Reviews

V Festival 2014 Review – Chelmsford

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This years V Festival saw 120,000 revelers over the twin site event who were in luck for some supreme delights. In its 19th year there was a whole host of different acts on offer for festivalgoers. From disco to indie to dance to good old-fashioned Rock n Roll. there was certainly something for everyone.

Dublin band Kodaline kicked off Saturday at V Festival Chelmsford with summer sing-alongs.  Setting the tone for the day with uplifting songs the crowd were in full verse by the time they belted out their well known hit ‘High Hopes’.

It’s been a long time since one man and his piano sparked such an engaged crowd as Tom Odell managed. Even though the onlookers did not seem old enough to have experienced such angst ridden relationships; Odell had them jumping along to ‘Another Love’, whilst the blues hipster passionately pounded the keys.

With all the classics, Kaiser Chiefs reminded the crowd why they were all there., to have a bloody good time. Ricky Wilson put in a performance to answer all the critics, running up and down the stage more times than anyone could count, he was back in full form, even surprising the backstage crew when he went slightly too far. Ricky’s passion could not be mistaken; he puts everything into the performance. Evidently someone is prompting him that this is to sell records as between the mosh pit inducing hits he enlightens the audience that they are the Kaiser Chiefs and that the new album ‘ Education, Education, Education and War‘ is out now. Clearly agitated from the sound of Bastille’s drums in his ear, Ricky mischievously jokes with the stagehands before lifting everyone with the ‘Angry Mob’ and ‘Oh My God’.

Meanwhile there was no mistaking the summer vibes of the Wailers on the MTV Stage, how can you resist singing along to tunes such as ‘Jammin’, ‘ One Love’, ‘Could You Be Loved’. Everyone left beaming from side to side.

Back on main stage was the penultimate act before what everyone had been waiting for.  Ed Sheeran, one man and his guitar, brought the vibe to serve as the perfect warm up act for JT.

The stage was set, the crowd were pumping, the most anticipated set of V was ready to kick off. JT certainly brought sexy back  looking suave as ever in Tom Ford suit and backed by The Tennessee Kids, could be mistaken as arrogant but no he actually looked overwhelmed at ‘how far back you all go’. Hit after hit,  in a perfectly polished fashion that you would expect from this superstar, the night was Timberlake’s.

Even festivalgoers who would not admit to being Timberlake fans were swept into it, everyone singing every song. The acoustic rendition of What Goes Around (Comes Back Around) was a highlight of the night.  Justin served what appears to now be the theme of this weekends V Festival taking a selfie with a fan.  He wowed the fans at every moment, didn’t put a step wrong and was pitch perfect. The crowd obligingly taking their part in Senorita, finishing the night with ‘SexyBack’ and ‘Mirrors’ everyone wanted to leave with you, Justin.

Sunday started with threatening skies, you couldn’t blame fans for hiding in the comedy tent. Newton Faulkner brought out the sunshine and the crowds on the gloomy Sunday. Followed by San Francisco band Train, with hits ‘Hey Soul Sister’, ‘Marry Me’, ‘If Its Love’ they even managed to get Bananaman crowd surfing.  Pat Monahan gets the award of the weekend for the most selfies taken, it would appear that everyone in the front row has a piece of photo memorabilia.

Closing the set with ‘Drops of Jupiter’ the crowd was well and truly warmed up for the party that was about to ensue Nile Rodgers and Chic.

The most lovable performance of the weekend goes to veterans Nile Rodgers and Chic. Who knew how many hits Nile Rodgers had written. He is a true legend, inspiring character, telling the crowd how he battled cancer by going out and living life. Using music the way it was intended, uplifting everyones spirits and bringing the funk to V. It was true carnival atmosphere. Too many hits to believe one man wrote them all; ‘I Want Your Love’, ‘I’m Coming Out’, ‘Like A Virgin’, ‘Lets Dance’, ‘Get Lucky’, the list is endless. No one was standing still, jiving along, doing the salsa as the legend requested. Fifty lucky punters were brought on stage for the last song and all the rules were broken. Nile Rodgers left everyone exhilarated wanting more.

Rizzle Kicks brought the largest crowd to the MTV stage, all ages, connected for ‘The Lost Generation’. Two hip-hop boys who genuinely looked like they were having a blast in the middle of this corporate festival. What a sight to see 15,000 people ‘Doing the Hump’.

Lily Allen looking svelte as ever bounded onto stage in a silver leather catsuit. Lily baffled a large number of the crowd with a stage full of milk bottles, as if people needed to be reminded she is now a mother. Allen did feel the need to quash rumours of a split with her husband, and passionately sang ‘As Long As I Got You’.  This performance felt like it was a big ‘Fuck You’ to all the critics along the way, comparing her song ‘LDN’ to a William Blake poem, this was lost on the festivalgoers.

Paolo Nutini followed in Allen’s footsteps intriguing the audience by appearing in a different world. Whilst slurring when speaking, "feeling a little bit drink" he was mysteriously in tune when singing. With hits ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’ and ‘New Shoes’ providing the perfect warm up for The Killers.

Embrace vs The Killers. The clash of the weekend. Embrace were back after an 8 year break from the festival. Whilst having one of the worst clashes of the weekend, with The Killers, the McNamara brothers attracted a 300 strong crowd . With festival favorites ‘Come Back To What You Know’ and  'One Big Family’ Embrace have certainly hit the ground running on this comeback. Fans lucky enough to have got tickets to their now infamous Secret Festival are in for a treat. Danny was very proud of his "little brother Rich" encouraging everyone to dance, with Danny himself joining the fans in an out of character dance along.

Meanwhilst completing the all American headline, Brandon Flowers of The Killers stormed onto stage in a glittery purple suit. Ever crowd pleasing, ‘Somebody Told Me’ was the first of a multitude of triumphant songs. After a few beats  everyone was set for 90 minutes of singing, word for word, all the tunes.  The classics from Hot Fuss, pulled the most promising reaction, with a handful of covers driving the audience to a new level of excitement. Jimmy Carr, comedian, introduced the band for a well received encore. The Killers closed the festival with ‘Mr Brightside’ and the obligatory fireworks.

V Festival certainly had something for everyone this year, VIP bar, posh toilets, celebrity packed Louder Lounge, hammocks, comedy, funfair, skydivers and of course a plethora of music acts. As the sun goes down on another year, the organizers set the bar high for next years 20th anniversary.

