We’re at Teddy Rocks that weekend…where…Teddy Rocks, it’s down near Blandford…you’d love it…oh, ok, I’ll have a look, and I’ll ask Reg if he wants it covered, if it’s my sort of thing I said skeptically? That was the initial conversation that I had with my (festival going) pals Dave & Vicky whilst trying to arrange a mutually convenient date to drink copious amounts of alcohol, laugh loudly, talk inappropriately, eat (fabulous) crap, and have a catch up that led me to Charisworth Farm, Blandford, Dorset, on what was more like a winters day rather than a spring day!!!! Why is alcohol always involved in such decisions?

For those that don’t know its history Teddy Rocks is a small (<5000 people) festival that raises money to support those impacted by, and dealing with Childhood Cancers. It was set up in memory of Ted Newton, the brother of one of the organisers who passed away in 2010 (due to a very rare bone cancer), aged just 11 years old. It went rapidly from an idea in the back room of a pub to the Best Family Festival Award in 2022, raising over (and using 2022 figs) £400,000 on the way.

Whilst a few minor admin hiccups stopped me attending the whole festival the line-up was fabulous, and it would’ve be great to have been there from the start, alas The Gods conspired and Sun was my day to be there!

I awoke just before 0700hrs to the sound of, not the alarm, but to quite heavy rain on the roof, just what I needed. I was aiming to be on the road by 0830hrs, with 2.5hrs and 115miles in front of me, but firstly a check in with Dave (there already camping) revealed that it was raining there as well, mmmmm, a farm location, recent (and continuing) rain, a lowered van, and tyres without grip, what could possibly go wrong, no need to answer that!

I won’t bore you with the journey, save to say I was left wondering, several times, why these days people can’t see a white Van (with its lights on) and if they can, why do they pull out in front of me, making me brake hard, get to 20mph, travel a hundred meters or so, only to stop to turn right across traffic, and they wonder why I turn into a red faced and screaming lunatic, something about foresight, manners, thinking, and patience, fell from my mouth I seem to remember? Oh, and a random question, why was Stonehenge rammed at 1000hrs on a Sunday Bank Holiday morning…?

So, just about on time I arrived at the farm, the directions on the website were spot on. Save a debate on the name, “well I’ve got a Haydn” on the list, “not a Taff”, an issueless check-in followed. As I walked out with my shiny “Press’ pass I realised I hadn’t asked about parking. Before I had time to open my mouth I heard “ask outside about parking”. Was he waiting for me to ask, or did he just know I’d ask the question? “Where do I park lads” I asked of the security boys as I hobbled back to the van…? You can park in there (he indicates to a small nearby field that looked like a Great War scenario) where you’ll need to get towed out of, or you can go down to the main car park and cut through to the entrance, came the reply, that made the choice for me!

I walked into a relatively deserted ‘main area’, it was after all Sun morning, it had all the hallmarks of a ‘Fantastic Festival Saturday Night’, although the litter pickers and the clean-up crew were already hard at it. Looking around there were a few slow moving sloth like individuals, aroused I suspect by the all-consuming aroma of bacon and sausages, which seemed to be filling the air? Should I weaken, should I give in? “Hello Mate, how are you” broke the daydream of a crispy bacon roll, with a small hint of fruity brown sauce just to add flavour, not to mask it…..and there stood behind me were the instigators of today’s happenings, looking dare I say better than they should have given they were 3 days into it, and it had been leathering it down, if Dave can ever look good!!!

The noise of the various stages jumping into life brought the reality of it all quickly to focus. A brief catch up and a wander around the area followed; we stopped by the Bigman Big Top tent to see The Now, a S Wales based band who I thought were very good and who if I had had enough time I’d have stayed to watch the whole set, and also a comedian who was performing in the Expressions Lounge, and who (in my eyes) despite the short time I heard him, had a realistic take on looking after kids!

