WinterStorm, Scotland’s Festival of Rock held every November has announced the line up for its second stage for the eighth version of the international music event in Ayrshire. Over the years, the support Sessions Stage has grown both in popularity and gravitas and has featured an immense range of up-and-coming talent many of whom have returned the next year to perform on the main stage.
There have been some truly memorable performances on the intimate upstairs stage and the atmosphere never fails to impress the bands performing. In 2023 the festival invited their rock and roll friends, Glasgow-based Shock City Promotions to curate the Thursday night stage and as a result, it featured a superb mix of old and new bands and really added something to the dynamic
WinterStorm has decided to repeat this formula and invited Wildfire Festival in Wanlockhead and Bonfest in Kirriemuir to curate the Friday and Saturday stages (WinterStorm has curated the line up for Thursday night).
The festival’s second stage has also had a rebrand and will now be known as the ‘StormBreakers Sessions Stage. Before COVID, from 2017 to 2019, the event ran a battle of the bands style competition at Bathgate’s Dreadnought featuring new acts from across the UK (which we were grateful to be a part of in 2018 and 2019 as one of the judges), with the winner opening the main stage (2017 and 2018 reviews). As the event looks to the future, ‘StormBreakers will be resurrected moving into 2025 with further plans for supporting up and coming bands in venues across the country through a series of live events.
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Thursday
The opening night features four diverse acts; Silver Dollar Room from Edinburgh will provide a riff laden alt-rock set. Jack J Hutchinson, the fedora-wearing rocker will be known to many. Kelowna are a foot stomping rock band featuring musicians from central Scotland and North East England, and completing the first night line-up, are Black Lakes who blur the boundaries between hard rock and alternative metal, drawing on a wide range of influences from both scenes.
Friday
Day two has been curated by the Wildfire Festival team and features four acts, who will be joining the previously announced HEX AD. The Norwegian band will bring a blend of hard rock mixed with some prog and doom (and feature ex-Dio guitarist Rowan Robertson). The Wildfire acts start with This House We Built who combine eclectic influences across their live performances, ranging from classic rock, funk, emo, nu-metal and melodic rock. Shape of Water is an electronic art rock band hailing from Manchester and formed in 2018 by Rox Capriotti and Luca De Falco. Amongst Liars hail from Brighton and will bring their modern rock sound filled with hard hitting lyrics – their new album DESIGN is out now and receiving really strong reviews. Those Made Broken are an alternative metal band from Glasgow. Fusing power with melody, they bring a fresh and highly charged sound to their music.
Following feedback from fans, the Friday and Saturday will finish a little earlier at 11.00pm. However, for those who’d like to keep rocking, WinterStorm has added an “After Show” until midnight which allows them to add two hit-laden tributes to close the weekend nights – Friday offers up the classic sounds of Mötley Crüe from Wild Side.
Saturday
The final day is in conjunction with the team behind the annual celebration of Bon Scott’s birthplace. Bonfest is a great weekend in May and the Angus event has brought a great mix of genres to the Saturday of WinterStorm. Connor Liam Byrne and the Bad Kissers from Dundee are an unapologetically bombastic, rock and roll extravaganza with big guitars, while young Kirriemuir native, Katie Nicoll (who is heavily involved with the Bonfest team) will bring a crossover set to the ‘StormBreakers Sessions Stage. Emerald Sunday, also from Kirriemuir, is a Scottish indie/rock band that has drawn comparisons to Emerson Lake and Palmer and Feeder. Also on Saturday are Victory or Die who will provide their usual no holds barred rock and roll set.
The Saturday is St Andrew’s Night and was one of the reason for inviting Bonfest to the party, and appropriately the After Show will take fans through until midnight with Scottish AC/DC tribute act, Heat Seeker.
The 2024 ‘StormBreakers Sessions Stage takes place alongside the WinterStorm Main Stage which features acts including Quireboys, H.E.A.T, Chantel McGregor, The Treatment, South Of Salem and many more.
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More information, including ticket and accommodation info, is available on the festival’s website.
