Much-loved Welsh mountainside rock and metal weekender the Steelhouse Festival has been through the wringer this year and last, but are set to triumph over the odds. Looking ahead to its return this weekend, Owen Scourfield salutes their nerves of steel.
The winding road up the mountain to Hafod Y Dafal Farm is a bumpy one on the best of days. Following last year’s postponement of the festival’s 10th anniversary, organisers have had their fair share of extra twists and turns; but just a few weeks ago, rockers across Wales and beyond heard the news they had been hoping for. Steelhouse Festival is go.
Getting the green light from the Welsh Government must have been a huge weight off the shoulders on the festival organisers. Furthermore, the news is a true positive for the summer and a reward for the Steelhouse followers for their patience and understanding – sticking with the event and wanting the festival to move forward.
On the back of the last 16 months, it was inevitable that the ongoing pandemic would require extra measures to be put in place. This has not dampened the mood of the army of rockers who will descend on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons next weekend. Festival organisers are very keen to have the festival run as smoothly and as safely as possible for everyone involved. They also had the following message for everyone attending:
“All day tickets are sold out and with only a handful of weekend tickets left the festival is on target be a sell out this year.
It will be a requirement that everyone take a Lateral Flow Test (LFT) on the morning of arrival, no exceptions. Everyone attending must present a negative test result via phone, tablet or print-out along with valid photo-ID along with your tickets. YOU WILL NOT GAIN ACCESS WITHOUT A NEGATIVE TEST.
We have worked closely with the local authority and Public Health Wales in accordance with COVID-compliant guidelines and we are setting in place a list of measures that will ensure the health and safety of everyone on the mountain.
We are confident this year’s festival will be a transformative and uplifting experience for rock fans, particularly after such a fallow period without live music. The excitement is palpable.”
The COVID effect on Steelhouse doesn’t end there. Unfortunately, current travel restrictions have seen disruption to what was a great lineup of bands: both Europe and H.E.A.T. are unable to make it in 2021, with headliners Anthrax also having cancelled earlier in the year.
Steelhouse promoters Mikey Evans and Max Rhead added: “We looked at every practical way to get both Europe and H.E.A.T. over to the UK for Steelhouse. It was also hoped that guidance would change in time for their appearance – ultimately, though, it’s come to the point where we all had to call it. At this point we’d just like to thank both bands and their representatives for trying their very best to make it happen – their commitment to that end is massively appreciated. Fear not, though, they will both return to Steelhouse in the not-too-distant future.”
On the back of this news, Steelhouse instantly confirmed that two great British acts and indeed friends of the festival, Uriah Heep and Stone Broken, had stepped into the voids left on the bill.
As disappointed as many will be, and as cool as it would have been to hear The Final Countdown ring out atop a mountain in the Welsh valleys, there is still a feast of music on show across the weekend. Phil Campbell (of Motörhead fame) & The Bastard Sons, The Quireboys and Raveneye top Friday evening’s opening night. On Saturday, Bridgend boys Those Damn Crows return to the festival and sit nicely in a support slot to Therapy?. Headlining duties fall to British rock royalty The Darkness: no doubt Justin Hawkins and co have a few tricks up their sleeves. Finally, Sunday is filled with sets from late addition Stone Broken, blues legend and Whitesnake founder member Bernie Marsden, and the aforementioned Uriah Heep.
Following further guidelines and changes in the restrictions made by the Welsh Government last week, it feels like a positive move for the music, arts and entertainment venues and events across Wales this summer; Steelhouse Festival is a worthy event to kickstart the Welsh live music industry. See you on the mountain!
Steelhouse Festival, Hafod Y Dafal Farm, nr Ebbw Vale, Fri 23-Sun 25 July. Tickets: £110/£65 per day. Info: www.steelhousefestival.com
words OWEN SCOURFIELD