With many regular attendees – and there are many – this was the first HRH with an international line up since Covid 19 struck it’s blow to both music and travel industries.

It’s refreshing to see that overseas bands are so keen to play here and the audience appreciate them as much as the more home grown talent.

The team behind HRH are so friendly, you feel like family from the off. The check in process was easy and the venue has got to be the easiest in terms of moving between stages and facilities.

The security staff were friendly and polite, as were the crews working in all the bars and food outlets. On the whole all on-site facilities were excellent.

So what’s not to like? There are regular comments about the height of the stages and lack of visibility, people standing in the seated area (that does strike me as one thing that could be changed going forward) and people being too tall!

Do you know what, short or tall, we have all paid our money to see the bands – there is no height restriction on this festival. My plan is always to try and see a mix of newer bands and check out the familiar names too.

Thursday: White Raven Down / Twister / Gorilla Riot / Black Aces / The Darkness

Having won the ‘Young Blood’ award, the preceding evening, it was no surprise that when White Raven Down kicked off proceedings properly for HRH XV, they set about blowing the roof off, what an opening set.

This 3 piece were on fire with an impassioned set that exceeded expectations, Stu has matured into the role of frontman and lead guitarist, no doubt exciting times ahead for this band and well-deserved too.

Next up are Twister and I for one loved them, a 4 piece delivering an awesome energetic and lively set – definitely a band to watch out for!

Gorilla Riot follow; they are a 5 piece hailing from Manchester and giving HRH XV a taste of dirty rock ‘n’ roll with a blues influence. This is the set of the night for me, the groove and the rhythm matched by the gravelly vocals of Arjun are just sublime. The band asked for drinks and got shots delivered on stage.

Black Aces have made it here all the way from Australia, close your eyes and they could be the new AC/DC, the style is clear in their material and wow, do they know how to rock.

The party is definitely gearing up as we head towards the headline slot. Catch them if you can while they are here!

So from Oz to local band, The Darkness take the stage with a blistering set, packed full of classic tracks and plenty of audience interaction.

Justin doesn’t waste much time before he’s tacking his personal mobile phone war, taking phones off audience members and tucking them into his trousers, hilarious.

A fabulous, fun set which is everything you’d expect from The Darkness, a band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously, yet are superb musicians – they are marmite, but I love them and as does most of HRH XV given the response.

Day 1 superb!

Friday: Ransom / The Outlaw Orchestra / Gypsy Pistoleros / Blitz / Skid Row

So today’s Stage 2 opener is none other than Ransom, fronted by Matt Fielder, this is man passionate about live music, he’s an articulate bloke with a sensitive soul who radiates energy like a kid on a Christmas Eve – once met never forgotten!

Now Ransom are an established rock’n’roll band who deliver a great time taking live music ‘Back To The Boozer’, it’s their material that packs a few punches and has a message.

This is no average pub band, this is a band who deserve some attention. Matt is an engaging frontman who knows how to work the crowd, they may not be up and coming, but what’s wrong with “established yet still challenging”? Well worth a listen/watch.

Next up for me on Stage one was The Outlaw Orchestra, who encourage those of us who are feeling fragile, to get back on that horse.

This 3 piece band are from the deep south – of the UK – with a love of country rock n’ roll and a good time.

By the time they have finished their set, with a Beatles cover ’Come Together’, they have converted a few more to the cause. They are the perfect antidote for Friday afternoon to blow away any cobwebs, warm us up and get us in the mood for what’s to follow.

Gypsy Pistoleros – absolute hands down set of the weekend for me, what a stage presence, what a performance, what a set!

This band – a 4 piece, hailing from Worcester with Lee Jones at the helm – have not been together long, but they work really well together and the impact on stage is instantaneous and electric.

They are unique, completely unique, never have I heard such a blend of styles merge so successfully that you’d struggle to label it (don’t bother trying) but the set is blistering.

The tempo is fast and the energy off the scale – think living la Vida Loco on acid and you’re getting close!

Next up are BlitZ on stage 2 deliver a blistering classic rock set that sounds so familiar but is original. They are soon playing to a packed room, they have a slight hitch with lead guitar but that won’t get in the way of good old rock n roll and with impassioned pleas to carry on supporting live music.

This band live and breathe rock ‘n’ roll. Skilled musicianship, lyrics that are reminiscent of their influences, this is a quest for rock perfection, many new fans won over.

Skid Row’s Snake has Covid, so his guitar tech took over duties and what a step up to the mantle that was! When they opened with ‘Slave To The Grind’, you forgot about the lack of Snake and just went with it!

The set flew by and before long, there was a full-on core group centre stage who were jumping around madly – they had said there would be a mosh pit, not sure it reached that but it was pretty energetic!

With a three-song encore, including the amazing ‘I Remember You’, a track off the new album, ‘Time Bomb’ before closing out with ‘Youth Gone Wild’ leaving a very happy audience in their wake!

Saturday: Baranovich / Gin Annie / Muddibrooke / Revival Black

How is it only Saturday (LOL)?. Baranovich kick thyings off – a 5 piece with soaring vocals and guitar skills on the Flying V.

The room fills up nicely during their set. With good original material, from ballads to pure rock, a frontman who knows how to work the crowd, and skilled musicianship this is a band to watch.

The band I have been looking forward to the most today is Gin Annie and they don’t disappoint! A band formed in 2018, they released an album just prior to Covid 19 and then live music stopped.

With a packed room from the off, the set by the 5 piece is electric from the opener ‘Save Me’. By the time they launch in the ‘Devil In Me’ they are well and truly in command of the mothership that is HRH XV.

This band come alive on stage, their recorded work is amazing but it is like chalk/cheese to see them perform it live. They were most certainly ‘Born to Rock n Roll’!

Muddibrooke were a late addition to the bill, a 3 piece from Leicester. Their original bass player was unable to perform, still they pulled off the gig with a sub on bass (amazing work!). This band have talent and now it is all about channelling it. I am sure they are going places, another to watch.

Revival Black are next, and I am curious to see how the change of line up works as I’ll confess I thought Daniel Byrne bought a lot to their party on lead vocals. However, Kim Jennett (Voodoo Blood) is now at the helm on a temporary basis at least and all I can say is WOW!

That lady has bought an entirely new energy to this band, and they deliver a non-stop set to a packed room – I am won over and I think many others are too.

A few too many beers may have been imbibed over the weekend by a fair few of us, it is fair to say that the HRH family certainly know how to party and then some!

What a great atmosphere, the incredibly impressive line-up, reunions of HRH regulars, making new friends, catching up with old friends, there is something about this festival that is unique and addictive. So, plans are being hatched for HRH XVI 2023, see you there!

Stand Out Sets of the Weekend:
•   Gypsy Pistoleros
•   White Raven Down
•   Gorilla Riot
•   Gin Annie
•   Revival Black

Review by Karen Clayton
Some photos used from other events

Here’s a link to a playlist that I created to accompany my long drive to Great Yarmouth, it has songs for every band at HRH XV – give it a listen, you may just find some new favourites…

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 14 April

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UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 9 April 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 29 April 2024

BRIGITTE PURDY Sugar Fried Candy (Dirtshack Records)
ATTIC THEORY The Legacy (indie)
THE HOWLERS I Need Your Love (indie)
VELVETEEN QUEEN Bad Reputation (indie)
WILLS AND THE WILLING Scuffed Knees (Smash & Grab Music Ltd)
READY THE PRINCE Still Believe (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 29 April 2024

09:00-12:00 PRAYING MANTIS Defiance (Frontiers)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023

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