Held on the mighty mountain in Ebbw Vale, Wales – Steelhouse Festival 2023 brought the thunder, riffs, and dragon-sized vibes! Here’s the full lineup that rocked the Valleys and melted faces 🤘👇
🎤 Friday – July 28th (Warm-up Night)
💥 Mountain warm-up party to kickstart the madness!
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Kris Barras Band 🏍️🎸
Blues-rock thunder, packed with attitude and solos that sliced the sky. -
The Hot Damn! 💄🎀
Pop-punk meets glitter bomb – full of colour, sass and riffs that slapped hard. -
Austin Gold ⚡🎩
Modern classic rockers with soulful vocals and tidy grooves.
🎸 Saturday – July 29th
🌄 The mountain truly woke up on Saturday! Full crowd, full volume!
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Airbourne 🍺🦘
Aussie rock ‘n’ roll chaos – pure AC/DC energy and beer-soaked anthems. “Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast” never hit so hard! -
The Answer 🔥🇮🇪
Northern Irish legends RETURNED with a vengeance. Raw, bluesy, and utterly bendigedig. -
King King 🎩👑
Soul-drenched blues rock with power and passion. -
Collateral 🕶️🚗
Glam swagger and singalong hooks galore. Stereosonic sleaze! -
Kira Mac 🎙️💃
Fierce frontwoman and full-tilt hard rock. One of the fest’s breakout bands! -
Ariel Posen 🎸🌌
Slide guitar wizardry that gave us goosebumps under the Welsh rain.
⚡ Sunday – July 30th
🌈 The sun came out, the beer flowed, and the finale hit legendary levels!
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Black Stone Cherry 🖤🍒
Headliners of the weekend – pure Southern Rock greatness with arena-sized heart. “White Trash Millionaire” had the whole mountain bouncing. -
Those Damn Crows 🐦🔥
C’mon WALES! Local heroes absolutely owned it – emotional, explosive, unforgettable. -
Blues Pills 💎🌀
Vintage vibes, modern bite. Elin Larsson’s voice = spine-tingling. -
The Vintage Caravan 🚐🇮🇸
Icelandic retro-rock power trio – psychedelic, fuzzy and full of groove. -
Florence Black 🌑🎤
Another Welsh powerhouse – heavy, heavy riffs and vocals that shook the stones! -
Dan Byrne 🌟🎙️
Rising star with pipes that belong in rock Valhalla.
🏁 Final Thoughts
Steelhouse 2023 was pure magic on the mountain – from Aussie beer-fuelled carnage to Welsh pride on full blast. Sunshine, riffs, and the best crowd this side of the galaxy.
Welsh Sayings to Sum It Up:
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“Bendigedig!” – Every set was better than the last!
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“Iechyd da!” – To the mountain bar crew, you’re the real MVPs.
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“C’mon Wales!” – We shouted it for Those Damn Crows and meant every word.
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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