Nati Dredd. Back into the main stage (the Ted Newton Stage) area just in time to see Nati Dredd appear on the stage where she sets about helping setting up her own kit, and making sure they (the band) are ready to go. Nati hails from Scotland, and she appears to be quite a force of nature. She’s a big Tik Toker, she has her own channel on there, along with her own “Hullo Ma Wee Darlins” phrase, which everyone (apparently?) except me knows of. Anyway, enough of Social Media and Influencing, we’re at Teddy Rocks and we’re ready, Nati steps out from behind the mic stand and we’re off. We’re treated to some great tracks, and some great banter to boot. She gives a fantastic little performance, chattering away with the audience about all sorts of things, she even spells her name for us, so we get it right. The chatter (which, if you follow my ramblings) is something that I look for in an artist / band…to me it means they are interested in the audience, they want to engage, and ultimately that helps everyone…

I’d never seen Nati before, but I did my research on her before the event, and everything I’d read about her was indeed found to be true. Alas as soon it has started, it appears to be over, (did we fast forward the last 30 mins), but I (and the audience who have now drifted in) want more, alas it’s plain to see from the actions of the stage crew that we’re not getting more!

The urgency of the changeover isn’t lost on me. Next up are South of Salem. Those that know, KNOW!!!

South of Salem. Bournemouth based South of Salem are almost locals where Teddy Rocks is concerned. They sound, and they look just like their name suggests they should. They are tattooed, they scowl, and sneering is second nature to them, they are masters of it. They play like their lives depend on Satan begrudgingly giving them the nod to stay around here and play to us mere mortals, and not take them with him, just yet! From a photographers point of view they would be excellent subjects, if only they’d stay still for a second…

With set up complete the stage area goes quiet, the hustle and bustle have gone. There is a sense of anticipation of what we were about to be served. Two (obviously) female dancers, both carrying ‘Pom Poms’, walk onto the stage, the audiences’ appreciation for the dancers is made clear, and there’s me thinking ‘wolf whistling’ was considered unacceptable? It makes the dancers smile, and it lets everyone know that they are 2 good looking girls, ah how old fashioned of me, I’m such a dinosaur! They position themselves each side of the stage, and they wait.

The band comes on stage and we are treated to ‘Let Us Prey’ as an absolute banging opening track, full on, no prisoners is the order of the day. Then, without warning my attention is momentarily taken away from the band as I realise for the first time that the dancers skirts are extremely short, something I’d previously missed. This fact is enhanced by the art of dance that I see being performed in front of me as it makes their skirts ride up even more, if that were possible; am I the only one to notice that, no of course I’m not, every blue bloodied male (and perhaps even some women with short multi coloured hair and dungarees) in the audience is looking at one or both of them, or they are confused and can’t decide which to look at, judging by the head movement going on. I don’t know how, but I failed to notice that the pom poms had been discarded, and they had been replaced by placards which were being held aloft by the said dancers, they are adorned with the song title (one with WE PREY, the other with NO WAY) on them. Concentrate Wiltshire! Ah yes……of course!

An audience pleasing high energy performance is what was demanded from the band, and that was exactly what was delivered by them, it was full on, high impact stuff. All relatively easy to capture with wide angle stage shots, rather more forgiving than the close up ‘individual based work’ trying to capture each members ‘individuality, and their softer’ human side.

South of Salem were relentless in their deliverance of their set. They gave us it all. Again, for me, just the right mix of music, and of chatter. It was excellent throughout the complete set, musically, and visually. You could not remain unaffected by it. It was professional, it entertained, and to my ears, it sounded perfect. The end of the set came far too quickly for me…and in the words of Mr. Billy Idol, More, More, More!

I saw 3/4 of the band in the arena later on. They were a genuinely nice bunch of lads, they signed autographs, they had photos taken with countless fans, they chatted with everyone who wanted to talk to them, you know, all those things that bands should do, but quite a few don’t seem capable of doing, or have the desire to do? South of Salem take a bow, absolutely crackin’…!

Mason Hill. After witnessing one of those quick turnarounds I’ve ever seen, which was completed with the intensity of the inside of an ants nest, I find myself stood in the pit waiting for Mason Hill to appear, and right on time they do. I’m not overly familiar with them if I’m honest. I knew the basics, so I thought I knew what to expect. Oh, how wrong I was, Mason Hill hail from Scotland, from Glasgow to be geographically correct, so they had quite a trek to be at Teddy Rocks and they were definitely there to enjoy themselves. They had me hooked from the very start, from the off there was passion, there was energy, and there was engagement. If I’m honest I had expected an average run of the mill set, that was absolutely not what I got. Mason Hill are energetic, they are hard hitting, and they are professional to the core.

My stand out song of the set? No question, it was DNA! It was delivered as if being on that stage was in Mason Hills’ DNA. The lineup of Scott Taylor (LV), James Bird (LG), Marc Montgomery (G), Matthew Ward (B) and Craig McFetridge (D) know their trade, each are already masters of it, and if they get ‘that’ break, they will fill stadiums, in their own right!

