Grimsthorpe Castle, Bourne
Friday, 5th September 2025
A beautiful sunny morning that ensured that the day started well but, still tired from the previous day I reviewed my strategy for seeing bands and realised that I was spreading myself too thinly, not to say getting exhausted, running about trying to see every band that the schedule would allow so I decided that, for the rest of the weekend, I would slow down a little, be more selective and take the time to fully appreciate the bands that I did see. [Darren Walker]
LAZY FIFTY
Having conferred with fellow TPA scribe Darren, and with so many bands to cover throughout the day, we decided to divide and conquer. I made my way to the Kingfisher stage to catch Lazy Fifty, a trio from New Zealand. Beyond their origin, I knew little about them, so I approached their set with an open mind.
If the crowd wasn’t fully awake when they took the stage, they certainly were by the time Lazy Fifty launched into their set. Fronted by Adrian Athy on guitar and vocals, the band wasted no time in commanding attention. Backed by the powerhouse rhythm section of Mathew Green on drums and, I believe, Alex Davis on bass, they delivered a tight, energetic performance that drew heavily from their recent EP, The Good, The Bad and The Lazy.
I’d not heard Lazy Fifty prior to NVRF, but if memory serves, Sitting In The Shadows was an absolute standout – raw, punchy, and memorable. All told, it was a stonking set that set the bar impressively high for the rest of the day. [Chris Simmons]
ZOPP
First up for me were a quartet by the name of Zopp. There were a few early sound issues with the guitar that did spoil an otherwise superb set, but those problems were soon resolved, and they delivered a fun set of finely textured Prog interspersed with entertaining story telling. The songs were rich, and the band were definitely talented. Musically they made me think of early Genesis. However, they did apologise for a song being ‘too long’ as if any true progger ever complained of that.
Afterwards I managed to speak to Zopp and, despite being obviously exhausted from such an energetic set they were able to answer a few questions. The first one was probably the obvious one and that was where did the name come from?
Zopp: Being based in Nottingham there is a record store there called Fopp, we liked the sound that the word made so we tweaked it a little and came up with Zopp.
Darren: Despite having a table that seemed to be straining under the wait of all the albums, and merchandise to give the fans some great souvenirs, demonstrates how prolific you are, however do you struggle with getting gigs?
Zopp: We have a loyal fan base in Nottingham and surrounding areas but it can be a struggle getting concerts elsewhere. Venues need to have some confidence that they will get ‘bums on seats’ and if they do not know us, they might be cautious. But we do lots of festivals and they get us out there and we are growing our fanbase with each performance at those. [Darren Walker]
I’ve not seen much mention of Zopp in NVRF social media posts, but their set was notable, partly because they were really excellent, and partly for having the bravery to play a bunch of songs nobody knew. Their Canterbury influences are apparent from the opening song, with authentic keyboard sounds from the Seventies by main man Ryan Stevenson, but given a modern twist. Sadly, Zopp’s sax player was absent for this set, but the rest of the band made up for it professionally. Andrea Moneta on drums and Ash Raynor on bass make a formidable rhythm section, and Richard Lucas on guitar adds so much colour with his expressive runs and flourishes. Eternal Return and You were familiar, but much of the set was taken from their as yet unreleased third album, and judging from this performance, it’s going to be a belter. One song in particular (don’t know its name, but possibly Living Man?) was so long Ryan himself admitted it was “too long”! Well, the audience didn’t seem to mind! Brilliant set from a band we need to see invited back. [Graham Thomas]
Z MACHINE
By alphabetical coincidence the next act started with Z. This time it was a Swansea performed jazz rock fusion that, despite being an unexpected genre to a few of the audience that I spoke to, they were a success and soon had all those in the marquee on their side and enjoying every note. Saxophone driven music that, at times, made me think of Gong and Ozric’s Tentacles, laced with midnight jazz. I loved them and, looking back over the whole weekend I thought that they were one of the best bands that I saw, which isn’t easy to say as I saw so many fantastic acts. If you are not familiar with them, they are well worth a listen.
Despite them being busy packing up their gear I did manage to speak to them and, yet again I found out that the band name came from physics. This time it was taken from a perpetual energy machine. Although I had my own views on their style I asked them about their influences and, as expected from their performance, they were wide and eclectic. Rush, Gentle Giant and Chic Corea were offered by Rob Harrison, the saxophonist, while Lester Greenhalgh the drummer told me that he was more a metal drummer but cited Mahavishnu Orchestra as being one of the band to influence his style while in Z Machine.
