Here Comes the Sleazy Weekend

Another year has gone by and I’m back home at one of my favourite events, HRH Sleaze! The home of dirty rockers, questionable haircuts and endless amounts of animal print held tightly together with cans of hairspray!

Start on the Highway to Hell

As always, the weekend kicks off with the HRH Highway to Hell competition which was to have its final hurrah. The North came out in force with Thieves of Liberty (Sunderland) and Coralsnake (Middlesbrough), then Londoners Hunted by Elephants, Bristolians Land Captains, and Derbyshire’s Venomous Rose. They all competed to win a prize worth £30,000 in gigs, press, HRH events etc.

The room was hot and sweaty as usual, and the crowd was a good giggle. Everyone was rearing to go for the huge weekend ahead, and these bands whetted their appetite. Each band had to perform four songs with one cover track but played with their own unique twist.

As always, I chatted crap to the crowd and played some tunes in between each band with a helping hand from Miss Sammi Quinn to introduce Venomous Rose. It was great as always to work with the HRH Team including boss Jonni, Geoff Leppard, Char, Jess, Ben, Si, Ali and the academy team.

The crowning winners were Thieves of Liberty, they were beyond words and so happy, a great band won to end the Highway to Hell cycle. But don’t worry, a pre party plan for next year is definitely worth the wait!

Sleazy Saturday

Sleazy Saturday is always my favourite day! It’s great to see so many groups of friends walk through the doors with only one thing on their mind, to have a good time. A lot of people who come to this event, only see some people once a year, it becomes a family. I have never had an issue with anyone there, they are all so friendly and look absolutely amazing! The fashion is something else! I wish I took videos of people’s outfits to make a reel for Instagram but that’s an idea for next year.

Started off the day with a little briefing of what was expected off us during the day. This year I was working more behind the scenes than front of house but to be honest, I loved it! Char had organised every band’s artist passes and all other asses for media and pit (photographers). The food and drink for the riders arrived and with the help from Si (HRH official photographer) and his gorgeous lady Ali, it was all sorted and everyone was rearing to go. Bands came in thick and fast and it was all systems go

As the band starting waking up the crowd it got louder and louder back stage, some say if you think it’s too loud, you’re too old. No, I just like to be able to hear people when they’re talking to me. Then again the tunes vibrating through the walls were banging.

Every now and then, I sneaked out to watch some bands including badass Atlanta boys Kickin Valentina, Malmo’s sleaze kings Crazy Lixx, fellow swedes Hardcore Superstar and Bai Bang, WildThorn from Tyneside, Bad Actress from Scotland and Paradise Alley off the back of their new EP release. The main attraction of the night was Finnish rock royalty, Michael Monroe.

I’ve seen him once before, but to be so close to him was amazing. It was a bit squished, timing did run a little bit behind due to Hardcore Superstar, but the team kept a calm head. At one point I did think that Ben was going to bite my head off for asking when Mr Monroe could get on stage, but it was all good. Michael put on an amazing show and honestly can’t wait to see him again.

Super Sunday

After a very busy end to a long day, a good night’s kip and a decent breakfast it was off the to the academy. Like every Sunday morning at Sleaze or any events that HRH create, a DC (Dark Circle) meeting happens to let the HRH VIP’s know what is coming up and what is happening behind the scenes for all the events, shows, radio, magazine etc. It’s also a chance to catch up with people who you may not have seen in months and in one person’s case, they hadn’t seen me in over a year! I hate the fact I can’t remember their name!

After this meeting, it gave me a little fire in my belly to go forward and hopefully take on something and make it better. We’ll have to wait and see, now back to the day! I went downstairs to get all my dressing room signs ready, set my alarms and make sure everyone’s passes were ready and off to go. I finished my review from the day before and was ready for the days dramas and thankfully there wasn’t any as such. Confess had an issue with their plug adapters, a band on stage two had no drummer as he was stuck in traffic and The Mercury Riots were still travelling from France. I sadly missed their set due to having to return home, but I watched a livestream by my friend Mia so I was there technically.

Before I left, I looked after Steve Summers from Pretty Boy Floyd which was such an honour. I tried not to let my fan girl giddiness overtake me. We sorted out merchandise and walking him around the academy with people pointing and smiling, was such a high! It was like “yeah, I’m with Pretty Boy Floyd”. Daft I know but hey ho. I did leave before the night really kicked off with headliners PBF and an acoustic show by Eric Martin (Mr Big).

Time to Reflect

It was a short weekend that I always think goes by far too quickly. I love all HRH events and this year I have been lucky enough to be at quite a few. HRH NWOCR in January (even though it was tinged by a personal tragedy) was the first of its kind and people loved it, the venue not as much (O2 Academy Leicester) but what are you going to do. HRH Ibiza (aka RoadTrip) in May was beautiful. I was with my colleagues, my friends, my HRH family in the sun. There were little dramas here and there, that happens but it was an amazing experience for me especially since I DJ’d for the first time there and has brought me a great opportunity. Stay tuned for that!

Sleaze was an event that I attended before I worked for the company so it always feels like coming home. I see friends, who become extended family, the kind you maybe only see once or twice a year. I love the fashion or dressing up side of it, most of these people (like myself) only get to do this at these events, it’s somewhere I feel comfortable being myself. It’s a feeling I wish I had all the time. Next year I am going to catalogue people’s outfits in the form of reels because so many people were gorgeous! Both guys and girls go all out. It was another amazing year of personal love and affection. but to work with such amazing people and brilliant artists was fantastic.

Next stop (fingers crossed) is the HRH Awards on my birthday, 2nd November and if I can work it round my university schedule, hopefully HRH 15. With the likes of Skid Row and The Darkness as headliners, and my friends Wicked Smile coming over from Australia, it would be daft to miss it!

Can’t wait for next year! Check out the line-up for next year and it you want tickets, hit the link – https://hrhsleaze.com !