Heavy Metal Holocaust,

Port Vale Football
Stadium, Stoke on Trent.

8-1-81.

Motorhead.

Ozzy Osbourne

Mahogany Rush

Triumph

Riot

Vardis

     Another stab at using a football ground as a venue for a hard rock festival , Metal was all the rage in the early 80s , but not every promoter got it right, in this case the crowd was estimated at 20- 25,000, as another event wasn't held its fair to guess that this event may have lost money- although the arean looks pretty full in the photos we have saen . The PA was supposed to have reached new heights in amplification - rated at over 100,000 watts. Its a fucking monster as you can see in the pics below ....

    Originally Black Sabbath were supposed to co-headline with Motorhead, but pulled out in early July due to ' recording commitments " to be replaced by the Ozzy Osbourne Band. Promoter John Curd was less than impressed " They originally approached me to do the show and the only thing I can say is that the next time they appear in England will be in court."

    Elderly local residents objected to the festival ( fearing an invasion of the be-denimed hordes , being murdered in their beds etc, ) and attempted to get it banned , taking out an injunction after the local council allowed the event to go ahead. The injunction was dropped after the promoter, Straight Music , cannily offered the old folks a free day trip to Blackpool on the very day that the event was to take place . This they readily accepted and the show went ahead.