Lovers of Heavy music headed down to Mote Park for a second packed day. The storms that loomed at Maid Of Stone last night finally broke in the early morning, but had thankfully mostly passed when things got going, save for a bit of lingering rain.
Maid Of Stone Festival – Saturday
This rain stayed to watch blues rock troubadour Jack J Hutchinson at the ungodly and un-rock ‘n’ roll hour of 11.30 am, but early risers were in for a treat.
Jack J Hutchinson
Starting with Don’t Let The Fuckers Get You Down, good advice concerning the rain clouds, the band were a four-piece today with the guest appearance of Ash Wilson, providing additional guitar, joining his brother Phil Wilson and bassist Greg Smith.
This brought a new dimension to the already blistering live show, keeping the thunder to the stage instead of the sky. We could not let his comment that it always rains when he appears at a festival go by, so we asked him about this afterwards.
“Well, a few times, yes,” Jack confirmed. “I was in Switzerland, and we walked on, and a thunderstorm started and actually wiped out the amplifiers on the stage. We eventually got up and running again, but I was stood on a ramp down the end of the stage, willing it to become sunny again.” 
Maybe there is something here. We all have our homespun theories about which acts bring the weather, so we ought to get an analyst on to that. Maybe not today, though, we are way too busy having a good time, so we asked about the decision to perform as a four-piece.
“I’ve wanted to have a second guitarist for a really long time,” Jack said. “The Battles album was recorded with Josiah Manning, who played a lot of guitar on it, so we had loads of these layers.
“I’ve never been able to recreate it live, and I was chatting to Ash Wilson about potentially sitting in on a show. I thought this would be a really perfect opportunity because it’s a big stage, big crowd, we could beef up the sound a little bit, and it worked really well, I think.”
Jack looked right at home and relaxed on the big stage, and although there were no worries about the band’s performance, there were other concerns running through his mind.
“The biggest concern for me was if the rain came on the stage. I’m wearing these Jeffrey West boots that have no grip on, and I could be skidding across, falling off, but the boots managed to make it.
“I love playing on big stages because I can interact with the crowd and pull a lot of rock star poses as well.”
Big River
Over to the Firestarter Stage, Big River opened, clearly intent on making the most of their set, having to unfortunately drop out in 2024. Don’t Hold Out saw the band ease into a laid-back vein, with mandolin rhythms, before the drums kicked the core rock and roll essence into the song.
The title track from their 2022 E.P. Beautiful Trauma followed, which was a laid-back slice of slow blues, before a cover of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground changed the mood and proceedings, getting the increasing audience moving along with the band.
Fury
Midlands rockers Fury unleashed their own brand of adrenaline-fuelled mayhem on Mote Park. Now featuring two vocalists, with Julian Jenkins joined by Nyah Ifill, the two vocal styles provide extra intensity to the song delivery.
This is a band who are not scared to wear their influences on their sleeves, and songs like Prince Of Darkness had a serious NWOBHM feel to it.
Asking the expanding audience, “Do you like it fast? Do you like it Loud?” Fury cranked the intensity up another level.
Bobbie Dazzle
There was a lot of anticipation for the next act on Firestarter, and we were entertained by the wonderful glamour of Bobbie Dazzle. We are talking serious ’70s style glam rock here, albeit with a modern twist. She has it all, catchy tunes, on-stage personality and tons of sass.
Her songs are catchiness personified with seriously engaging singalong choruses. Merry Go Round sees Bobbie on flute, glam prog perhaps, but utterly infectious, while a tribute to Abba comes complete with a keytar solo.
A song written as a collaboration between Bobbie and her departed father, from whom she had discovered some lyrics he had written in his youth, combined with her new band’s music, had a groove similar to many of the early ’70s US glam bands.
Rosalie Cunningham
The perfect follow-up to Bobbie Dazzle’s glam is Rosalie Cunningham, bringing a change in tempo with wonderful psych-infused prog. 
Rosalie is fired up, possessing a haunting voice, at times reminiscent of Grace Slick, and a captivating persona.
There is a dark element at times to her songwriting, and it was clear she was intent on taking the audience on a long, strange, but satisfying trip this afternoon.
