Drunken Monkey Rock Festival 2022

The first Drunken Monkey Festival was held at the Drum and Monkey pub, near Upton on Severn in 2014, in honour of Ian Downton. It became an annual event, a great weekend of live music and fun in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside, raising money for a cause that was close to Ian’s heart, the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

In 2022 it was a welcoming three day festival for rockers, bikers, kids of all ages, and the occasional bearded princess who braved the dawn to dusk blazing sun in this most un-English summer heat wave. There were picnic blankets, deck chairs, dogs, people sitting, standing, smiling, drinking and dancing, and of course lots of live music, in a happy, laid back atmosphere.

It was a well laid out site with two stages, separated by a giant marquee providing much needed shade and home to the excellent bar. Plenty of good food stalls, ice creams, clothing, and records for browsing. The festival team led by Stu Evans was top notch. A shout out to the backstage staff, stage managers, sound and lighting techs, the security guys and merch team. All super friendly and efficient. Top marks to the organisers!

There were two iconic images – Ian’s beloved 1964 Triumph Thunderbird which sat proudly next to the main stage. Ian’s close friend Phil ceremoniously fired it up each morning before the music started. The other was of course the monkey! A big denim clad fluffy simian with an earring and a big grin, who sat proudly on the main stage, front and centre of all the action.

There were over 40 rock acts of all styles and ages across the three days, a great mix of groups, class tribute and covers bands. Some, such as the internationally acclaimed Dizzy Lizzy, returning year on year. We were at the festival most of Saturday and Sunday but didn’t get to see everyone on the bill, so apologies to all the great bands we missed.

Highlights

Big Wolf Band

Birmingham based Big Wolf Band, a five piece formed in 2014 by Jonathan Earp and Mick Jeynes, recently returned to the national blues rock circuit after the Covid lockdown. Playing late afternoon on Sunday with the sun still hot, Jonathan had guitar and vocal duties and despite his fingertips melting on an overheated fretboard pulled off some blistering solos. Pun intended. Kicking off with ‘Heavens Got the Blues’ from their 2017 debut release through to a crowd pleasing finale of ‘Heavy Load’ from 2019’s ‘Be Free’ album, this band played a set full of warm blues riffs, classy grooves and beautiful extended guitar solos. Big Wolf Band were perhaps the most musically accomplished band of the Sunday line up.

www.bigwolfband.com

Trident Waters

Headlining the Tower stage on Saturday night, this impressive London based trio have been prominent on 2022’s festival circuit. Trident Waters are Andrew Knightly on guitar and vocals, Wilson Zaidan on bass, Greg Zaka on the drums. We first saw them at the Breaking Bands festival in June and were eagerly waiting for this set. Playing tracks from their superb debut album ‘Opus Armada’, we got some very accomplished, powerful, soulful rock and blues reminiscent of Bad Company, The Black Crowes and Thunder. Hard to pick out favourite tracks from the playlist, but we loved the toe tapping southern boogie style ‘Control the Animal’, bouncy Quireboys-esk ‘Good Time Roller’ and ‘Pack You Up’, which has a chorus that’s impossible to get out of your head! Can’t wait to see this band again, they really should be heading for the ‘Major League’, which just so happens to be another track on the album!

www.tridentwaters.com

7 Year War

Thrash and heavy metal is in safe hands with these hard working teenagers from Worcestershire. After playing their Friday evening slot, they stepped up to open proceedings on the main stage on Saturday when the original act cancelled, and then again to headline the Tower stage on Sunday. A four piece full of energy and drive, they played some excellent original pieces featuring heavy riffs and blistering guitar work from Cass and Ollie, ferocious drumming from Si and growling vocals from Tom. With a couple of Metallica and Linkin Park classics thrown in, it’s fair to say this band smashed it!

