Hereford's Hate.System loving its shot at Drunken Monkey Rock Festival 2018

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BANDS BATTLE FOR BIG FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT 
TALENTED musicians in a popular Hereford band are limbering up to do battle for a hot festival date.
Modern metal outfit Hate.System is getting ready to rock against three other bands to win a coveted place in the mega August 3-5 Drunken Monkey Rock Festival in Upton-upon-Severn.
The quartet will be pitched against Voodoo Stone, Vintage Inc and Ranstone in the May 11 Drunken Monkey Battle of the Bands starting at 7pm at Evesham’s The Valkyrie Bar.
“We’re very happy to be included on the bill for this battle of the bands, plus it is our first time performing in Evesham,” says vocalist and guitarist Dan James, who will be joined by brother Ben on drums, Conor Frampton on guitars and Joe Rogers on bass.  
“Ben went to Drunken Monkey last year and witnessed first hand how great the Festival is, furthermore how important it is for local music and rock music in the area! So for Hate.System to be part of this year’s event would be a huge privilege.”
The Battle of the Bands is a first for the ever-growing Festival, which was launched in memory of Ian Downton, who died in 2009 after a car accident. To date, more than £25,000 has been donated to the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC).
The record-breaking 2017 event attracted twice as many people and raised four times as much as the year before.
Tickets are already selling fast for this year’s Festival, with a line up including Wizards of Oz, Pearl Jamm, Van Hailen and Gage, hot footing it from South Africa. Check out www.drunkenmonkeyrockfest.co.uk for the full line up and tickets.
The volunteer team of organisers had to turn away scores of would-be performers and the line up slots are already filling up for next year.
But Stu Evans, who runs the main stage, and Chris Harvey, who heads the Tower stage, kept three 2018 places free for the winners of their first Battle of the Bands.
The fierce competition will be judged by audience reactions plus the verdicts of Stu, Chris and The Valkyrie Bar owner, and Festival fan, Steve Richford, who says: “It will be a great night that will also raise money for MAAC.”
“We wish all the bands well,” says Festival Music Director Stu. 
“Let battle commence.”  
Hate.System
Group7Test2018

Whole lotta Worcester going on for Drunken Monkey Rock Festival 2018

Written by Crucial PR on .

BANDS BATTLE FOR BIG FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT 

TALENTED bands are limbering up to do battle for a hot festival date, thanks to a Worcester man who knows exactly how crucial a big spotlight can be.

Stu Evans is a process engineer by day and a singer in an AC/DC tribute by night and his band Soul Stripper is soaring after getting a try-out session at the city’s Marr’s Bar eight years ago.

Now Stu and Drunken Monkey Rock Festival colleague, Chris Harvey who runs Tower Studios near Pershore, have launched the mega event’s first Battle of the Bands in which four local groups - including Worcester-based Vintage Inc.   - will vie to win a coveted place in the 2018  August 3-5 extravaganza.

The ever-growing Festival was launched in memory of Ian Downton, who died in 2009 after a car accident. To date, more than £25,000 has been donated to the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC).

Tickets are already selling fast for this year’s Festival, with a line up including Wizards of Oz, Pearl Jamm, Van Hailen and Gage, hot footing it from South Africa. Check out www.drunkenmonkeyrockfest.co.uk for the full line up and tickets.

The organisers had to turn away scores of would-be performers and the line up slots are already filling up for next year. But Stu and Chris, kept three 2018 places free for the winners of the Battle of the Bands.

“We wanted to give a mix of up and coming bands, and those who narrowly missed out on a place this time, the chance to get their work showcased at the Festival,” says Chris.

The four bands will do battle at Evesham’s The Valkyrie Bar, starting at 7pm on May 11.

They include Voodoo Stone, whose lead guitarist Chris Clarke is from Worcester, Hereford-based Hate.System and Evesham teenagers Ranstone.

Bigging it up for Worcester will be Vintage Inc., whose four highly experienced musicians can’t wait.

“We may not be the youngest or have the most hair, but we are really excited and honoured to be invited and will be giving all we have to gain a place at the Festival,” says drummer Rich Beard.

“We look forward to meeting everyone for a great night of music for a great cause.”

The popular band, which brings together 150 years’ gigging experience and belts out rock and blues classics with a unique twist, was formed in 2017 by drummer Rich.

Fellow city slickers are Danny McInerney (singer and frontman) and bassist Graham Clarke while rhythm guitarist Mike Brown is from Cofton Hackett, near Bromsgrove.