Hevy Festival 2014 Review

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Day one: Thursday, 

Rocked up at the site while it was raining feeling a little depressed as I didn't want it to rain all weekend, but after 10 minutes of being there it stopped a cleared over. Set up my tent in a field with no more then 10 other tents. After a couple hours the field slowly started to fill up. At about 6pm I decided to have a little explore around the site and have a look to see what Hevy had to offer, it took a hole 5 minutes to get around the whole site, thinking it would be a tad bigger then it was, but considering its so small the atmosphere is brilliant. 

Day 2: Friday, 
Finally woke around mid-day to a rather warm tent and the sound of the stages getting the sound ready for the first acts to go on. At around 1pm decided I should go check out some bands and see what the day has to offer. Checked out the clothing stalls and found a great stall called Skull and Cross Bone Boys Club bought a few new t-shirts, a hat and some shades, and had a long chat with the guys that own the stall and found to be the nicest bunch of lads. Also nice to see Violent Hearts Clothing here too, as they were founded just over the water from where I live. At 3pm I went to go shoot Heart In Hand and catch there set as I'm a fan of there's and caught them at Takedown Twenty14 earlier in the year. I fully enjoyed there set, I fell they should of been put on later in the day as the tent wasn't as full as I thought It should of been, but non the less they played a cracking set and everyone looked to be enjoying it to the full with a small circle pit going on in the middle of the tent for the duration of their set. Also they brought on Lead singer from Texas In July (JT Cavey) for guest vocals, which was brilliant. I'd give them a 10/10 for performance as I really enjoyed watching them and shooting them.

After catching HIH went for another little wonder around the site to see what else was going on and talked to some random people to see if they were enjoying Hevy this year, everyone I chatted to were loving the weekend and having a great time. After my small wonder around I caught Brutality Will Prevail's set, I'd never seen this band before or heard of them, but fully enjoyed it, they were very heavy compared to HIH but I felt it was a brilliant set, the crowd were wild throwing shapes and pitting to every song, so they went down well with the Hevy Crowd.

After BWP I went to catch Feed The Rhino as I caught them earlier in the day for a chat. This was my second time seeing FTR as I caught them a few years ago in London supporting WSS. FTR lead vocalist came out rocking a Skull and Bones Boys Club vest and owned that stage, during there second song he jumped onto the barrier to get the crowd singing with him, then jumped back on stage and climbed onto the speaker so everyone could see him while they finished the song. I really enjoyed there set and the crowd were loving every minute of it. After they finished I had a little wonder down to the press area to see how everyone was doing and how they were finding the weekend, they all were enjoying it and chatting about who they were looking forward to seeing and shooting, and who they'd already enjoyed.

At 8:30pm I went to go catch Deez Nuts as they are one of my favourite bands and been looking forward to them since knowing I was going to Hevy and they didn't disappoint as per normal, JJ Peters vocals were flawless and the music was tight and completely spot on, JJ managed the whole set with a tie-dye hoody on, in which I found crazy as that tent was so hot and under the lights was even hotter, but he pulled it off brilliantly, the crowd sang every word to there hit song Stay True, the pits stayed strong through the whole time they were on, only down side to the performance was that they should of been on main stage.

After the smashing performance from DN I wondered down to main stage to catch the Friday night headliner's Finch. I wasn't sure what to expect from Finch as I'd never seen them live and to be honest not really heard of them. After sitting in the photo pit for about 15 minutes they all came on stage and started there first song to which I didn't have clue what it was but I enjoyed it.  During there second song the Guitarist took a slip and fell head first off the main stage (which was a good 6ft high) right in front of me, I didn't know what to do I felt so awkward as he landed straight on his neck and winded himself he looked like he'd really hurt himself and I stood there like "oh god this could be the end of there set before its even began" but like a trooper after a couple minutes to get his breath back and making sure he hadn't done any damage he jumped right up and ran around to get right back on stage and carry on performing. They played for about an hour and the crowd loved every minute of it and sang along to the songs, for a first time seeing them I thought they were great and no faults (almost). After all the acts played I decided to have a look at my shots from the day and was rather happy with them. Uprawr put on a party till 1am in which most the camp-site was there partying.

Day 3: Saturday,
Early afternoon we had our first interview with Dead Harts, which was a laugh as we'd met the band on Thursday as they also owned Skull and Bones Clothing so the interview ended up being a giggle, after the interview I went to catch there set to see what they were all about. Even though the tent wasn't full they played like they were playing to a thousand people the stage presents was brilliant and the crowd were loving them, a few members of the crowd were singing there songs and the lead singer jumped down to the barrier to get in with them and they all sang into the mic, for a band I'd never seen before I loved every minute of it, they put so much effort into there performance and didn't disappoint.

After the set I headed back down to press to have a chat with The Hell which was a tad confusing, and a little frustrating as all the questions asked were answered as a joke, so didn't get a whole lot of information from them, after they interviewed they had to jump on stage where I caught one song of theirs before having to run off and catch another band on main. The song in which I caught was rather good they were all dressed up in bandanna and faces covered with sunglasses and animal masks in which I found rather amusing, the small tent was packed out and crowd were enjoying the performance.

After The Hell was Me Vs Hero, another band I'd not heard of but really enjoyed there set, it made a nice change from just seeing a heavy band to go see a pop punk band with clean vocals and easy listening rifts. Their whole set was blessed with sunshine, so the audience were chilling out sitting on the grass while watching them. Definitely a band to go see if there playing near by. At 4pm I popped down to 2nd stage to get few snaps of Heights and to see what they we're like musically, I wasn't impressed with there performance over all I felt the lead singer was far to cocky and just acted like an idiot on stage and let the rest of the band down by kicking mic-stands over and thinking he was a massive rock star who could get away with trashing the stage, I only stayed for 3 songs while I got some photo's but left rather swiftly after that, so didn't catch the end to see if they'd buck up there performance. After that performance I went to see Capdown on main stage and was pleasantly surprised with there set the singer was fantastic, his voice was brilliant and what I liked even more was that he brought out a Sax and started playing amazingly and he was so modest when talking to the crowd, saying he was a normal guy with kids who loves to play music. These guys are a must see. Sadly I had to leave partly through there set to go catch a band I'd wanted to see over the weekend, which was Polar. 

