Well. what on earth can be said about Hit The Deck 2012?
It is difficult to find a relevant place to start when considering it was a day so packed full of awesomeness that peoples heads were in danger of exploding. So, taking that into consideration I will begin, unoriginally at the beginning…
we opened the gate to you eager beavers just a little earlier than we planned as everything was set up and ready to go. A truly great early highlight on my part was that opening band round at the Valencourt Stage in Stealth. They are called Baby Godzilla. These psychotic bunch of bastards are truly one of the most exhilarating live acts you will ever see, with a complete disregard for their own safety. The quartet jump, dive, swing, scream and sweat, all in the name of entertainment, your entertainment. The best thing about them? They’re local boys from Nottingham.
The day continues to go by without a hitch, loads of great bands play across 5 different stages. The road closure outside, courtesy of our friends at Red Bull provided a suitable recluse from the radiating heat and phenomenal atmosphere oozing out from all of all the stages. Whilst the brief and infrequent showers of rain cooled our sweating brows outside we were still provided with plenty of entertainment, in the form of DJ’s hoisted up on top of a red bull bar bar, smallkid graffitiing up a big cube (pity about the lack of pictures from this) some delicious food stalls and a host merchants selling various items of clothing and trinkets in the outside market and in the Black Cherry Lounge. The signing tent also offered you a chance to meet some of the great bands that played throughout the day.
Some more of the musical highlights you say? Well for me, and I’m very aware that it is all down to personal opinion, (which is one of the great things about Hit The Deck, the diversity of alternative bands that played meant there was something for everyone, if you are that way inclined) include both sets by Cancer Bats. Particularly their Bat Sabbath set, which is a Black Sabbath cover band, they played down at The Forum and it was excellent; they came on stage and instantly played ‘Paranoid’ which managed to get everybody throwing horns without even feeling a little bit cheesy. Also down at The Forum was the super secret very special guests act who as you all well know, were Young Guns & they were incredible.
Headlining in the Rock City Basement or Big Deal Clothing Stage as it was known as for Hit The Deck were The Wonder Years, a tiny intimate room packed full of fans, starting slowly but surely show signs of fatigue, the relentless gigging for 10 or so hours was beginning to take its toll, until, they came on stage and blew everybody away with an absolutely blinding set.
Bring on Hit The Deck 2013.
