12th-14th August 2010 saw the 24th Bulldog Bash, the biggest biker festival in Europe, take place at the Shakespeare County Raceway in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
It is unfortunate and perhaps unjustified in some cases, that there is a stigma attached to motorcycle clubs, as well as any related events with Bulldog Bash getting more than its fair share of negative press. Add to this the huge media attack following the murder of Hells Angel Gerry Tobin by rival club The Outlaws after the 20th Bulldog Bash in 2006 and it's easy to understand why many people consider this event to be dangerous.
Police cars/bikes and surveillance vans surrounded the festival and I heard afterwards that many festival-goers had been pulled over for random drug and weapon searches. I can understand the need for a police presence given the fear of retribution by the Angels, but I wouldn't like to think how much this presence cost the taxpayer!
Unsurprisingly, the event was dominated by bikers but there were also young trendy music fans, families with young children and dogs, I even came across a Hen Party and a young couple on honeymoon! Far from the intimidating atmosphere I was anticipating, everybody was smiling and many even left their macho personas at the gate and enjoyed the on-site fairground rides!
Bulldog Bash 24 saw the introduction of a second outdoor music stage, "Area 81", which featured up and coming bands such as Hellbound, Voodoo Johnson and Leaving Eden. Beside the stage was "The Evolution Experience" tent, a sheltered bar during the day (which came in handy during the frequent rain showers), transformed into a rave in the night. On the other side of the festival grounds, the main stage, sheltered under a massive tent, played host to established acts such as Blaze Bayley, Gypsy Pistoleros and The Brothers Grimm. The central feature of the festival was The Custom Show tent, where more than one hundred modified bikes and cars were displayed. Unfortunately, inclement weather meant that the drag racing had to be cancelled.
Best act - Main Stage
In a league of their own were Gibraltar's Breed 77. With the crowd eating out of the palm of their collective hand, the guys delivered a high-energy performance that has pride of place right at the top of my "Bulldog Bash best bits". Many festival attendees criticised the standard of bands invited to play (hardly surprising when Saxon and Motorhead were on the setlist of Bulldog Bash 23), but Breed 77 were more than deserving of their slot and in my humble opinion, should have headlined.
Best act - Area 81
Midlands-based hard rockers Voodoo Johnson completely owned the Area 81 stage (and I was told by a fellow journo that they didn't deliver as good a set as normal!), their captivating performance attracting one of the biggest crowds to Area 81 - surely it's only a matter of time before the Bash veterans get the break they deserve.
Worst act - Main Stage
The most disappointing band for me was Friday headliners and bike festival veterans The Hamsters. I'd heard so many people raving about them beforehand, but after the electric performance by Breed 77 just beforehand, I didn't feel that their dull performance was worthy of the headline slot.
Worst act - Area 81
Unfortunately, this coveted title goes to female metal trio Virginia Slint. The weather was not on the girls' side and neither was the crowd it seemed. They completely failed to connect with their audience with the most cringeworthy moment being when they invited people to join them on stage, only to be met with a very awkward silence and a loud "get yer t*ts out"... things only got worse as they had to stop mid-song and re-start. The girls handled it all very well but the set could've gone much better.
Most memorable moment
Where do I begin!
1. Breed 77's performance;
2. Meeting so many awesome people;
3. Chilling backstage in the VIP tent whilst The Brothers Grimm rocked the main stage (sitting on a comfortable armchair, burger in one hand, can in the other, surrounded by pleasant company after 10 hours standing in the rain is as close to heaven as it gets);
4. Discovering some incredibly talented new bands;
5. Hellbound front-man Dave's awesome dance moves at The Evolution Experience, despite his protestations about hating rave...
The most memorable moment for me was during Breed 77's set, seeing a father with his young son sat on his shoulders, both with metal horns raised to the sky - it was so touching and the last thing I expected to see at this event.
Worst bit
The weather... and the wasps... I hate wasps!
Advice to future Bulldog Bash attendees
1. Come with an open mind or don't come at all;
2. Leave your pre-conceptions at the gate and treat it just as you would any other festival;
3. Respect the authority of the Hells Angels (it is their event, after all!); and
4. Give others the same respect as you would wish to receive.
Use your common sense and you'll have nothing to worry about at the Bulldog Bash.
It is very sad that the Bulldog Bash is suffering, seemingly unnecessarily, as a result of media reports and gossip from those who have not experienced the event. I did not see any trouble; I never once felt scared and was treated with respect by everybody, including the Hells Angels. I don't consider myself to look particularly controversial but when I and a friend visited a local supermarket, we were met with disgusted looks and whispered comments from some of the locals as soon as our passes, with the Bulldog Bash logo, were spotted; I felt like a criminal for daring to visit a music festival! The motto of the Bulldog Bash is "Fight for your right to party", something which I, since experiencing the event for myself, am particularly keen to support.
2011 will see the 25th Bulldog Bash and I have no doubt that the Angels will put on a show that will be second to none - bring it on!