Maid Of Stone – Saturday. So it was time to slip back to the main stage for a dose of hard-driving bluesy stoner rock in the form of Orange Goblin. They were clearly one of the heavier acts of the day, and reaching out, they took the audience by the scruff of the neck and gave them a bloody good shake.
Orange Goblin
With some Hendrix-style feedback descending into the familiar growling guitar sound of Joe Hoare, they exploded onto the stage. Some may accuse the band of having a catalogue of songs that all sound the same, and though they have a very definite style and approach to their music, there is plenty of variation if you are prepared to give them a chance.
With tunes like Sarumans Wish, they are a band well versed in festival appearances and know what to bring to the stage. Made Of Rats brought an intense swirling guitar sound and the appearance of the first mosh pit of the day.
Unfortunately, it also brought the first casualty of the day as the appearance of the paramedic crew testified. What should be noted was the consideration of the band at this point and particularly singer Ben Ward who eased the band down so he could check on the injured individual and guide the paramedics through the crowd to help the chap, as well as coming over to the barrier at the end of the set to ensure that they were safe. Nice one!!
The Devil’s Whip, with its Iron Fist feel, was dedicated to Lemmy. Perhaps the first dedication of the weekend to the great man, but certainly not the last.
With the set approaching its climax, they wheeled out old favourite Time Travelling Blues, which slowed matters up for a while with its underlying gritty and dirty blues feel before unleashing the first crowd surfers of the day with set closer Red Tide Rising.
They may not have been to everyone’s taste, but certainly, sitting as one of the heavier bands on the bill over the weekend, they certainly did no harm in opening themselves up to a newer audience, and there were plenty of appreciative nods of the head and comments as they departed.
Maid Of Stone Festival 2023 was held over the weekend of 21-23 July 2023. MetalTalk’s Adrian Stonley, Paul Monkhouse and Robert Sutton were reporting from Mote Park.
All Photography: Robert Sutton
Early Bird tickets are available for next year’s festival held over 19-21 July 2024. Tickets are available from here.
All MetalTalk Maid Of Stone 2023 coverage is at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/maid-of-stone-festival-2023