Now just completed it’s 13th year, the Steelhouse festival through its passion, pride and sheer love of live music has secured itself as being one of the most prestigious and most loved British music festivals. With the event organisers consistently bringing some of the very best international classic rock bands and artists to its breathtaking mountaintop location in South Wales, it’s no surprise that the festival has the most loyal of concertgoers return year after year. But what about the acts themselves? Throughout this year’s festival we talked to those taking part: the Planet Rock presenters, the bands and artists, even those who simply continue to support even if they weren’t actually taking to the stage this year. Here’s what they had to say…

Paul Anthony - For me it’s the whole rock family vibe. From day one, when it started out with pretty much nothing and seeing what it is today, it’s just incredible. The fact that Max and Mikey, the organisers, has seen it through to what it is today is incredible. And all the volunteers – let’s not forget them. That’s another thing that makes it so special – the volunteers behind-the-scenes, the crew putting on this kind of festival come rain or shine every single year is testament to what a fantastic job they all do.

Darren Reddick - There’s so much going on here! First of all, I think that they punch above their weight in terms of the artists they’re able to get up here for a festival of this size. To get the likes of Skindred who are selling out Wembley Arena and Mr Big who are some of the greatest musicians on the planet, Living Colour… In the past they’ve had Dee Snider, they’ve had Myles Kennedy, Thunder… these are all really big bands and it’s a festival that pulls in about 10,000 I think of the weekend. They punch above their weight so you get good bang for your buck. But I think probably the most important thing about this festival is that it’s very much a homegrown community with most of the people working here being volunteers. It’s become very much a family thing as well and I’m pleased that they include me in that family. They are wonderful people to be around and I think that actually extends to the audience who I go and walk around. I see people that I see year after year. Everybody is lovely, the vendors are lovely, the food is good and this weekend the weather is terrific!

Wyatt Wendells - It’s got such a unique setting and because it’s big but not too big. I know a lot of festivals focus on their sense of community but a lot of festivals don’t get that. They want that but with Steelhouse it really does feel like extended family and friends. Without it being cliquey, a lot of people know each other. From the organisers right down to the kids and the punters that come in, there is a real sense of ‘Ah, here we are again’ like a comfortable pair of festival slippers! You know where everything is going to be, it’s got the same sort of layout and it’s got the same people, and I mean that in a nice way. It’s a real sense of human community. The weather is kind today but even when it’s not it doesn’t break the sense and spirit of community!

Luke Morley – Well Thunder have headlined here and I played here with The Union and it’s a great festival. I’ve known the guys that run it for a long time. So it’s lovely, and it’s great that the weather is so good. iIt’s nice to be doing this tribute to Bernie Marsden too. I first met Bernie in 1988 and we worked on and Andy Taylor solo album. I spent a week in the studio with him and got to know him quite well and he was very funny, full of stories and a very fine guitar player.

Toby Jepson - I think it’s the fact that it was set up originally by fans for the fans and that in itself stopped it from being a kind of corporate business. It doesn’t have a corporate vibe. As much as I love something like Download, that’s an enormous business run by huge promoters with the biggest bands in the world and all that entails. What this is is a smaller boutique, more contained and I think a sort of gentler festivals in lots of ways and it’s for the fans, you know? And that’s the way I feel about it. I think you kind of come here and everyone feels included because it’s one stage as well and that changes the way you look at it – everyone’s watching that one stage. It also has a unique feel to it because it’s on top of a mountain. We’ve got lovely weather today but I’ve been here when it’s absolutely chucked it down. I’m here today with The Bernie Marsden All Stars. I listened to a Whitesnake and they were one of my entry-level bands really. When I was a kid getting into rock ‘n’ roll and deciding the bands I wanted to listen to myself rather than sort of my mum and dad’s record collection - which was still brilliant – one of the first bands I got into was Whitesnake. It was around the time Ready an’ Willing came out and I listened to Ready an’ Willing and subsequently Come an’ Get It pretty much all the time on my Walkman. So it’s part of my DNA. Bernie and Mickey and all the guys in the band, they’re ingrained in my DNA is a musician in lots of ways. I met Bernie years later and I wrote some songs with him for Little Angels and I’ve known him over the years. Whenever we bumped into each other he was always very gracious. He was also a very funny and very gentle guy. But always go back to the fact that he wrote some of those songs that were the soundtrack of my life. So to get an opportunity to come and celebrate his life and his legacy is an absolute privilege.

Joey Draper - It’s probably quite cliche but it’s just the people that make it up. It’s really friendly and everyone is really welcoming. Everyone checks out turned up early to check out all the bands and it’s great that there is so much support for live music. It’s got a real family vibe as well. People are here with their entire family so that’s good to see if you’ve been brought up on good rock music.

Kodi Kasper - The amazing drive up here! Somebody got a tour bus up here, did you know that!? (Laughs!) That’s unbelievable! Other than that, it’s the wonderful fans. We’ve been hanging out all day and when we came out the crowd was super loud, and it was the people – always the people!

Doug Wimbish – It’s just good to see everybody here. It’s a lovely day and has a lot of great bands. It brings back memories of the last time I was here and we played with that guy right there (points to the Sun). So the weather is Nice and it’s a beautiful setting. It’s good that the sponsors are bringing everyone together and that they’re keeping the festival going and I love it.

Cory Glover - We were here in 2019, we had such a good time and we love coming to Wales. Wales has always been very, very good for us and this kind of audience is really, really helpful for our self-esteem, you know?

Dan Byrne – This is probably very appropriate because this is a festival that I probably first went to 10 years ago and I used to come to this festival every single year as a fan. I’ve been here eight or nine times since 2013, and it’s a bit of a weird experience to be on the other side of the barrier for me. This is the fourth year in a row that I’ve managed to be on the lineup in one form or another but to be able to be here under my own name and to pull treble duty (Dan did an acoustic set to cover for Elles Bailey who had to pull out – Ed) what is something quite special. I was quite blown away by the love of the crowd because it was one of those moments where I didn’t know whether everyone was going to be gutted that Elles had pulled out or that there may be a sombre feeling but when I finished the first song everybody cheered a bit longer than I thought they were going to! I didn’t have to say much because the crowd here is unbelievable! So it’s one of those where it’s a really lovely vibe in the festival and it’s all fantastic!

Sam Wood - It’s a fantastic festival which is run by music fans who absolutely love it and that always shows. Whether you’re here as a band or as a ticket holder you can tell that it’s been put together with love. It doesn’t matter who you speak to, everyone just has a good time. It’s put together properly by people who care. It’s one stage, you’ve got a captive audience, it’s always sold out and there’s a real feeling of togetherness. I feel very lucky being back here again. 

Shane Greenhall, Those Damn Crows - It’s been amazing for us crows. It was one of our very first festivals playing here in 2016 and from then on we’ve either being up here supporting the festival or playing it. This year is no exception. We’re not playing the main stage but we are here in support of the organisers and the volunteers who are doing an amazing job. Steelhouse is a huge part of the Crow family and always will be. This year we’ve got some great weather but I can tell you right now there’s some years where it hasn’t been and that’s a different festival altogether! (Laughs!) It’s got its own climate up here up on the mountain! But there is a real sense of community that the guys have created up on this mountain and it’s just something really special.      

Benji Webbe, - You know, the best thing from me coming from Newport is that Steelhouse is just 20 minutes from my front door to the festival. That’s my kind of festival, bro, you know?! (Laughs!) The last time we played it was raining but you know what? If it’s between rock ‘n’ roll and the rain, the rain will never win! Nobody cares!