Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 July 2006 22:26:47
We weren't able to stay right to the end, but certainly enjoyed the majority of yet another hot Guilfest .
As I've said before each festival has it's own personality and Guilfest has an interesting one. As it has mushroomed in size in recent years it has become part 80's fest, part family fest, part rock fest, part new music fest, part overgrown community event, and increasingly a more commercial event (£10 for a programme !!!!). So I suppose that whilst it's less so the word eclectic is still the one to sum it up.
Anyway enough of the waffling, you guys want to know about the music, (I guess).
Friday:
We didn't actually get to see Nizlopi, but they sounded quite good as we wandered back from Sainsburys. (Urban festivals, close to town are to be encouraged!!!!)
The Lightning Seeds are a tuneful, (if at times slightly dull) group, in my humble opinion. Ian Broudie and co did, though, write one of the ultimate modern anthems and so the whole performance was worth sitting through just for Three Lions. I was standing to one side and so was able to witness the power of a unified festie crowd who are able to sing in unison whilst sharing the emotion of knowing yes we did blow it again, but yes we are still dreaming for four years down the line. It was truly something to behold as we undertook the mass sing-a-long.
Next up were The Wonderstuff who are amazing live. Those of us at the front of the audience jumping around, singing, as if we personally were the Eight Legged Groove Machine lapped it up. They are an outstanding live outfit who have the power to make you forget you are in a festival, paying outlandish prices for a pint and transport you back to a late 80's / early 90's student union with just one guitar riff.
Finally on Friday it was a dash over to the other stage to see the surreal experience that is Hayseed Dixie . Sometimes wierdness can be so wierd it becomes genius and that is the only way I can describe these bluegrass covers of classic metal tunes (or though Third Party was somewhat scandalised they had chosen to cover Green Day).
Saturday started with a breeze but soon turned into an absolute scorcher. My day started with Stylus who had the most active PR guy working for them ensuring that nobody around the site who happened to look at fence could be unaware of their presence. As for the music, very like the Lightning Seeds, but even more tuneful, quite enjoyed them actually.
Next up, who you might not have heard of were Wills and the Willing who were politically charged rap, poetry rock. They were certainly a passable way to spend some time.
Moving on the next act of note we saw were Saturday Morning Pictures (sorry - can't find a link) who were well worth a listen.
Next we were on to the highlight of the weekend. There has been so much hype around Sandi Thom and she has gotten so famous for the one song, so fast, it was always going to be interesting. The vast stage contained only a percussionist, additional acoustic guitarist and herself. She was wearing a simple dress, coming just above the knee in vivid green with a bold mickey mouse print on and an beautiful broach; there was a kind of natural beauty that came from her, but more than anything in a culture where we are surrounded by media images of perfection one was struck by how truly normal she looked; (size 14/16, freckles on her arms and a sensible amount of make up). Besides the phenomenon which is Punk Rocker the other outstanding songs were Lonely Girl and a new song, They Don't Make Mirrors Like They Used To. It was truly amazing, and a set to be savoured. If I am sounding a bit over the top it is for this reason; Third Party is surrounded by potential role models who push negative or damaging messages; Sandi Thom is the opposite to this. As a woman who appears as she is and has made it on sheer talent this is the type of person I want Third Party to look up to.
Anyway briefly worth a mention as also seen this weekend were: Blind To (a thrash metal band who seemed to attract the youngest pit seen in living memory), Who Will Miss Mary and The Levellers Simon Friend (who was outstanding).
Have to say Aha showed me how 20 years can really change your mind on stuff.
Final mention as ever (for this festival) goes to the Eden People . As usual they had their tent their showing how Christians can / should relate to the world around them in a relavent way which has total integrity and minimum cheese.