There were huge sighs of satisfaction when the full lineup for Stonedead Festival 2024 was released – heaven for old (or should I say classic?) Metallers – the mere mention of Doro, KK’s Priest and Saxon still induces a thrill over forty years later. And it lived up to every expectation and then some.
Stonedead Festival 2024
Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire – 24 August 2024
Words: Liz Medhurst
Photography: Paul Hutchings
Newark Showground on August Bank Holiday Saturday is a firm fixture in the diary. Stonedead Festival is a true highlight, one of the best-organised and most enjoyable festivals of the year.
Based on the one-day, one-stage Monsters Of Rock experience, but on a showground with excellent facilities and drainage, it is as close to a perfect festival experience as is realistically achievable. You know you are going to have a great time even before the bands are announced, although this line up will take some beating.
The Friday night warm-up party always has a celebratory atmosphere, and this year, there was plenty to shout about. In a major achievement, the festival opened with relatively minimal disruption after a hurricane had swept through the area in the morning, and I don’t mean one from the air museum next door.
With the hundreds of volunteers mucking in to help the organisers retrieve and secure fencing, signage, and even loos, the carnage was brought under control, proving that Heavy Metal will never surrender. 
Plenty to celebrate on stage too, with openers Scarlet Rebels hitting the charts that afternoon with new album Where The Colours Meet. Paul Di’Anno followed, allowing the audience plenty of space to sing along to those wonderful early Iron Maiden tracks that are so much part of our psyche and memories.
Completing the trio of acts, Quireboys are just the ticket for a shindig and Spike and his gang ensured the mood remained jubilant.
By the time Saturday came, the rain had threatened to stick around. But there was no way the gods of Heavy Metal would allow proceedings to be ruined, so it pushed off around lunchtime, only returning for a quick encore in the afternoon.
With nine quality acts on the bill the day was pitched just right with a few different genres on offer. There was energetic hard rock from openers The Hot One Two, who impressed and set the standard of the day with their infectious energy.
For more in this category, Californians, The Bites brought a blend of sleaze and glam, harking back to the ’80s and looked to be having the time of their lives, certainly entertaining to watch.
If you are after nothing but a good time, though, then call for Ugly Kid Joe. A band that would not always be the first choice to sit down at home and listen to, live, they are a bundle of raucous joy and absolutely unmissable. 
Whitfield Crane, sporting a shirt adorned with the face of his great friend Lemmy, was the master of ceremonies presiding over an engaging and riotous hour. A truly excellent frontman and a great bunch of songs.
Sweden has always been notable for high-quality rock acts with a gift for melody, and this year, we were treated to two established acts that we do not see a lot of over here – Eclipse and Bonafide.
The latter were harder-edged, with a dirty blues sound, AC/DC being the most obvious influence with plenty of precision and pace. Eclipse are ten albums in but regrettably have always been a bit under the radar here, so it was time to make the most of the set.
And it was a beauty, crammed with hooks and melodies, with the whole band smartly co-ordinated in red and black. 
Coincidentally, their outfits blended in well with compere Krusher Joule’s natty Showaddywaddy-style red ensemble.
The absolute best part of the day by a mile was the Classic Metal, here represented by Tailgunner, Doro, KK’s Priest and Saxon. It’s old school, but it’s classic for a reason. The originals remain vibrant, rocking, still having the power to thrill. 
Newcomers Tailgunner set the scene with an early slot, showing they have the NWOBHM sound and stylings absolutely spot on, the flowing hair, playing in formations, and leather leggings hitting a very sweet spot. 
The youngsters have clearly had excellent childhoods with their dads’ record collection – or even their grandads’, who knows? They have the attitude too, as lead singer Craig Cairns stacked it right on his arse in front of 5000 people racing around the stage but got up and carried on as if nothing had happened. The next generation are carrying the flag well. 
The whole crowd was either already madly in love with Doro or had fallen head over heels as soon as she started her set. Undeniably the Queen Of Metal, for forty years her anthems have been a consistent and very welcome part of the scene, and her magic way of engaging the crowd is second to none.
We were treated to Warlock classics and a selection from latest album, Conqueress – Forever Strong and Proud, backed by a heavyweight band who played with power and strength. Doro is a mighty presence with huge charisma and it was a universal pleasure to raise our fists in the air in honour of our Queen. 
Doro and KK Downing may both have songs about raising your fists, and both look fantastic in skintight leather and studs, but they are very different acts – Metal does not come in one style only.
KK’s Priest blessed us with a majestic set. There was no need to present a Judas Priest greatest hits collection, although there were plenty of familiar tracks. This lineup are two superb albums in and are not afraid of putting some deep cuts in.
With Ripper Owens in top vocal form, this was mighty, and in the case of KK’s solo on Sinner, mesmerising. A fullproduction with plenty of pyro made this a feast for the senses. Any lingering doubts on whether Downing’s band can give the authentic Priest experience were kicked straight into the long grass. This was the real deal and magnificent.
Closing both the festival and their European tour, Saxon played a blinder, and our fists were alight with Heavy Metal thunder. Another long-term band with a new album out (Hell, Fire and Damnation is their twenty-fourth), Saxon delivered the goods where old and new songs stand proudly together. 
Biff Byford is a commanding presence, taking us on a tour of history, ancient and modern, in suitably dramatic fashion. Lighting from behind put the band into silhouette when they approached the front of the stage, which added to the drama and sonic onslaught. 
I can’t see anyone being disappointed with this set. It was a brilliant showcase of a long and honourable career. This is not a farewell – Saxon are going to be around for a long time yet, and we will keep coming back.
What a glorious day of Heavy Metal. Fight the good fight. Believe what is right.
