Grimsthorpe Castle, Bourne
Saturday, 6th September 2025
The third day, Saturday already, and I am met by a virtually cloudless sunny day that reminds me why I should always take weather forecasts with a sack full of salt.
ARGHAM
A Casual start but I arrived at the festival just in time to catch Argham led by Tom Morris, a man who always seems to look like David Crosby, if he was about to set up a scout camp. A wonderful guy and talented musician. Despite having trouble with his organ, that didn’t dampen the sound or stop his tongue in cheek self-deprecating humour. Sadly, as it was so early in the morning, and many of the crowd were possibly still in bed or taking their time to breakfast and bimble across to the stages.
However, despite that, there was still an appreciative audience who were ready, willing, and able to appreciate a great musical start to the day. [Darren Walker]
THE BLUE LENA
Thanks to set up in the marquees, there were two stages in the main one so, while one band is playing, another can me setting up and be ready to play without too long of an interval between performances so, with just a short walk I was ready for the next act, The Blue Lena. Not a band I was familiar, so I had not idea what to expect, but that is often a great way to discover new music.
They had a 1970’s American rock feel and sounded like a mix of Lynyrd Syknyrd meeting Ry Cooder. From the very start the churning guitar demonstrated that they meant business. Sarah Warren delivered heart and power to the vocals and the stand out song, for me, was Sometimes. A keyboard based beautiful and reflective song about experience, living, learning (or not) but not having any regrets.
The whole set seemed to evocatively give off an American Midwest vibe like musical biscuits and gravy. (I found that Bisto always ruined my chocolate hobnobs, but each to their own). I enjoyed it so much that I bought their CD and have played it plenty of times since then. [Darren Walker]
LONG EARTH
I left my fellow TPA writer immersed in the sounds of Argham and made my way to the Kingfisher stage to catch Glasgow-based Long Earth. Having thoroughly enjoyed their most recent studio release, An Ordinary Life, which came out last year, I was keen to hear how their live sound had evolved, especially with the notable line-up change.
The most striking shift comes with Maaike Siegerist stepping in as lead vocalist, replacing Martin Haggerty. Yet the core elements of Long Earth’s sonic identity remain firmly intact: Renaldo McKim’s expressive guitar work, Mike Baxter’s lush and expansive keyboard textures, and the ever reliable rhythm section of David McLachlan on bass and Kenny McCabe behind the kit.
With Maaike now fronting the band, there’s a fresh dimension to their sound, one that she’s embraced with confidence and finesse. In a recent TPA interview, she admitted initial concerns about the vocal keys when joining the band. But judging by their set at NVRF, those worries have long since been laid to rest. Her voice now feels seamlessly woven into the fabric of Long Earth’s music, as if it had always belonged. [Chris Simmons]
SIMONE GALASSI
After impressing at last year’s festival Simone Galassi was invited back to perform again this year. I had heard so many great things about his performance, meaning that he was high up on my list of must-see acts. I was also eager to interview him however, despite contacting him in advance and preparing my questions we soon discovered a snag that could never have been described as slight. He didn’t speak any English and other than a few rudimentary words, my Italian is not fluent. His girlfriend did speak a smattering of English, but it was limited so any hopes of having a meaningful chat soon disappeared, so all I could do was get ready to be impressed by the Simone Galassi Trio’s set.
It didn’t take long to see, and hear, that all the praise I had heard about him was more than just casual hyperbole. Playing an electric guitar upside down in a Hendrix-esque fashion might seem clichéd and pretentious but Simone was not cheap copy or desperate tribute act. Accompanied by smoke that casually filled the stage and my nostrils I was treated to music that, if he had been performing in the 60’s or 70’s he would have been a massive star in his own right. Despite his lack of conversational English, he did sing in God’s own language which proved that music is universal and talent is always out there waiting to be discovered.
Considering it was still only the early afternoon he had attracted a substantial crowd and, as I looked at them all I could see was a sea of appreciative and happy faces. What an experience. After he had finished, I used Google translate to try and tell his girlfriend that he was “Absolutely brilliant!” However, to me the word for brilliant that came up on my phone looked rude, so I was wary of showing here the message. But it seemed legit as she appeared to be happy to receive the compliment. [Darren Walker]
LANDMARQ
The prog contingent at the festival are well catered for this year, and Landmarq entertained with an enthralling set of classic songs. Front man Wolf Campen is an engaging character, but more importantly sings his heart out. I’ve not seen the band for a while, but watching this set, it’s like they’ve never been away. Solitary Witness is a highlight, Mike Varty’s keyboards dazzling as ever, and Wolf making the song his own. Calm Before The Storm is resurrected and rightly so, it’s a fabulous track, full of dynamic shifts in atmosphere.
The band end with the epic Mountains of Anglia, a superb choice to close the set. Landmarq never fail to deliver a great set, and they are well received by the crowd. Now, all they need to do is record some new music, it’s been far too long!! [Graham Thomas]
SQUARE WILD
After Simone Galassi’s set, I was worried that any band would have been an anti-climax, but I was wrong and the next band on my daily itinerary was Square Wild and wild by name wild by nature springs to mind.
Lucy Shevchuk, the lead singer, was dressed to impress and be remembered – with a voice like a mixture of Grace Slick and Janis Joplin it was hard not to be enthralled with her singing and enjoy the interaction with the audience.
