Gig review: SOLSTICE – Jellyman’s Mill, Kidderminster, 31 August 2025

September 5th, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

One of my favourite albums of the year is ‘Clann’ from long term prog rockers Solstice. For the past few months it has been a case of catchup as the only other album I was familiar with is ‘Prophecy’ reissued in 2013.

For newcomers there’s lots of stuff to explore including a free download of ‘Live At The Stables’ recorded in 2023. There is also a new digital only live release from the current tour.

They don’t embark on extensive tour dates and any live shows are rare and mostly south of the Midlands. So it was with some anticipation I made the trek to Kidderminster.

Jellyman’s Mill is now home to an arts charity and every so often is the venue for prog themed gigs organised by the so-called Sunday Club. This is what grass roots rock venues are all about and Jellymans is more makeshift than most and the location quite unique. It has an air of unfinished British Legion.

Solstice mainman Andy Glass had sussed out the vibe likening the atmosphere and surroundings to a social club. Perhaps bizarrely the gig started before 5pm with the band on stage at 6. It was all over by half seven.

Andy had also sussed that we could all be back in time to catch the latest episode of ’1923′. This early dart fits in perfectly with the somewhat ageing demographic. Time to spare for cocoa.

But there was nothing inanimate about Solstice’s performance. Like the current album vibrant and engaging from the start.

Naturally there was an emphasis on the latest album with ‘Life’ an inevitable highlight.

The band easily slip into funk mode with the tracks ‘Plunk’ and ‘Frippa’ from Clann. Chatting to Andy after the gig he confirmed that he is a great lover of “the groove” no doubt honed and preened by time as a sideman to Bill Withers.

It was Wongle No.9 from the album ‘Light Up’ that particularly stood out, highlighted by Glass and Leoni Jane Kennedy guitar sparring and an utterly compelling funk rhythm.

Kennedy had been brought in as band regular Dyane Crutcher was full of cold. She is another rising star in her own right.

I haven’t mentioned the other ladies. Ebony Buckle (who also played an excellent support set) provided backing vocals with Kennedy and shined on the excellent ‘Earthsong’.

The main vocalist is the excellent Jess Holland (The Emma Raducanu of Prog) who leads proceedings like a crazed dervish actively encouraging audience “prog dancing”. This specific phenomena was flagged up by event organiser Steve Gould at the outset. Maybe a step or steps too far for the more mature punter with back trouble.

Anyway, things moved up a notch for the band with Holland’s arrival in 2019.

Jenny Newman provides backing vocals and lyrical fiddle which also lent a Celtic clout to pieces like ‘Mount Ephraim’. It’s all well anchored down by Peter Hemsley (drums) and Robin Phillips (bass).

The mainman Andy ad libbed as keyboard player Steven McDaniel had continuing issues with his laptop/keyboard, a natural raconteur telling us that the band’s debut album ‘Silent Dance’ will be remastered and reissued in November.

There were no gremlins with his guitar playing. Glass is a master of restraint always driving the music forward and letting rip when appropriate. Perhaps we only lacked the fret meltdown of ‘Guardian’ in this setlist.

The band rounded off a unique and quite wonderful evening with ‘A New Day’ and encore ‘Morning Light’, one of their earliest pieces.

It begs the question why Solstice are not more widely known and seem only to attract a hardcore fan. Even some proggers may find the music a bit too jazz-fusion-y or funky. Perhaps it’s best not to brand them prog?

I realised why I find Solstice so absorbing as the music brings together various favourite elements of mine and over a lifetime of listening; an undeniable groove, a bit of Celtic, uplifting melodies…I could go on. The stage sometimes looks like a harem which is no bad thing either.

With a couple more festival events in October/November there are plans for more dates early next year and this time north of the Midlands.

With the hot spell of weather breaking and autumn calling the combination of great band and unusual venue brought late summer cheer and allayed any seasonal despondency.

Magnificent.

Review and photos by David Randall

Facebook photo gallery

• Firefly • Shout • Life • Plunk • Frippa • Earthsong • Wongle No.9 • Mount Ephraim • A New Day • Sacred Run • Morning Light

Album review (Clann, 2025)
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