Live Review: Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons – KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhamptonn
22nd March 2025
Support: Liberty Lies, Fury
Words & Photos: Scott Clarke
It’s another Saturday night spent at KK’s Steel Mill here in the midlands and its an evening not to miss as legendary Motorhead guitarist, Phil Campbell and his band are getting warmed up and ready to take the stage tonight for what promises to be an evening of heavy rockin’, in a very special concert that is set to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of a band that is a pillar of the genre, the iconic Motorhead.
The merch stands are buzzing and the room is already rocking as it promises to be a very busy and full night in the great venue. Fans young and old gather and friends reminisce and talk of stories of their youth, when they saw Motorhead, what it was like, some claiming it was the loudest concert they had ever attended. Would tonight live up to the expectations of these memories and would it do them justice? Time would tell.
It’s a very local 2 thirds of the set tonight as before we get into the main course, we get a couple of bonus acts, to whet our appetites. First up is Wednesbury group Liberty Lies.
Consisting of Shaun Richards on lead vocals, Josh Pritchett on guitar and Adam Stevens on drums and Miles Bagshaw on bass. With a bunch of singles released and a few EP’s, its surprising that a band that has been around in some form or another for almost 2 decades only has 2 albums, 2013’s Reflections and It’s the Hope that Kills You which was released in 2019. Nevertheless, give them a listen if you haven’t already, for what they most certainly have is quality over quantity.
Opening up with a belting track in Someone Else, the powerful group waste no time in brandishing their heavy, brooding yet melodic style to the masses who show their appreciation. Quickly moving through Undivided, United Nothing and Vultures before a bit of an interlude and a bit of banter with the crowd.
Now front man Shaun mentioned during the set that despite the amount of time together this was the first time they’d been back for around 3 years, which was a big surprise as there really wasn’t any rust visible on any of them and the whole band genuinely looked at home in front of the crowd.
Continuing their set with The Wire, the pace continues along with Day In the Sun and Mouth Breathers, culminating their time with us with Are You Listening.
They’re a very well tuned group who clearly relish their time on stage. Each member is perfectly capable in their instrumental abilities and this gives them a freedom of expression on stage, Shaun’s voice especially is spectacular, melodic and so powerful. The set that they deliver is full of catchy riffs and melodic numbers and it’s no wonder we see them here supporting Phil Campbell who clearly has a fine ear to get these guys back on stage.
Next to take the stage tonight are relatively local to this neck of the woods again, its time for some Fury to be unleashed on the KK’s crowd.
With four albums under their belt, they’re a well seasoned bunch of talented musicians with a decent back catalogue of material to source from. With a shortened set list it was interesting to see which tracks the band had chosen to make their mark on the audience and get them prepared for an evening of Motorhead classics.
Fury is a powerhouse of talent, with each member bringing their unique skills to the table. With their infectious energy and killer riffs, the band has gained a dedicated following of fans over the years who are drawn to their raw and authentic sound. They fit nicely on a lineup consisting of seriously hard rock.
Opening things with If You Get to Hell First and Prince of Darkness, the band are in top gear from the outset.
Julian Jenkins powerful vocals fill the arena emanating from his almost viking like appearance as he is able to lead the band at the same time as providing guitar duties. Tom Fenn’s pounding drums keep the band in check and provide the powerful foundations of the tracks, likewise Tom Atkinson wields his guitar with exceptional prowess and fills in blistering solos. Becky Baldwin’s bass lines provide the soul for the band's sound, anchoring the melodies and driving the rhythm forward while Nyah Ifill, a vocal powerhouse in her own right, adds a wonderful vocal dynamic to Julian’s that compliments so well and lifts the tracks.
Featuring a set that consisted of It’s Rock N Roll, Interceptor, a brand new track with Rock Lives in My Soul from a forthcoming album (release date to be confirmed), Embrace The Demons, Burnout and ending in the fantastic Road Warrior. It was a 45 minutes that never let up from the outset, it was a high energy performance by a great set of musically gifted individuals.
They have a look, a style, a stage presence and most definitely the music to be very successful. The interchange of members from the outset and their movement across the stage is second to none and it makes the show genuinely exciting and a joy to photograph, there is so much going on and even when they’re in position on stage, it doesn’t limit their movement, Becky and Tom especially have such freedom with their skills that they never stop moving on stage, likewise Nyah who only has a mic, doesn’t let this stop her from dancing and interacting with the crowd and the other band members whenever she can, even if it’s Julian’s turn on vocals. They’re a very energetic and exciting band to watch and it gives so much more to the live performance, getting the crowd pumped and invested.