I heard many good things about this band from friends and they were all right, the band were great, the stage presents was brilliant, the singer often jumped into the crowd to interact with them, the whole tent was moving and everyone singing along to their songs, for such a new band to the scene they are defiantly a favourite to watch. After rushing about all afternoon catching as many bands as possible I had a little time out in press to go through the photographs I had taken through the day.

At 8pm I went round to main stage to catch Reel Big Fish who were dressed very brightly and brilliant to watch as they were so much fun on stage with all the different types of instruments such as sax, trombone, trumpet, guitar and drums. The lead singer was dressing in a bright shirt and stripy sunglasses, the whole crowd danced to every song and sung there hearts out, they had to be the funniest band all weekend to watch and the music was outstanding they had to be in the top three for all acts over the weekend, defiantly worth seeing.

Only one more act to see and that was the headliner's The Vandals, this was also another band I'd not heard of so wasn't sire what to expect, the guitarist came on, in the brightest orange t-shirt I'd ever seen followed by the rest of the band. During there first song there was a cracking guitar solo in which the crowd loved and watching the guitarist was very amusing as he danced around stage through almost the whole hour odd that they were on. When they finished the crowd chanted for one more song, while banging on the barriers, and they got what they wanted one more song from The Vandals, and that was that Hevy Acts were finished till next year.

Hevy Festival is such an under-rated festival it was a brilliant weekend with some wicked bands playing, no matter how small it was it made the festival unique and I wouldn't want it to change or get massive like the rest of the festivals it just wouldn't be the same and don't think the atmosphere would be as good as it was, so anyone into the Scar,punk,hardcore,metal, just all round alternative music this is defiantly a festival not to miss next year! Also an awesome perk to this small little festival is that is was 5 minute walk from Port Lypme Animal Park in which was free to enter for any festival goer, so if you wanted a little break from the music, poping into the park was great to go see the monkeys, tigers, rhinos and lots more animals, which was great and so unique as no other festival has this facillity to use and enjoy!

MTV Brand New Review

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MTV kicks off the Liverpool International Music Festival with a line-up of fresh UK vocal talent.

I'll be honest…I didn't quite know what to expect going into this gig.
The cynic in me though "Oh, here we go…MTV parades a bunch of marketable girls all 
billed as 'the next big thing'". The cynic in me was quickly silenced. 

As soon as we got under way, one thing was abundantly clear…..these girls can really do it. 
And they can do it well.

Becky Hill was first up with a strong performance of old and new material. 
There always seems to be this sort of stigma attached to the whole 
'reality TV contestant goes legit' thing, or maybe it's just me, but again, this was dispelled
from the get go. Becky proved to both me and a warehouse full of 300+ Liverpudlians that she's the real deal.

Next up was Jess Glynne.. and yes, even I've heard of Jess Glynne. This girl just seems to be everywhere at the minute.                                                                                                             Giving off a much less animated presence than Becky, Jess was fine letting her voice 
do the talking. In her short career, she seems to have already built up enough hits in her back catalogue to keep almost any crowd screaming …and this crowd was no exception.                                             Backed up by a slick band (and I don't say that often) and some pretty energetic backing singers, this whole group put in a stylish performance leaving the crowd hungry for much, much more.

So there's me. Stood in the trendy setting of the Camp and Furnace with my cameras round my neck, pleasantly surprised by what I'd seen so far.
Then it was time for the final act..and trust me when I say that this crowd was already pretty bloody happy with what they'd got for their £3 ticket purchase, but when Ella Eyre was announced,                 they kicked it up a notch…and by 'kick it up a notch'…I mean they went mental.                             Figuratively, of course.

On to the stage runs this electric lioness, dressed like a sexy x-men character and absolutely rips the crowd to shreds. Whipping around in a blur of hair and Spandex, Ella worked this crowd like she's been doing it since she was born. 
Honestly, I just shot Kendal Calling and even there I didn't see stage presence this good.
Of course, she dropped some crowd-pleaser's like "Deeper" "Love me like you" and "If I go" (which sent the already manic crowd through the roof) – and the ones we didn't
know, she taught us the words to.                                                                                                   Even through a few technical difficulties (let's face it, sh*t happens sometimes) she managed to keep the crowd right in the palm of her hand.

It's kind of ridiculous to think that this girl is only 20.  
What's even more ridiculous is to think how good she'll be in another few years.
Probably the worlds next International super awesome ultra mega star. Or y'know, words to that effect.

All in all, this was a stellar line-up of absolute vocal powerhouses who definitely brought their A-game for the MTV cameras..and whilst they were busy doing that, they also restored my faith in the future of UK vocal talent. Thanks ladies.

An excellent way to kick off the Liverpool International Music Festival.                      

Well played, MTV. Well played…

Beacons Festival 2014 Review

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It’s now two o’clock on Monday morning. My feet are numb, my ears are ringing and my tent is full of water and STILL this has been the best weekend I’ve had BY FAR since I sat in almost exactly the same spot this time last year.

Beacons festival is now in it’s third year and long may it continue. Aswell as being tucked away between some of the most perfect countryside I have seen and boasting lineups which have consistently excited me like a child on Christmas morning, the festival has another certain magic about it that is difficult to put into words until you experience it for yourself. It boasts an eclectic mixture of hipsters, underground music fans, families and artsy types, bringing in people from all walks of life and yet keeping focus on enjoying beautiful music and art. The Yorkshire Dales allow a wonderful setting to nurse a hangover and an excellent excuse to chomp on a succulent locally sourced hog roast.

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Thursday was all about getting reaquainted with Beacons festival. Our first stop was for food, which took us on three laps of the arena before finally deciding on a fantastic little street food stall called Fish& for some delicious sweet chilli battered fish and chips. After this, we wandered into the ‘Impossible Lecture’ tent and caught the end of the previous performance. We were greeted by a naked, purple-haired lady, crowd surfing her way out of the tent. Welcome back!