Soul Stripper’s Stu, a father of three who works for a cold storage company and lives in the city with civil servant wife Debbie, had only ever sung in front of family, friends and the bathroom mirror when he spotted a Facebook post.

Scott (Fast Fingers) Pinchin, from Pershore, gave him a try out and the Marr’s Bar-gifted chance to drop in and perform one song turned into all of the six they had ready and they never looked back.

The band morphed into Soul Stripper, now with Scott on lead guitar, Upton man Andy Noon on rhythm, Colwall bass player Barry Pedlingham and Dudley drummer Ian Overfield.

AC/DC fan Stu perfects the sound of Bon Scott. So how was it the first time?

“I was more nervous about whether we could pull it off as a band, but we did,” smiles Festival Music Director Stu, whose band is now in big demand and often offers support slots to up and coming sounds.

“We like to talent spot and give new bands a break, just like we had.”

Vintage Inc

Soul stripperVintage Inc. and (below) Soul Stripper

Drunken Monkey Rock Festival 2018: Alcester singer Claire & band ready to rock

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BANDS BATTLE FOR FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT 
Voodoo Stone
A TALENTED Alcester singer and her rock and blues band are limbering up to do battle for a hot festival date.
Claire Clements and Voodoo Stone will be playing their hearts out against three others bands to win a coveted place in the mega August 3-5 Drunken Monkey Rock Festival in Upton-upon-Severn.
“We’re very excited about the prospect of getting a Festival slot,” says Claire, who’s supported by Worcester-based lead guitarist Chris Clarke,  Liam Blakemore, from Malvern, on bass and Kidderminster drummer Andy Gibson.
The quartet, who rock crowds with their own music, will be pitched against Hate.System, Vintage Inc and Ranstone in the May 11 Drunken Monkey Battle of the Bands starting at 7pm at Evesham’s The Valkyrie Bar.
It’s a first for the ever-growing Festival which was launched in memory of Ian Downton, who died in 2009 after a car accident. To date, more than £25,000 has been donated to the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC).
The record-breaking 2017 event attracted twice as many people and raised four times as much as the year before.
Tickets are already selling fast for this year’s Festival, with a line up including Wizards of Oz, Pearl Jamm, Van Hailen and Gage, hot footing it from South Africa. Check out www.drunkenmonkeyrockfest.co.uk for the full line up and tickets.
The volunteer team of organisers had to turn away scores of would-be performers and the line-up slots are already filling up for next year.
But Stu Evans, who runs the main stage, and Chris Harvey, who heads the Tower stage, kept three 2018 places free for the winners of their first Battle of the Bands.
The fierce competition will be judged by audience reactions plus the verdicts of Stu, Chris and The Valkyrie Bar owner, and Festival fan, Steve Richford, who says: “It will be a great night that will also raise money for MAAC.”
Claire and her band can’t wait. “It would be a first for us to play Drunken Monkey, which is a great Festival with a great cause. 
“The Battle of the Bands at The Valkyrie will be a fantastic night and we're very much looking forward to sharing the stage with three amazing bands.”
“We wish all the bands well,” says Festival Music Director Stu. â€œLet battle commence.”  

Drunken Monkey Rock Festival 2018: Evesham schoolboys rock on

Written by Crucial PR on .

EVESHAM LADS BATTLE FOR FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT 

A TALENTED band of Evesham schoolboys is getting set for its biggest gig yet and it could rock their young lives. 

The 14 and 15 year-olds who make up Ranstone will be playing their heavy metal hearts out to win a coveted place in the mega August 3-5 Drunken Monkey Rock Festival in Upton-upon-Severn.

Success will line the lads up with more than 50 crowd-pulling greats at the Festival, which raises funds for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC) in memory of Ian Dowton and is growing ever year.

The record-breaking 2017 event attracted twice as many people and raised four times as much as the year before.

Tickets are already selling fast for this year’s Festival, with a line-up including Wizards of Oz, Pearl Jamm, Van Hailen and Gage, hot footing it from South Africa. Check out www.drunkenmonkeyrockfest.co.uk for the full line-up and tickets.

The volunteer team of organisers had to turn away scores of would-be performers and the performance slots are already filling up for next year.

But Stu Evans, who runs the main stage, and Chris Harvey, who heads the Tower stage, kept three places free for the winners of their first Battle of the Bands, at Evesham’s The Valkyrie Bar, starting at 7pm on May 11.

Ranstone will be pitched against Voodoo Stone, Hate.System and Vintage Inc in a fierce competition that will be judged by audience reaction plus the verdicts of Stu, Chris and Bar owner, and Festival fan, Steve Richford, who says: “It will be a great night that will also raise money for MAAC.”

