Festival Review: Hella Rock Festival 2024

Back in January, we were approached by a brand-new festival, Hella Rock, to sponsor their event. Endeavouring to bring some of the best names in the unsigned/DIY/grassroots (whatever you want to call it) scene to Coventry, it seemed like a perfect match for us to work together. Indeed, Coventry isn’t a regular name you’ll see on a band’s touring itinerary so to bring original live music to the Empire in the heart of the town is to be commended.

With doors opening at 4pm and the first band of the day on at 5pm, by the time we get there, the first band is due on shortly and there’s already a respectable number of people assembled when you factor in it’s a Saturday and pay weekend. Coventry’s Empire is a new venue for me and whilst HMV may be sponsors (and have their name above the door), there’s a great vibe in the room and you can feel it’s an independent place – think Bradford’s Nightrain, Bathgate’s Dreadnought or the infamous KK’s in Wolverhampton – you can’t fake that. While it seemed like half the country were fighting to secure tickets at, ahem, dynamic prices for a Beatles tribute band (and a naff one at that), kudos has to be given to organiser James for pulling this off and there genuinely not being a bad band among the eight. Plus, it was a whopping £20. If you can find a better value for money day of live music in 2024 (our own Rocktoberfest not included), I’d be shocked.

Right on cue at 5pm, the very first band to play Hella Rock Festival arrive. Taking their name from East Anglia legend (which also inspired a belter of a song by The Darkness), The Black Shucks make their presence known and kick the day off with a bang. Full of chugging riffs, it’s all about straightforward, solid hard rock and it sets the tone for the day. It’s a high benchmark for the following seven bands and all of them meet it. For The Black Shucks, you’d never know this line-up is only on their third performance – two rehearsals and today. Talk about a baptism by fire. But honestly, you’d think this quartet had been playing together for far longer as they all bounce off each other effortlessly, acting as one cohesive unit as they charge through a high-octane set. There’s a lot of bands on the scene which sound like this but not all of them are this good. If you like your standard meat-and-potatoes hard rock without any frills but played exceptionally well, you can’t go wrong with this lot. And all credit to them, they were there for the entire day watching the rest of the bands, the four of them singing and dancing along until the end. A lot of bands could learn from them.

Luna Kiss take the prize for the sharpest dressed band of the day. Suited and booted, the local four-piece are out to impress with their “wonky-alt-rock-pop” – their words (sort of), not ours. Whilst no two bands on the bill sound alike, they’re the most unique band of the day and there’s not much around on the scene at large which sounds like them. With some wicked banter to match their wicked sound, they’re basically what Royal Republic would be if they were from Coventry instead of Sweden. Choppy riffs give an edge to the band which would instead lean more into the indie camp. Instead, they’re a hard-edged alternative band with catchy hooks and one of the most modern bands around right now. They don’t go in for classic rock by numbers and whilst they do give nods to older bands, it’s more drawn from the 90s and 00s. Plus, they know how to play their instruments better than most (though, it’s not enough to be good nowadays but that’s a rant for another time) in order to create a fairly original sound full of scuzzy guitars and rhythms that will have you bobbing your head before you even realise it.

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Bringing some old school punk fury, New Generation Superstars are your quintessential snotty punk rock band. They charge through their set, barely pausing for breath, with one song seemingly segueing into the next. This isn’t a band who deal in slow numbers and they’re not about to break out a Leonard Cohen cover even if doing so would actually be punk as fuck. Blending both the British and American strains of 70s punk and even some 90s Green Day (ie when they were good) without the poppy slant to them, if there’s a prize for a band making the best use of their time, it’s this one. Even some continuous feedback doesn’t stop them. Instead, they just play harder and simply bury it so that the only way to hear it is if you picked up on it in the first place or in the rare lulls. The songs are gritty, snarling, and laced with venom in equal measure. Having been around the scene a bit longer than the rest of the bands, they show off their wealth of experience with a tight set which you can’t fault them for with their technical ability, the fourpiece intent on delivering an adrenaline-fuelled set you’re bound to remember for some time.

