One of the benefits of festival season is the prevalence of the number of one off shows or mini tours as bands slot in extra gigs around their festival appearances, which is what brings us to KK’s Steel Mill tonight. Both supports made appearances at Maid of Stone, and all three will be hitting the stage up the mountain at Steelhouse next weekend.

First up are Derby threesome MuddiBrooke who get things underway with ‘Straight Jacket’ and ‘ADHD’ which serve as an ideal introduction to their grungy rock with punky undertones. Later songs like the ballad ‘Turn To Dust’ and the brooding hypnotic ‘Cocaine’ show a greater diversity and with Luke Morley at the helm, their debut album should surely be something to look forward to.

A shift in style as Oklahoma’s Hillbilly Vegas deliver a set of prime quality Southern Rock. ‘Let It Ride’ sets their cards out on the table with trademark twin guitars and organ (Geraldo Dominelli switching between the two) and you know what you’re in store for the 40 minutes or so and as if to reiterate the point, frontman Steve Harris explains that tonight “we’re the redneck in a metal sandwich”. Feel good songs about drinking, partying and fast cars abound and the likes of ‘High Time For A Good Time’ and ‘Shake It Like A Hillbilly’ rock hard and are incredibly catchy.

Hillbilly Vegas have been making inroads into the UK since their second album, The Great Southern Hustle, in 2022, but they’ve been going for longer and play with the experience expected. It’s also good to see Todd Ronning on bass, who may be familar from touring with Paul Rodgers and Bad Company. While there are touches of country and bluegrass thrown in along the way, the end with their set with the heaviest in ‘Hell To Pay’. Having seen them twice now at KK’s, surely a headline show should be something we can anticipate in the near future.

So on to that top layer of the ‘metal sandwich’ and Wolfsbane take us all the way back to 1989 both musically and in spirit. Having recently re-recorded their classic ‘Live Fast Die Fast’ album to address the Def American shortcomings in production, they are now here to play the album in its entirety so that means that after opener ‘Limo’ they move straight into the infectious ‘Man Hunt’ which immediately hits like a sledgehammer. A song that demands audience participation does not disappoint. Bayley is in imperious form as he belts out ‘Shakin’ and ‘Killing Machine’ as he encourages the crowd throuhghout. In all honesty, much of the audience have grown up (maybe grown older would be more accurate) alongside Wolfsbane. They are a band dear to their heart and they were going to sing along at the top of their lungs whether encouraged to do so or not, but the enthusiasm is undeniably infectious.

While ‘Money To Burn’ and ‘I Like It Hot’ are bona fide classics that have remained set regulars, its nice to get the opportunity to hear lesser played gems like ‘Greasy’ and ‘Tears From A Fool’ before ending the album run through with ‘Pretty Baby’. “Most bands would end it here” Blaze announces, “but not us” as they tear into ‘Steel’ in all its magnificence with some scorching lead guitar from Jase Edwards. ‘Spit It Out’ is the sole inclusion from 2022’s excellent Genius album, but then there’s a lot to squeeze in. Their appreciation of the fans and their support is genuine, and when Blaze says that Wolfsbane has the best fans, he means it and that respect is part of reason why the band remain so endearing. He also gives a shout out to KK’s – a great, welcoming venue keeping the spirit of JBs and Junction 10 alive. ‘Smoke and Red Light’ then suitably recounts the genesis and early days of the band.

The frantic ‘Kathy Wilson’ and ‘Loco’ somehow seem tu up the energy stakes even further and the latter along with the big chorus of ‘Paint The Town Red’ give the HMS choir a chance to wear out their voices before they close with a massive ‘Temple Of Rock’ – well it is a Sunday after all so where better to worship than at the feet of Wolfsbane at KK’s Steel Mill.

Setlist:
My Face/Limo
Man Hunt
Shakin’
Killing Machine
Fell Out of Heaven
Money to Burn
Greasy
I Like It Hot
All or Nothing
Tears From a Fool
Pretty Baby
Steel
Spit It Out
Smoke and Red Light
Kathy Wilson
Loco
Ezy
Paint the Town Red
Temple of Rock