Ranstone was put forward by Chris, who runs Tower Studios in Pinvin, which is backing the Battle of the Bands and where he tutors drummer Zack Morris. “They’re a good, tight little band who deserve a wider audience,” he says.

“Chris is a great motivator and we’re very proud of them. Whatever happens on May 11, it will be a great showcase for them,” says John Morris, the tree surgeon dad of Zack, aged 14 and a PHHS student.

“We have been practising really hard for this and I'm ready to tear up that drum kit,” adds Zack.

“If they win, it will be their first festival and potentially a game-changer,” adds Nick Hutton, financial services expert and dad of singer Jack, 15, a pupil at De Montfort High School whose teachers, he says, have been brilliant at encouraging his son.

“We wish all the bands well,” says Festival Music Director Stu. 

“Let battle commence.”  

People power fuels ANT wildlife haven drive

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WILDLIFE HAVEN TO GO AHEAD DESPITE GRANT MISS
IT’S full steam ahead for Avon Navigation Trust’s plans for a wildlife sanctuary on a rescued river island, which will be fuelled by people power after the charity missed out on a community grant.
The historic Pershore Lock Island will now also provide a lasting tribute to humans, thanks to the Trust’s (ANT) merry band of multi-skilled volunteers.
Supporter Chris Knight has launched a Name a Tree project to give everyone the chance to commemorate a loved one in the special place.
The RHS-qualified gardener, who also asked for trees and compost instead of 70th birthday gifts, has already planted hundreds of bulbs and shrubs on the mid-river oasis, which it’s hoped will become a magnet for visitors as well as wildlife.
“We have a great opportunity to turn what is now a blank canvas into something beautiful and rewarding,” says the volunteer assistant Reachmaster at Pershore Lock, which has been a busy river conduit since 1639.
“It was shame that we weren’t successful in the Aviva Community Fund but it helped to raise the profile of our project, which has now taken on a life of its own,” adds ANT Chief Executive Clive Matthews, whose team is now casting about for new grant funding. 
“The commemorative trees are a brilliant idea. Our volunteers are truly a force to be reckoned with.”
The Trust also plans to build a hide and make the 3230 square metre island accessible to the public with the support of Pershore’s The Angel Hotel, which teamed up with ANT last year to provide a mooring and landing stage overlooking the site.
“We have formed a strong partnership with ANT and we are delighted at the prospect of the new project,” says Angel owner and Chief Executive Darren Eden.
“At a time when British wildlife is struggling, it is fantastic that ANT is taking this initiative, which will help make Pershore and our river an even more attractive destination for boaters and other visitors.”
Talented volunteers cover more than 65% of the work on the river, freeing up the small ANT work team to tackle big engineering jobs, including the two natural disasters that prompted the wildlife haven project.
Its task force moved in swiftly to save the flood-damaged island in 2015 and was back last year when the island had to be cleared to become an emergency worksite after a winter tree fall rerouted the weir stream and blocked the navigation.
“Two near calamities left us with the opportunity to do something really worthwhile on a historic site, and what Chris has started is wonderful,” adds Pershore Reachmaster Michael Hodges.
For Chris, it’s simply a way to give back to the river on which he learnt to sail when he was 11. He’s since sailed round some of the world’s most exotic oceans, but the Avon has always been special.
“It’s a beautiful river and volunteering on it is a joy, because everyone’s happy to be here,” adds Chris, who now lives In Alcester and keeps his 30” boat Crystal at Wyre Piddle.
He’s one of 80 volunteers who tend the Avon’s locks, overnight moorings and get even more hands-on in Volunteer & Recruitment Director Nick Farr’s Patrol Officer and Mobile Volunteer teams.
“A few years ago, we were thrilled to get into double figures but numbers are continuing to rise as people find out what fun it can be,” says ANT Volunteer Chairman Paul Cronin, himself a supporter for 20 years.
“We always need more and welcome everyone, boaters or not, to assist however they wish, whether that’s helping visitors through a lock or getting down and dirty on maintenance work.”
To find out more, please contact Paul at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and to discover how to dedicate a tree (at £35, for a tree, stake, compost and dedication label), please email ANT at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Wildlife haven
 What a treemendous idea. Name a Tree project planter Chris Knight (right) with Volunteer Chairman Paul Cronin and the commemorative tree to be planted in memory of his mother Olwyn Cronin and parents-in-law Derrick and Celia Madgwick. Photo: Sue MacPhee. 
Island view 
A view of the island when it was cleared as an emergency worksite.