Starting off with a song with a North African vibe they soon cranked it up to something that would have made a Whirling Dervish dizzy, and want to sit down to rest. They definitely had a striking band image but that was not at the expense of quality. They had the audience bouncing around like teenagers, which can be a dangerous thing for many of us older people as we might throw a hip out. [Darren Walker]
HAMMERHEAD
I first saw Buzz Elliot perform many years ago and having seen him play, under his own name, many times since then. So, when he recently told me that he was in Hammerhead and they would be performing at Nene I knew that I had to see them and I was glad I did. Starting out as one of the new wave of British heavy metal bands (NWOBHM) in the late 70’s and early 80’s they had not quite captured the same zeitgeist as many of their contemporaries but despite never reaching the same heights as Iron Maiden or Saxon that didn’t mean that were any less talented or enjoyable. Before the set Buzz showed me his injured leg that was swollen and looked nasty but despite that he had a ‘the show must go on’ attitude and played like a trooper.
Stephen ‘Pecker’ Woods, the lead singer was everything that you’d expect from a metal band, long hair, leather and posing with his leg resting on the front speaker as he belted out the tunes.
Old school rock as it should be delivered. But that wasn’t all, in the middle of the set he left the stage, carrying a tray of drinks and started to hand out shots of whiskey to the audience. As performances go, they knew how to win hearts, minds and stomachs. [Darren Walker]
CHRIS BEVINGTON ORGANISATION
Another band who are perfect in a festival situation, the Chris Bevington Organisation are a big band playing classic and original blues tunes, and they are just amazing. It’s good to see many band members being significantly younger than one might expect, and they play with a hunger and desire to be the best they can. Superbly well rehearsed and tight, they play with precision, but they swing beautifully. This is no sterile machine, it’s a lithe beast playing it’s heart out. Luke Machin will be familiar to many, and he excels on lead guitar playing the blues he obviously loves.
The brass players punctuate the songs with panache, and everyone gets their chance in the spotlight. Ruby and Loxi provide excellent voices, mostly in support, but as before, everyone gets to shine. Jim Hodgkinson leads to set, and Chris himself is happy in the background, clearly enjoying seeing his band playing as well as they ever have. It’s really no surprise that they keep being asked back, they are simply great entertainment. [Graham Thomas]
SPRIGGAN MIST
Spriggan Mist have firmly established themselves as festival favourites across the UK, and deservedly so. Their performances are not only musically compelling but also irresistibly entertaining, with an infectious energy that draws the audience in.
TPA have covered Spriggan Mist extensively, and it’s becoming a challenge to find fresh adjectives that do them justice. With years of gigging behind them, the band now operates like a finely tuned engine, one that Mr Kingdom Brunel might admire. This was especially evident in their commanding rendition of Isambard the Mechanical Dragon, [Ed note: I see what you did there Chris], the title track that roared with precision and flair.
There were less familiar songs which crept into the set, likely from their upcoming album The Glare, and if Ianatores Teresteres is any indication, it promises to be a powerhouse. Their ongoing tongue-in-cheek campaign against dancing at prog concerts remains entertaining, though a gentle warning to the Spriggs: a few fans near the front were swaying with suspicious enthusiasm (as evidenced in Trevor Cotterell’s video below)… 😉
Fay Brotherhood, adorned in her signature pagan headdress, remains a magnetic presence. Neil Wighton delivers crunch and texture from his guitar, locking in seamlessly with the ever versatile Maxine Cilla, who juggles guitar, keyboards, saxophone, recorder, and likely more, with effortless grace. The indomitable Baz Cilla continues to be a larger-than-life figure, and alongside Ali Soueidan, they form a rock-solid rhythmic foundation that anchors the band’s eclectic sound. [Chris Simmons]
JOHN HACKETT BAND
Headlining the Kingfisher stage on Saturday was the ever reliable John Hackett Band, playing some oldies, some new songs from their latest album Red Institution, and some selections from brother Steve’s Voyage of the Acolyte, Ace of Wands being a highlight. The new songs were especially impressive, particularly Who Let The Rain In. The band gel beautifully, and Nick Fletcher is on fire with some expressive improvisation. His solo on Shadow of the Hierophant takes the classic tune to new pastures and is a joy to hear. His style reminds me a bit of Allan Holdsworth as he pushes himself to greater heights.
Their cover of King Crimson’s I Talk To The Wind has been in the set for a while, but is still delightfully delicate. Throughout it all, John Hackett plays impeccable keyboards and flute, dancing through the set with great skill and depth. Overall, probably the best performance I’ve seen from a great band, and well worth catching on their forthcoming tour if you can. [Graham Thomas]
THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN
The headline act of the night was another I had seen live quite a few times and was right at the top of my list of ‘to see’ at Nene. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown is always worth seeing, but in front of a larger crowd and on a bigger stage that is when Arthur truly comes into his own and demonstrates why he is the godfather of rock theatre. He has inspired so many acts that sometimes it is easy to forget that he did it first, and better.
With an intense video opening and recorded vocals, he built up eager anticipation so that, when he finally walked onto the stage, he already had the audience in the palm of his hand. With all the band in costumes, like characters in his Alice in Wonderland like dream, we were led on a surreal journey through the crazy mind of Arthur Brown. The set might have been confusing at times but who cared? People were enjoying the ride and even if his reflections on life might not have been clear it didn’t stop him from giving an awe inspiring.
His musicians were tight and, so that he had enough time for costume changes, they had there own time to perform solo pieces which showed that they were more than just mere musicians there to ensure that Arthur sounded good.
There were stunning costumes and, of course, what Crazy World performance would be complete without his hit Fire, complete with flaming headdress but on the night that was not the most memorable part of the show. Despite his age, 83, he was bouncing around the stage like a teenager and as he danced across the stage, he tripped on a microphone wire fell heavily onto the stage. There seemed to be a united gasp from the audience the they held their breath, probably thinking the same thing as me. “Oh my God, he’s broken a bone!” But, as the stage crew and his band helped him to his feet, all I could see a shocked look on his face, which soon disappeared as he got back up and carried on prancing about the stage as if nothing had happened.
True professionalism along with a superb performance. [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
