Review: Maid Of Stone Festival 2024 – Sunday

Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent (July 21^st , 2024)

Reviewer: Phil Honley / Photographers: Phil Honley & Dan Mann

Big River was originally going to kick things off on Sunday but unfortunately front man Adam Barron had been admitted to hospital and have had to withdraw. We wish Adam well and in the meantime the crowd enjoyed local boys Gianni Scalera And The Jury on the Firestarter stage. A new band for the majority I suspect but a fair audience had gathered.

There was a mixed bag on the Firestarter Stage during the day and another band that was new to me, Dublin-based rockers Brake Loose. Festival favourites Black Roze, Twister, Drew Dixon added some country and a great cover of ‘Mississippi Queen‘, Darnell Cole & The Vibe (no longer reliant on Tom Killner’s band but with Jit Chatterjee on drums and Eliot Lawrence on bass), the ever popular Karma Effect and Skarlett Riot.

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Firestarter Stage:

Gianni Scalera And The Jury

Brake Loose

Black Rose

Twister

Drew Dixon

Darnell Cole & The Vibe

The Karma Effect

Skarlett Riot

Phoenix Lake impressed as openers on the Phoenix Stage followed by the surprise package of the weekend, Seething Akira. Many criticised the line up insofar as it was much of a sameness. I guess there was some truth in this but these guys stood out as offering something very different. Charlie Bowes and Kit Conrad shared the rapping and gave us some entertainment in the vein of Limp Bizkit.

As December Falls attracted a large audience and it’s no wonder with the energetic Bethany Curtis dishing out the vocals. If Those Damn Crows were perhaps the biggest draw on Saturday it was probably the antics of Baz Mills and Massive Wagons pulling them in on Sunday. Having said that the headliners on the Phoenix Stage, Larkin Poe, were many people’s choice and I would say that sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell performance justified having the headline slot.

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Phoenix Stage:

Phoenix Lake

Seething Akira

As December Falls

Massive Wagons

Larkin Poe

A band that I, and many others it seemed, was looking forward to seeing for the first time, Preacher Stone, opened proceedings on the Inferno Stage. This band has not had the best of fortunes in recent times with two members, Marty Hill (guitar) and Johnny Webb (keyboards) both dying within six months of each other. They have come through this difficult period and continue to maintain a very high standard, excellent band.

Another casualty on the Sunday was the excellent These Wicked Rivers. Having spent the previous day enjoying the music on offer, they were unable to perform as John Hartwell sadly lost his mother on the Sunday. Oli Brown & The Dead Collective were quick to step in at very short notice and gave us a brilliant set on the main stage. Sam Wood was already here as he had performed with Wayward Sons on the Saturday.

Jared James Nichols I had seen a number of times albeit in modest venues. He has always impressed and today stepped up onto the main stage and was outstanding. As Drew Dixon was pleasing the gathered crowd with a great cover of ‘Mississippi Queen‘ on the Firestarter Stage, Jared was raising the hairs on the back of our necks with what has become his traditional cover of ‘War Pigs‘.

Living Colour with guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish impressed at the last Ramblin’ Man Festival in 2019 and had everyone’s attention five years on.

The weekend was brought to a close by Mr Big. Having access to the backstage area we had a little advantageous insight into the events leading up to the band taking to the stage. Lead vocalist Eric Martin has had a few rough days, he fell backwards, coming out of the bathroom of the tour bus and landed flat on his back following the band’s Belfast show. He didn’t feel any pain until the middle of the show the following night in Newcastle. Upon arrival in Maidstone, he went to the emergency ward at the local hospital to be checked out. Eric was collected from the hospital 30 minutes before showtime and arrived at the festival with the safety net, being an ambulence should he need a quick return to hospital during the show. I did notice a grimace or two during Eric’s performance he and the whole band put in a great show for what undoubtedly will be the last time we see them in the UK.

Chris Wright and co. have a five year, rolling contract with the owners of Mote Park to put on various shows across the summer months so look forward to at least three more years of Maid Of Stone. 2025 is certainly a goer and watch this space for news on that.

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Inferno Stage:

Preacher Stone

Oli Brown & The Dead Collective

Jared James Nichols

Living Colour

Mr Big

©All photographs are copyright of Phil Honley – Gigsnapz & Dan Mann – RPR Photography. They may not be altered or used without express permission.