Due to an unplanned afternoon drinking session I missed Lodger, which also meant I missed all but one song of Archie Bronson Outfit. From what I could hear from the queue outside they had a brass-driven stomping anger overlying country rhythms, as if Morphine and Fugazi had got together to perform Johhny Cash covers.
Next up were De Rosa from Scotland. Contrary to just about every other band I’d seen, I felt these might actually sound better in a studio then they did live. Odd as it sounds, that isn’t meant to knock their live performance, it’s just that they sounded somewhat like Crowded House with the gain turned up, when I suspect there’s a lot more anger and drive about them than that.
And so to British Sea Power, a prime reason for doing the Great Escape in the first place. I love this band, especially live. BSP start their sets straight forward and controlled – they played some great sounding new tracks (almost rock n’ roll in style), building up to crowd pleasers Carrion (download) and Remember Me and on to an almighty finale.
BSP have often cited the Stooges as an influence and there was plenty of Iggy Pop madness on offer here. The trigger to insanity was a human tree arriving onstage which promptly ended up in the crowd to rapturous applause. At this point Yan flipped. An Iggy stare appeared in his eyes and he jumped on the trumpet player, climbed onto his shoulders and dived into the crowd. Rock cliche perhaps but who cares. It was an awesome peformance and a fitting finale to a fantastic three nights.
jimmy steel wrote:
I haven’t heard of De Rosa before, but now you have me interetesd. I have to go look them up , cheers
Katrine wrote:
Now, one of the best festival closers ever… Decoder Ring. Somersault echoed over the freezing tent and everyone swayed and danced. Dust was everywhere, I was freezing, but it was still great.
So this is the end of the Festival. Key events I accidentally or on purpose left out include
· Shelley’s friend James breaking his mural artwork by sitting on it for too long
· Nina rolling a Red Bull round table down the hill on my request
· A drunk guy falling into our huddle while we were sitting down
· Meeting the pterodactyl guy out of costume after we pimped him on the eco village microphone
· Complementing the lead singer of The Vasco Era on his set while he was really really drunk
· Bumping into and hugging the bassist from British India
· Nina climbing up a 4 meter lighting structure, completely sober
· Me calling Anika the human equivalent of cancer
· Bumping into the drummer from the camels and casually talking to him for around 5 minutes
· Taking way too many free samples from the “Ice Cream of The Future” place, and getting banned from any further sample taking
· Hundreds of more great memories that I will never remember because recalling everything would be just. Plain. Nuts.
Rich wrote:
thanks for Katrine, although we may be talking about a different festival as none of the bands you mentioned played in Brighton.
Clangnuts wrote:
Wierd coincidence that you use the name Clagnut, and I’m Clangnuts.
You can see my site here: http://clangnuts.blogspot.com
If you need some Cartoons, I’m yours!
If I get any lost people on my blog, I’ll send them here.
Belter wrote:
Aaah, nice one concert. I enjoy British Sea Power. Here is there tour plan:
15 July: Latitude Festival, Henham Park, Suffolk
29 July: Across the Tracks Festival, Leeds
30 July: Kendal Calling Festival, Kendal
12 August: Newhaven Fort, Sussex
27 August: Get Loaded in the Park, London
2 September: GIVE festival, Ayr
16 September, End of the Road Festival, Wiltshire
They will be in Leeds, a reason to visit my relatives :). Hope to meet someone there