Maid of Stone Festival, Mote Park, Maidstone. Day 1. Friday 17th July, 2026.

Thursday night's Gatecrasher event allowed us to collect our festival wristbands early. The quiz was a bit of a letdown, marred by inaudible sound for those of us sitting in the Roadhouse tent. The picture quiz element sparked more debate around our table than anything else. While the inaugural event might not have been entirely successful, it was a strong foundation to build upon. Being able to order food was a plus (though I didn't). 

On Friday, the sun was baking hot. We waited on a park bench under the shade of a tree before the gates to the event opened, then headed in via the VIP lane. I had a quick explore before the first act, Cassidy Paris. The queue for drinks in the VIP area was exacerbated by the fact that the lines weren't set up yet. They couldn't start serving until this was done. They kept saying five minutes, but that stretched to twenty-five, so I missed the start of Cassidy Paris. 

Planet Rock breakfast show DJ, Paul Anthony, was our host for the weekend on the Inferno stage.

I didn't warm to Cassidy at all, nor Regional One. By the time Anthony Gomes came on, I had found a bench in the VIP area to sit. Anthony sounded great. I paid a visit to Devere, had a brief listen and returned to VIP. I enjoyed The New Roses, a fine German rock band. I started to feel exhausted due to the heat and lack of sleep. I purchased an early dinner from one of the food outlets: three chicken tenders with chips, £13. The experience felt like I'd been mugged by an Apprentice candidate on a fast food profit task. Minimal food for maximum cost. At least, it tasted fine. 

I struggled to find somewhere shaded to rest, so I chose to exit the venue to go sit in the park. The park benches weren't shaded either, so I headed back to the hotel during FM's set. 

By the time I got back, my energy levels were painfully low, my eyes were stinging, and I just wanted to sleep. The room was boiling, despite the window being ajar and the fan blowing at full speed. I crashed out on the bed, waking up after a couple of hours, with just enough time to return to see The Temperance Movement. By now, the evening had cooled, but my lungs still burned on the long walk. 

The band was excellent. Singer Phil Campbell dances like a toddler, with endless energy and no inhibitions. He definitely holds your attention as the frontman. They closed the first day well.

The Temperance Movement setlist: 

Ain't No Telling

Built-In Forgetter

Caught In The Middle

Always Been Love (New song)

Magnify

Be Lucky

Smouldering

Take It Back

Silverlight Blues (New song)

Get Yourself Free

Pride

Only Friend

Eat You Alive

Encore:

Midnight Black 

The view of the queue from the shade

Inferno Stage

The early queue for pre-ordered merch

VIP area, looking onto the Inferno stage.

Cassidy Paris

Regional One

Anthony Gomes (via a long zoom)

Jack J Hutchinson

Devere

The New Roses

The Temperance Movement

Setlist

INFERNO STAGE

FIRESTARTER STAGE

VIP STAGE

GUN, The Big 3-0 Tour - 3 Iconic bands play 3 classic albums, Barrowlands, Glasgow. Saturday, 21st December 2019.

Night two of my trip down memory lane or, in this case, the Gallowgate on my way to the Barrowland Ballroom. 

Tonight, the parking nearby is far worse, mainly because I'm arriving later than last night, having had a tiring, pre-Christmas-rush day at work. I eventually find a space behind a van which is sitting overlapping two parking slots, leaving my car's rear tyres sitting on a double-yellow. I wait to see if the van is going to move anytime soon (its engine is still running) but the pair in the front are listening to music and scrolling through their phones. I head to the venue under a cloud of trepidation in case I get a ticket. The night already has not exactly gone to plan with my wife unable to attend, having been struck down with a lurgy.

Inside, security is light. I'm not even frisked. At the foot of the stairs, my ticket stub is torn off and I'm in. I get a text from a mate saying they are over at the side near the bar. The dancefloor is packed. I should have expected this given there are fans of three bands in the audience. I find a path through the crowd and join my pals. At this point, I've already missed the first act, FM, and Dan Reed Network is setting up. 

The upside to being near the bar is the height boost from the step allowing a better view over all the heads between you and the stage. The downside is the flow of people passing in front of you on their way to and from the bar. 

I'm wasn't at all interested in Dan Reed. I bought the 'Slam' album at the time, listened to it twice and moved on. He's an expressive, energetic performer with lots of frontman moves and a fun sense of humour. It's just a shame his music leaves me cold. Lots of people enjoyed his hour-long set.

GUN is my favourite band and their debut 'Taking on the World' is a special album for me. The guitar riffs, the song lyrics and the driving drum beats are all ingrained in my heart so whenever I see them live it's like I'm in my twenties again. Only tonight, I'm a bit sore and weary and am happy to lean on a pillar rather than bounce about in the crowd. Being ever so tetchy, I get irritated by the punter beside me whenever he bumps into me. I resist shoving him back because he's with four blokes and they are all taller and wider than me. I've got nowhere to go, though, because of the pillar. Eventually, he moves away to get more beer and my tension eases. 

GUN deliver the goods again. It's a great concert.

Afterwards, the final good thing about standing near the bar was in getting to use the fire escape for a quick exit. From the band taking their final bow to me getting home was less than thirty minutes. And I didn't get a parking ticket. A good night.

Setlist
Coming Home
Better Days
The Feeling Within
She Knows
Something to Believe In
Can't Get Any Lower
Word Up! (Cameo cover)
Taking on the World
I Will Be Waiting
Don't Say It's Over
Favourite Pleasures
Money (Everybody Loves Her)
Inside Out
Encore:
Shame on You
(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) (Beastie Boys cover)

They might have also played Steal your Fire in the encore or I might have dreamt it.