Band 'amazed' to support Bryan Adams at forest gig
A band from Pickering who were chosen to support superstar Bryan Adams at a gig in Dalby Forest said they were "amazed" with the response to their performance.
Local music-makers Rocketsmith sent a speculative pitch in January to the Forestry Commission, which organised the concert - and were bowled over to be given the job.
They performed on Friday to around 5,500 people at the gig - part of Forest Live, a series of concerts staged in woodlands across the country.
Guitarist Mark Norton said the experience was "everything I expected and a lot more".
Four-piece rock group Rocketsmith were founded 15 years ago and are made up of a highways consultant lead singer, as well as a farmer, tiler and e-commerce worker.
They have penned more than 50 original songs, with their music compared by fans to Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers and Foo Fighters.
When they heard that Adams was coming to their home town of Pickering, they decided it would not hurt to ask if they could be his support act.
"Someone once told me that if everyone else is zigging, you should be zagging so if you do the same as everyone else and just send an email, you're going to end up in some email inbox no one has the time to check," Norton told BBC Radio York.
Instead, the band sent a customised web page about themselves full of Adams puns to a contact they knew at the Forestry Commission.
Three months later, they received the email they had always dreamed of.
"We were so shocked and then we were like 'wow'," said Norton.
The band members described the gig as "absolutely fantastic" and even got the chance to meet Adams at the side of the stage.
"He was absolutely down to earth which was lovely," said drummer Anthony Medd.
"I was actually getting changed in my dressing room when I saw him come out," said lead singer and guitarist Andy Warriner.
"So I ran out to meet him and he said 'can I give you some advice?' and I said 'yeah'.
"'Put some shoes on,' he said."
Since the gig, the band have received dozens of messages of support from fans, have been recognised in the street and were even offered free pizza by a local business in Pickering.
"When you're a small band like us you expect your mum and your mates to comment on the things you do on social media but when you get comments from people you've never met before, it's amazing," said Norton.
The band, who have just released a single called The Other Side of Fear, said this opportunity was just the beginning.
"I personally believe this isn't the highlight, this is just the beginning and we want to use this to springboard onto bigger things," said Norton.
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