FIRESTORM FESTIVAL CHANGES NAME TO FIREVOLT AND ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH TROOPER BEER

Manchester’s Firestorm festival have announced they will change their name to FIREVOLT.

Last years festival saw 32 bands play the event with over 1,000 people per day enjoying headliners such as Those Damn Crows, Phil Campbell & TBS, Stone Broken, Wayward Sons, FM, King King as well as Mason Hill, Inglorious, The Quireboys, The Treatment, Bad Touch, The Dust Coda to name but a few. It was an amazing weekend and in fact, we called it our favourite festival in our review.

A personal note form Stret, owner of The Purple Universe Group whom own and operate Firestorm
(Manchester) Rock Festival

“Initially I was very nervous about taking on such a challenge in bringing a new Rock festival to the
market not just because of the effects of covid which had decimated our core business (Event Management) but also because of the Love, Respect & Passion we have for the whole scene, the people, the bands, everything, Bev & I are both Rockers too so to take this on and not deliver would have really hurt us. Bev was adamant the time was right to go for it, she talked me in, kept me in and was an amazing person to work alongside of which she did tirelessly whilst working full time as a Lecturer.

“Its true to say we did manage to get all the bands on-board over a 6-week period, but I would like to
publicly thank an amazing gentleman who was sent to me from the “purple universe” Mr Roy Davis,
ex-Shy band member, owner of Asylum in Birmingham and now, to me, rated as “THE” person I was
fortunate to meet. When Wayne (Waynes World) goes into the dessert to meet Jim Morrison, it was
a bit like that for me with Roy, we hit it off immediately. Together we collated our wish list of bands
to perform, looked at it and both laughed and said there is no-way we can pull that off in 6 weeks for
a first festival, but we did and of all the bands on that initial list there were only two we couldn’t
quite get over the line (but they are both performing this year at the festival).

And then the “name-clash”?

When Bev and I decided we were going for it we started to play around with names for the festival, I
wanted to call it Fireball (I’m a Deep Purple Fan, go check it out, very underrated album in my
opinion). We came across an existing festival down south somewhere which was something to do
with Fire Balls more like a parade of fire if you like, so I came up with FIRESTORM. We did our due
diligence searched Companies House, searched the Trademark Register, Social Media and trawled
through the first 10 pages on a returned Google search but nothing came up apart from a metal
band in Germany, so we went with it and launched.

“School boy Error”

We didn’t register the name! At that time, we were all heads down and picking our battles to “make it all happen”. Then in or around April we received an email informing us of a potential name clash, the short of the long story is, the other party hadn’t used it for a number of years and this is why it probably didn’t come up in any searches.

We decided it would be better to have our own unique name and began the process of Trade
marking FIREVOLT FESTIVAL.“

Stret

NEW SPONSOR JOINS FIREVOLT ROCK FESTIVAL
In addition to the festivals name change, FIREVOLT are delighted and honoured to welcome onboard this crazy Rock n Roll journey, the amazing rock quenching amber nectar known as TROOPER premium beer brewed by local brewers, ROBINSONS BREWERY.

The collaboration between Firevolt Rock Festival & Robinsons Brewery will see the re-naming of the
BARN STAGE to the TROOPER STAGE and will run until the end of the 2024 festival with a first
option to continue beyond that.

Robinsons Brewery also intend to promote Firevolt Rock Festival, which is one of the U.K fastest
growing rock festivals, across its portfolio of managed houses, offering its clientele the chance to win
Free tickets to Firevolt Rock Festival 2023.

ROBINSONS BREWERY & FIREVOLT ROCK FESTIVAL have also come together to offer one lucky
winner 2 free tickets to see Iron Maiden in Manchester (Travel & Accommodation not included) this
June, plus 2 free weekend tickets with camping (tent not included) for Firevolt Rock Festival in 2023.
To enter buy a pint or bottle of Trooper at your local bar, take a selfie with your drink and email it
over to contact@purpleuniverse.co.uk to be in the draw.