Kid Kapichi. (Pronounced Kapee-chee) Kid Kapichi are a Hastings based 4-piece. Their name is now etched into my memory, I could not forget it, even if I wanted to, and judging by what I saw from them I wouldn’t want to. They are Ben Beetham (G/V), Eddie Lewis (B), George Macdonald (D) and Jack Wilson (V/G).

The Ben Beetham fan club positioned themselves on the barrier very early on during the changeover, almost as soon as Mason Hills left; after they’d sung ‘Happy Birthday’ to him Ben was presented with a couple of ‘shots’ which, after thanking the assembled masses, he devoured swiftly, and with ease, before getting back to the routine task of setting up for the slot.

The stage is soon ready, and a peacefulness descends upon it, looking into the corner at the rear of the stage the band can be seen in a huddle, a pre-set ritual, or finish your drinks lad we’re on in 2 minutes? The aforementioned peacefulness doesn’t last long, a cheer goes up and on stage are Kid Kapichi, ready to go. A quick chat with the audience and we’re away. I immediately like what I hear. We are treated to tracks such as the fabulous 5 Days On (2 Days Off), Cops & Robbers, and A Party at No 10, which is a cracking little acoustic track, dedicated to, surprise surprise, Boris and his antics whilst being in Downing Street during lockdown. The set list is relentless, and I love it, all of it…! On stage there’s energy, there’s movement, and there’s everything to love about Kid Kapichi, and absolutely nothing to hate! You can see why they are popular!

Here’s What You Could Have Won, released in 2022, is the latest offering from them. Listen to it, twice if you have to, but after the first time you’ll already know! Once you’ve heard it Kid Kapichi will remain forever unforgettable for you, as well as me. They put on an excellent show, search them out, go to their gigs, miss them at your peril.

Those Damn Crows. Formed in 2014 in Bridgend, Wales the outstanding Those Damn Crows are next up. They boast Shane Greenhall (V) – Ronnie Huxford (D) – Ian ‘Shiner’ Thomas (G) – Lloyd Wood – (B) and David Winchurch (G) as the members, Earlier in a previous changeover I’d seen Shane looking for (and discuss) various points around the stage edges where he could climb, hang, jump from / to etc, indicating that we were in for quite a set. Possibly somewhat brave on a wet day?

Right, it’s time, and we’re off, and it’s a ‘take no prisoners attitude’ right from the start (as you would expect) from Those Damn Crows. Tracks from the band’s latest offering Inhale / Exhale are forthcoming, and they are very well received. One thing is for sure, and that is that Those Damn Crows cannot be accused of holding back, we get a high octane musical and visual performance, and everything is locked at full throttle!

The pyro is extremely effective, and it’s bloody warm as it initiates! We (aka the ‘Pit Monkeys’) are (relatively) sensibly moved out of harm’s way at various points in the proceedings as the pyro boys do their thing. As I stand well to the side of the pit area you can feel the heat as the pyro is set off, so being on the barrier must be ‘interesting’ and somewhat warm at times. 7 vertical columns of flame just in front of, and across the whole width of the stage, there are also 2 small offerings on the top of the scaffolding on each side of the stage…along with the flames there is also the ‘Ticker Tape Streamer’ type of pyro (which, as they descend they cover the audience) added into the mix to give even more visual effect to the ‘show’, and to give the audience something to do to remove wet ticker tape from various parts of themselves post gig!

Shane is his ‘normal’ self, he chats away in between tracks, one moment he’s here, the next there, the whole stage area is covered, he’s not one to stand around, and whilst he’s moving around there is no drop in the quality of the vocals he produces…and it’s the same when he takes to the piano for a (fabulous) stripped back version of Blink of an Eye, it’s continually top class. There is lots of pointing, lots of raised arms, lots of ‘horns’, and lots of passion from him, what you expect from a naturally gifted frontman. The audience appreciate this, and they respond accordingly…….

The set is over all too quickly for my liking. Those Damn Crows are a class act, and it is easy to see why they have such a huge following. I know individuals who travel the length and breadth of the country to see them perform, based on this performance it’s easy to see why, go and see them, judge for yourselves, you won’t be disappointed.

