End moves to the new location of Trecco Bay – home of Planet Rockstock – in South Wales from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th February 2023.
The three-day rock extravaganza features 21 established and upcoming rock acts on one Main Stage.
The final weekend tickets (accommodation and non-accommodation) are available to buy now! Day tickets are also on sale NOW and cost £40 on the Friday, and £55 on the Saturday and Sunday.
Event tickets are included as part of the accommodation tickets - for example, a 3 bedroom Unit for 6 people = 6 event tickets.
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Winter’s End 2023 – meet the bands:
FRIDAY 3RD FEBRUARY:
Elles Bailey:
It’s sometimes said that great good can come through adversity – and our Friday night headliner Elles Bailey is living, singing proof of that. Her distinctively soulful, notably smoky voice is at least partly the result of a childhood illness. While she was fortunate to survive a potentially grave viral condition, it left her with a uniquely charismatic tone to her voice, something her talent has enabled her to develop far beyond the realm of most. With third album ‘Shining in The Half Light’ offering reflective, bluesy soul honed by impassioned, sassy hooks, the Bristol-born singer more than deserves the attention her distinctive songwriting and studio craft is delivering. As well as setting stages afire with her emotive live shows, she’s also Planet Rock’s newest presenter – check out her Saturday lunchtime show, or listen again on catch-up.
Kira Mac:
If you were seeking a visual reference to illustrate the term ‘fast-rising’, you could do a lot worse than pointing to a photo of Kira Mac. In the past year, the Mancunians have had four songs playlisted by Planet Rock, conquered their first festivals and are now contemplating sold out dates on a first headline tour – and that’s all before making their Winter’s End debut. It’s been a rocket ride for the hard-working, hard-rocking quintet, fronted by the powerhouse talents of vocalist Rhiannon Hill (she doesn’t mind if you call her Kira!). Debut singles ‘One Way Ticket’ and ‘Dead Man Walking’ caught the attention of most red-blooded hard rock fans, before the uber heavy ‘Hit Me Again’ and current video ‘Mississippi Swinging’ proved it was no fluke. Make no mistake, Kira Mac is the real thing. Watch them at Trecco Bay in February and have some serious bragging rights when they’re blazing a trail through arenas.
Connor Selby:
Voted Young Artist Of The Year in three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022) in the UK Blues Awards, Connor Selby might draw on influences as diverse as Eric Clapton, Free, Van Morrison and B.B. King, but he remains very much his own man. Still in his mid-20s, Connor released his self-titled album in September 2021, immediately lighting a fire with anyone who appreciates the soulful side of traditional blues rock. Certainly the songwriting and deft playing bears comparison to those names now enshrined in legend, but Connor’s fresh and sometimes deeply personal, introspective songwriting is the thing that really rings true. It’s also the thing that might just elevate him to similar greatness.
Gypsy Pistoleros:
Unique, challenging and relentlessly entertaining, Gypsy Lee Pistolero and his mysterious troupe of rock n’ roll outlaws absolutely live up to their billing - the world's greatest flamenco sleaze glam rock n’ roll band! These seasoned rockers (they’ve played alongside Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses) might start off in a familiar enough place – punky glam rock – but every song has the outlaw spirit of flamenco rumba tattooed across its gnarly skin. It might be a cliché to say that love or loathe them, you can’t ignore them, but in the case of this head-on collision of styles and folklore, it’s true. You don’t get far by compromising, and Lee has certainly never done that. These irresistible tunes tip their cowboy hats to all that’s been great about rock’s sleazier side to date, while adding a whole lot more to an already spicy mix. Gypsy Pistoleros are coming to town – you won’t wanna miss this.
Beth Blade And The Beautiful Disasters:
When you stand back and actually look at what Beth Blade has accomplished, you have to regard her band as one of the most deserving young outfits in the country – especially in the wake of their ferociously rocking new album ‘Mythos, Confession, Tragedies & Love’. They’ve already performed on the fabled KISS Kruise and supported everyone from Tyketto to Massive Wagons, while the exorbitantly talented Beth has sung backing vocals on chart-challenging Thunder albums. After recently opening up on how she survived an appalling experience in her personal life, it’s clear that music and art is her salvation. In the hands of Beth Blade – passionate writing, huge hooks and feral guitars – you’ll not only be rooting for her; you’ll be banging your head in time like a mad wo/man.
