Night number two in Ibiza with Grand Magus, Wolf, Pig Iron and Battlelore.

Tonight is the roadtrip proper. Grand Magus, Wolf, Pig Iron and Battlelore will all be playing in the Summan venue in San Antonio, Ibiza.

Arriving at the venue a little early we find we have the entire place to ourselves – apart from Wolf who are changing into their stage clothes (actually speaking of Wolf, earlier in the day the Swedish retro-metallers all decided to shave their genitals and do a naked photoshoot with Hammer’s Mick Hutson. One for the ladies). The DJ is playing the weird poetry bits from Doors records and we wonder if we should be worried. Especially when there is a roar of engines from outside and the Spanish Chapter of the Hell’s Angels all arrive in full battle gear. No is the answer, no we should be worried. As we go outside to see the bikes and their riders, we see a queue of people going as far as the eye can see, all waiting to get in. The venue itself is an amazing building with the stage downstairs in some sort of collision of neo-roman pillars and arches, disco kitsch and Calligula-like sculptures.

Pig Iron rock out for the second night in a row and we find ourselves headbanging and throwing the horns with two excited little boys who even show Hammer a few things when it comes to air guitar. Next up are Wolf whose tireless energy is almost suspect, these guys really a band who love being a band – never doing anything less than grinning from ear to ear for the whole of their set of NWOBHM-inspired Euro trad metal.

Attica Rage and Lethargy are out in force tonight after a night off the sauce last night. For some reason we take it upon ourselves to all take straws from the bar and turn them into call-centre-esque headpieces. Before the night is out, people we don’t even know are all wondering around with these DIY microphones.

Next are Grand Magus whose stony cool is a powerhouse and their foot stomping riffs and metallic grit is the perfect soundtrack for 500 displaced metalheads and a battalion of Spanish bikers to go completely mad to. During their set we give lessons to the bar staff in the appropriate hand gestures, head banging and power-grabs. Outside Andy from Nottingham based metallers Spirytus invites us to join them on stage for their cover version of The Prodigy’s ‘Breathe’ tomorrow night. All we can think of is Keith Flint yelling ‘firestarter’ and say ‘yes thanks! That would be amazing!’ Also outside are Arthemis who inform us that they record heavy metal covers of pop songs for the Japanese download market. Their manager Chizzy is on hand with an ipod to play us a simply amazing version of Lady Ga Ga’s ‘Poker Face’.

Downstairs once more and Finnish orc/human/elf crew Battlelore are in full stage gear and ripping frantically into a set of icy battle metal. Theirs is a rich sound replete with keys and male/female vocals – singer Kaeser is truly enchanting. Anyone in any doubt as to whether a heavy metal holiday in Ibiza was a good idea has them allayed. The crowd spills out into the streets – all smiles, all hugs. We’ve made a lot of new friends tonight, men on noisy motorbikes amongst them. Hammer snapper Mick Hutson is so enamoured with Lethargy’s frontman he tries to take him home with him. What a perfect night of cold beer and hot metal – and yes, the odd Jagermeister. Hold tight for tomorrow!