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081858821403

Broodmother

After a three year absence from the stage, this Kidderminster based five piece returned to play a set taken from their back catalogue of spacey stoner rock plus tracks from the latest EP ‘IV: A Fix in Time’. With chunky bass work and big heavy riffs, Broodmother fuse a mix of metal, punk, prog and doom into a hard to categorise style, reminiscent of Clutch, Monster Magnet, and Pearl Jam. We loved ‘Vlad the Inhaler’ (check out the excellent video!), ‘Killing for Company’ from 2021’s ‘The Third Eye’ and ‘Cosmic Pyramid’ from the first EP.

https://broodmotherrocks.bandcamp.com

Joe Wheldon & The Offshore

An Evesham based four piece formed by Joe at the start of lockdown in 2020, this band’s first gig was played without an audience at the socially distanced NozFest. Today they had a full field of music fans to entertain with upbeat tracks from their newly released EP, including the bouncy ‘What A Shame’, which got the crowd up and dancing in the hot afternoon sun. Their music is a unique mix of southern rock, ska, and punk, which was reflected in a great selection of covers from Chilli Peppers to Blackfoot. Recognised as an emerging band by BBC Hereford and Worcester Introducing, these guys are ones to watch.

www.facebook.com/joewheldonoffshore

PHON

Another local band were celebrating the release of their debut EP ‘Cat Zen Jamma’ by playing their first festival. The guys from Worcester say that they draw influence from the hypnotic riffage of stoner rock, but gave us constant whirling energy, overdriven guitar and big drum and driving bass notes to create an uncompromising grungy wall of sound. They powered through original noise soaked material plus an excellent version of Cream’s ‘Sunshine of your Love’. Maybe not what you’d expect from a trio whose vocalist was wearing a colourful knee length frock! Ollie told us he hoped its airiness would help in the heat, not sure it did but he certainly looked pretty cool.

www.facebook.com/phonbanduk

Syteria

Down from their base in Yorkshire, female fronted Syteria were a class act. The band was formed back in 2016 by Jackie ‘Jax’ Chambers of Girlschool fame, with Argentinian siblings Julia (vocals) and Pablo Calvo (drums), and Steph Dawson on bass. They played the penultimate slot on the main stage on Saturday night, and quickly got the sun soaked audience up on their feet. Their excellent set was full of fresh fast bouncy, lyrical, rocking tunes with lots of harmonies and sweet guitar licks. We particularly enjoyed ‘Gossips’ and ‘Make Some Noise’. With two albums already under their belt, this band is going from strength to strength.

https://syteria.co.uk

The Blue Lena

Well this was a treat! the first live appearance of The Blue Lena who were formed during lockdown out of the song writing talents of singer Peter Yeomans and guitarist Nick Singleton. Joined by Jonny, Martin, Richie and Fi, it’s lucky that they were on the main stage, which was only just big enough! We got lovely upbeat R’n’B tunes from a group of very talented musicians. Lots of great vocal harmonies, beautiful guitar work, and an immaculate rhythm section. It was a thoroughly enjoyable set, which we could have listened to all day. Stand out tracks included ‘What Do You Want’, ‘Wrong Side of Midnight’, ‘Give Me A Sign’ and ‘Last Chance Saloon’. An album is on the way, can’t wait!

www.facebook.com/thebluelena

Honourable Mentions

Formed in lockdown by three quarters of the excellent local band Stone Cold Killers – Stu Evans, Phil Vokins, ‘Mad Baz’ Barry Pedlingham and joined by Chris Harvey on drums, they played a cracking set of classic hard rock.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100060895064182

Surrge

A midlands based band playing their own material, Surrge gave us a blend of bluesy hard rock. Autumn’s impressive vocal range was complemented by driving riffs and squealing overdriven guitar sounds.

www.facebook.com/surrgeofficial

Taliesin

A power metal trio from Cheltenham formed in 1988 who have grown into a five piece 34 years later. More great riffs, uncompromising lyrics, and a sound similar to Slayer in their prime.

www.facebook.com/TALIESINMETAL

King Kraken

Green tinted rockers from South Wales, this five piece led by the imposing kilt clad vocalist Mark Donoghue played on Saturday evening, storytelling through heavy melodic rock and a tight crisp rhythms.