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SATURDAY 4TH FEBRUARY:
Von Hertzen Brothers:
Progressive art? Classic rock? Folk-punk? Any serious study of the Von Hertzen Brothers’ music will probably evoke those descriptions merely as starting points. The truth is, this unique Finnish collective – featuring, as the name suggests, three brothers – have their own inimitable identity. Their music seems to come from some place far removed from the routine, perhaps a fortunate confluence of background, life experience, influence and individual talents. And theirs is no random, scattershot accumulation of myriad styles – it’s a single breathing organism. The Von Hertzens make every song their own, from the sweepingly positive ‘New Day Rising’ to the stop-and-stare beauty of ‘All Of Sudden, You’re Gone’. Never less than compelling, we can’t wait to see what they bring to their Winter’s End headline slot on the Saturday night.
Oli Brown & The Dead Collective:
Fresh from a UK tour supporting no less an act than 70s power pop luminaries Cheap Trick, the road to success is opening up for the eminently deserving Oli Brown, a purveyor of articulate, cultured hard rock – with blazing guitar solos very much to the fore. The Norfolk-born six-stringer cut his teeth on the blues, quickly winning acclaim from both public and peers. He even stepped in as John Mayall’s lead guitar player when Rocky Athos was unable to perform on a UK tour. Oli caught a whole new range of ears with the more garage-inclined hard rock of RavenEye, but more recently branched out on his own, bringing both his seasoned songwriting and emotive soloing skills into sharp focus. That’s the Dead Collective – a hugely welcome addition to Winter’s End.
Cardinal Black:
Cardinal Black played at last year’s event and they’re the only band to make an immediate return. There’s one very obvious reason for this – their stellar talents gave us all goose bumps! Planet Rock’s review of 2022’s Winter’s End compared the Cardiff soulsters’ music to “moments in life, sometimes just snapshots, that stay with you forever”. It’s partly the outrageous gifts of guitarist Chris Buck, a man who only plays the notes that matter, the ones that reach you on a human level, and it’s partly Tom Hollister’s equally from-the-heart vocals. When it comes to emotion, theirs is the perfect storm. Overall though, the quartet are one of the most naturally capable outfits you’ll see on any stage in the world. The prospect of hearing them play the rousing ‘Tell Me How It Feels’ and ‘Rise Up’ is exciting enough – and expect the heart-breaking ‘Jump In’ to once again bring hushed awe to Winter’s End.
Daxx & Roxane:
Although clearly inspired by classic rock, this Swiss band is musically lithe enough to stand apart. Now based in London, the quartet’s freewheeling, tuneful rock will hit sweet spots familiar to fans of AC/DC and Mötley Crüe, but they use their own route map to reach them. The band was handpicked as main support at HIM’s final UK show in December 2017, giving some idea of the adrenaline rush they habitually create. There’s an innate positivity to these songs too, evinced most clearly by the effervescent ‘Ticket To Rock’ and ‘Interstellar’ – the video for the latter was exclusively premiered on Planet Rock. Daxx & Roxane have been around for a while, but their ever-evolving originality could mean that this Winter’s End slot is more a hello than a goodbye.
Austin Gold:
A name on the lips of all those clued into modern hard rock, Austin Gold are a late but very special addition to our already packed Winter’s End bill. Led by charismatic, leonine frontman David James Smith, these Peterborough-based hard rockers somehow combine passion and soul with instantly memorable tunes. Forget convention – this is music that takes you on a ride; songs that speak of wide open spaces and deeply buried emotions. It rocks hard, but with one hand on its heart. Take recent single ‘Mountain’, surely a breakthrough track for the band, in which David implores us to take stock and appreciate what’s around us, hidden in plain sight, while new album ‘Those City Lights’ recruits us as passengers on a journey that visits every emotion conceivable. This is a band moving into the fast lane, and with its collective diary rapidly filling for 2023 this is one Winter’s End debut you won’t want to miss.
