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

TRNSMT Fri 6th July 2018: Queen + Adam Lambert, Texas, Alabama 3, The Darkness, The Temperance Movement.

3.20pm-4.00pm THe Temperance Movement: First time I've seen them, good sound, great singer, gruff in the style of Frankie Miller.

4.30 pm - 5.15pm The Darkness: one song wonders that have extended the joke so long they've forgotten where the line between pantomime and farce is. Only enjoyed their last song, I believe in a thing called love.

5.45-6.20pm Alabama 3: missed most of them because I went for food and the queues were loooooong. Bizarre act with some groovy tunes. They look like they were either assembled from failed American Idol acts or are a modern-day PC version of the Village People. Enjoyed.

7.05-8.05pm Texas: Sharleen got her home crowd wowed with a run through of the hits, both modern and old, with a bit of banter and singalong. Finished with a crowd pleaser - Suspicious Minds - Brilliant.

8.50pm-10.50pm Queen - Amazing. They might be dinosaurs but with a new genetically modified lead singer in place, they really kick it out there. Adam has style, charisma, a strong voice with a huge range and fits in well, while still giving the original members their place as elder statesmen. You can't lose when the back catalogue is this immense, his singing is superb and the visual elements are like the cherry on top. My voice is hoarse from singing along.

The end of this gig might be the only time I sing God Save the Queen and mean it.

Fan-wise, the only trouble we encountered was with a flag lady, who really got on the nerves of the punters behind us. She eventually got doused with what I presume was beer. It might have been salted. She lowered it shortly afterwards.

Some toddlers played some mean air guitar on the shoulders of their parents and gave it the devil horns to salute their heroes.

Worryingly, the festival site was infiltrated by aliens with glitter cheek insignias from 1960's Dr Who. It must have been contagious as some of the men who had fraternised with said ladies showed sparkly facial symptoms later. One lady looked like her condition had spread to her entire dress. If any of those with this dermatological symptom present at the pharmacy tomorrow, I'll need to refer them to the RAH.

Finally, thank you, Alison Boyd, for allowing us to share your spot on the rear barrier. The shade, raised platform and backrest proved very effective and the view was still very good.

Tonight I did have a good time. Thank you Queen.

(Sorry GUN, but I didn't want to miss the main act).

Queen's Setlist

Seven Seas of Rhye (first two verses only)

Tie Your Mother Down 

Play the Game

Fat Bottomed Girls

Killer Queen

Don't Stop Me Now

Bicycle Race (without first verse)

I'm in Love With My Car

Another One Bites the Dust

I Want It All

The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond ([traditional] cover)

Love of My Life (Brian May solo acoustic, with a live clip of Freddie Mercury)

Somebody to Love

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Drum Battle

Under Pressure

I Want to Break Free

You Take My Breath Away (snippet)

Who Wants to Live Forever

Last Horizon (Brian May cover)

Guitar Solo

The Show Must Go On

Radio Ga Ga

Bohemian Rhapsody

Encore:

Day-Oh

(Freddie Mercury sing-along from Live at Wembley '86)

We Will Rock You

We Are the Champions

God Save the Queen (Thomas Augustine Arne song)