Our Friday began to the washing ambient sounds of backwards facing ‘British Sea Power’ inside the main stage, which was hosted by ‘Loud & Quiet’ and ‘Last.fm’. This was certainly not a case for starting as we mean to go on though, as the next artist we saw was the person I was most looking forward to from the whole weekend. The much anticipated Dan Snaith (aka- Daphni) entered the Resident Advisor stage at 6.00pm to an eager crowd. Luckily for us, the tent was designed with blacked out windows, making it feel almost like the middle of the night. The green strobe lighting was mesmerizing and the atmosphere was certainly not negatively affected by Daphni’s early set time. A wave of excitement passed through the crowd as Snaith dropped his latest Caribou release, ‘Can't do without you’ from under the guise of his alter-ego. It was a noticeable turning point for the resident advisor tent, which went on to host blistering sets from first Daniel Avery, straight off the back of Drone Logic and finally the techno/house inspired Roman Flugel. Friday’s headliners over on the main stage were Daughter, who seemed a little uninspiring after the electric atmosphere within the Resident advisor tent. Although they sounded beautiful, with their haunting minimalist sound and the raw emotion portrayed through Elena Tonra’s vocals, it was a slight downer on the fun I had experienced in the Resident Advisor tent earlier. I am sure on another day, perhaps at a different festival, Daughter would have blown me away with exactly the same set.

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Saturday catered for the house lovers over at the Red Bull Tent. The party started with Pariah, an R&S labelman from London, who would get any electronic underground fan nodding their head with his approach in the current wave of British dance music. The DJ entered the part-open stage at 6:00pm – allowing festival goers to ease themselves into Saturday evening whilst the glorious sunshine brought warm party moods well into the sunset hours. The critically acclaimed ‘Huxley’ kept the beats going into the night, leaving the crowd screaming in excitement with the much unexpected addition of ‘Space Cowboy’ by ‘Jamiroqui’ emerging through his heavy house beats. Joy Orbison continued where Huxley left off and finished the night in style.

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Saturday’s headliner was Jon Hopkins and once again, he did not disappoint. Blowing the crowd away with his explosive and bass heavy, kaoss pad inspired soundscapes. His set was an unsettling, yet completely soothing experience. A master of his art, Hopkins is known for his intriguing aesthetic performances. Halfway through this particular set, an unexpected sea of colourful giant bouncy balls sailed through the crowd as excited fans punched them into the air creating a colourful explosion of orbs floating over the stage. After the initial excitement of feeling like you are a big kid in a ball pit (and of course the fantastic visuals) the excitement wore off and we realized that being banged in the head by those things actually quite hurt…

Sunday came and the heavens opened. The rain was torrential and so our day was planned around keeping dry, as well as who we would like to see. Tall Ships were the first band on our list and they played one of my favourite performances of the entire festival. T=0 being a highlight and it’s guitar hook has been stuck in my head ever since. After this we took position inside the Resident Advisor for Mano le Tough and then Dixon. Both of whom played quite similar sounding sets. Tough bordered more on house and modern disco, with Innervision’s founder Dixon edging towards progressive house and techno at times. The weather had put a downer on the day for me and although some people I had spoken rated Dixon as their highlight of the festival, I was not in the same mindset. The DJ seemed a little too similar to the artist previous which wasn’t his fault, but I found myself glad to move on from this tent by the time we needed to leave.

Once we had walked over to the final headline act, we were freezing and soaked to the bone. The rain was pouring and spirits were low. Darkside were make or break.

The guitar/electronica duo of Nicolas Jaar & Dave Harrington have some amazing tracks and there was a lot of hype around this performance, with Nicolas Jaar’s live set being one of the best around at the moment. The stage plunged into darkness for their entrance, before Jaar & Harrington took to the stage, which was a cloud of smoke. Spotlights set behind the stage made the two visible only as silhouettes, as they treated the rain-soaked crowd to a show that they will not forget in any hurry. Harrington’s live guitar added complimentary ambient textures to Jaar’s driving analogue synth sounds. A clued-up individual standing near me noted his use of max/msp for drum programming, which went completely over my head but sounded very impressive indeed.

I was completely blown away by Darkside. They were well worth persevering through the cold and rain; their expert shifts in tempo throughout their set shadowing the rollercoaster of a weekend we had experienced. ‘Paper Trails’ was magnificent and Jaar’s live vocals were such a refreshing thing to see and hear.

The fact that Beacons festival still kept it’s magic, even after one of the worst downpours I have experienced at a festival, speaks volumes for the place. Looking back now, as I sit in my little tent with my freezing toes, the past four days have been completely mind-blowing.

Thanks again Beacons festival…. see you next year.

BoomTown Fair 2014 Review

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“I never want to see another f**king hill again,” one BoomTown goer moaned as they left the festival early Sunday evening for the wind-protected respite of home. And so BoomTown came to an end for many in that fashion; drips and drabs of goers relenting after three days of hazardous rain and wind, tired limbs aching from raving up and down the hilliest festival in existence.

But it was certainly not a waste. Boasting one of the finest, most eclectic line-ups this summer, BoomTown Fair offered up a fair distraction from the beating rain.

Thursday and Friday afternoon, before the downpour, the likes of reggae punks Dirty Revolution, The Wailers and the dub-rap stylings of Soom T soothed many underneath the atmospheric awnings of the pop-up city; a veritable testament to themed festival architecture that rivals Glastonbury itself.

In fact, if one pictures BoomTown as Glastonbury’s South East Corner – yet boasting less dystopian anti-capitalist allegories – then one would hold an accurate drawing of the entirety of BoomTown Fair; all stages are a-flow with ornamental arrays and add-ons that belie the fact that they’re stages at all. Certainly it’s a feat Glastonbury could not manage given its size, but BoomTown manages just fine.

Unfortunately for the festival, some of the most coveted acts are outside in the would-be sunshine; halfway through The Skints’ 5.30pm set, the rain begins and seems to never stop. “We’re going to keep playing until they literally force us to stop,” jokes singer and guitarist Josh Rudge, but it appears their equipment may never recover from the storm. Moreover, the heavy rain dampens later sets from Easy Star All Stars, Russkaja, Afro Celt Sound System and Bellowhead; while all take the limited numbers and cheer in their stride as such impeccable musicians do, it begs the question; how bloody amazing would they have been inside, or in better conditions? Perhaps the organisers will find it in their hearts to give them another chance at next year’s BoomTown.

While the continuing rain drives festival goers to their tents, or to the inside late-night venues in hope of better fare, at least Saturday is all sunny sides up; save for the fact that Dunkelbunt were unceremoniously moved earlier, leaving many angry and confused when electro-swing pioneers Tape 5 take to their stage in their later slot. Luckily, Black Star Dub Collective prefaced the disappointment with an inspired set within the woodland retreat, while anarcho-punks Autonomads woke up the masses, as The Filaments with ‘Bastard Coppers’ were to later.

