Togfest 2009: Part II
Jun.27.09
As far as camping goes, it’s been the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had in a tent and was thankful for a bit of a lie-in before the gates open, though the lack of a hangover and a few cans being left untouched suggested I could have been a bit merrier last night. Still, the sun is out with a complete vengeance as it blazes down on the camp and the festival site at Bradwell Abbey, but I decide to risk the UV rays for a bacon buttie and make my way to the gates once more to see the festival out.
The first stop is the Marquee tent once again, but this time the band opening up are Outraze, who we are a little familiar with since the interview. They wont lie about their Oasis inspirations and they carry through the set quite heavily with a broad swagger to their riffs, especially for a track called “This Is England” that the guys are laying out for next year. What the lads seem to be most chuffed about is that they’re doing pretty well in the download charts and of course, show us the material that’s getting them up there with “Under The Influence”. The guys seem a little static at first and being the first band on doesn’t help, but once they got going they seemed to be enjoying a gig that can be too early for a lot of bands.
No second guesses for what the Spread Eagles sound like either, a bunch of local talents get together to form an Eagles tribute without the drugs, hair and fistfights that may/may not have spoiled the original experience. The lineup is an extensive one with no less than five guitarists, but the guys have pretty much nailed the sound right down, for the most part thanks to some hefty rehearsing (according to my uncle who was drumming for them). There’s a couple of spots where the harmonies don’t quite make it near the end, but it’s a family festival after all, and if there’s an assortment of dads in sandals and younger fans singing along to the closer of “Hotel California” then they’re doing nay too bad.
I also manage to get a chance to interview on of the bands playing today after the Spread Eagles finish, in the form of The Soundcasters who are enjoying the weather and music while they can. We have a chat for a good ten minutes and we part ways, I decide to have a bit of a wander, there’s a lot more to see today, not least the Acoustic Café and the Barrel Bikers tea tent, so I grab some biker tea (which really hits the spot) and a cheese, chutney and roquette crepe for a quick lunch and find somewhere to relax and enjoy it.
Eventually I end up in the Café stage and take a pew to chill out while a trio of girls set up for their gig. While the ladies are sorting out bodhráns, violins, guitars and flutes, I have a look in the old program to see where we’re at. The three go by the name of Tom, Dick & Harry and judging by their instruments of choice, they go for a bit of a whimsical folk sound, mixing up some traditional sounds with some uplifting vocal harmonies, featuring some traditional pieces like “The Butterfly” and “Lullaby”, though the sisters also finish off with a cover of “Black Horse & The Cherry Tree”. Apparently this gig is a bit of a debut so a few nerves show, but in time these girls could do quite well.
In complete contrast to the laid back atmosphere of the Acoustic Café, there’s quite a ruckus down at the Courtyard stage as a topless frontman is kicking up a storm in The Ladders, wild just isn’t the word. Calling it rock n’ roll with a healthy injection of superfunk would be a much closer bet, frontman Danny Connors is more than enough on his own, flailing about one moment and going through a poetry number called “Bad Boys” the next. But you can’t fault the rest of the band either, being enviably tight and able to match Danny’s fluidity and compliment his funky vocal style to a tee, definitely one of the more memorable performances at Togfest this year!
Just as blazing as The Ladders performance is the weather, though, and the Merquee tent offers both shade and music with the Cardiff based Futuretown supplying some ambient rock grooves. A hard line of beats bely a layer of chords that’s swathe around some catchy riffs and poignant vocals. “Letting Go” is one of the tracks that crops up later in the set, a bit of a ballad that goes down well with the people at the tent, I thought that would be a hard point to beat, but low-and-behold, the lads lay down a final track that takes them out with a large sound and on a good note. They travelled quite a way but it seems that with a gaggle of new fans, it’s been worth it.
Stray are one of those names I’ve really been looking forward to for the day though, I’ve seen Del and the boys play at the odd demo at Rock Hard Music, but was yet to see them all in action on a proper stage with the volume right up. It goes without saying that Del is a showman and it’s just exciting to see him tweak out the feedback, go for windmills and bust out solos, grinning all the way as the trio put on a tight set, through some lengthy numbers like “Pennsylvania Avenue” that have more than a kick to them. Del is pretty much living proof that you’re never too old to rock out and the band just keep going for broke until the very final moments which ends in the proper wall of rock noise, and we’re only halfway through the day yet…
After that, it seemed a good idea to chill out in the tent that bears the same name, waiting for Grant to come along for his short set, but I’ll draw this article at a line here to keep it from being too overbearing, though you can check out the rest in Part III, be there or be square!
Craig \m/
The official Togfest website
Stray on Myspace
Futuretown on Myspace
The Ladders on Myspace
Outraze on Myspace
(All comments are moderated before they appear on the site.)