There are headliners, there are guitar heroes, and then there are the true legends of Steelhouse Festival.
No, weāre not talking about the bands blasting riffs from the Mountain Stage. Weāre talking about the bloke wandering around with a roll of āHello, My Name Isā¦ā stickers, a marker pen, and a mission to make complete strangers feel like old mates.
Every festival has its characters. At Steelhouse, this absolute legend has become one of them.
š āWhatās Your Name, Butt?ā
If youāve spent any time around the arena this weekend, youāve probably seen him.
Dressed in a bright orange shirt that makes him impossible to miss and sporting one of the most wonderfully ridiculous crocheted hats youāll ever lay eyes on, heās been stopping festival-goers to hand out personalised name badges.
Some people get their actual name.
Others arenāt so luckyā¦
You might end up being called āCaptain Ciderā, āLord of the Pitā, āBeer Wizardā, or whatever nickname popped into his head after a quick chat. Somehow, every single one raises a smile.
Itās silly.
Itās simple.
And itās absolutely brilliant.
ā¤ļø Itās What Makes Steelhouse Special
Steelhouse has always been different.
Yes, the line-up is stacked with incredible rock bands. Yes, the scenery is breathtaking. And yes, standing on top of a Welsh mountain listening to live music is about as good as life gets.
But itās the people that make this festival what it is.
You arrive as strangers.
By Sunday afternoon, youāre sharing drinks with people you only met on Friday, laughing at inside jokes, and greeting complete strangers because theyāre wearing one of the famous name tags.
Suddenly, everyone knows everyone.
Or at least they pretend to!
š¤ Festival Community at Its Best
The beauty of Steelhouse is that nobody takes themselves too seriously.
One minute youāre watching a band tear the mountain apart with a wall of riffs.
The next, youāre chatting to someone wearing a Viking helmet while another fan proudly sports a handwritten sticker introducing themselves as something completely ridiculous.
Those little moments are what youāll remember long after the amps have been switched off.
Theyāre the stories youāll tell next year.
Theyāre the reason people keep coming back.
šø Have You Got One?
Weāre convinced there are hundredsāif not thousandsāof Steelhouse fans walking around this weekend proudly wearing one of these legendary stickers.
So we want to knowā¦
Did you get a name tag from the legend?
Show us what he wrote, tell us the story behind it, and letās celebrate one of Steelhouse Festivalās most wholesome traditions.
Because festivals arenāt just about the bands.
Theyāre about the people who make complete strangers laugh, create unforgettable memories, and remind us why the rock community is one of the best in the world.
See you on the mountain, butt! š»š¤
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 specialāfrom 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 heās 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, heās 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 heās not writing or interviewing artists, youāll 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 musicātheyāre about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Thatās exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. š¤
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