Graham Harding Stage at Planet Rockstock 2023 - A guide to all 20 bands
Check out who is playing on the second stage
Last updated 28th Apr 2023
One of the great things about any music festival is the doorway it provides to discovering new talent. Who knows, your new favourite band might be about to make its debut on Planet Rockstock’s Graham Harding Stage at Trecco Bay, Porthcawl, this year. The next Those Damn Crows or Massive Wagons might be about to launch their careers – and you’ll have bragging rights for seeing them first!
Named after a much-loved member of the Planet Rock team who sadly died a few years ago, the Graham Harding Stage is located within the venue’s main pavilion, and it’ll be hosting a wealth of talent over all four days of this December’s stellar Rockstock event. With music starting in the afternoon on Thursday November 30 and Friday December 1, and then from 11am over the weekend, expect a true kaleidoscope of sounds and genres, something in fact to please everyone. Below is our handy guide to everything that’s happening on Rockstock’s second stage.
Weekend tickets to Planet Rockstock 2023 are already completely sold out, however you can get day tickets right here:
Buy Planet Rockstock 2023 day tickets
Graham Harding Stage – Thursday line-up:
Valhalla Awaits:
In Old Norse, Valhalla was the vaunted destination for those slain in combat – but thankfully you won’t need to go to such extremes to witness this fine Welsh metal act. Having flashed a few musical swords at last year’s Winter’s End and Steelhouse festivals, this superbly drilled outfit are gaining new friends every month. It’s partly down to Andrew Hunt’s magnificent voice, and it’s also because of full-blooded songs like ‘Slave’ and ‘Skin And Bone’. Expect honed metallic riffs and hugely memorable tuneage, just the way it should be.
WYNT:
Local heroes WYNT stole our hearts at February’s Winter’s End, and it’s no surprise to find them making an immediate return to Trecco Bay. Their expansive vision resides somewhere between Springsteen and Rival Sons, but importantly they stamp their own mark on to everything they play. Growing up in the heartland of South Wales has imbued their music with a beautiful, authentic aura that’s bound to tickle the emotions of anyone prepared to really listen.
The Now:
First band on – and what a way to kick off 2023’s Rockstock! Playing a passion-infused brand of alternative rock, this South Wales quartet are what Kasabian would be if they’d grown up listening to Foo Fighters. No strangers to playing sold out headline gigs, The Now’s Rockstock debut will see their earnest melodies and blistering guitar work opening to a wider audience. They’ve already been profiled in national media and their videos are getting thousands of views – it’s one debut you don’t wanna miss.
Graham Harding Stage – Friday line-up:
Dan Byrne:
You may think you don’t know Dan – but you do. His was the voice that helped propel British hard rockers Revival Black to prominence, and he’s also fronted Skin guitar maestro Myke Gray’s band. Dan’s charismatic vocals are as at home blasting out new rock belters as they are timeless standards. You might get a flavour of both on this Friday night headline slot. Certainly the experience Dan’s gained in the studio and on tour has made his solo work a tantalising prospect. Expect his music to walk to the beat of legends past but with its own distinctly modern, toe-tapping swagger.
Big River:
Adam Barron, singer with Kent-based blues rockers Big River, has one of those voices that seems limitless. You know the sort – like Inglorious’ Nathan James, he somehow makes the impossible sound natural. In the context of this band’s emotive and occasionally turbulent rock, it’s alchemy indeed. Adam previously did time with Bad Company legend Mick Ralphs and his blues band – any admirer of such cultured rock groove is gonna find much to admire in Big River.
The Bad Day:
A key player in a new generation of blues-based bands, The Bad Day had a memorable 2022, their album being named as one of ‘Classic Rock’ magazine’s best blues rock albums of that year. A debut Rockstock appearance will no doubt showcase the quartet’s multiple flavours, a touch of Allman Brothers influence here perhaps, and an echo of Dogs D’Amour’s boozy poetry there. Don’t be fooled by the band name; their picturesque combination of sunny soul, blissed out blues and rock is anything but gloomy.
MuddiBrooke:
Life rarely comes at you in black or white, or in one dimension, good or bad. It’s a vista of colours, moods and swings, something that alt rock trio MuddiBrooke evince perfectly in their tense, terse but always tuneful music. Led by singer Brooke, an inspirational frontwoman deserving of far more attention than she’s had to date, this edgy outfit take their cues from grunge, rock and punk, creating cool songs that both grab – and hold – the attention. Take their recent cover of Lesley Gore’s 1963 standard ‘You Don’t Own Me’ – it starts off as a homage to the famous original before twisting it into an altogether angrier beast, all female aggression and angst-ridden rock dynamic. Not a band to be ignored.