Last Flight To Pluto:
Everyone needs a break from convention, a breather away from norm – even when the ‘norm’ happens to be classic rock! The eloquent, more thoughtful musicality of Last Flight To Pluto certainly offers a change of pace – this is a band that melds progressive nuance from carefully blended hard rock roots. At the centre of it all is powerhouse vocalist/guitarist Alice Freya who composes these signature tunes alongside songwriting partner Darren Joseph, who plays drums. With this outfit, expect longer journeys with interesting destinations and diversions along the way. While extended instrumental passages enable talents to shine, the music stamps on the accelerator when it needs to, and everything’s ably tied together by Alice’s charismatic vocals. The only thing to expect is the unexpected.
Untamed Silence:
Coming together not long before a global pandemic put the stoppers on just about everything, it’s probably no exaggeration to say that Untamed Silence are ready to make a very big noise indeed. Their thunderous heavy rock incorporates hues of psych-blues and prog, and it’s already got them noticed – the quartet were selected to play two shows with British rock legends Saxon in November. Singer Debbie Wade fronts the hard-riffing outfit with aplomb, her somewhat melancholic but deeply compelling songwriting giving the band an edgy darkness – one that won’t be lost on fans of traditional hard rock any more than it will be on fans of quirky singer-songwriters such as Alanis Morrissette. With guitarist David Jones striving to ‘never use the same guitar sound twice’, their Winter’s End debut will be a must-see.
The Forged Hearts:
A relatively new band that made their live debut in June 2022, The Forged Hearts are a good reason to begin your Saturday early. Inspired by the greats of classic rock, the Northern Irish band released its self-titled debut, a three-track EP in July. Previously known as Safire, they acquired a solid reputation on the Belfast scene, but following the rigours of the pandemic they decided to reinvent themselves – with the same line-up – in harder, more metallic form. The results have been worth waiting for, with singer Saffron belting out razor-sharp melodies atop walls of riff-hungry guitars. It isn’t trying to re-write the rule book – it’s vintage melodic rock the way you like it; heavy and tuneful, as songs like ‘I Touched The Fire’ quickly prove. And the best thing about The Forged Hearts? Their story has only just begun.
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SUNDAY 5TH FEBRUARY:
Kris Barras Band:
Nobody who attended the Steelhouse Festival in 2021 could forget the look on Kris Barras’ face when the crowd carried on singing ‘My Parade’ long after the final notes had been struck. Singalongs might not be unusual at festivals, but this was then a brand new song, not heard by anyone before. It was a memorable signal, indicating just how far Kris and his band have risen, not merely in a statistical, commercial way, but in terms of their artistry. New album ‘Death Valley Paradise’ is full of songs that connect every bit as hard as the frontman’s fists did during his days as an MMA fighter. Blues-based, rocket-powered, but shot through with relatable experience, these are the type of guitar-heavy anthems that’ll bring this year’s Winter’s End to a power-packed climax. So expect singalongs. Lots of ‘em.
The Virginmarys:
The Virginmarys are that least predictable of things – a duo that sounds like a quartet. Frontman Ally Dickaty and drummer Danny Dolan are well versed in kicking up anti-establishment storms via punk-fuelled rock that’s as well crafted as it is rowdy. They veer from the explosive alt rock of ‘Just A Ride’ from their 2013 debut to edgy tracks like this year’s ‘The Meds’ which describes the perils of using alcohol to soften the pressures of everyday life. Then there’s ‘You’re A Killer’ from the new ‘Devil Keeps Coming’ EP which again offers a release from the mundane frustrations of making ends meet. “Same old newsflash, same old story…same old Labour, same old Tories,” Ally growls in the latter. Ally and Danny bring this much needed catharsis to the Winter’s End stage in what’ll undoubtedly be an explosive special guest slot. We can’t wait.