If only it could have lasted; the rain drives down once again during Slamboree’s Soundystem show at the towering Arcadia, carrying on through Dreadnought’s late-night ballsy set and until 11am the next day; many tents that were not flooded Friday, flooded that night.

Moreover, the Town Centre stage the following day proved to be a wash-out, as its cancellation added an extra fist-shake curse to the skies. Despite the day’s better weather, The Urban Folk Quartet’s fantastic triangle solo and Macka B’s ensuing good-vibe guide, Sunday proved too much for many as a chaotic miasma of abandoned tents blew over the site. While BoomTown, which sells out every year, certainly offers up first class entertainment and artwork second to none – accompanied by a scene-focused and professionally-picked line-up – it can’t hold off the weather. Despite this, the festival is one that all should flock to at each once; long may it reign.

Check out the official Boomtown Fair 2014 video right here!

Kendal Calling 2014 Review

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 “Make sure you pack your sun cream…it’s going to be a scorcher next weekend!”

These words did not end up ringing wholly true. In fact, this was one of the wettest, muddiest festivals I have ever experienced…and I've been to at least 20. If you are going to have your festival in the Lake District, who knows what weather you are going to get, but this was a Northern festival, with proper double-hard Northern people who were ready for anything.

…then this little guy turned up and showed us all how it was done…

Mud monster

We arrived early on Thursday, this being the first year to allow entry the day before the main festival.
After finally getting up our beast of a tent, we caught the first half of Craig Charles’ 
thumping set in the Glow tent, before some Yorkshire Ska in Chai Wallah, courtesy of The Talks.

Friday started out in the real ale tent, and not even for beer (this time!), but instead to avoid the first
heavy downpour of the weekend. Samba bands were a feature across the site, and kept everyone
entertained until the stages started. By the early afternoon the rain had stopped, giving way to sack
races and plenty of activities to keep families busy in the Ladybird Kids area. Teenagers got their dancing shoes dirty early on at the Jägermeister stage and in the House Party tent. The first big crowd
of the day was for The Dub Pistols, a band who just seem to be made for festivals, getting everyone
stomping those wet weather blues away.

There was disappointment for some as the next act Ella Eyre was unable to attend due to illness, but fear not…The Sunshine Underground served up an extremely last minute indie dance set that kept everyone happy while they refuelled in anticipation of De La Soul…

Unfortunately, owing to an accident on the M6, their set was cut short, but the enthusiasm they provided more than made up for it. 
“Me, myself and I” put lots of smiles on faces. With as many years of experience as they have they worked the crowd as you would expect.

Just enough time to grab some food. There was plenty on offer, ranging from exotic burgers
(Llama; wild boar and wagyu beef) to delicious momos from the Tibetan Kitchen (my photographer is now completely hooked on these badboys).

Suede headlined Friday night and began with a quiet opener “The Next life” from their first album.
They had won the crowd over by the third song “Trash”, followed by “Animal Nitrate” giving
everyone a chance to sing, and Brett Anderson to strut his stuff like the mid 90’s were here again.
Mid set we were given a new song “Tightrope” which the crowd were not really sure about, and
their set finished with “Beautiful Ones”.They closed the main stage with an encore of
“She’s in Fashion”, and a wonderful rendition of “Stay Together”.

Suede

After hours there was plenty to do with particular highlights being the Britpop set in the Tim Peaks Diner and the jazzy breaks of Mr Scruff.

 

As morning broke on Saturday, the site was turning to a liquid red thanks to the Cumbrian mud and morning rain. That didn’t stop large numbers of aliens, and sci-fi characters emerging from their tents to lighten up the gloom. The Glow Tent hosted a mass moonwalk to the song “Billie Jean”, as hundreds of MJ’s strutted their stuff.

Mid-afternoon, as the sun peeked out, Newton Faulkner played to a background of bubbles drifting across the field, “Teardrop”, and Justin Timberlake’s “Like I love you baby” bringing the crowds in. Athlete continued the summer vibe, and the sunglasses were out by the time Razorlight took to the stage. Sporting a lovely beard (trust me, I know about beards!) Johnny Borrell and the boys played a high energy, hit filled set.

Then, it was ALL about Madchester, with bucket hats and Lennon glasses being the necessary uniform. The Happy Mondays began with Bez informing us of his political intentions, which is either genius, or the most bonkers thing you’ve ever heard. The majority of this crowd would definitely vote for him. Shaun planned to keep it a PG performance, and entertained the crowd by never being quite sure which songs were coming next. Rowetta looked fantastic in her cowboy hat and tassels, and people were literally climbing the trees to get a good view. The sound was great and the whole arena was rocking to party classics from “Loose Fit”, to “24 Hour Party People”.

The Happy Mondays

Frank Turner started his set with a smaller crowd, hampered by the rain, but that crowd grew and got to enjoy a very special headline slot. This being his third time at the festival, he’s
definitely earned his Kendal stripes, and when he announced how honoured he was to play, you really knew he meant it. His band, The Sleeping Souls, threw themselves around the stage and really stepped up the volume, with stomping tunes like “Photosynthesis” getting the crowd all clapping and singing along. He dedicated his new song “Angel Islington” to all the Northerners. Despite a re-tune mid song and a broken string, nothing could faze Frank tonight!

Frank Turner

Sunday, originally predicted to be the best day for weather, was the worst, with frequent showers turning the main arena into a mud bath. Children and adults kept their spirits up by sliding down the hillside, and one of the great moments of the weekend was the chap in neon and a flat cap, cruising round a pool of mud in his electric wheelchair, chasing people. The Lancashire Hotpots played at lunchtime and won the award for most costume changes, and as they said, it was like a Lady Gaga gig! Conga lines, beach balls and songs including “We Love the North”, and “Chippy tea”, were just what was needed to keep everyone from flagging.

Reel Big Fish were the afternoon high point, Masters of styles they gave us the Ska Punk we all expected, but also a touch of Disco, and even a bit of Square-dancing. With choreographed kicks they finished with “Take on Me”, and as the dancing increased, the mud was flying. Tom Odell didn’t go in for quite the same level of onstage action, but instead let his music do the talking. It only took him to point to the girls at the front to get them all screaming, as he hammered away at the piano. A new song “Jealousy” from his upcoming album was particularly well received.