This House We Built:
Speaking of houses, the best way to build them is on solid foundations. Hard rock’s strong revival this past decade has been led by such worthy names as Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry and Rival Sons. With that DNA in their structure, newcomers This House We Built are contenders to add a British name to that illustrious list. Currently promoting their debut album, the quartet have the talent and tunes to get mentioned in the same breath as those much bigger artists. Granite-solid, impassioned vocals are just the start of it – the robust ‘Fairweather Friend’ evokes influences as diverse as Bon Jovi and Alice In Chains, while the recent ‘Fly Me Up To The Moon’ sees the band nail the art of the tricky anthemic ballad.
Graham Harding Stage – Saturday line-up:
Just A Ride:
Grunge is alive and well, according to good-humoured rockers Just A Ride, and you’ll be tempted to agree when you dig into their brilliantly marshalled, down-tuned riffs and punchy hooks. Imagine Foo Fighters and Stone Temple Pilots throwing their all into a modern day ruckus and you’re pretty close. Songs like the hard driving ‘I Wanna Know’ and ‘Razor’ are catchy, energetic and emotionally charged. We’re looking forward to witnessing that power unleashed at Rockstock.
Wicked Smile:
Are you among the many fans of mainstream heavy rock that hanker for the days of bands like the Scorpions, Dokken and Y&T? You aren’t alone – and hope is at hand. In fact, Wicked Smile are so on board with the idea that they’re travelling all the way from Melbourne, Australia to put it on a plate for us. Led by Danny Cecati’s pitch perfect vocals and featuring breakneck, finger-burning guitar work, this hard-working outfit are the kind of band that hone each song to perfection. Theirs will be a set to impress anyone who’s ever supported this genre.
White Raven Down:
Making pretty big statements both musically and via their videos, White Raven Down play troubled, gritty music that reflects on life and shouts back defiantly in its face. It’s the type of thing bands like Those Damn Crows and King Herd do well, but these Essex rockers are a little different. They’ve crafted ways to make their music interesting, sometimes developing songs in unexpected ways, subtle adjustments that hold the attention without seeming off kilter. One thing’s certain – they’re a killer addition to this year’s bill.
Cassidy Paris:
The second artist today that’s travelling to the UK from Australia, Rockstock is a rare opportunity to catch a singer-songwriter (and self-proclaimed ‘rock chick’) who has been releasing music since the age of 14. Still only 20, Cassidy’s hearty tunes have sass and funk in their libidinous grooves, and she’s equipped with the type of voice and stage presence that’ll bring Trecco Bay to a standstill. She recently collaborated with Wicked Smile’s Danny Cecati on a cover of Ozzy and Lita’s ‘Close My Eyes Forever’ – will they replicate this at Rockstock? Only one way to find out.
The Blue Lena:
Based around a songwriting partnership between vocalist Peter Yeomans and guitarist Nick Singleton, The Blue Lena may be English, but their music is rooted in Americana. Expect lively, bluesy guitars, a classic Hammond organ, southern harmonies and deeply felt rock n’roll grooves. For fans of Skynyrd and their many brethren, The Blue Lena will bring an early dose of warmth and class to the Graham Harding Stage.
Night Demon:
You can probably guess what Night Demon sound like from the name alone. If you’re concerned that you might still be nursing a hangover at 11am on Saturday, we can confirm that a trip to the Graham Harding Stage will kill or cure you! The Californian metallists make a huge noise for a trio, and yes, the raw power that propels the likes of Judas Priest and Mercyful Fate is Night Demon’s very life blood. Behold headbanging, rib-rattling NWOBHM-style metal; you’ve been warned!
Graham Harding Stage – Sunday line-up:
Bastette:
The name is derived from an Egyptian cat-headed goddess, and there’s something similarly feline in Bastette's slinky, backbone-freeing grooves and jabbing hooks. The band is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Caroline Eve Kenyon, who brings sultry menace and distinctive Florence Welch meets Shirley Manson tones to her band’s cool soundscapes. With catchy songs that often cleverly subvert what you first think they're about, Bastette's set is sure to be a memorable climax to Sunday’s second stage programme.
Takeaway Thieves:
Fear not – Takeaway Thieves are not planning to steal your dinner. The Blackpool band are actually more interested in giving you stuff, assuming the stuff you’re interested in is high octane, old school rock n’roll. Yes, there’s a hint of classic Guns N’Roses in this band’s DNA, but theirs is more of an appetite for construction rather than destruction, each song on debut album ‘9’ being beautifully produced, and played for you at Rockstock by a band that sound like seasoned professionals.
Gypsy Pistoleros:
Having wowed us at February’s Winter’s End with their spiced up, Mexican-flavoured brand of sleazy rock, the completely unique Gypsy Pistoleros are back in town. They’ll be donning their Day Of The Dead-style corpse paint and making the Graham Harding Stage shake, rattle and roll more than a few times today. Pistoleros shows are a good-humoured ghost train ride, a musical tale of the unexpected, all served up via some bloody good tunes.