Their stage presence was undeniable and provided an extra layer of excitement to the performance of already high octane songs. There were a few Fury shirts in the crowd tonight amongst the Motorhead and Phil Campbell merch being worn proudly, and on a night that is set to celebrate the legends, that’s quite an achievement. I’m sure that there will be even more Fury fans after this performance and they’ve proven tonight why they’ve secured such a loyal following.
As the lights dimmed and the crowd roared, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons took the stage. The energy in the room was palpable as they kicked off their set with a thunderous roar.
With it being a few years since the bands last release, Kings of the Asylum back in 2023. It was good to see them back here again with us however tonight would prove to be a special evening, with a hefty back catalogue of some iconic numbers from Phil’s previous life it was interesting to see what was in store as tonight promised to be a celebration of 50 years of Motorhead.
Opening things up with the thunderous gallop of Iron Fist, Phil and his boys wasted no time in setting the precedent for the evening which would prove to be a non stop tribute to the legends of the genre. Damage Case from the iconic Overkill album is next followed by Going to Brazil from 1916, what a great start to a show with both the end and the announcement of each track being met with an almighty roar from the crowd.
With an incredible setlist on offer tonight including Orgasmatron, Rock Out, Metropolis, Born to Raise Hell, Smiling Like a Killer, (We Are) The Road Crew, Lost Woman Blues, R.A.M.O.N.E.S, The Chase is Better Than the Catch, the legendary and iconic Ace Of Spades which on a setlist of so many iconic songs, seems to go by without much extra attention as it would’ve ordinarily have done, Killed By Death and a cover of the Motorhead cover of the Bowie classic Heroes, again another fitting track as this band, Lemmy especially, is seen as a hero by so many especially in this room tonight. Whorehouse Blues and Bomber set up the finale of the show that closes with Motorhead, the final song Lemmy wrote for Hawkwind and the song which subsequently gave it’s name for the band we’re celebrating tonight and Overkill rounding out the evening in a very fitting way as it was the last song that the band played live with Lemmy just days before he passed while they were on the 40th Anniversary tour.
It was very well crafted and emotionally charged as there was a thorough delve into the Motorhead catalogue for the setlist tonight which ranged across the 40 years of the bands recording history and made no favourites in terms of albums as I think Phil and his band have tried their best to have some representation of as many of the 23 studio albums released by Motorhead as they could possibly fit in a 2 hour show. It ranged from the very beginnings up to 2013’s Aftershock and I didn’t hear any complaints from the crowd, it went down exceptionally well.
One unique feature of this band is in its composition. It’s a decidedly family affair as joining Phil on stage are his sons Tyla, Dane and Todd providing us with bass, drums and guitar respectively. The ensemble culminates with the lead vocals of Joel Peters. The unique, raw guitar tones ooze through the speakers tonight and boy is it loud. Phil and Todd intermix with leads and solo’s masterfully throughout the performance with such incredible intricacy, their face melting solos are something to behold while at the same time able to switch up to the more catchy riffs. Dane is a powerhouse behind the drum kit, providing the leading charge of the classic tracks and both Tyla and Joel have epic boots to fill on the bass and vocals respectively as they do a fantastic job of providing duties once held since the bands inception by the irreplaceable Lemmy.
The atmosphere at KK's Steel Mill was nothing short of electric all night long. The fans were fully immersed in the music, with fists pumping and heads banging in time to the beat, as I said previously it was an emotionally charged evening and it was clearly visible on the crowds faces as some reminisced and drew on memories triggered by the music.
After tonight, it can be said that there was no more fitting tribute to the legendary bands’ career and although the main man himself Mr Kilmister, is no longer with us, he is fondly remembered. Not only that, his legacy and that of Motorhead and its several members, some of which are legends in their own right and are sadly departed, is one that will continue to live long after the amps of its legendary founders have gone quiet. Their fan base of old still turn up to show their support and proudly wear the shirts and listen to the music, but there’s also legions of new fans, people that weren’t even born when the band were in their heyday that have joined the family and continue to do so, thus perpetuating the bands legacy.
Photo credit: Scott Clarke
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