THE UK TORN BASH 2009

The 2009 UK Torn Fade to Black Country Bash has now been and gone! So if you didn’t go and want to know what went on, or if you’re feeling a bit sad and lost that it’s now all over and would like to relive it.. Read on!

Review of The UK Torn Bash 2009 by Jenna MacPhee (Metallicat180)

The UK Torn Metallibashes are the stuff of legend and this was my first chance to attend one of these amazing meet-ups. No gig to interrupt the proceedings this time, just a whole day (and night) to hang out with like minded metalheads from around the country. The venue chosen for this year's bash was The Hollybush pub in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands, and this year's Bash was dubbed "Fade To Black Country" because of the location.

UK Torners and their mates descended on the pub around noon and it was great to see so many familiar faces coming through the doors. Pete had made up some special laminates for us all as the pub was shut to the general public - they were just so damn cool! It was a beautiful day so the beer garden was put to it's full use from the off. Once everyone had arrived, the Torn admins - Kat, Ade, Pete and Rattle each took it in turns to welcome everyone and thank them all for coming, explaining what would be happening throughout the day.

First item on the agenda was a quiz. Not any ordinary quiz (which would have everyone on their phones looking up the answers on Google) but a quiz about the various admin members! Including such questions as "Which admin member once got up late and rushed to school, only to find out it was Saturday?" and matching up the admin to their first record bought, biggest fear etc. It was a very original idea and hilarious to find out the answers afterwards. Stu (Schizophonic) ended up victorious winning a copy of Guitar Hero: Metallica.

A very special guest had been organised for the Bash - Mr Brian Tatler from the legendary Diamond Head!!! How cool is that?? He stayed for ages, signing items, getting pictures taken and just hanging out and chatting to everyone. He was such an awesome, down to earth bloke and it was great speaking to him.

There was karaoke set up which I wasn't sure about, not imagining that many Torners would be up for it. Anne (Anne256) bravely stepped up first to sing The Clash's ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’ and that just set the ball rolling and you couldn't get people off the thing! Damian (Hyperbullet), Andy (Fixxxer1981) and I teamed up to do rousing renditions of Green Day's ‘Basket Case’ and Iron Maiden's ‘The Trooper’, Dan (The Ginger One) and his mate's did Therapy's Screamager, even the pub's owner Dave had a go - doing UFO's Doctor, Doctor. The performance of the night had to be Pete "Fiddy" Atkinson's (Acho) amazing portrayal of 50 Cent's In Da Club, complete with his "homies" doing backing vocals. Many blow-up guitars had been brought as well and everyone LOVED them!! You couldn't get the pink guitar off Andy - and I believe he still has it to this day!

For this evening's proceedings, two new cocktails had been invented. The Memory (Doesn't) Remain and Trapped Over Ice. The first one was pretty much unanimously hated but people couldn't get enough of the latter, with tee-total yours truly even having some which sent shock waves around the pub, especially from Damian and Andy. Since it was such a beautiful day, a barbeque had been put on and so much time was spent outside munching on burgers and chatting with people we hadn't seen for ages. One of my favourite moments of the night was when Dave (Hatebreed) sat down in one of the garden chairs and promptly went arse-over-tit as the thing collapsed from underneath him. Hahaha!! It made it all the funnier for me personally, as I'd been sitting in that same chair not five minutes before him!

Near the end of the night, a raffle was held and I think almost everyone got something. I won a copy of Metallica: The Club Days and other prizes included several copies of Guitar Hero: Metallica, books, t-shirts, signed pictures...you name it - it was there. When it was nearly chucking out time, several people (namely ginger Dan!) had trouble standing up due to copious amounts of Trapped Over Ice. Eventually we all said our goodbyes and headed back our various hotels and B&B's. It was a hugely successful night with a lot of money raised for the Down’s Syndrome Association, amazing prizes won, old friends caught up with and new friends made.

A huge effort had been put in by Rattle, Kat, Ade and Pete to get this night going and we all can't thank them enough for making such a memorable night for all of us so thank you guys!! Can't wait for the next one!