Jack J Hutchinson:
From acoustic solo shows to full-on grimy blues rock, Jack J Hutchinson is an old school troubadour with a love of the heavy and a song in his heart. Doubtless brandishing his favourite Les Paul, the well-travelled British-born artist will be treating us to widescreen rockers like ‘Halo’ and the emotive ‘I Will Follow You’. Watch on as he unleashes gritty riffs and blazing solos, capturing his deep-rooted influences but adding his own trademark integrity to every lick.
The Hot One Two:
Big things are coming for The Hot One Two this year. They’re planning to release no fewer than six singles – ‘The Fray’ is the first of them – and with Kris Barras not just singing their praises but producing their videos, it’s no surprise to find some serious muscle driving the Cambridge band’s wheels. High velocity, high impact heavy rock is the name of game. Their songs are lean, polished and all the more potent for the love that’s been put into them. Watch ‘em go in 2023.
Kim Jennett:
She’s equipped with a roar that’d make even an apex predator seem kitten-like in comparison. Kim Jennett has sung on national television, she’s fronted Myke Gray’s band and Revival Black, and equally importantly she kept thousands of us entertained with her social media shows during the dark days of lockdown. In fact, the only thing Kim hasn’t done yet is become a major star – she richly deserves it, so let’s support her next steps at this year’s Rockstock.
Planet Rockstock takes place at Trecco Bay in South Wales from Thursday 30th November to Sunday 3rd December 2023.
Buy Planet Rockstock 2023 tickets
The 11 most expensive guitars of all time:
13 - Duane Allman’s 1957 Gibson Les Paul
The Goldtop 1957 Gibson Les Paul guitar that the late-great Duane Allman used to record 'Layla' alongside Eric Clapton, sold for $1.25 million (£1.03 million) in August 2019. First purchased by Allman in early 1969, it's the fabled guitar on which he learned and perfected his slide style. It was his primary instrument on the first two Allman Brothers albums, and for the 'Layla' album by Derek & The Dominos.
12 - Eric Clapton's The Fool guitar
Eric Clapton's iconic guitar The Fool sold for a whopping $1.27 million at Julien's Auctions on Thursday 16th November as part of their three-day music auction event 'Played, Worn and Torn: Rock N' Roll Iconic Guitars and Memorabilia' at the Hard Rock Café in Nashville. The 1964 Gibson Custom-Painted Psychedelic Guitar was played on the majority of Cream's recordings in the 1960s. When the band broke up, Clapton gave it to George Harrison who passed it to Jackie Lomax. In the 70s and 80s it was owned and stage played by Todd Rundgren, who called it "Sunny" after Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love,' until he sold it at auction to its previous owner in 2000. The guitar was acquired by The Jim Irsay Collection in Indianapolis, and a portion of proceeds went to the Kicking The Stigma charity.
11 - David Gilmour’s 1954 Fender Stratocaster
David Gilmour's 1954 White Fender Stratocaster #0001 used on Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick in the Wall (Parts 2 and 3)' sold for $1,815,000 (£1,493,000) on an estimate of $100,000-150,000 at the David Gilmour Guitar Collection auction at Christie's in New York in June 2019. For a few fleeting hours it was the most expensive Fender ever until another famous David Gilmour guitar kicked it out of the park…
10 – Jerry Garcia‘s Wolf Guitar
Jerry Garcia's famous Wolf Guitar sold at auction for $1.9 million (£1.57 million) in June 2017 in New York. Its buyer was Brian Halligan, Chief Executive of software company HubSpot and a keen Grateful Dead aficionado. Proceeds from the sale of the Wolf guitar went to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a charity specialising in civil rights and public interest litigation. Customized by master luthier Doug Irwin, and labelled "D. Irwin 001", Wolf was delivered to Jerry Garcia 50 years ago and first appeared in public during a 1973 New York City performance the Grateful Dead gave for the Hell's Angels.
9 - Kurt Cobain's Skystang I guitar
Kurt Cobain's Skystang I guitar he played at his final Nirvana show before his death in 1994 sold for $1,587,500 (£1,271,730) at auction in Nashville in November 2023. Cobain first played his electric Fender Skystang I guitar on 18th October 1993 at the Arizona State Fair Veteran's Memorial Coliseum during the In Utero tour, and he performed with it at his final concert on 1st March 1994 at Terminal 1 in Munich. The guitar bought by Mitsuru Sato who bid via the phone at the Julien's Auctions' sale held at Hard Rock Café, Nashville.