An absolute gem of a find at this year’s Call of the Wild, Bang Bang Firecracker aren’t so much a firecracker but a full-blown 5th November firework display. It’s sweaty, kick-the-door-down unapologetic hard rock. I’m instantly reminded of why they were so good back in May. They’re the absolute definition of a power trio – fast and furious with a very obvious nod and wink to Motörhead (the original power trio, let’s be real) whilst still having their own identity. They preview new song “Diamonds and Dirt” which some may consider a ballsy move. But if you’re going to road test a new song, where else better to do it than at a festival with fans and newcomers alike? Today, they seem leaner and tighter in comparison to a few months prior (and they weren’t any slouches then, either) for a more solid and polished performance and it does them wonders, now balancing the tightness needed for a trio but managing to still be rough around the edged which is exactly what you need for this style of rock and roll. And if anyone’s going to get that right, it’s this lot.

King Kraken are the second of the known quantities today. With powerful melodies forming a bed for equally powerful vocals to sit on, the South Wales band, as always, mean business today. It’s unsurprising why so many of our crew enjoy this lot because they’re bloody brilliant. Too rock to be metal, too metal to be rock, there’s harsh vocals and screams along with some stoner-based riffs that Clutch would envy. For thirty minutes, they take control, refusing to let go and deliver an unrelenting performance. Full of big and bulky riffs and more grooves than you can shake a stick at, they’re a band who simply get better every time you see them and should be far bigger than what they are.

Drawing the biggest crowd of the day, Tattoo Molly own Hella Rock Festival. This is James’ (organiser of this great day) own band. He could have arranged a festival around his own band and given them top billing. But he hasn’t which speaks to his depth of character and his vision for the festival itself. That aside, it’s not surprising why the room is packed for them. Whilst there’s hints of Southern rock early in their set, it slowly disappears to become a fully-fledged, full-bodied sound. Running through the entire set, there’s a good, solid groove to their music as the quartet blaze through their set. Powered by passion and chemistry and riding off the back of the previous night’s performance allows them to perform like they’re playing to a packed stadium. “Black Sheep” sees the first circle pit of the festival (whilst also explaining why so many people were wearing shirts with those words emblazoned on them). It’s meant as the band’s showstopper and if there was anyone on the fence before, this will have pulled them off. I found out the day after another show of theirs that they were playing literally around the corner from me and on the basis of this set, I’m now even more peeved that I missed it. I need to see this band again.

The Soul Revival keep the momentum going with their own brand of no-nonsense hard rock. Pulling from household names like Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC, there’s also some pop smarts to them in the vein of GUN. Indeed, there’s the same sort of fun and visual exuberance in their performance akin to one of Glasgow’s best-known bands. However, there’s more grit and heft in their music and they work damn hard to follow Tattoo Molly (frankly an unenviable job). Full of energy and letting the music do the talking, it’s boisterous up-tempo rock and roll – the kind that’s great at the start of a night or at the end to finish on a high. Which is what they endeavour to do. Unfazed by the thinner crowd, they approach their set with professionalism and confidence and it’s more like those who left to either go home or hang out in the bar missed one of the best-kept secrets of the day.

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Headliners Gorilla Riot may take a bit longer than expected to soundcheck and get started but when they get going, it’s worth the wait. Blues-fuelled classic rock closes out the day which veers into soul and gospel at times with hints of country, too. It also borrows bits from stoner and funk to allow you to nod your head along for the hour they’re on stage. But when it comes down to it, it’s largely paying homage to all those 60s and 70s bluesy rock bands from the UK without turning it into pastiche. Instead, there’s an obvious sincerity to them, blending those left-field influences with the more traditional ones for a chilled yet upbeat finale to what has been an incredible day. There’s singing, there’s dancing and the general reverie is from people who have had a great day. Gorilla Riot not only know how to ride that wave but they build on it, ensuring they end the night on a high. It comes from being excellent musicians and working together as a unit to be a top class band and like each and every one of the bands who trod the boards of Hella Rock Festival, they deserve to be playing to much bigger audiences.

I’m usually wary of festivals in their first year. There’s usually a whole lot of teething problems but at least from the audience’s perspective, there didn’t seem to be any issues. With affordable and great tasting street food, a reasonably-priced bar and a varied line-up which didn’t disappoint, Hella Rock is already off to a great start. Perhaps the only problem would be those relying on public transport may not have been able to see Gorilla Riot’s set in its entirety (but I’m not local to Coventry so can’t speak to its public transport infrastructure) due to finishing close to midnight. But for those who were there to the very end, everyone left with a smile on their face which speaks to the power of live music. Hella Rock Festival is a hella good time and I can’t wait for next year!