'Hard Rock Hell 3'
Prestatyn, Wales 4th to 6th/12/2009
Review By Mick (the beard) Staley
This was my first HRH but not my first visit to Prestatyn as I had attended Hammerfest here a few months earlier.
We arrived on the Thursday for the Vikings Ball, and as at Hammerfest, there is a great vibe and I for one look forward to these festivals more than any other in the metal calender.
Everyone lives in the same proximity to each other in chalets, so you could be next door to one of the bands playing later. You have all the mod cons, showers, toilets, heating and even a fridge for your beer!!
Everything is within close proximity, with no 15 min hikes to the stages and with the age of the audience here for HRH all this bodes well.
I have never seen so many people at a festival with the need for crutches and the like, the signs of age are catching up with us older metalheads, but with such a blast from the past line up and a few new pretenders thrown in, just keep us away.
The first night was a pre launch party under the guise of a Viking Ball, not much sign of a ball but more than a few Vikings, not to metion the other wiered and wonderful costumes.
GMT were the big guns for Thursday, with legends John McCoy and Bernie Torme, showing they still have what it takes to rock out.
I ran into some old friends from Ireland again, so my good intentions stay sober forearly next morning interviews went out of the window, which I regretted the next day. Once again big apologies to Logan who saw the funny side, but 10.30 am was never a good time.
After a full day interviewing on Friday I finally tried to see some bands. Sons of Merrick were out of this world, with power riffs and an awesome southern groove.
Pig Iron were their usual selves with a top drawer performance despite the hangovers.
The whole weekend was very much in the same vein, too much beer (if thats possible) and great bands, old bands alongside new but kicking ass.
Marshall Law, Girlschool, Gun,Monster Magnet, Terrorvision, Wasp, Queensryche the list goes on. The highlight for me though was the discovery of Beholder, what a band and not to mention the great Goatwhoare the list goes on.
If you get a chance to go to HRH 3 then go for it, you will see how it was done and see who does it now all on the same bill, and dont forget Hamerfest a few months later.
