MANY TOWNS and cities try putting on rock events and mini festivals with varying degrees of success. Now several years in, Sheffield’s Hard Rock Hell event seems to be working, attracting punters galore plus decent bands filling the slots, American foursome Kickin’ Valentina being special guests on this year’s two day bash.

Opening with Freak Show, Dance Of Destruction, this popular gang are past masters at dealing with adversity as they were sadly plagued from the start with sound issues. Frontman and vocalist D.K. Revelle, guitarist Heber Pampillon, bassist Chris Taylor and the man on the tubs Jimmy Berdine, battled on with our D.K. using the stage well with audience adlibbing as the sound was tweaked. In fact, for most of their hour long set he performs against the front barrier, thus giving fans true value.

With limited time, the band plugged their products well, though because of constraints it does become difficult playing stuff, especially when you’re shelving fan favourites, which for me was not hearing Make Me Sweat and Turns Me On. It would have also been nice to have heard less swearing as many bands now do this, and to be honest, they really don’t need to. That said, this band are good.

Many know that music moves onward so it was good to see strong support for Kickin’ Valentina, and for the other bands that were on this mini-festival, headlined tonight by Love/ Hate which was pleasing. Sadly, I didn’t see many twenty somethings in attendance, who are supposed to be our future rock fans. As mentioned above, genuinely, this band are good, and are defiantly on my musical radar. And being brutally honest, they really should be on yours too…

WORDS & PICTURES: ROY GOODALL