High Voltage - Saturday
23 July 2011
Victoria Park, London
Whilst waterproofs had been put on stand-by due to changeable weather in the preceding week, High Voltage 2011 turned out to be our first dry festival of the year. Although the weather went right, everything else seemed to be going wrong on the Saturday morning with a combination of transport and bank issues leading us to arrive later than planned and annoyingly miss the Von Hertzen Brothers.
First port of call was therefore the main stage to catch Skin. Opening with new song Born To Rock’n’Roll, the first thing that struck us was the low volume. This was a common problem at the mainstage across the weekend and certainly dampened our enjoyment of a number of bands. Skin meanwhile ploughed on with a slew of crowd pleasers drawing heavily from their 1994 debut album. The band was due to split again last year and if this turns out to be their swansong it was an enjoyable, if quiet one.
Skin setlist:
Born To Rock 'n' Roll / House Of Love / Take Me Down To The River / Look But Don't Touch / Tower Of Strength / Shine Your Light
  
Heading over to the Metal Stage we took a quick detour via the prog stage and manage to catch Amplifier wrapping up their set.
  
It was Primitai on the Metal stage we were however heading to see and they did not disappoint. A pinch of Iron Maiden, some NWOBHM and some thrash chug are blended together to form a satisfying dose of metal.Extra points must also be awarded for forming a Scorpions style human pyramid during Degeneration.
Primitai setlist:
The Craft / The Line Of Fire / Sin City / Degeneration / Rockin’ In Hell
  
In sonic contrast, back at the prog stage Caravan were entertaining a large crowd with their Canterbury scene sound. Only catching the tail of the set, it was quite enjoyable to experience with a pint in one hand leaving the other free for some chin stroking. However we much preferred when Pye Hastings wasn’t singing.
 
Queensrÿche have been getting a lot of flak for their latest album Dedicated To Chaos and I think I may be in the minority in actually liking Get Started from that disc which opened their set. At this point we start to wonder whether the festival needs to be re-christened Low Voltage as the lack of volume blunted the Americans set. However, with Geoff Tate seemingly in a lively mood and Jet City Woman, Empire and Eyes Of A Stranger lined up to close their set, Queensrÿche’s pull off a victory, just.
Queensrÿche setlist:
Get Started / Damaged / I Don't Believe In Love / NM 156 / Screaming In Digital / Jet City Woman / Empire / Eyes Of A Stranger
  
A quick dash to the prog stage finds Anathema stretching out with Dreaming Light. The band seemed to gear the set for a more laid back approach today which built slowly to a majestic Universal. However just when we expect to be sent away happy with, I suspect, Fragile Dreams, the stage manager is giving the signal to cut the set with a large clock next to him still showing five minutes remaining, which Vincent Cavanagh was quick to point out to no avail.
Anathema setlist:
Thin Air / Summernight Horizon / Dreaming Light / Everything / A Natural Disaster / Closer / Universal
  
Triggerfinger performing on the Metal Stage:
  
Everyone has an opinion on whether there still should be a band touring called Thin Lizzy. The important thing today though is they rock and have a stack of classic songs. Ricky Warwick does a fine job fronting the band who are joined by Michael Monroe and his saxophone for Dancing In The Moonlight.
Thin Lizzy setlist:
Are You Ready / Waiting For An Alibi / Jailbreak / Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight) / Emerald / Whiskey in the Jar / Cowboy Song / The Boys Are Back In Town / Rosalie / Black Rose
 
Meanwhile on the Prog Stage, Neal Morse was leading his band through a truncated airing of his latest Testimony 2 album. Considering this was an assembled band they were incredibly proficient with guitarist Paul Bielatowicz particularly impressive. Morse himself was clearly enjoying the occasion wandering round the stage and switching between guitar and keyboards whilst singing. Time Changer was a definite highlight but it was indeed soon time to move along.
Neal Morse setlist:
Mercy Street / Overture No. 4 / Time Changer / Jayda / Nighttime Collectors / Time Has Come Today / Jesus' Blood / The Truth Will Set You Free / It's for You / Crossing Over/Mercy Street Reprise
  
Sylosis performing on the Metal Stage:
  
It’s Slash’s birthday and unsurprisingly there’s one of the larger crowds of the weekends gathered to help him celebrate. Including four Appetite For Destruction songs ensures the masses are pleased and Myles Kennedy’s presence makes this a more appealing proposition than Axl’s mob. Rather surprisingly the man in the top hat wheel’s out three songs from the second Snakepit album which leaves some of the crowd a little lost but there’s no denying opener Been There Lately and Mean Bone are worthy of a re-visitation.
Slash setlist:
Been There Lately / Nightrain / Rocket Queen / Ghost / Mean Bone / Doctor Alibi / Speed Parade / Sweet Child O' Mine / Slither / Paradise City
 
Grand Magus can sometimes look a little lost on a large stage but on this year’s more intimate Metal Stage the three piece are as commanding as anything we see on it this weekend. Their Swedish flag backdrop looks made for the stage and JB and crew ease through a set of satisfying metal. It’s a joy to get near and feel some volume as Like The Oar Strikes The Water batters our eardrums.
Grand Magus setlist:
Kingslayer / Like The Oar Strikes The Water / Silver Into Steel / Hammer Of The North / Ravens Guide Our Way / The Shadow Knows / Iron Will
  
If this really turned out to be Judas Priest’s live Epitaph then it certainly saw them going out on a high. The real surprise was Rob Halford’s performance. Recent encounters with the band have seen him seemingly struggling, but tonight he not only hit most of the notes but also seems far more genuine and less to prone to pantomime theatrics. New boy Richie Faulkner slipped into KK Downing’s shoes with surprising ease and with a monster setlist taking in every Halford fronted album what more could we want? Some lasers, explosions and a Harley on stage perhaps? Yes, we got those and departed the first day of High Voltage hoping that Priest hold true to their plan not to fully retire and make sporadic future live appearances.
Judas Priest setlist:
Rapid Fire / Metal Gods / Heading Out to the Highway / Judas Rising / Starbreaker / Victim of Changes / Never Satisfied / Diamonds & Rust / Dawn of Creation / Prophecy / Night Crawler / Turbo Lover / Beyond the Realms of Death / The Sentinel / Blood Red Skies / The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown) / Breaking the Law / Drum Solo / Painkiller / The Hellion / Electric Eye / Hell Bent for Leather / You've Got Another Thing Comin' / Living After Midnight
 
LINKS:
http://www.highvoltagefestival.com/
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