I then asked them the inevitable question about finding, and then growing, a fan base. They admitted that, like most, if not all, new bands, it is a struggle and they find that festivals, like Nene, are ideal platforms to get out there and be seen by people who might otherwise not notice them.
And the next album? All being well it will be out sometime in 2026. And I for one will be wanting a copy, as I picked up their two previous albums, Merging Worlds & Live in Hangar 18, and both are exceptional CDs. [Darren Walker]
TROYEN
I’ll admit, Troyen were previously off my radar. Originally hailing from Warrington, Troyen were one of the many promising acts swept up in the tidal wave of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement that surged through the UK in the early 1980s. Though their initial run was brief, like many of their peers who burned brightly but quickly, their early material hinted at a band with both melodic sensibility and raw power.
After decades of silence, Troyen re-emerged in 2014, not as a nostalgia act but as a band determined to reclaim their place in the metal landscape. Their return to the live stage was marked by the release of the aptly titled Finish What We Started, a declaration of intent that bridged past and present. Signing with Classic Metal Records, they went on to release three more albums, each steeped in the spirit of NWOBHM but infused with the maturity and fire of seasoned musicians. Their most recent offering, Unfinished Business, feels less like a retrospective and more like a rallying cry, a reminder that some stories deserve a second chapter.
With a barrage of hard-rocking riffs, tight arrangements, and a palpable sense of purpose, they delivered a performance that was both energetic and heartfelt. There was no sense of going through the motions – this was a band playing like they had something to prove. And judging by the crowd’s reaction, they did just that. Troyen may have once been a footnote in NWOBHM history, but they’re now writing a new chapter, one riff at a time. [Chris Simmons]
INZENGARD
After a hefty slab of Prog, Izengard brought us back to earth with some classic hard rock. They have solid metallic crunch, but enough melody to turn a few heads, and they attract a growing crowd of music lovers as their set unfolds. Singer Steve Smith is a convincing front man, and Russ Vaughan sports the most impressive beard outside of ZZ Top!
Their songs take us back to the Eighties British metal scene, and that’s no bad thing. A solid and impressive performance. [Graham Thomas]
SPLINK
Splink say that they play ‘no rules music’, so I don’t need to describe their sound as jazz-folk-prog! When a violin is the key instrument, there’s bound to be a folk element, and Vicky Ings plays with passion and a smile; the joy of the music shines through. Matt James plays some tasty guitar, and they breeze through various styles and moods as their set progresses, but it’s always fun and engaging. They are in their element in a festival atmosphere, and there are many smiles around me as their performance comes to a close. We will be seeing more of Splink I’m sure. [Graham Thomas]
VMBRA
Moving down the alphabet, if only slightly, the next set was by Vmbra, although it is pronounced Umbra, which is Latin for shadow. But other than the name any similarity to Hank Marvin was not there. Progressive rock metal that started off with a Scissor Sisters vibe from the bassist before they got into a harder sound.
Prog with the emphasis on rock, but not enough to remove any texture from the Spanish female lead singer’s vocals. They even managed to do a very dark cover version of the Paul McCartney’s Blackbird. Extremely unexpected and leftfield but it worked and it was enjoyable. They had many in the audience moving their heads in time to the music. Not quite full throttle headbanging but close enough. [Darren Walker]
LEADFEATHER
A new name on the scene, London-based Leadfeather may have only formed in 2024, but you’d never guess it from their commanding performance. With the strut and soul of Led Zeppelin and Bad Company at their peak, the band delivered a blistering set steeped in the swagger of early ’70s blues-infused hard rock — yet unmistakably stamped with their own identity.
Drawing heavily from their debut release Roll The Dice, Leadfeather tore through their material with electrifying confidence. The title track, in particular, is a knockout — a searing anthem that announces their arrival with authority. Guitarist Simon Hurst laid down riff after riff with effortless fire, while frontman Apostolos L channels the spirit of Paul Rodgers, both in presence and vocal grit. And as any true classic rock outfit knows, the engine room is everything — Daniel Devis and Thanos lock in with a thunderous groove that gives the band its muscular backbone. Leadfeather aren’t just promising — they’re already delivering. [Chris Simmons]
GERRY JABLONSKI BAND
Among the many unfamiliar names on today’s programme, the Gerry Jablonski Band was another new one to me. But given the high calibre of acts throughout the day, I made a point to check them out, and I’m so glad I did. As Gerry Jablonski stepped onto the stage, I couldn’t help but notice a striking resemblance to Joe Walsh. I found myself hoping his guitar chops would be just as memorable.