The Reytons. That should tell you all that you need to know. I’ve banged on about them to anyone, and to everyone, (to whoever will listen to me drone on) since I first saw them at Lakefest in 2022. Backed by their self-belief, and with a No1 UK album behind them, they created their own success through pure determination, through hard work, and through the plain to see talent that they possess. And if further credibility were needed they’ve done it all themselves, 100% independently, there was no backing from a ‘label’, not too many can say that these days!

I saw them backstage during the changeover from Those Damn Crows, so I went over for a chat about last years Lakefest, and what they’ve been up to since, as you do. Some bands, as a No1 Album selling band would be as far up themselves as they could be, and they’d want bugger all to do with me. That’s certainly not the case here. Talking with the lads there’s no airs, there’s no graces, and above all there’s no sense of entitlement, they’re ‘just’ The Reytons, they’re extremely down to earth grounded (polite) lads…..with a huge amount of talent! We’re treated to a mix of stuff from Kids Off The Estate, and also from the latest offering from the Indie Rock lads from S Yorkshire, What’s Rock And Roll, their No1 album. With quick, catchy, quirky lyrics, supported by a banging baseline, what’s not to like here? Every track is full of energy, they’re all very well received by both the established Reytonians in the crowd, who make themselves known, and those who are yet to experience the phenomenon that is The Reytons.

Whether you’re a seasoned follower, or just finding them you cannot fail to be impressed with the high tempo performances that are delivered, consistently. Their songs are tales of everyday experiences, the highs, the lows, life issues, challenges, choices, and how they are all made, the successes, and the failings of such. My standout Reytons track? Now there’s a question? Is it It’s A Fuck About, Monthly Subscription, or Those Little Bastards? An extremely hard choice but I settle on Little Bastards, it’s a tale of life on an estate, inevitable brushes with the law, probable unplanned teenage pregnancies, how amusement is found, and how life is lost. A cracking track. Love it!

I understand there may be some, in the darker uninhabitable, unexplored places of this world shall we say, that may not yet know of The Reytons, but, by the end of this year I’m convinced that the whole world will know of them. They’ve recently been to, and performed in Australia. Europe is next on the list, our European cousins are about to witness The Reytons experience. Venues are already sold out all over Europe, so the word is spreading; if you’re based there then make the effort, search them out, go and see them!!! World domination is not far away for the lads, you know you need to be part of it all…! When you play the tracks on your chosen platform play them loud, loud enough to let your neighbours appreciate the talent on show, they’ll appreciate it!

Finally, to the young lady, in light blue stood on the barrier, that I was chatting to prior to the off, and who seemed to be their shortest and biggest fan, I hope that you saw everything, and that everything you saw lived up to the expectations that you held, and that we chatted about? I’d have thought it was, the grin you gave me during the performance suggested so!

Jake Bugg. I’ve loved Jake Buggs’ music since he first appeared on the scene, back in the day, and I was really looking forward to seeing (and hearing) him play. I knew that his set wasn’t going to be ‘dynamic’, in a leap around the stage kind of way, but I knew that his music would compensate for that side of it. He has a cracking voice, and it came over just as you would hope; he sounds just as good live as he does on any media. If you’ve seen Van Morrison you’ll know what I mean? Visually, stood before us with just an acoustic guitar his voice told Jake Buggs own story, it justified everything about him. He’s unique, and he’s talented, from my point of view it’s an extremely difficult picture to portray in words. In images yes I can show you, but in words no. You’d need to be there to appreciate his talent, to see it, to hear it.

Jake brought the evening, and what was (by all accounts) an exceptional festival, to a close. I can’t comment too much on the acts that I missed, but talking to friends, and to those in between slots, then there were some class acts on show there. Teddy Rocks raises funds for a very VERY worthwhile cause, remember that. Please support them, and please raise awareness, for without YOUR input the very valuable support that they raise funds for, to help those dealing with, at any stage of life, let alone as a child, the horrendous and indiscriminate bastard called cancer will be lost. In the immortal words of pal Krusher Joule…..FUCK CANCER!!!!

On a less emotional level, a swift word of advice here (if I may?) buy your tickets as soon as they go on sale, they WILL sell out very quickly. This festival has longevity, tell your grandchildren of Teddy Rocks, tell them Taff sent you!!!

Right, as they’re still muddy (the sign of a good festival?) I’m off to clean my trainers…..

Words & images: Haydn Wiltshire (aka Taff Rimages)

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