Held on 19β20 July 2014, Steelhouse Festival 2014 cranked up the volume, dialled in the denim, and packed out the mountain with a lineup bursting with classic rock giants, NWOBHM icons, and Welsh warriors. Rain or shine (and letβs be honest, probably both π§οΈβοΈ), this year delivered a face-melting weekend of riffs in the heart of Cymru!
Hereβs a look at who took the mountain stage in 2014β¦ πΈπ₯
π₯ Saturday β July 19th
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Europe πΈπͺπΉ (Headliner)
YES β the mighty Europe headlined Saturday night, and when βThe Final Countdownβ echoed across the Valleys, the mountain absolutely erupted. Bombastic, polished, and stadium-sized. -
Black Star Riders β οΈπ€
Rising from the ashes of Thin Lizzy, these legends-in-the-making brought swagger and soul with hits like βBound for Gloryβ and βKingdom of the Lost.β -
The Graveltones π₯πΈ
A two-piece with massive sound β fuzzy, bluesy, and unapologetically raw. -
Tax The Heat β‘π©
Groovy, modern, and full of 60s swagger with 70s riffage. A Steelhouse favourite in the making. -
Buffalo Summer π¦¬π
Neath’s own blues rockers, soaking up the sun and absolutely slaying it. Proudly flying the Welsh flag! -
Falling Red β€οΈπΈ
Sleaze rock, loud and proud β think MΓΆtley CrΓΌe via the Lake District.
π€ Sunday β July 20th
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Michael Schenkerβs Temple of Rock πΈπ (Headliner)
The guitar god himself, with a band of legends including former Scorpions and Rainbow members. βRock You Like a Hurricaneβ and βDoctor Doctorβ on the mountain? Absolute scenes! -
Heavenβs Basement π₯π
One of the UKβs most exciting live acts at the time β raw, high-energy, and tight as hell. -
The Treatment ππ€
Young guns bringing back the old-school, with big riffs and even bigger hair. -
Skam β‘πΆ
Modern hard rock trio delivering thick riffs and festival fury. -
Western Sand ποΈπΈ
Southern-fried UK rock β bluesy, crunchy, and full of swagger. -
Fireroad π₯π£οΈ
Welsh rockers with soul, groove, and serious stage presence.
π Final Thoughts β Steelhouse 2014
Europe and Schenker brought the arena magic, while up-and-comers and local legends tore it up across both days. The weather mightβve been mixed, but the music? Consistently scorching. From glam to blues to pure heavy rock β 2014 cemented Steelhouse as THE mountain for metal.
Welsh Sayings Recap:
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βBendigedig!β to Europe for that final countdown moment.
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βIechyd da!β to the fans powering through with cider in one hand and horns in the other. π»
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βTidy!β to Buffalo Summer for absolutely killing it.
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βCβmon Wales!β every time a homegrown act took the stage.
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βYch-a-fi!β to the state of the loos after Schenkerβs encore π¬
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 specialβfrom 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 heβs 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, heβs 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 heβs not writing or interviewing artists, youβll 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 musicβtheyβre about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Thatβs exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. π€
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