Support Your
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity
A MIDLANDS rock festival will celebrate a heavy metal icon’s mega comeback after losing part of his leg on a life-changing South American tour.
Cult band Grim Reaper’s frontman Steve Grimmett will get a resounding reception on the main stage at the August 4-6 Drunken Monkey Rock Festival that is set to send funds soaring for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
The Upton-on-Severn blast is also making the news with a trailblazing Augmented Reality (AR) Mobile App that will bring publicity posters to life.
The Drunken Monkey Rock Festival www.drunkenmonkeyrockfest.co.uk was launched in Upton-upon-Severn four years ago, in memory of local man Ian Dowton, who died after a car accident. So far it has raised £11,000 for the life-saving Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
The Festival has grown into a renowned three-day wonder, which this year features a stonking line-up including Soul Stripper, Guns 2 Roses, Troyen, and of course Grim Reaper, which was born in Droitwich and stormed the 100-strong Battle of the Bands in the eighties.
Singer Steve Grimmett is currently learning to walk on his new prosthetic leg.
He had five operations and three amputations after picking up an infection during the Walking in the Shadows album tour earlier this year.
Steve, who is planning to write a book about his experience, has been stunned by fans’ support and fund-raising to help cover the $25k Ecuador hospital bill and ongoing recuperation.
“It has been phenomenal and very humbling,” says Steve, who lives in Swindon with wife Millie.
“I will reward everyone by getting back on stage... and walking around like I had two legs!”
The Drunken Monkey AR Mobile App is the brainchild of creative, rock-loving Mick Hurst at Evesham-based Areca Design.
It will trigger videos of Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper, Population:7 and Guns2Roses on posters.
“The charity is a wonderful, life-saving service that deserves all the support we can give it. It’s a charity that’s particularly close to my heart, as an avid motorbike man,” he says.
“We are extremely grateful to everyone involved with The Drunken Monkey Rock Festival, for their continued support of our charity,” says Adam Williams, West Midlands’ fundraising manager for the charity.
“Each Midlands Air Ambulance Charity mission costs on average £2,500, so the money raised will help to fund future lifesaving missions.”