8 – Peter Green’s Greeny
Fleetwood Mac legend Peter Green bought 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard for sixty guineas after being asked to join John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in the mid-60s. He played it on Fleetwood Mac classics including 'The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)' and 'Albatross' before selling it to fellow guitar virtuoso Gary Moore in 1970. Moore played it throughout his solo career and time with Thin Lizzy, however he was forced to sell it in 2006 due to financial difficulties. Guitar dealer Phil Winfield bought it for somewhere between $750,000 and $1.2 million before selling it for $2 million (£1.65 million) to a private collector. Metallica's Kirk Hammett bought Greeny in 2014 for less than $2 million and he still performs with it to this day.
7 – Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Fender Stratocaster
The white 1968 Fender Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix famously played at Woodstock in 1969 was purchased by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for a cool $2 million (£1.65 million) in 2000. Keen guitarist and collector Allen, who passed away in 2018, donated the fabled instrument to the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle where it's still on display today.
6 – John Lennon’s Gibson J-160E acoustic-electric guitar
John Lennon's long-lost acoustic Gibson J-160E acoustic-electric guitar, which he used on The Beatles' 'Please Please Me' and 'With the Beatles' albums, fetched $2,410,000 (£1,992,000) at auction in November 2015. The guitar had been owned since 1969 by a man called John McCaw who purchased it from a friend called Tommy Pressley who in turn, two years earlier, had bought it for just $175. McCaw was completely unaware it originally belonged to John Lennon until he stumbled across a photograph of The Beatle performing with it in a 2012 copy of Guitar Aficionado magazine. Realising its importance (and worth), McCaw put it up for auction.
5 - Reach Out to Asia Fender Stratocaster
The Reach out to Asia Fender Stratocaster became the most expensive guitar ever in 2005 when it fetched $2,700,000 (£2,232,000) under the hammer in Qatar. Proceeds went to the charity Reach Out to Asia, which was set up to help victims of the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004. The guitar was signed by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Brian May, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend, Mark Knopfler, Ray Davies, Liam Gallagher, Ronnie Wood, Tony Iommi, Angus and Malcolm Young, Paul McCartney, Sting, Ritchie Blackmore, Def Leppard and Bryan Adams.
4 - Eddie Van Halen's 'Hot For Teacher' Kramer
Eddie Van Halen's custom-made Kramer electric guitar that he played in Van Halen's seminal 'Hot for Teacher' sold for a massive $3,932,000 (£3,167,343) under the hammer in April 2023. One of the most iconic guitars of the MTV era, the stage used and filmed guitar was custom made by Paul Unkert of Kramer Guitars for Eddie Van Halen. The $3,932,000 it fetched at auction at Sotheby's in New York made it the fourth most expensive guitar ever sold.
3 – David Gilmour’s Black Strat
David Gilmour's fabled guitar, The Black Strat, set the world record for the World's Most Expensive Guitar in June 2019 when it fetched $3,975,000 (£3,285,000) at Christie's in New York as part of the David Gilmour Guitar Collection auction. The fabled guitar was famously played on the 'Comfortably Numb' solo and was integral to the recording of the Pink Floyd albums 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' (1973), 'Wish You Were Here' (1975), 'Animals' (1977) and 'The Wall' (1979), together with Gilmour's solo albums. Just like all the other guitars in the auction, proceeds from sales of The Black Strat went directly to the climate change charity ClientEarth. The Black Strat was the world's most expensive guitar for almost exactly 12 months.
2 – Kurt Cobain’s Fender Mustang Guitar
Kurt Cobain's famous Fender Mustang guitar he played in Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' video in 1991 became the second most expensive guitar ever sold under the hammer in May 2022. The 1969 Fender Mustang Competition Lake Placid Blue Finish Electric Guitar sold for a whopping $4.5 million (£3.7 million) at Julien's Auctions in New York as part of their Music Icons auction. The left-handed guitar had an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. Billionaire Jim Irsay snapped up the Fender Mustang guitar having previously bought David Gilmour's fabled Black Strat guitar for a then world-record $3,975,000 (£3.285 million) in 2019.
1 - Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged Guitar
One year on from the world-record sale of David Gilmour's Black Strat, Kurt Cobain's MTV Unplugged guitar sold for a massive $6,010,000 (£4,960,000) at auction in June 2020 and became the World's Most Expensive Guitar in the process. The late-great Nirvana frontman played the 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic-electric guitar for the band's MTV Unplugged set at Sony Music Studios in New York City on 18th November 1993 – just five months before his untimely death aged 27. Alongside being the most expensive guitar, it set four further world records - World's Most Expensive Acoustic Guitar, World's Most Expensive Martin Guitar, World's Most Expensive Piece of Rock Memorabilia and World's Most Expensive Nirvana Memorabilia. The buyer of Kurt Cobain's guitar was Peter Freedman, Founder of RØDE Microphones.