Full Review by The Riff Report Blog – July 5, 2025
Stage: Back To The Beginning Main Stage
Band: SUPERGROUP A (UK + USA + Rock Olympus)
Time: Somewhere between a rock dream and a hangover hallucination 🌀
🎸 “DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!” – SUPERGROUP A UNLEASH A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MEGASTORM 🌪️
We thought we’d seen it all by the time Slipknot’s flame cannons cooled off… but then Supergroup A took the stage – and everything changed. This wasn’t just a gig, butt – it was history in motion. A Frankenstein’s monster of legendary riff-wielders, powerhouse drummers, and vocalists with pipes sent from Valhalla.
Nobody really knew who would be in Supergroup A until they hit the stage – and when they did? The screams could’ve shattered Ozzy’s mirror collection. 💥
🧨 THE LINEUP – BUILT FROM PURE MADNESS
Vocals: Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge / Slash) – soaring, soulful, and savage
Guitar God 1: Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) – brought the revolution
Guitar God 2: Zakk Wylde (Ozzy / BLS) – riffed like a berserker Viking in a thunderstorm
Bass: Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) – cool as hell, shades never came off 😎
Drums: Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters / Nirvana) – the heartbeat, the chaos, the grin
If rock had an Avengers, this was it. Assemble, c’mon butt! 🦸♂️🎶
🔥 THE SETLIST – CLASSICS, BANGERS, AND MAYHEM
- Cochise (Audioslave cover – Villa Park exploded)
- Stillborn (Zakk on vocals, pure carnage)
- Killing in the Name (yes, with Grohl scream-sharing 🤯)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver throwback – Myles nailed it)
- No More Tears (tribute to Ozzy – tears and mosh pits)
- Everlong (sung by the crowd louder than the band 🎤❤️)
- Bulls on Parade / War Pigs mashup (yes, it worked. It worked too well.)
- Ghost of Days Gone By (Myles emotional masterclass)
- Welcome to the Jungle (Duff owned this one)
- Guerrilla Radio
- Immigrant Song (Led Zep cover – everyone lost their minds)
- Show Me How to Live (encore, spiritual stuff)
- Ace of Spades (Lemmy tribute to end all tributes) ⚰️⚡
🎤 VOCALS FROM THE GODS – MYLES AND FRIENDS UNLEASHED
Myles Kennedy was on another level. His vocals soared like an eagle dipped in whiskey and lit on fire. From Zep howls to Velvet Revolver growls, he had the crowd under his spell. 🔮🎙️
But he wasn’t alone – Zakk Wylde and Dave Grohl jumped in with harmonies, screams, and chaos. It was like karaoke in Valhalla. And yes, Dave Grohl did a full sprint lap around the stage mid-song. Legend.
🎸 RIFFS, RIFFS, AND MORE RIFFS – THE GUITAR DUEL TO END ALL DUELS
Morello’s alien noises during “Guerrilla Radio” had people questioning reality. He was doing things to that guitar that defied logic – and physics.
Zakk Wylde, meanwhile, played half the set behind his head, on his knees, and possibly through the fabric of time. When they locked into “No More Tears” together? Actual goosebumps. Whole arena swayed. Beers were spilled in reverence.
🥁 DAVE GROHL = ENERGY MADE FLESH
Grohl drummed like a caffeinated Viking and somehow kept grinning the whole time. That man is part golden retriever, part demigod. His fills during “Killing in the Name” triggered a crowd reaction that nearly took out the PA.
And when he stepped forward to sing “Everlong”? Not a dry eye in the house, mun.
🖤 MOMENTS THAT BROKE THE INTERNET (AND OUR BRAINS)
- Myles + Zakk duetting “Slither” while Morello did a guitar solo using a hotel key card.
- Grohl dedicating “Everlong” to Taylor Hawkins, with an emotional “We’re still playing for him.”
- A surprise “Ace of Spades” closer, with a Lemmy hologram raising a glass on screen. Villa Park went full Motorhead. ⚰️
- Zakk chucking a signed beer can into the crowd. One lucky fan caught it and immediately sobbed into their battle vest.
- Tom Morello playing with his teeth. Again. We’re starting to think he’s not human.
🤘 CROWD ENERGY – FULL FANDOM MELTDOWN
People were crying, moshing, hugging, air-guitaring, and live-streaming like their lives depended on it. One lad collapsed with joy. Another had “SUPERGROUP ATE MY SOUL” written across their chest in eyeliner. We salute you.
Denim. Glitter. Mohawks. Crying dads. It was beautiful chaos.
🎯 FINAL VERDICT: THE GREATEST BAND THAT DOESN’T EXIST (BUT TOTALLY DID)
Supergroup A wasn’t just a band. It was a fever dream of riffs, rage, soul, and sweat – somehow real, somehow better than any of us imagined.
If this never happens again, we can say we were there. In Birmingham. On that night. When the gods came down from the mountain and said, “Let there be rock.”
Score: 13/10 Shredding Unicorns 🦄🎸
Mood: Emotionally wrecked. Musically healed. Tattoo incoming.
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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