Friday's main stage features eight bands bands with the final announcement of glam rock legends The Sweet touching the edges of a very wide envelope! Everything else from punk icons to dark metal, blues, classic new rock and AOR and one of rock n roll's most prolific singer songwriters to boot.
Introducing bands to the audience has always been in the DNA of WinterStorm and day two ticks the box again. Promoting two bands from the previous year's Sessions Stage is also ticked and Friday opens with This House We Built who really got the audience going last year. They bring something just a little different; over the next few hours they will be followed by an insanely talented trio of bands who many will not have encountered live before.
In no particular line up order, the introduction will include returning act the popular Collateral – they last played in 2021 – with their eclectic sound and powerful stage presence, they will be joined by Derbyshire band These Wicked Rivers with their “blues-infused modern rock, and soulful-bordering-on-spiritual live performances across the UK and beyond.” English band Wytch Hazel complete the "introducing section" of Friday and they undoubtedly channel some of the Spirit of '80 the organisers are talking about, and as their record company quote states they offer up, “The combination of the folk-rock eccentricity of Jethro Tull, the mystical harmony of Wishbone Ash & Thin Lizzy, and the exuberance of prime NWOBHM, immersed in sacred medieval influences.” Yes. Indeed!
Moving a little Left field has never phased the organisers (think Ayrshire Rock Choir, Chantel McGregor’s acoustic or Clann an Drumma’s Celtic drums) but they’ve never taken the opportunity to include some Punk! It is St Andrews weekend so combining this with a bit of iconic punk rock seemed like something worth doing and taking the stage on Friday will be Scottish new wave icons The Skids! This set will be bouncing with the usual high energy of Richard Jobson going through those multiple hits that ran in parallel with the 1980’s sound of metal and rock.
Russ Ballard is known to everyone for both as guitarist with Argent and for his compositions such as "New York Groove", "Since You Been Gone", "I Surrender" and "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" which became hits for other Hello, Rainbow and Kiss during the 1970s and 1980s. He promises a set of sing along classics with his superb guitar playing and stage craft.
In 2021, in between COVID lock downs, WinterStorm introduced US band Hardline to a mostly unsuspecting audience. The melodic rockers stole the show. Johnny Gioeli and band raised the temperature that night with a full-on high tempo performance and stunning vocals, securing both a new fan base and a promised return to Troon’s stage with their melodic, powerful hard US rock.
The Sessions Stage take the theme of brand new acts for 2025's WinterStorm and absolutely and unequivocally features bands who should be on the main stage. It is with our gratitude that both Friday and Saturday's Sessions Stage will feature some explosive and "weel kent" faces.
Fang Slinger, Savage Seas, Project Black will be complemented by Northern Ireland's Saffron Gorman and the Black Eagle Band and Germany's Sweet Electric making it one of the most powerful second stage days we have offered up!
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