Xander And The Peace Pirates:
“Playing with only one arm taught me a lot of patience, because in the beginning I couldn’t even hit the strings,” says Keith Xander, singer and guitarist of Xander and the Peace Pirates. “If I can do it, anyone can.” Even when you’ve got over the frontman’s remarkable ability – he plays using a plectrum held in place by a prosthetic limb – you’ll still marvel at this band’s haunting riffs and genius melodies. Combining soul, blues and rock, their unique charms were discovered by Gibson boss Henry Juszkiewicz and they’ve gone on to play alongside six-string royalty like Joe Bonamassa, Bernie Marsden and Joe Satriani. Too introspective, too soulful to be labelled ‘heavy rock’, Xander And The Peace Pirates nevertheless leave big footprints. In fact, they’re a testament to musical integrity and personal strength.
Troy Redfern:
Most recently seen supporting the fast-rising When Rivers Meet on a nationwide tour, the abundantly gifted Troy Redfern undoubtedly won more than a few new fans himself. A free-spirited, blues-inclined musician, his often astonishing slide guitar playing twists timeless themes to his own ends. Tone, feel and grooves are his working tools, but that’s only the start of it – such gifts are nothing more than dressing unless you have the songs, and in new album ‘The Wings Of Salvation’, Troy proves he has those in abundance. There’s something enjoyably timeless about the charismatic singer/guitarist’s work – it’s music that references both the old and new, encompassing numerous vistas and seeming to come from many homes. How stardom has evaded Troy so far is beyond us – perhaps 2023 will be his year.
The Karma Effect:
The Karma Effect pretty much swept us off our feet when they emerged, seemingly from nowhere (although they’re actually from London!), at the tail end of that dreadful year, 2020, with the superbly positive and still resonant ‘Testify’. The no less vivacious ‘Steal You Heart’, released a year later, proved this was no one-off. Like a joyous collision of The Black Crowes with a touch of The Answer’s gospel-tinged vocals, the band is – as uber talented frontman Henry Gottelier puts it: “a 21st century take on the blues-infused vintage rock n’ roll sound”. This is no nostalgia trip, though – The Karma Effect may walk to the beat of past legends but they’ve also got a modern swagger that puts them among the most exciting young British bands today.
The Zac Schulze Gang:
If you want a fiery, propulsive, high energy take on traditional blues-based rock – and frankly, why wouldn’t you – Zac Schulze and his mates are a go-to festival choice. Completed by Zac’s brother Ben on drums and bassist Ant Greenwell, they might be seen as a more modern and certainly youthful version of the traditional power trio. This is one Gang that keeps the music to the fore but pours an energy into it that can only come from a new generation, determined to make its mark. Formed in Gillingham in 2020, they’ve been storming their local scene with a mixture of up-tempo blues, rock and pop originals and covers. Watch ‘em go.
WYNT:
Fresh from a variety of high-profile appearances this summer, including the Isle of Wight Festival and playing alongside Twin Atlantic at Swansea’s The Big Indie Festival, this well versed but gloriously earthy outfit are to make their Winter’s End debut on Sunday. A five-piece rock band, they’ve got some indie in their musical blood too, making them harder to predict that your average pub band. In fact, it’s all about tickling the emotions with these guys, so prepare for heart-on-sleeve rock with stirring melodies and poignant lyrics. If you’re wondering about the name – they grew up just outside Cardiff in Rhondda Cynon Taff, in the shadow of an ancient stone tower known locally as Billy Wynt.
Silverkord:
The brainchild of frontman Will Miles, Silverkord was technically formed in 2016 by the London-based vocalist and guitarist, but – thanks to the pandemic and other factors – is only now really coming to the boil. And it’s largely because Will – in a productive musical partnership with My Vitriol drummer Ravi Kesavaram – wanted to be absolutely certain he’d perfected his own vision before presenting it to others. The result is a visceral alternative metal band comparable to Audioslave and boasting huge sonics, the latter the result of their intense studio work. Now completed by guitarist Russ Martin and bassist Kumar Kay, Winter’s End marks an important debut as they start to bring their vast sound to festival stages.