Staffordshire talent showcased at Hippy Horror Festival

               

Staffordshire’s musical talent showcased its strength at the Hippy Horror Festival in Stoke-on-Trent this weekend (October 26-28).

On a weekend where the ice-cold weather only spurred people on, hundreds gathered to hear local acts at the Foxfield Railway in Blythe Bridge.

Hippy Hippy Shake Company owner, Richard Buxton, organised the extravaganza following the success of the Easter festival, Hippy Haze.

Stoke band Six Towns, recently nominated for MTV’s Brand New Unsigned Artist 2013, performed on the Saturday evening in striking skeleton costumes.

Bassist Matt Litherland said: “We played Hippy Haze back in April and it was cracking the first time Rich Buxton put it on.”

“We’re influenced by anything with guitars really; Kasabian, Oasis, Led Zeppelin. All the cliché ones,” said guitarist Simon Harry, “Rock ‘n’ roll is what we are.”

Moral Panics frontman Daniel Johnson. 
Pic: Maanik Chadda

Singer-songwriter Emilio Pinchi was also praised by his fellow acts.

The 18-year-old from Liverpool recently released his EP, Popular Myth and Conflict.

“We saw Emilio Pinchi and he was cracking,” said frontman Liam O’Brien, “for a guy who stands there on his own with an acoustic guitar it’s just fantastic.”

With drummer Josh Morris, the band will be at The Sugarmill in Hanley on November 15 as part of Radical’s Rising Presents.

The Get Alongs, The Control and The Rivalry headlined the festival on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Fans and acts were dressed to scare with their Halloween-themed costumes.

Dressed in bloody boiler suits, four-piece 3’s a Riot were preparing for their Saturday support set.

Lead vocalist Joe Tomasso said: “We played Hippy Haze earlier in the year and we were the main support to The Get Alongs, and now we’re main support to The Control.”

Guitarist Toby Simcock added: “I loved Emilio Pinchi’s set. The Motives were good, as well as The Control, Translucid and Fat Mess.”

Drummer Dan Thompson and bassist Dan Aydon make up the band that will perform at Sheffield’s O2 Academy on December 1.

Stoke rockers Moral Panics have been gathering plenty of attention lately and attracted the largest ‘mosh-pit’ of the festival at the time for their closing number.

“It was impressive,” said lead vocalist Daniel Johnson, “I saw quite a few people that I’d never seen before singing the words to old songs as well as new songs.”

Once they have headlined The Sugarmill on December 17, the band is set to record an album early next year.

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company sell milkshakes and smoothies in their Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley stores.

Moral Panics drummer Eden Longson said: “I must support his (Rich Buxton) business more than anybody else! Every time I go to Newcastle-under-Lyme I go to the Hippy Shake.”


                                 

Video by Sharna Swaby and photo slideshow by Jovi Mullen.