Rock and Blues 2011

The Location: - Pentrich Showground, Pentrich, Nr Ripley, Derbyshire.

The Organisers: - Outlaws MC Derbyshire Chapter.

Okay if your a follower of my reviews you may have guessed we come to Rock and Blues every year, in fact the only year we didn't was when we were on honeymoon. The event holds a place in our hearts as it's the first rally Sandra ever did and shortly after this rally we bought the Zed 13 so both have become an institution to us. Rock and Blues was Europe's biggest custom event but a few years ago things changed. A brief outline as I understand it is because of trouble after a Bulldog bash the police decided to stop the following years Rock and Blues happening. Rock and Blues had sold tickets for the event that never happened and many people myself included were left out of pocket. This at the time pissed me off and no doubt everyone else but and there's always a but the good fellows of the Outlaws gave all previous years ticket holders free entry into next year. So in my mind things are straight however this doesn't seem to be the case with everyone else and I just don't get it. I remember Monsters of Rock I was there, I remember Forest winning the European cup I was there, I remember Whitesnake, ZZ Top and Iron Maiden making the top 10 I was there. I also remember Rock and Blues with Hawkwind before the Outlaws. I remember Rock and Blues growing into just about the best show on the biking calendar coz I was friggin there.

Where is this mad man going with this rant I hear you ask, I remember all these events because I was lucky enough to support them and help in my way to keep them going. I don't want to say I was there when Rock and Blues finished. We don't have enough major events for real bikers in this country so I appeal to everyone to support the show help it grow and regain it's place as one of the biggest and best shows on the calendar. 

This year the Outlaws downsized the event again and aimed it real bikers and it was bloody great. How do I know? Yes I was there and I hope I'll be there next year and really hope you will too as they put on a ruddy good event.

For the first time I went on the VN1500 and not my Z1300 and learned that shorts and VN exhausts don't go :-( as I stuck my bloody leg to it when I fetched water.

I think the event had a 1200 limit (heard someone somewhere say that) Which made it quite a intimate affair but I regularly go to rallies with only about 300 so it was still a fair size but a long way from the 20000 I guess it used to get. The major change this year was the fact the bands were quality local type bands now to me this didn't matter because for years I've watched local bands and revelled in just how good some are. Infact sometimes you have more fun as often they do covers of all your favourites.

Live wire (above) were flaming brilliant and totally rocked our socks off.

As we're the rollin stoned on the previous night...sorry guys drank too much didn't take many pictures. Lol

The Show Bikes

The Winners

The Revellers

All in all it was a great weekend, once again the weather held out and much fun was had by all. Plus after Live Wire our hosts put on a free bar for a while so that can't be bad can it?

See you next year. Everyone.