Miles Kane was taking no prisoners with a straight up rock and roll show. Dressed in a psychedelic shirt, his strutted around owing the stage, scissor kicking as he went. By the time he played “Don’t Forget Who You Are”, he had the audience joining in from the front to all the way up the hill.

Miles Kane

The final act on the main stage was Example, the biggest crowd of the weekend, and everyone wanted to be at the front. The sound from the stage was massive, with filthy bass lines shaking the sodden ground. Dressed in black he electrified the entire field, with lasers and a completely awesome neon drum kit. “One more day (Stay with me)” “Changed the way you kiss me” and “Kickstarts” were by far the biggest sing-a-longs of the weekend. As the set finished with air cannons
and ticker tape, the epic firework display was a worthy end to a sometimes challenging but ultimately celebratory weekend.

Example

After the main events, we headed back to Tim Peaks Diner for some energetic table dancing and a storming funk and soul set from Tim Burgess.
Just time to pop back to the real ale tent, this time for a well-deserved pint, we’d all survived!

 

Words by Reuben Crowther
Photographs by Andy Sawyer

Standon Calling Review 2014

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Standon Calling – The Best Bits

1. THE MUSIC 

This small festival situated in Hertfordshire had a line-up rivaling that of larger festivals. Running from the 1st – 3rd of August, Standon Calling offered music to suit all ages and tastes. Headliners Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Public Enemy and Maximo Park ensured evening on the main stage ended on a high. Other highlights included Beans On Toast’s performance amongst the crowd, Amber Run inviting members of the audience dressed as a Taco and Paddington Bear to join them during their set and Charli XCX igniting the Big Top with her latest single ‘Boom Clap’. Other standout performances came from Clean Bandit, The Cuban Brothers, Grandmaster Flash and personal favourite Saint Raymond. Unfortunately the highly anticipated Ella Eyre could not attend due to illness. 

 

2. DOGS

Its the first time I’ve been to a festival where dogs are allowed in, its literally the best thing ever. I made some lovely canine friends and owners, who are surprisingly happy to have a million people a day ask to stroke their dog! There was even a dog show which drew in a massive crowd including categories; Best Trick, Waggiest Tail and Owner most like their Dog. Attractions like this are what separates this festival from others and provided light entertainment on Sunday afternoon. Amidst the chaos in the ring, Nigel was the standout dog. 

3. THEME

‘Lost in Latin America’ was this years theme. The attention to detail across the festival blew me away; there was not a single area that hadn’t been decorated, even behind the bar the theme continued. The cowsheds which held the afterpartys had hidden rooms, which had been fantastically decorated, including a Day of the Dead shrine.

4. JOSE CUERVO

Standon Calling offered a brilliant selection of stalls across the festival. The ‘Jose Cuervo’ bar ran margarita making competitions over the 3 days, giving partakers the chance to win a £500 bar tab for making the quickest drink. I gave it ago on Sunday, and managed it in 19 seconds, I was the current champion, only to return in half an hour to see someone had smashed my time and completed the challenge in 13 seconds! Absolutely gutted, but it was so much fun and it attracted a crowd full of competitive spirit! (You also got to keep the drink you made, bonus!)

5. SWIMMING POOL

What more could you ask for? The swimming pool is something that definitely stands out at Standon Calling; they are the only UK festival offering this experience! Suitable for children and adults alike, music by poolside DJ’s provided a relaxing retreat from the bustling crowds. 

6. FOOD

Standon Calling also offered a great selection of food, excellently priced. Barnaby Sykes – Pie Maker was a personal highlight, selling pie, chips, gravy, peas and a drink for £9, satisfying you for the entire day. The pulled pork burrito by Luardos was also delicious and worth the long queue. 

7. FANCY DRESS

The theme provided excellent inspiration for fancy dressers, there really was a top notch effort by all, everyone looked amazing and it added to the atmosphere of the weekend. Costumes ranged from Sally the Llama to bottles of tequila. There was a fancy dress competition for both adults and children on the main stage, with the winners chosen by the crowd. 

8. ENTERTAINMENT

During breaks in the music, there was always something else on offer to keep you entertained. Mexican wrestling was very unexpected but so entertaining, with the wrestlers taking on different characters within the ring giving the crowd someone to cheer or boo. Trapeze lessons were also available, for either £8 for a solo swing, or £35 to swing and be caught by a professional. Crowds watched below as the festival goers took the leap of faith!

Festival goers were able to buy tickets for 2015 at a hugely discounted price, and although this offer has now ended, I would definitely pay full price to return next year, it has been a highlight of my summer. 

Photos by Mickey Cole 

Exit Festival 2014 Review – Saturday

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Saturday morning saw the rains clear and a welcome dry and searing heat descend upon Novi Sad, much appreciated by the campers after the moist evening beforehand. The poolside was full with the bold and the beautiful of the continent with “DJ Dale” from local station AS Radio playing housey summer hits as people swam, basked, and slept in the shade on loungers.

I asked a couple of people what they thought of the festival so far:

Roya and Derik from Holland had decided to attend EXIT with a group of ten after previous summers at Sziget and Rockwerchter to try something new. EXIT was the next logical step in the european festival hierarchy and they had heard lots of good things about it from friends. They were a fan of the camp location for the ease of the supermarket, cafes and restaurants.

For Anja from Serbia Stromae and Rudimental was the standout performances of the weekend so far, but she was of the opinion that both the organisation and the weather had been better the year before. This seemed to be the general consensus amongst a lot of the returning natives and staff.

Now that it was officially the weekend the whole town of Novi Sad seemed to be immersed in Festival Fever. The half hour walk from the campsite to the grounds was crammed full of partygoers and everybody, visitors and locals alike, seemed to be soaking up the atmosphere. The banks of the Danube beneath the imposing fortress were lined with lively dudes and dudettes merry making as groups of scantily clad Serbian ladies maneuvered through the crowd selling shots of Rakjia, the Serbian “national” spirit.

Slowly people made their way across the bridge through the mass of humanity who easily took over the entire street. Buses crammed like tins of sardines had a tough time getting past the impromptu parade. Street vendors lined both sides making a killing off the convenience of cheap sunglasses and rave lights.