This was a strong set that enticed the punters, and she is an impressive performer.
With ‘Speedy’ Gonzales Diaz on bass and flute, Rosalie has the perfect foil to her own guitar flair, and guitarist Roscoe Wilson played and sang on a new piece, which is part of a forthcoming musical project expected to be released later this year.
Kim Jennett
If you thought things were getting a little laid back, Kim Jennett hit the stage with a rush of adrenaline and venom. This was a no-holds-barred performance as she ripped up the stage, her phenomenal vocal range showing what a highly impressive artist she is.
If there was a clear way to show the quality and range of her voice, then Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song was it. Those screams will be resounding for weeks.
This set was a real kick and set the Metal standard for the day. Kim is a consummate performer, and her approach and delivery in an intense rocking environment was outstanding.
The adrenaline was still coursing through Kim’s veins when we spoke to her after the performance, which she loved as much as we did. “It’s a step up from doing the acoustic last year,” she said, “and nice to bring my wonderful, talented band with me. The highlight was bringing Laurie Buchanan from The Hot Damn, joining us on guitar for the first time. She’s a fantastic player. She brought it!”
Drummer Paul White adds, “although she did forget to bring her antenna, her wireless, so she could only move within a two metre square – she still smashed it though.”
As if summoned by the mention of her name, Laurie herself appeared, so she was brought into the conversation too, saying how nice it was to be only the guitarist instead of all the extra tasks with her main band. “I can focus on rocking out,” she said. “I like working with other people, it keeps you on your toes, keeps things fresh.”
There is a lot going on for Kim, but she said she can’t speak about a lot of it. We did our best to tease out her plans, and she cryptically started to say that she could tell us that she had a dog called Elvis.
Our powers of persuasion did not have a chance to get to work on this occasion, as Kim then got buzzed by a wasp and chased it down into the distance, shouting profanities. That’s a wrap then.
Florence Black
The afternoon at this point moved up a gear with the more metallic performance of Welsh rockers Florence Black. Following the gauntlet thrown down by Kim Jennett, these boys brought their A game to the afternoon proceedings.
On their second performance at Maid Of Stone, they produced a perfectly cut set which brought the crowds flocking to the front of the stage for some much-needed headbanging.
Probably the heaviest band of the day, they served up a tasty riff-laden show, taking no prisoners in a shred-heavy guitar fest.
In another first for the weekend, a circle pit opened up, which, considering one of us is on a lifetime ban from pits, we observed at a reasonably safe distance.
Sophie Lloyd
This was turning into a shred-fest of an afternoon which continued when Sophie Lloyd not only thrilled but turned the afternoon into a who’s who of the current rock scene with a number of guest vocalists joining her on stage.
The energy produced by Sophie and her band was incredible and the atmosphere intoxicating. If there was a way to win over the crowd, then an instrumental version of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck was it.
With special guest Marisa Rodriguez guesting on Won’t You Come, they ripped up what was becoming a rapidly warming afternoon. Nathan James from Inglorious joined for a high-octane couple of songs, including Do Or Die, before Black Cherry’s lead singer, Chris Robertson, entered the stage for Let it Hurt.
South Of Salem
Last year’s main stage sensations South Of Salem returned this year for a low-key acoustic VIP set. The novelty of seeing this explosive melodic horror Metal band confined to a small stage and reduced decibels ensured that a large crowd had gathered well in advance of them taking the stage.
Frontman Joey Draper declared that he was well out of his comfort zone as only four-fifths of the band were present, and he felt out of place sitting down and staying still.
A perfect stride was very soon reached, though, and mass sing-alongs took place to the likes of Hellbound Heart and Pretty Little Nightmare. A rare treat.
Flint Moore
Somehow, Flint Moore blend intensity and an open joy that is utterly infectious. Can you imagine a blend of big rock sounds, Radiohead and a touch of English folk? Heady, blistering and life-affirming, this is music soaked in a soul that is older than the hills.
To see singer Francis pour out his heart, bass player Maddy rushing around every inch of the stage, guitarist Laurence coolly peeling out of the riffs and drummer Noah painting colours of rhythms is a thing of sublime wonder. This band will be headlining festivals.