Stret, owner of The Purple Universe Group & Co-owner of Firevolt Rock Festival.
“I know we very much used the “build it and they will come” mantra but to receive contact from such
a large locally based business as Robinsons Brewery enquiring about the festival and the possibility of
TROOPER being involved was unbelievable! Both Robinsons & Trooper are ideal brand partners for
our amazing Rock Community who I am sure will have lots of fun in supporting this partnership,
especially at the Bar, I’m already thinking should we put a bar up on the top hill then we can RUN TO
THE HILLS for a quick pint of Trooper. Seriously though it’s a big deal for us and we are more than
thrilled to work with Robinsons Brewery, we are both based locally (Stockport, Greater Manchester)
and as such we are both excited to further promote this great part of the U.K”

Triece Davidson, National Sales Manager, Robinsons Brewery.
“Firestorm Rock Festival blew up last year right across social media and especially within the Rock
Community, when we looked over the reviews and positive feedback we couldn’t believe this was its
first year and more so its was in our back garden! We are a local Brewery, and they are a new local
festival that is set to grow, It was a no-brainer to contact Stret and offer our support and of course
work together to further promote TROOPER within the rock community which have supported the
brand since its launch. We are all excited to see the festival grow, it’s the perfect timing for us to be
involved and look forward to not only being a part of that growth but also to enjoy the journey with
Stret , Bev and the Firevolt Team.”

BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB)
Firevolt Rock Festival, formally known as Firestorm (Manchester) Rock Festival are proud to
announce in association with LEAF PROMOTIONS and sponsored by TROOPER their BOTB
competition giving new & emerging rock bands the opportunity to play the festival on either the
Friday or Saturday (11th & 12th August 2023).
The competition will take place at:
Rebellion Bar
2B
Whitworth Street
Manchester
M1 5WZ
On Sunday 25th June 2023

In 2022 The Battle of the Bands Competition saw applications of over 100 bands applying to take
part in the inaugural BOTB competition which saw the likes of UNKOWN REFUGE, BLACK ROZE, &
A’PRIORI being eventually crowned the three winners.
This year (2023) we are offering two slots to open the festival.

Stret, owner of The Purple Universe Group & Co-owner of Firevolt Rock Festival.
“Last year’s competition was so hard to judge, and I have to thank Rich over at NWOCR for helping us
finally arrive at our finalist, the huge amount of entries from their community was awesome and the
talent very high. The three bands we picked as winners all performed so well at the festival, all were
very well received on the day and it was a pleasure meeting them and in some small way being a part
of their journey, hopefully we can invite them back to perform as a part of our line up in the near
future.“

John Scanlan, Owner LEAF PROMOTIONS
“Leaf Promotions are delighted to reveal that we have teamed up with the incredible people
at Firevolt Festival (formerly Firestorm MCR Rock Festival), sponsored by Trooper
Premium Beer!”
Last year’s event was a massive success, with a stunning line-up and critical acclaim from all
corners of the rock music scene and we feel massively privileged to be part of their 2023
festival, taking place Friday August 11th

• Sunday August 13th
  .

How are Leaf Promotions involved, you ask? 😄
Well, we will be hosting this year’s Battle of the Bands at Rebellion (Manchester) on Sunday
June 25th, which will ultimately select two acts to play the opening slots on the Friday and
Saturday at Firevolt Festival.
We are now taking applications from all bands who would like to be considered to qualify
for this competition- please see below for information on how to apply, as well as the prizes
which are on offer.
Before applying:

• We are looking for bands which fit in with the current line-up. Genre-wise, that covers
  multiple rock genres (heavy, classic, blues, alt, hard… etc).
• You MUST ALL be available to play live on Sunday June 25th, Friday August 11th & Saturday
  August 12th.
• All band members must be 18+.
• You MUST be able to provide a video recording of your band playing LIVE (at least one
  track).
• Please submit all applications to leafpromotions@hotmail.co.uk for consideration.
  Competition dates:
• Applications close on Sunday April 16th, 2023, at midnight.
• Ten qualifying bands will be chosen by a panel of industry professionals to go through to
  the next stage.
• Those ten bands will then be added to an online vote, hosted by Leaf Promotions and
  Firevolt Festival, with the four bands who receive the most votes qualifying for the live final
  on Sunday June 25th. Voting will end on Sunday May 21st, 2023, at midnight.
• The two winners in the final will go on to play the opening slots at Firevolt Festival, on
  either Friday August 11th or Saturday August 12th.
  Prizes available:
• ALL bands who apply (who fit in with the genres above) will receive FREE WEEKEND
  TICKETS for Firevolt Festival (one per member) AND 50% off a further ticket per band
  member (large but limited number available and T&Cs apply).
• Finalists will receive TWO weekend tickets per band member, PLUS 10 weekend tickets per
  band (guestlist). Plus 50% off a further 10 weekend tickets per band.
• The two winners will receive TWO weekend tickets per band member, PLUS 20 weekend
  tickets per band (guestlist). Plus 50% off a further 20 weekend tickets per band.
• All prize tickets can be with or without camping included (no backstage access, except for
  performers).
• Additional prizes from Trooper premium beer to be confirmed
  We look forward to hearing from the next generation of the UK’s rock scene!
  Official Website: www.firevoltfestival.co.uk