Steelhouse Festival

Ebbw Vale Hafod-Y-Dafal Farm

Fun, sun and surprises in Wales.

With its established recipe of trusted names and worthy newcomers such as Crobot,

Hollowstar and Wille & The Bandits, this year’s Steelhouse adds an unfamiliar element – blazing sunshine from start to finish.

Throwing out a version of Zep’s Custard Pie in the simmering heat, The Temperance Movement are a highlight of Saturday’s line-up, while top dogs Thunder opt for a typically boisterous all-electric set, revelling in their only outdoor UK show of 2019.

The next day, an entertaining mix of non-stop hardrocking anthems and charismatic delivery crowns Danko Jones as the weekend’s biggest surprise. In glorious late-afternoon sunshine, Uriah Heep demonstrate how to mix songs from a new album, classic hits and deep cuts to absolute perfection. Living Colour are not everyone’s cup of tea, but the crowd responds warmly when Bernie Marsden joins them to jam on Cream’s Sunshine Of Your Love.

Regardless of one’s opinion of their continued Lynottless existence, Thin Lizzy – with Mastodon’s Troy Sanders on bass and Scott Travis from Priest on drums – delight with an exclusive one-off 40th-anniversary revision of the Black Rose album. Although some in the crowd appear unfamiliar with its hidden gems, the likes of Toughest Street In Town, S&M, the ballad Sarah and the Celtic guitar overload of the epic title track are an absolute joy.