Well—WOW. Gerry didn’t just meet expectations; he blew them away. His guitar work was phenomenal, and the band matched his energy every step of the way. Vocalist Nicky Aiken delivered a powerhouse performance – raw yet hugely melodic, full of grit and soul. Peter Narojczyk’s harmonica added a whole new layer to the sound, weaving in textures that elevated the set.
And the rhythm section? Absolutely thunderous and inventive, locking everything together with flair. [Chris Simmons]
FRANCK CARDUCCI AND THE FANTASTIC SQUAD
Time to see Franck Carducci and the Fantastic Squad, but yet again it is another band that has been reviewed quite a few times on the TPA website and if I were to fully talk about them would be either full of tired clichés or force me to look up new and different superlatives. So, all I will say is that they were, as always, fantastic and, having spoken to a few members of the audience after their set, they had won over some new fans, with one person even planning to travel across the English Channel to see them perform in France.
So Franck and his talented troupe return to our shores and kick off their extensive UK tour at Grimsthorpe, for the Nene Valley Rock Festival. Franck shares with us that ‘nene’ in French means ‘boobs’. How appropriate! The Fantastic Squad explode into Slave to Rock’n’Roll and it’s like they’ve never been gone. The sizeable crowd are obviously up for a night of revelry and there is much enthusiastic participation at every prompt.
We may have seen large parts of this set many times before, and we may know what’s coming next, but it’s so good it doesn’t matter a bit. The relatively new The Betrayal of Blue sounds fresh and exciting, Mary Renaud’s theramin routine as fun as ever. The whole set is a feast of audio visual stimulation, and there’s really nothing for it but to surrender to the vibe and join in. Lea Fernández pounds her drum kit into submission, Barth Sky throws shapes while wringing the neck of his guitar, and Cedric Selzer provides the keyboard wizardry. It’s truly a rock circus, and it’s irresistible.
Mary takes centre stage again with her beautiful Angel routine, and the show closes the only way it can with Alice’s Eerie Dream, which has been refreshed with new costumes and a few tweaks to the theatrics. Through it all Franck’s class and musicianship shine through, so there is substance beneath all the glitz. If you’ve seen this lot before, you’ll be wanting to see them again, they are that good. If you’ve somehow never experienced a Carducci show before, he’s returning to these shores next year, so just go. Formidable! [Graham Thomas]
CATS IN SPACE
Earlier in the day Greg Hart chatted with TPA’s Darren Walker
Sat in their transport that was more like a house on wheels than any camper van we chatted and he told me a potted history of the band, their inspiration and their views on the music business. Formed 10 years ago they have supported such luminaries as Status Quo and Deep Purple and their last three albums have all performed well in the indie charts, getting ever more successful as their audience grows. They have a familiar sound, and they proudly admit that they are influenced by such acts as Queen, ELO, Pilot and 10cc. All of which can be heard in their albums if you listen closely enough. Greg enjoys music and told me that he is not afraid to make a song that is influenced by any band, as long as it works, he is happy.
Thanks to all of the band members having a long list of previous musical experience Greg felt that Cats In Space has a magic synergy that ensures everyone has mutual respect and there are no egos or competition to outshine each other. There is a simple basis for quality control and, by mutual consent, if they do not feel that a song is not good enough, they don’t do it.
They have a new lead singer and there were slight concerns that it could create a Phil Collins versus Peter Gabriel split with some of the fans, but it doesn’t seem have happened and he has been accepted.
As for the music business Greg was open and frank. He sees it as a brutal business where it is now extremely difficult to break even, never mind make a profit. They rely on getting bums on seat at concerts, which hopefully includes people new to their music. They were due to support ELO at Hyde Park but, as that was cancelled it dented their hopes of getting new fans from the vast crowds that were due there. But thankfully they have a supportive record label, Cherry Red, and releasing new material is not too much of a problem, even if it can be costly to do.
Last up, closing off a glorious day of eclectic and fun music was Cats In Space. It is hard to find words to do them justice, but their stage show had everything that a headline act should have. Lights, smoke, great video projections to enhance the songs all combining to deliver a memorable show that, hopefully, brought them new fans that will continue to swell their growing number of people who attend their concerts.
A great way to end the night as I went back to my AirBnB with my ears still ringing from the noise and my mind still buzzing from the adrenaline rush. [Darren Walker]
[We are only able to include a fraction of the photos taken by Chris Simmons at NVRF 2025. If any of the bands would like high-resolution (high-res) images you can get in touch with Chris: HERE]
LINKS
Nene Valley Rock Festival [NVRF] – Website | Facebook Group | Trevor NVRF | Trevor NVRF YouTube
