Those who indulged are still snoring as the faithful queue to enter the arena for day two of Steelhouse Festival 2026. A more relaxed start to proceedings, with not even the lengthy queue to get into the arena causing any frustration.
Steelhouse Festival 2026 – Saturday
Hafod-Y-Dafel Farm, Aberbeeg, Wales – 24-26 July 2025
Words And Photography: Paul Hutchings
There is a good contingent at the front for another local outfit. This time it is Black Lakes, who, like their counterparts King Kraken, are becoming festival veterans these days.
Black Lakes
It is a solid start to the day, their modern Metal sound a welcome contrast to some of the more traditional fare on offer throughout the weekend.
Frontman Will Preston failed to use the ego ramp as anticipated. Some surprise there perhaps. But it is a curtailed set, technical difficulties apparently forcing two songs to be cut, so it is understandable that Hurricane and not the anticipated Black Gods closes the set in style.
Despite the challenges, Black Lakes depart to Hammerdown Festival safe in the knowledge that they have done no harm to their momentum at all.
Bobbie Dazzle
She has battled the crippling endometriosis that is a hidden horror for too many women with an openness and honesty that must be applauded. It has not been long since Bobbie Dazzle had surgery, but today she is resplendent in her trademark catsuit as she and her band crash through a glam rock set infused with psychedelia.
We drift back to a blend of ’70s-tinged glam rock, something that sits well with the overall vibe of the festival. With Rhea Thompson back on stage to big cheers and an Abba cover to boot, there are smiles around the field at one of the feel-good sets of the weekend.
Tuk Smith And The Restless Hearts
Another Nashville artist making a debut at Steelhouse, Tuk Smith And The Restless Hearts are confident and hyped for this show. The former Biters main man has been around for some time but seems to be in a better place these days.
The son of Atlanta has embraced a rich blend of Americana and country rock sound that is well placed on the mountain. Judging by the reception, my rather more diverse tastes, which struggle with the band’s rather generic approach, are in the minority.
His admission of plagiarising Thin Lizzy brings a smile, although his confusion of Wales with England may have jarred. Overall, it is another set which keeps the afternoon moving in the right direction.
Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse
Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse continue the blend of blues, Americana and country that seems to be dominating this year’s festival.
Louisiana-born Greta Valenti leads the charge to their upbeat performance, with British Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Robin Davey adding the sparkling guitar work.
A new one on many, this duo is ably supported by their UK rotational backing band who lock in neatly. Their anthemic sound contains many messages forged in their writing over the past few years.
In your face and lively, with colour and movement delighting the hardy togs in the pit, by the end of the set there are faces in the audience singing along. A sign of victory for sure.
Dan Byrne
Mr Steelhouse Festival is up next. Having carved himself a real foothold at this event for the past few years with various solo and guest appearances, Liverpool’s Dan Byrne, who surely has his own shepherd’s hut somewhere on the mountain, now has the songs to support his ascent to stardom.
Still riding high on the success of debut album This Is Where The Show Begins, Byrne has collected a rather impressive following. My last encounter in a sold-out set at The Exchange in Bristol on that album launch run saw him up his game and sound a level, and today he is confident and beaming from ear to ear.
Songs like Death Of Me, Like Animals and Hard To Breathe are sung with gusto by a dedicated following at the front of the stage. It is another triumphant appearance which no doubt means the world to him.
On Sunday his acoustic set in VIP is probably the biggest attended of the weekend. No doubt we will see him again next year.
Von Hertzen Brothers
Back for their third appearance, it is a breath of fresh air when the Von Hertzen Brothers take the stage. They have already taken a bow with a short acoustic set which packed out the VIP tent.
It is a change in musical style and their mix of progressive, classic and punk-tinged rock proves a right palate cleanser. Guaranteed a good reception, the Finns take their set in their stride and provide a touch of class that transcends all that has gone on before them.
Highlights include the gorgeous All Of A Sudden, You’re Gone, which hits right in the feels, the charging New Day Rising that never gets old and a magnificent Peace Patrol that finishes the set.
You have got to hand it to Kie, Mikko and Jonne. They know how to bring the goods to the mountain, and their latest appearance is as brilliant as their previous two sets here.
Jay Buchanan
It’s difficult to follow that, but Jay Buchanan manages it with a gorgeous 30-minute acoustic set in the VIP tent, drawing songs from his debut album Weapons Of Beauty, released in February.
He is sublime, hardly having to work his voice, and it is a genuine treat to be up close to hear the Rival Sons frontman at his most vulnerable.
Reef
It has been 14 years since Reef were last here. Somehow, I have no recollection of ever seeing them live before. A travesty perhaps, given their cult status, so the Glastonbury outfit’s set was one of more interest than most.
I will give them their dues. Their hour or so was enjoyable without blowing my head off, not that I was anticipating that happening here this weekend. For those more involved, the band’s Black Crowes style Southern rock funk blend provided the perfect early evening aperitif before the main event.
Is it possible to stand still and watch Reef? I doubt it, and the groove soon penetrated the happy crowd, who, maybe slightly alcohol enhanced, cut the kind of shapes usually reserved for wedding parties.
Gary Stringer’s rasping vocal is perfect for such an evening, and he also makes full use of the ego ramp, carrying the air of someone not short of confidence.
It is a fine show that surprisingly doesn’t finish with ‘that’ song. Instead, Reef throw it in mid-set to get 4,000 people singing along. Place Your Hands in the Welsh countryside with a creaking cover of T.N.T. to finish?
Maybe the world does feel okay, if only for a while.
Rival Sons
2017 saw Rival Sons take the special guest slot at the festival at their sole previous appearance. A rain-soaked weekend which was truly awful for camping, one wondered if it was enough to put the Californians off ever returning.
But on a very different evening they do return, and whilst their focus is to let the music do the talking, there is a class that soars across the mountain in the nighttime.
Singer Jay Buchanan has already wowed the VIP stage with a solo set earlier in the evening, but commands the stage like a modern-day Robert Plant, whilst guitarist Scott Halliday proves his quality with some classy lead work.
No new music for three years now, but there is a catalogue that stretches back to 2009 for the band to plunder. New music is on the way, Jay promises, which is pleasing and with the band all still deep in solo work, a reminder of this outfit’s work rate.
It is a set of breathtaking brilliance, with a range of songs that span their career. Some are more familiar than others, and the extended workouts on the likes of Feral Roots blow the mind. Electric Man thrills as much now as it first did, whilst their reprise of Electric Funeral from Back To The Beginning, which erupts from the middle of Secret, is crushingly heavy at the end of a mammoth set.
Despite the sometimes-distant appearance, this is a band at the top of their game, and there is ultimately a warmth to the performance that just invites you in close.
Day two finishes in glorious fashion.
Steelhouse Festival 2026
MetalTalk’s Paul Hutchings is at Steelhouse Festival 2026. You can read all of this year’s coverage at MetalTalk.net/steelhouse.
You can read all of MetalTalk’s Steelhouse Festival 2025 coverage at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/steelhouse-festival-2025.
You can read all of MetalTalk’s Steelhouse Festival 2024 coverage at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/steelhouse-festival-2024.
For the Steelhouse Festival 2023 edition, click here.
