Red Rooster Festival 29-31 May 2025, Euston Hall

Our arrival at Red Rooster Festival was very different this year compared to last year. Then we arrived in the rain to a flooded camping area and the fear we wouldn’t be able to drive out. This time it was glorious sunshine that welcomed us (and stayed for the majority of the festival). What hadn’t changed was the prospect of wonderful music with great food and drink, all in the amazing setting of Euston Hall.

The Zipheads are the first band we get to see and it’s fair to say that they get the festival off to a rocking start. The Zipheads have the classic three piece rock n roll band set up and their rockabilly sound sure gets things off to an energetic start. The tent is packed and everyone is already up for the good time rock n roll they delivered. Anyone who throws a bit of the Flintstones theme into a rock n roll cover of a reggae song is ok with us! They’ve got a new album out in a couple of weeks so keep your eye out for that.

We thought things wouldn’t get much better than that, but Dewolff took things up another level in terms of rock n roll power. This was an astonishing set of brilliant, dirty rock n roll with almost a hint of AC/DC about them. But then equally they can play a psychedelic blusier number to equal effect. Although, we did prefer the harder rockers!  So maybe the Black Crowes is another decent reference? Anyhow, with drum solos and the frontman dancing in the crowd, this band know how to put on a show. An absolutely rocking set that set a standard for all the bands that followed them.

We thought Samantha Fish, might struggle to rise to that challenge, especially because we were expecting a slower blues sound. But we were so wrong, she hit the stage with dynamism and power. From the outset it was a rocking performance that fitted her headline status. She’s a tremendous vocalist and guitarist and has also established a band of equal quality. A special mention to the drummer who was phenomenal. It all added up to probably the best opening evening set of acts we’ve seen at Red Rooster in all the years we’ve been coming. 

It’s another beautiful day on the Friday at Red Rooster and it’s the gentle country based sound of Savannah Gardner and the Recovering Good Girls that eases us into the day. There’s a sense of genuine warmth to the band’s feelings of being at the festival and that is reflected by the appreciative crowd. Jenny Don’t and the Spurs offer a similar sound, but perhaps with a bit more of a punch. It’s still country but there’s an added sense of rowdiness and buzz to the guitars. The set builds up the feel good factor which is in keeping with the atmosphere within the crowd. They end the set with a couple of punky songs which were certainly more up our street.

We’re not sure Earl James looked like how we’d imagine an Earl James to look, but he sure did sound like it. Again it’s a country sound, but very much in an old school Johnny Cash style. Mind you Toby Lee doesn’t look anywhere near old enough to be playing the blues themed rock songs of his set. Indeed he must have been born with a guitar in his hand given his skill with the instrument! The fact that they have spent nearly the whole year on tour with Jools Holland is evident by the quality of the entire band and their tightness. Whilst they may be blues based, there is also a bit more classic rock to the melodies in their songs. They get special credit for their enthusiastic set given they set off from Cornwall at 5.30 am for this gig!

Like us, Jim Jones was at the very first Red Rooster. We’re actually amazed that he wasn’t headlining the show (maybe he was performing somewhere else that evening?). Him and his current band (The All Stars) are certainly a force to be reckoned with. All of the band are brilliant musicians but also know how to put on a rock n roll show as well. As you’d expect, the roots of their songs are mainly rock n roll but with some soul, funk and old school rhythm and blues thrown in.  It’s a fast paced, energetic show which must surely be one of the best performances seen at any Red Rooster. How Jim Jones isn’t a universal name, and not just a legend in the rock n roll world, is a mystery to us. This set was high energy rock n roll at its absolute finest.

We then mosey over to the little Red Rooster stage (a great stage for listening to music and chilling out). We get to see David Viner and in many ways the day comes full circle with some more proper country sounds. It provides a great soundtrack to the backdrop of the setting sun on a surprisingly warm evening. It certainly feels like the American flavour of the festival has had an influence on the weather.

We feared for the Sheepdogs playing after Jim Jones but we should have had more faith in the Red Rooster bookers. Also, the band have travelled over from Canada so were obviously keen not to disappoint. Not surprisingly, their good time rock n roll attracted a huge crowd to the tent. It also provided a great high octane and fun filled end to a great day of good weather and awesome music.

It’s another beautiful day as we make our way over to the Little Red Rooster stage on the Saturday morning. The day then gets off to a lovely gentle start with the soft guitar strumming of Lucy Kitt. The fact that she has a song called Laurel Canyon comes as no surprise. It seems like plenty of others saw this as a way of gently introducing themselves into the day, each song greeted by more and more sounds of opening cans! 

Our first visit to the main stage see us take in the excellent Twinnie. She delivers her country pop songs with a real sparkle, not just because of her dress but also her charming Yorkshire humour. Adding in a bit of Dolly into the first song is an instant crowd pleaser. Apparently this is the first outing for the band, but it’s a great set of songs that have a real swagger to them. If there is one artist from this weekend we could see going mainstream and having commercial success, it’s Twinnie.

Danny and the Champion of the World feel like Red Rooster veterans to us, we’re sure we’ve seen them at least a couple of times before.  They are therefore well placed for this prime afternoon slot. They play to an audience of established fans who lap up the relatively laid back rock n roll that the band deliver. It’s a heartfelt and warm sound that allows the band to show their quality and match the crowd’s appreciation for their music.

After a day which has been pretty country and rocky, Thee Sinseers offer a change in style and pace with their sweet soul sound. A full band set up that fills the stage but also fills the tent with great funky soul. It gets the crowd dancing as we head into the Saturday evening.

They did a great job of building the festival up to the grand finale of JD McPherson. We’ve been long time fans of Mr McPherson and for a long time it has felt that he has almost single handedly been fighting to bring rockabilly music back into the music scene. It’s therefore no surprise that the tent is full of anticipation and excitement as he hits the stage. And what a set it is…..we are particularly pleased to hear our favourite song (Firebug) followed by a brief partial cover of Mona. JD McPherson has actually played the festival before but this time there is far more passion and interaction with the crowd, and him and the band seem to be having more fun. Heck we even get a cover of Iggy’s awesome Lust For Life alongside the perhaps more expected Richie Valen’s cover. It all adds up to a set which we would say is one of the best headliner shows we’ve seen at Red Rooster in a long time.

Once again Red Rooster has delivered a wonderful weekend. It remains one of our favourite festivals, not just because of the music but also for the wonderful atmosphere. Thanks to the organisers, all the staff and the crowd itself, it remains a laid back and carefree experience which is a delight compared to even some of the more commercial music festivals, let alone the real world.