GuilFest 2005. The Guildford Music Festival on 15th, 16th and 17th July 2005

About the bands
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Artist: Black Top Phoenix
Genre: Rock
Performing: 18th July 2004 / The Andertons LiveClub Stage
Website Address: [www.blacktopphoenix.com]

Formed in the spring of 2003, Black Top Phoenix are a four-man outfit who, quite simply, rock! With influences from Zeppelin to Stone Temple Pilots to the Foos and, most recently, Audioslave you can expect a storming live set that mixes a classic feel with contemporary rock and grunge.

Black Top Phoenix are:

Mike Green (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
Ben Dare (Guitar, Backing Vocals)
Thom Bowden (Bass, Backing Vocals)
Steve Matthews (Drums)

Critics have described the band as...

LOGO MAGAZINE - 'they speak to my little brain, the walnut-sized remnant of Homo Erectus that urges me to strip naked and howl at the moon'

SPILL MAGAZINE - 'Superbly Crafted'……… 'nothing short of jaw dropping'

BLACKSHEEPBAR.COM - 'They manage to strike an almost perfect balance - catchy and easily accessible songs that consistently sniff around the door brightly marked 'pop' whilst at the same time - they just happen to rock like bitches...it was not hard to tell that this could be a great rock band in the making'

AUDIOCRATIC.COM - 'BTP hit the stage with such gratifying violence that the ear-bleeding days of yore don't seem so far away after all'

Make of that what you will!

For the past year the band have been gigging extensively around the UK, playing in empty bars to packed out clubs, fighting their way through blizzards and storms, pushing guitar cabs around town at 2 in the morning and being locked out of their own cars miles from home. It has been fun!

This next year should see BTP working with the likes of producer Dan Austin (Cooper Temple Clause, The Doves, People in planes), and engineer/producer Andy Saunders (Skin - Skunk Anansie, The Rapture). Their debut single will be recorded over the summer with the plan to release it at the start of 2005.... it should kick some serious ass....keep checking back at the website for more news on it!

So one year on and things seem to be looking up, the gig machine has begun to raise its ugly head once more and is building up steam fast with appearances all over the UK and at Guilfest 2004 ...expect to see Black Top Phoenix 'rocking like bitches' near you soon.