9/8/2018 The Great British Beer Festival

Amazingly enough, I had never been to the Great British Beer Festival before. When I heard that this year Planet Rock were putting on live bands for one of the days it seemed too good to miss! One of the bands I was particularly interested in seeing was a Welsh lot called Fireroad. I'd only heard one song by them before but I thought it was really good. That song was 'I Got Sound' and I was listening to it on my phone as I got off the train at Olympia. I'm pretty sure they were still on their first song when I got into the venue and approached the stage just after 14.00 when the live music was due to start - I don't think I missed a single song - and they didn't play 'I Got Sound'! The only time I got to hear that song today was on my phone earlier. Ironically, I only discovered Fireroad when I heard Nicky Horne playing that song on his old show on Team Rock Radio, and although Planet Rock are organising the live music today I've never heard that song or anything else by Fireroad on the station. Odd.

They are excellent musicians and a good band with original songs and a gritty classic hard rock sound. I thought a song called 'Second Hand Soldier' was particularly good as well as being topical. I felt they blew it towards the end of their set by playing a bunch of well known classic rock covers and ending up sounding like an ordinary pub band. I know they can do better than that. And they could have bloody played 'I Got Sound'!

Then it was off for the other business of the day - beer!

Needless to say, there were far too many ales on offer to attempt to sample more than a tiny fraction. However, there were plenty that looked interesting, and some that I had to try!

The next artist on the music bill was Mollie Mariott. This is the late Steve Marriott's daughter striking out on her own musical career. She has recently released her first solo album 'Truth Is A Wolf' and most of her set is taken from this. Her style mixes rock, blues, and soul - with the emphasis being on soul. She is a very good singer and has a relaxed and easy on-stage manner. Her band is very good too - tight but fluid.

I am reminded a bit of Lynne Jackaman - formerly of Saint Jude but now also striking out on her own as 'Jackaman', although there is less rock in the set I hear today from Ms Marriott. This lady has been heard quite a bit on Planet Rock over the past year dueting with Bad Touch - who are also on the bill today. Their song 'Baby Get It On' really rocks and features some searing vocals from Mollie - something I'm hoping might happen later today.... All too soon the set is over and the singer announces that this is the end of the 'Truth Is A Wolf' era and she has a new album in the pipeline. I look forward to hearing what she does next.

More beer, then it's back to the stage to check out Danny Bryant. He's a better guitar player than he is a singer, but I wasn't that impressed to be honest and wondered how he got on the bill? OK, he rocks it up more than the previous act but I couldn't warm to him.

He acts flash with the guitar pyrotechnics, but this seems more the sort of thing I'd expect to see in a local pub on a Saturday night and I don't think lives up to the hype. Maybe this should have been today's opening act? So, going back to the pub vibe...

Back to the music stage to see The Dust Coda. I've not heard much by this band so I'm not really sure what to expect.

They are one of those bands who don't look much like a band - more like rock hipsters, but they give me the biggest surprise of the day. They are really good! Their music is edgy hard rock, but with a modern twist. Maybe more of an alt/grunge influence rather than the classic rock sound of the other bands on the bill - Mollie Marriott excepted. I found their music hard rocking and interesting - without entering into metal or prog territory. The Dust Coda were good performers and by far the most original sounding act of the day.

More beer.....

Next band were Bad Touch. This was far more classic rock territory, and I got the impression all the band members live in homes with walls papered by Led Zeppelin posters! Less than original in look or sound, but I thought they were very good and had songs a cut above average.

Bad Touch are excellent musicians who actually look like a rock band, are entertaining, and put on a good show. This was quality stuff, and the only disappointment was that the hoped for duet with Mollie Marriot on 'Baby Get It On' never happened. You can't have everything I guess.

More beer....

Last band of the day are the oddly named Broken Witt Rebels. They look a bit of an odd mixture too, but they sound excellent.

They have quite a classic American 'Southern rock' sound, but are actually from Birmingham! Another interesting band who have potential to take it up to the next level although they are not the most interesting or memorable band on the bill. I wouldn't mind seeing them again though.

More beer...

Things start winding down after the last band, but it's been a good day out and excellent value for money. If Planet Rock are putting bands on again at next year's Great British Beer Festival then I'm sure I'll be back...