The sun had obviously worked its magic and there was a real sense of expectation in the air as the pilgrimage moved itself forward.

As usual the first players on the on the Main Stage were of Serbian origin, a nice touch for the festival as it gave home grown bands some exposure and pleased the large contingent of locals. Both Stray Dog featuring Tamara Milanovic and Negative played to a rapidly expanding audience which reached a healthy swell by the time sexy string duo 2 Cellos, began their crowd pleasing repertoire of well known tunes executed with gusto on electronic cellos accompanied by smouldering good looks and expressive facial expression to rival the “bass face” of Haim.

Midnight saw Saturday’s first headliner Damon Albarn take the stage for a set full of swagger and melancholy. Despite the large crowd that he drew the mood seemed slightly subdued, as his solo work lacked the bounce of his well known tracks with Blur or Gorialiaz and he seemed slightly jaded with the whole thing, even throwing beer over the photographers in the photo pit at one point in some sort of anti-press sentiment. Despite this he found himself playing to a captive audience who although not moving much listened intently while his musicians went from one grinding guitar solo to the next, and he finished to raucous applause.

The night was only really starting to kick off, and the good weather had people all hyped up for a long haul of partying.

At every stage in the fortress, big and small, there was dancing to be found. Smooth tuneage at the Positive Vibrations Reggae Stage kept people pretty much skanking all night and a rip-roaring set by Drum and Bass stalwarts NZ Shapeshifter went down a treat at Huawei Fusion Stage.

A huge and expectant crowd throbbed in the Main Stage under a heavy full moon in expectation for Skrillex, who kept his fans waiting for almost half an hour before appearing in a blast of light and noise. He clambered and jumped around on the decks like a man possessed, dropping big bassy hook after big bassy hook accompanied by a blinding laser show that had the entire fortress happily blasted with beats and luminance.

Bass remained the name of the game at the Main Stage with Gorgon City and Shadow Child keeping things bouncing well past dawn.

The good times were continued over at the MTS Dance Arena which was a was an undulating sea of topless and bikini clad humanity under the blood red sunrise as big hitters Afrojack, Tiga, Heidi Vs Kim and Foxman rolled out feel good minimal and techno summer beats well past 6 am.

The night never really ended, and as the sun climbed rapidly into the sky the hardcore found themselves making their way back to base camp under a clear blue sky with ears still ringing and hearts still pumping after a long night of thoroughly modern rhythms.

EXIT was now past the halfway mark, but you got the feeling that the party had only just begun.

Y Not Festival 2014 Review

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One of the UK's fastest-growing festivals, Derbyshire's Y Not returned for its ninth outing and delivered a weekend chocked full of 'I was there' moments; be it the triumphant closure of Dizzee Rascal's compelling Saturday night headliner set, the smooth hip-hop of American trio De La Soul or the rousing, foot-stomping bangers that pumped out of the Saloon Bar all weekend long, there was something for every music lover, young and old, at this year's gathering. 

For me, it began on Friday with exciting Birmingham band Superfood. Scores of teens flooded the main stage front to see the intriguing four-piece, who proceeded to belt out guitar-led anthems that were shouty, loud and fun. A band who'd been on my radar for a while, exceeded my expectations and kicked off the festival nicely. Intermittent rain showers were just a preview of the weather to come, but still it led me to the Saloon Bar in the middle of the site, to check out Three Minute Heist. 

The Saloon Bar is a perfect replica of an American Western bar, with only the stench of Somersby cider and cans of Tuborg giving away the fact we were at a festival in the middle of the Derbyshire countryside in 2014! Nevertheless, that didn't stop the aforementioned quartet bringing their brand of country blues and sing-a-longs along to transport us back a century. The packed out venue was rocking, especially so with closer 'Johnny B. Goode'.

After checking out the finest reggae and drum 'n' bass tents Y Not has to offer, it was off to the wetter Main Stage to check out London's very own Spector. Lead singer Fred Macpherson's powerful and unique vocals managed to keep his band alive, as they put in a so-so performance of their back catalogue 'Chevy Thunder' and fresh cuts from an upcoming new record, that managed to keep the crowd bobbing along to their bouncy pop-rock.

The first of the weekend's big boys then took to the Main Stage; Johnny Borrell leading his Razorlight bandmates out almost a decade after headlining a stage at Glastonbury. They reeled through a Greatest Hits set in which you could sense their class, but it was all pretty unexciting. Borrell was never the greatest of stage presences, and whilst his ambition was there, his band never quite reached their fullest of potential with either their career or this subbing set. 

A headline set by Reel Big Fish is a must-see. The pop-punk band are an assured live act, and got the Quarry crowd up off their feet for a good chunk of the gig. Live brass bands are always a plus, and the band had their crowd in the palm of their hand, with circle pits forming as far as the eye could see, a packed crowd revelled in the moment in what was surely one of the most memorable Quarry sets. Finishing with their famed cover of a-ha's 'Take on Me', was predictable, yet incredible.

A quick dash back over to the Main Stage, saw White Lies begin. Despite their tunes lacking the considerable 'oomph' of their fellow headliners, the indie-rockers kept sections of the crowd entertained, with an enjoyable if forgettable set. 

My Saturday began over at the Quarry, to check out up-and-coming rap/pop artist Ady Suleiman. Describing him as a 'better' Ed Sheeran might be a step too far (and I'm not a fan of Sheeran!), but Suleiman was the perfect hangover cure for many, as he and his band rattled through their half-an-hour set, leaving you wanting far, far more. If there could be any criticism, it would be that his lyrics could develop moreso, hearing song after song about the generic 'lost woman' does tire after a bit, but this is a man to watch out for. Equally experiemental beatboxer Shlomo was another top pick. Using his loop machine, he treated us to stories of how he discovered his talent, a great cover of 'No Diggity' and a pulsating climax.

One of the most anticipated artists of 2013 were Brummie's Swim Deep. Scintiallating cuts of sun-laden summery tunes were released periodically by them throughout the year, before the release of debut album, 'Where The Heaven We Are' disappointed many, myself included. This set though, reignited some hope within me, that they can reach the heights promised by songs like 'Honey' and 'King City', as they impressed hugely in 'Arcade Fire'-esque blue facepaint. The all-important second record could make or break them.

