t’s been a couple of years since I last made it to Rockwich, for various reasons. Prior to that it was a regular fixture on my summer festival schedule, for the simple reason that they somehow always managed to get hold of the best new rock bands JUST before they started to take off and hit the big time. The venue is great, a grass pitch for tents, and plenty of hardstanding areas for campervans and general parking, and it’s just 10 minutes off J19 of the M6 so easy to get to. There’s a big room with a stage, a cheap bar (hurrah), a decent-sized extra room for merch and we even get to use the changing area, as it doubles as both backstage and a welcome shower area for needy campers.  

Originally a one-day show on the Sunday, a laid-back acoustic warm-up on the Saturday evening was brought in a few years back to give those travelling and staying over something to do. This is what we’re here for tonight, and we started with Mis Adventure X. Who? You may say. Yeah, me too. But they turn out to be an acoustic duo covers band, only not doing the covers that you expect. The first song was Jimmy Eat World’s ‘The Middle’ which made me smile a lot, and then there was some Allter Bridge and a Levellers song, ‘Purple Rain’, ‘Zombie’; essentially they just played my record collection! Two guys, two guitars, 18 strings between them a decent voice became a perfectly acceptable way of starting the evening. Well played guys, I enjoyed that. 

Pete K Mally is our compere for the weekend, so to help get us into the groove he did a short stand-up set. I don't want to give you any spoilers about Pete's material, but what I can tell you is that Pete is one of us. He understands our scene, he's part of it, he's funny and engaging. He has sharp observational skills and his comedy is absolutely spot-on. He turns up at everything rock-related so he’s probably coming soon to an event near you – don’t miss him if that’s the case, he’s worth it. 

Slyder Smith is ex Last Great Dreamers and now doing his own thing with his own band Slyder Smith and the Oblivion Kids. Tonight he’s flying totally solo though, and I like to think of him as the ultimate troubadour. I imagine him in his slouch hat and waistcoat, guitar slung on his back and pointy boots kicking up dust on the weary road to Rockwich. In reality he’s just nipped down the M6 from Scotland in his car, but I think my version is more poetic somehow!  Either way Slyder has arrived and despite a broken string incident he gives us an upbeat set of his own material, some Dreamers songs and much to my delight a cracking singalong cover of Hanoi Rocks’ ‘Malibu Beach’. So yeah, a troubadour indeed. 

Beth Blade closes the night for us. This time despite being acoustic she's got most of her band the Beautiful Disasters with her - there's a drummer on a beatbox and a second guitarist and it’s all good. Beth has a great voice, she manages to combine power and range with a touch of down-to-earth humour. Music is her life, and from the off you can see her enjoying playing just as much as we are enjoying watching. She does two originals and then Janis Joplin's ‘Piece Of My Heart’. Now this is a song that's hard for any singer to do justice to but kudos to Beth, she owns it. The crowd are responding with enthusiasm, even to the songs they don't know, so the covers get an even more rapturous response. Her own song ‘Sacrifice’ (no not that one) is the ultimate power ballad, it's haunting and emotional but just to throw a curveball it has a bit of a sing-along chorus as well. Beth’s own songs are catchy and even when played acoustically they are laden with riffs and widdly bits of guitar. The whole set is a happy, cheerful performance that's energizing whilst still being fairly laid back. The set continues with a lusty singalong to Mr Big’s ‘To Be With You’, another tear-jerking ballad for those we have lost and her anthem ‘Ain't Got Nothing If I Ain't Got Rock and Roll’. If you thought that one was good for a bit of a bounce, hold on to your hat as she closes with a rousing shot at AC/DC’s  ‘Shoot To Thrill’ which blew the roof off.  

For a calm-before-the-storm acoustic night this was really good fun and my feet are hurting from dancing so much. Rockwich, it’s good to be back!