Our conversation with Lawrence Dennis and Noah Elliott after their set saw them discussing how much the songs change when playing live, and some quite philosophical reflections on the songwriting process.
With album number two in the works, this is a band that is working hard on honing their definitive sound.
The Raven Age
The Raven Age are well used to big crowds, their mastery of stagecraft honed from years on the road developing their craft. MetalTalk have been watching them from the start, and their growth has been something special to behold.
Having toured with some of the biggest bands out there, most notably several trips out with Iron Maiden, there are few modern Metal bands who can touch them.
Musically, too, the maturity they have shown has been impressive, the anthemic and hard-hitting numbers forming the shapes of future classics.
Revenant
Back on the Firestarter stage, Revenant provided their form of refreshing UK Southern Rock. Best Medicine was a catchy, bouncy tune with a slightly funky bass vibe, teasing out the release into the band’s full-throated guitar attack.
With some looped drums, they took a slightly different approach to the genre. However, it was also clear that there was a strong Black Stone Cherry influence in some of their work, and thus, this was the perfect environment for them.
Ugly Kid Joe
Ugly Kid Joe may not be one of the more prolific bands for output, but if you want to get a good time vibe going, then these are your guys. It is very much a case of quality over quantity. They have the songs, and they speak for themselves. 
Never here to make up the numbers, they are here for a good time and to ensure that everyone else does as well. There’s no refinement, but a great sense of fun and occasion. With the band and the audience getting more energetic and bouncing around, Mote Park became a sea of swaying bodies.
No Ugly Kid Joe show would be complete without the hit single Cats In The Cradle, which saw the children in the audience lifted onto parents’ shoulders. So cool. 
With the audience already won over, they launched into a frenzied Ace Of Spades before closing the show with their anthem Everything About You. Can it really get any better than that?
Beaux Gris Gris And The Apocalypse
Long-time darlings of the blues circuit, Beaux Gris Gris And The Apocalypse defy categorisation with elements of rock, soul, Americana, Cajun and more in a truly explosive mix.
All eyes are on frontwoman Greta Valenti, a blue-haired powerhouse with charisma off the scale. With a riot of entertainment, fun, astonishing musicianship from the shit hot band, if you want a good time, then get over to one of their dates pronto.
Sceptics and passers-by were soon converted, enthusiastically joining in with Wild Woman and Satisfy Your Queen. The resounding chorus of “ooh la la, yeah, Beaux Gris Gris” will be echoing for days. Truly unforgettable.
Black Stone Cherry
So to the evening’s headliners. Black Stone Cherry are one of those US bands that are more popular here in the UK than in their home country and are always welcome visitors to these shores.
They are also no strangers to Mote Park with this being their third headline performance at this location. 
From the opening of Me And Mary Jane through to the encore closure of Peace Is Free, they were in their element. With Ben Wells high kicking and whirling like a dervish the exuberance on stage was contagious.
Airing some older tunes was a sure-fire way to hook the audience, and songs such as Devil’s Queen, Soul Creek and Like I Roll did just that.
Emotions ran high as they played their big ballad, Things My Father Said, which was specially dedicated to those who had lost a parent and wanted to send one last message of love to them. Unsurprisingly, the phones went on as the crowd swayed and a sea of lights spread across the arena.
To the Kentish hordes, they could do no wrong. 
Though Black Stone Cherry were the headliners and gave us a set which had us crying out for more, looking back over the performances today, the number of times we said “set of the festival” to each other shows what a success this weekend is turning out to be. Can tomorrow top this? 
Maid Of Stone: A Festival That Rocks
Now in its third year, Maid Of Stone has firmly established itself as a must-attend event for rock fans. With a wide variety of music styles covered, their festival’s reputation continues to grow.
Set to be a highlight of Festival Season, MetalTalk will have more news very soon. All our coverage for 2025 will be found at MetalTalk.net/maid-of-stone.
Tickets Available Now. For full details and to grab your tickets, visit MaidOfStoneFestival.com.
MetalTalk’s Maid Of Stone 2024 coverage can be found at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/maid-of-stone-festival-2024.
For MetalTalk’s Maid Of Stone 2023 coverage, visit https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/maid-of-stone-festival-2023.