Scots The Fratellis, know all about that, debut album 'Costello Music', providing them with a springboard into British music, before their follow-up 'Here We Stand' flopping, and the inevitable hiatus following. But they brought back memories of their 2006 breakthrough with hit after hit. Even the songs that weren't ingrained into our brains, were pretty good, bouncy tracks. However, throughout the set, bottles and cans of beer littered the stage, leading to frontman Jon Fratelli to warn 'one more of that and that's your lot'. It ceased the flow, but still was an unsavoury incident, and not the last of it at all…

The man most of the 12,000 festival-goers had flocked to see, Dizzee Rascal took to the stage a little after his 10pm start time, but delivered in a massive way. His set was eclectic and his famed live show, was a tour de force in pure entertainment. All he needed was his DJ, a couple of hype men and the stage was set for a victorious performance. His collaborations with other artists, opener 'Here 2 China' with Calvin Harris, 'Heavy', from Chase & Status and the excellent 'Dirtee Love' with Florence + the Machine, reminded you of the quality of Dizzee's back catalogue, but his standalone hits, 'Holiday', 'Bassline Junkie' and the sheer power of 'Bonkers', makes you wonder how long it will be before Dizzee headlines ascends to headliner status at one of the UK's greatest and biggest festivals.

With the crowd size having thinned out following Mr Rascal's Saturday night slot, I thought it best to check out the finer sights of Y Not on Sunday…the funfair! With a cheap roller disco, a cracking dodgems and a postponed paint fight, Sunday was a riotous day, with the sun finally coming out to dry the festival site considerably by the evening. It boosted the fatigued amongst the Y Not crowd, and was grand preparation for a fantastic end to the festival.

Derby band Joint Honours managed to fill the Allotment stage to the max, bringing some poppy, guitar-driven tunes to the fore and getting the crowd going hugely for late afternoon on a Sunday. One of my favourite bands of the minute, Palma Violets did not disappoint on the Main Stage. The powerful rock band, were uber-confident and strutting around the stage for an extended 45-minute set. 'Best Friends' has to be the biggie, but I cannot wait for their second album to drop so they can expand their ambitious sound and step up to the next level.

A switch in sound, to the hip-hop stylings of legends De La Soul. Hit after hit followed as the trio participated in some hilarious crowd participation, promoting inter-crowd rivalries, before daring the very same idiotic people who had pelted bottles at the Fratellis the previous day to try the same with them, but letting them know how stupid they were, provoking yet more acclaim. Their set was a perfect exercise in getting a field full of weary bodies to dance to some classic tunes for one last hour.

There was only one man who could close such a festival, take to the stage Y Not three-timer, Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls. Frank's last outing in these parts came in 2009, a well-overdue return saw him rise to headliner status. The cult rocker entertained in huge doses, as he reeled through tracks from 2013's 'Tape Deck Heart', his fifth studio album, as well as crowd favourites 'I Still Believe' and 'Wessex Boy'. The riotous fireworks that marked the end of his hour and the end of the Y Not weekend were special and poignant.

Here was an artist and a festival that have never been better, Y Not will celebrate its tenth birthday next August and whilst it is hard to see just how it will be able to cram more goodness into one weekend, you can bet that organisers will try their hardest to make 2015 bigger and better than this stellar weekend!

Guilfest Review 2014

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After a year out, Guilfest returned with a bang to entertain with resounding success. The forecasted thunderstorms somehow avoided Stoke Park and apart from a few fat droplets, audiences basked in the heat of the weekend and took full advantage of all nine stages,

Guilfest may not have banked all the big names it could have, probably due to the gap year of red tape restrictions (and to predict the ticket numbers would be as difficult as Michael Fish predicting a storm) but there was certainly enough amazing music and entertainment for any festival goer (and their brood) to boast a rocking weekend.

Arriving Friday, it seemed quiet, but the punters soon gathered on Friday evening to see The Boomtown Rats, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, The Farm and Sham 69 to kick-start the weekend.

Guilfest catered for most tastes with the smaller Big Cheese and Vive La Rock stages throbbing with Punk, Ska, Metal and alternative bands, to help audiences forget the working week. Sham 69, Buzzcocks and Ruts DC were sharing jack leads with new up and coming bands, packing out the tents so that the audiences were bulging around the edges every night.

The ACM (Academy of Contemporary Music) stage was a great show of local talent: where new artists climb the ranks to make the main stage with a mix of special guests thrown-in including Roni Size.

The Good Time Guide Stage provided real rivalry to the main stage. Headlining on Sunday were Boney M taking audiences back to the 70’s and surprisingly announcing that they sang ‘No Woman No Cry’ before Bob Marley and performed a fantastic version along with all the hits giving everyone from 6 to 60 a chance to boogie and wiggle the balmy night away.

Juggling your viewing strategy was tough as there were often two or more cracking bands on at the same time on different stages but a swift trip between performances gave the opportunity to see a bit of Space, Public Service Broadcasting and Dreadzone and still benefit from the main stage atmosphere.

Friday day held great sounds from the likes of Doors Alive and Radio Riddler and all credit due to the artists to hold up the audience on the build up day when the crowds were still forming and the temperature was hitting a 30 degree high. I do struggle with crowds sitting around reading the Telegraph when there is a banging band on, but nonetheless the crowds grew by the minute creating a big atmosphere for the headliners.

Friday night rocked with charismatic Huey Morgan and the Fun Lovin’ Criminals blasting their alternative Hip Hop sound across the field getting everyone on their feet. The Boomtown Rats on full PA with Sir Bob strutting his stuff in some spangley getup, came on to close the night and fired on all cylinders with some great new-wave sounds as well as pounding through hits ‘Like clockwork’ and ‘Rat Trap’. The sound was good and still punky and for punters who remember ‘Tonic for the Troops’ were sent home happy festival goers.

 

Sunday night’s finale came around quickly when The Human League took to the main stage. The Sheffield band looked fresh and iconic on their neon dressed stage. They absolutely delivered to an excited audience and every song was a driving synthpop melody stirring our 80s nostalgia to the hilt. ‘Mirror Man’, ‘Don’t You Want Me’, ‘Love Action’ and all their hits reminded the crowd how good the songs still are and holding the test of time.

A perfect encore of Being Boiled ( their 1st single in ’78 ) followed by ‘Together in Electric Dreams’ produced by  none other than Giorgio Moroder was Phil Oakey’s greatest triumph and a fitting close to a very successful return of Guilfest.