Sunny Day Sets Fire opened the second day on the Garden Stage but I split my time between them and the open mic in The Local which included some great acts all limited to 2 songs. The best was Bearcub ("we don't do singing but we do do shouting") who then proceeded to give away all the remaining CD singles they had with them free of charge. Definitely worth listening out for.Then it was the "Scandinavian Showcase" on the Garden Stage. First time I'd seen Loney Dear live and it was impressive. Bought a copy of Sologne at the end and Emil signed it too.
Loney Dear
Sologne [buy]
Loney Dear
Loney Noir [buy]
Next up was the perfect Festival band and one of the 'up' moments of the weekend. I'm From Barcelona doing loony, energetic, sing-a-long anthems that left everyone smiling. Started with a solo rendition of Treehouse before the thirteen (or was it fourteen?) piece band joined the stage. Emanuel then crowd-surfed on an inflatable lilo, bags and bags of ticker-tape were thrown and everyone had a good time.
WE'RE FROM BARCELONA
I'm From Barcelona
Let Me Introduce My Friends [buy]
Then The Concretes. Another band I had not seen live. Difficult to follow the energy of I'm From Barcelona but worked really well as a mid-afternoon slot. By now the sun was shining strongly, the beer was slipping down nicely and I became a little too distracted by Lisa playing with her shoes to concentrate on the music too seriously.
FICTION
The Concretes
In Colour [buy]
Next it was a dash to try and catch two band who clashed. First to catch some of My Sad Captains in the Local. Engagingly twee indie-pop of the highest order. Bought a copy of the Bad Decisions single on vinyl at end for the Archive.
BAD DECISIONS
My Sad Captains
Bad Decisions single [buy]
And then a sprint to the Big Top to catch the last four songs in Darren Hayman's set. Two solo songs and two Hefner classics (Hello Kitten and Pull Yourself Together) - both band and crowd really enjoying the occasion. Missed DH on recent tour - will not make the same mistake again.
Next up was the perfect Festival band and one of the 'up' moments of the weekend. I'm From Barcelona doing loony, energetic, sing-a-long anthems that left everyone smiling. Started with a solo rendition of Treehouse before the thirteen (or was it fourteen?) piece band joined the stage. Emanuel then crowd-surfed on an inflatable lilo, bags and bags of ticker-tape were thrown and everyone had a good time.
WE'RE FROM BARCELONA
I'm From Barcelona
Let Me Introduce My Friends [buy]
Then The Concretes. Another band I had not seen live. Difficult to follow the energy of I'm From Barcelona but worked really well as a mid-afternoon slot. By now the sun was shining strongly, the beer was slipping down nicely and I became a little too distracted by Lisa playing with her shoes to concentrate on the music too seriously.
FICTION
The Concretes
In Colour [buy]
Next it was a dash to try and catch two band who clashed. First to catch some of My Sad Captains in the Local. Engagingly twee indie-pop of the highest order. Bought a copy of the Bad Decisions single on vinyl at end for the Archive.
BAD DECISIONSMy Sad Captains
Bad Decisions single [buy]
And then a sprint to the Big Top to catch the last four songs in Darren Hayman's set. Two solo songs and two Hefner classics (Hello Kitten and Pull Yourself Together) - both band and crowd really enjoying the occasion. Missed DH on recent tour - will not make the same mistake again.
STRAIGHT FACED TRACYMore sprinting (well leisurely walking with purpose) to get to the Bimble Inn to see the end of The Young Republic. Packed out so could only stand outside the tipi and couldn't really appreciate the set. But with them playing another two slots in the Festival it didn't feel a loss (at the time).
Sun was starting to set now. But no let up in the bands. Brakes played a typically tight-and-fast set on the Garden Stage including both Camper Van Beethoven songs from their repetoire and two encores - both Comma Comma Comma Full Stop. 
At this point my camera phone needed to be sent away to be charged up so no photographic record of what came next. But listened to Monkey Swallows the Universe from outside the Bimble Inn whilst eating felafel; saw one song by Architecture in Helsinki and realised wanted to be somewhere else; then caught a fantastic set by (unknown to me) John Smith. Bristly moustache, scruffy baseball cap and authentic bluesy drawl convinced me he was from Arkansas. Until he revealed he lives in Devon and comes from Liverpool. Mesmirising folky-acoustic songs and great patter made for a winning performance.
Then on to the headlining act in the Big Top: British Sea Power. Opened brilliantly with Apologies for Insect Life and Carrion - and then just kept going, mixing new songs with live favourites. Joined by Phil from Actress Hands on cornet, the set finished with an epic version of Lately which included two battling robots, an ancient greek boxer and a giant bear on stage too. Perfect end to a perfect day. No photos but did manage to get a copy of the set-list (thanks Phil and stage crew).
OH LARSEN B
British Sea Power
The Young Republic
Twelve Tales From Winter City [buy]
King Creosote then played on the Garden Stage with backing band that included Fence regulars The Pictish Trail (guitar) and On The Fly (drums) plus a bassist who I didn't know. Solid set but a little too much reliance on the new (unfamiliar to me) album? Nice version of Twin Tub Twin though - starting acapella before the band kicked in.
NOW DROP YOUR BOMBSHELL
King Creosote then played on the Garden Stage with backing band that included Fence regulars The Pictish Trail (guitar) and On The Fly (drums) plus a bassist who I didn't know. Solid set but a little too much reliance on the new (unfamiliar to me) album? Nice version of Twin Tub Twin though - starting acapella before the band kicked in.
NOW DROP YOUR BOMBSHELL
King Creosote
Bombshell [buy]
Sun was starting to set now. But no let up in the bands. Brakes played a typically tight-and-fast set on the Garden Stage including both Camper Van Beethoven songs from their repetoire and two encores - both Comma Comma Comma Full Stop.
At this point my camera phone needed to be sent away to be charged up so no photographic record of what came next. But listened to Monkey Swallows the Universe from outside the Bimble Inn whilst eating felafel; saw one song by Architecture in Helsinki and realised wanted to be somewhere else; then caught a fantastic set by (unknown to me) John Smith. Bristly moustache, scruffy baseball cap and authentic bluesy drawl convinced me he was from Arkansas. Until he revealed he lives in Devon and comes from Liverpool. Mesmirising folky-acoustic songs and great patter made for a winning performance.Then on to the headlining act in the Big Top: British Sea Power. Opened brilliantly with Apologies for Insect Life and Carrion - and then just kept going, mixing new songs with live favourites. Joined by Phil from Actress Hands on cornet, the set finished with an epic version of Lately which included two battling robots, an ancient greek boxer and a giant bear on stage too. Perfect end to a perfect day. No photos but did manage to get a copy of the set-list (thanks Phil and stage crew).
British Sea Power
Open Season [buy]
3 comments:
There were 14 on stage for I'm from Barcelona - maybe you forgot to count the one not in "uniform"!
Thanks for this LLH. You are clearly better with numbers than I am.
Come on, come on, where's Sunday's report? I can't wait to hear tales of free beer thrown to the crowd by scantily but garishly clad young ladies in the Big Top Stage.
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