SATURDAY 20TH JULY 2019 written on August 9, 2019 by Mark Warburton
So, onto the Saturday, with us both fully refreshed and the sun shining we head back to Mote Park, where one stage becomes five. With not only The Main Stage available we have the VIP stage, Rising stage, The Outlaw Country Stage & finally The Prog in The Park Tent, which makes Pippa’s & my job a tad harder having to bounce from stage to stage and cover as many bands as we can.
We then make a quick dash over to the Rising Stage to watch Kent natives COLLATERAL, who I’ve been looking forward to catching live since hearing tunes from their debut ep played on Paul Anthony’s breakfast show on Planet Rock Radio. By the time we got there a decent crowd had gathered around the small but inviting Rising Stage and there was a real buzz about place. It seemed COLLATERAL already have a great following, and together with the news that they have won the chance to play on the JON BON JOVI cruise to Paradise in Late august, the band are on a roll. (Which they expand on at my interview with the band post set).
The band bounce onto the stage after a great introduction from Darren Wilson, who has championed the band from the start, and straight away look like a brilliant cross between early SKID ROW & 80s influenced BON JOVI. From the first chords of ‘Mr Big Shot ‘is clear to see that this band is going to be huge, with singer Angelo Tristan sounding like the spawn of Danny Vaughn from TYKETTO mixed with Slippery When Wet era BON JOVI, what an amazing set of pipes this guy has.
Up next is my personal favourite, the awesome ‘Midnight Queen’, in which guitarist Todd Winger absolutely nails, and style wise, he reminds me so much of Paul Gilbert on those early MR BIG albums, an absolute cracking musician. ‘Going with the Wind’ sounds like it could have featured on the BON JOVI masterpiece NEW JERSEY, a great melodic rock tune.
The harder edged ‘Merry Go Round’ and ‘Promise land’ showcase’s the great rhythm section of bassist Jack Bentley-Smith, who looks like the offspring of 1989 Rachel Bolan from SKID ROW, and powerhouse drummer Ben Atkinson.
Which brings us to the final tune of this of this amazing set, the wonderfully melodic ‘Lullaby’ that Angelo Tristan absolutely smashes and brings roaring cheer from the very appreciative crowd. For me COLLATERAL is going to do a STONE BROKEN, and go from strength to strength, as I can see them on the Main Stage at RAMBLIN MAN FAIR in 2020 & a Lucrative support slot on an Arena Tour with one of the big boys, watch this space …….
Full Article Link: http://www.rock-zone.co.uk/2019/08/09/ramblin-man-fair-mote-park-maidstone-day-2-saturday-20th-july/