Thursday
Meryl Streek
We’d made plenty of arrangements including an 8am departure from home to be able to catch these Irishmen play the early 11am set (having done another set the day before for those doing the extended 4-day fest.) Arriving during the first or second song it was a sparse stage set-up with just a drumset centre-back, backing tracks, and the vocalist prowling the stage. It was the first set of the weekend which was already heating right up yet there was a sizable mainstage crowd already turned up when usually people are still putting up their tents (ours were still in their sheaths.) It was worth it to catch them especially as they wrapped up with fan- and personal-favourite, If This Is Life.
Youth Killed It
I was the only one interested in this so I snuck up close for these young kids who were maybe not killing it but did put in a very solid effort in the Axiom tent. Four affable local dudes ripping tunes for a small crowd but winning those in attendance over.
A short break to check out the Kneecap merch, set-up the tent, say hellos, and play a little beer pong with green apple Sourz.
Superbloom
Only stopped in for one song in the Axiom tent on the way back to the main stage. Rocky American (?) four-piece with a topless, tattooed singer.
Unpeople
This was another surprisingly strong turnout early at the mainstage and all the people in the crowd brough the energy for the unpeople up on stage. Incorporating a few harder screamed elements and chunky guitars to an otherwise people-pleasing sound. We yelled and pumped our firsts to tunes like waste and batted beach balls scrawled over with “Let’s go down to The Garden” as that song closed out the set. Early highlight!
Dream Nails
These three womxn were playing to a surprisingly small crowd in the Axiom considering they started with a bang with their first album, especially the Text Me Back single which they did play well. Besides that it was a mix of new album songs like Geraniums which didn’t move the dial for me much more than the recorded songs had also failed to. They spoke out about girls in music and handed out a pair of drumsticks to a young lady in the crowd to encourage them to try it out (something that it seems is routine part of their set.)
SNAYX
This trio have been a Trees mainstay for years although due to timings this was only the first (or maybe second time) catching them here, although they’d also done an opening set for Billy Talent last year. Well they’ve built up an audience and did all they could to work the sizable crowd up which worked really well. Their electro-tinged rockers had people jumping around and pumping hands up at them with good energy all around. Seems that lots of unpeople were back for more. Sink or Swim was a personal highlight, and Boys in Blue is a necessary PSA, plus there was a pumped up live version of Breathe from The Prodigy sent out to Keith RIP, although I think they went out on Work.
Bilk
A last-minute replacement in the Forest Stage was a pleasant surprise when I saw it on the swaps chalkboard. The singer of the three-piece was oddly distant, only saying a couple of things while delivering their post-rock nearly spoken-word songs without too much passion, using electric guitars despite their acoustic output. Not bad but not as exciting as the prospect of them. The singer was in leather chaps and partway through asked “Am I the only one that’s cold?” as he put his jean jacket back on despite the scorching weather even in the shade of the pines.
The Hunna
Despite these guys being on my blue list and a few of my mates wanting to see them I have basically no recollection of it already. There are pics on my phone from the mainstage but the memories are gone so must have melded into the background while I chatted with those pals.
A wee break for one set.
Big Special
Oh, this was building up to be a big, special set for me. These two understated Midlands boys had burst out of nowhere last year for what turned out to be a personal top-ten album but I hadn’t the chance to see them except through snippets of friends’ concert experiences. I’d assumed that first album would be just a flash in the pan but then they secret-dropped a new one not even a week prior which turned that on its head. The minor disappointment of them just having a drum kit on stage and obviously backing tracks quickly gave way as they delivered anyhow, including a lot of audience engagement from the drummer as well as the singer. The live drums were big and the charisma of both of the members oozed all around us. New track Shop Music which is excessively sarcastic already had people singing along, while God Save The Pony seemed oddly poignant talking about balmy England, and oldies like Black Dog / White Pony hit while Shithouse was a full-blown party. They had an odd and direct way of appreciating the crowd’s hearty response with two direct thumbs right up at individuals and a strong “Nice.” We are still laughing at the opening line to Hug a Bastard that goes “Find God? Mate, I can’t find my keys.” I cheered when they asked who was from the Midlands and do feel a kinship with these down-to-earth blokes and the lads showing up for them. When the singer clambered over the rail into the pit with a cymbal stand to play Trees at Trees both Phil and I immediately rushed in without so much as a look or moment’s hesitation. That was the penultimate before they brought it all down and left everyone flashing their thumbs. Nice!
Kid Kapichi
A band that seems to thrive at this festival had a pretty full Axiom tent to play mostly older songs, some of them beginning to sound dated as they’re primarily dealing with Brexit (Can EU Hear Me?) or the police (999). The singer is still enigmatic though and people ate it up. It was the final show for both the bass and guitar players, an even 50% of the band, but it seemed to just be a celebration and thank-you, not overly sentimental and no impending doom, so we cheered them off.
Pvris
In the full sun and a sheer shirt she sweltered in the 730pm sunset with her headphoned (clicktrack) drummer and bassist literally platformed on either side at the back of the stage. It felt a little too polished for me with the big, obvious backing tracks. Yes, she does have a very strong voice and that was put on full display, plus she was gracious in her encouraging the baking crowd to participate. I stayed for the first few songs up reasonably close as I dropped Steph off to a couple of the girls from our group and came back for another one or two near the end and think I got enough for me.
Grade 2
When prepping for the festival by spinning all the bands these ones had given off an easily identifiable ‘90’s punk sound. The Fat Wreck-chords/Warped Tour/Rancid associations were easy pickings so I assumed they’d lived through it and had just never moved on but then I arrived to three fresh-faced fellas. The drummer was appropriately wearing a Rancid tee, guitarist had Buzzcocks, while the singer wore High-Vis (the band, not the safety gear) and gushed enthusiastically about the chance to play for us, giving a bit of background about forming the band while still in school on the Isle of Wight a shocking 12 years ago (considering he looked like he was only 21). As you can expect his thick basslines reverberated the set to go with fast guitar chords and yelled-out punk vocals. A little gem enjoyed by only a small but very happy bunch of old heads in The Cave. (Phil was disappointed to not have joined me for this.)
Bambie Thug
Firstly you’ve got the name but then this very petite, very pale goth steps on stage in black leather and chains with jet black hair, joined by two topless male dancers in matching black leather trousers and multi-pronged black tentacles full head masks. It made for an odd scene, implying bondage and erotica. There were no musicians so she sang (quite well) along to booming electronic rock/pop/punk tracks while all three of them followed a choreographed set. That said, she allowed herself to break character between songs and was cutely personable, seemingly not trying to be hard or anything more than herself. Bambie Thug did stop and ask for permission to take a sip of water but noticeably did not let her obviously exhausted dancers do the same which fed into the dom vibe that her outfit gave. At another point the dancers brought out Palestine and Trans flags, while others waved them in the crowd, and she gave an impassioned solidarity speech which was appreciated. Besides the one girl at the start of the set who immediately shook her head and repeated the word “no” over and over as she walked away until her boyfriend begrudgingly followed her out, the forest crowd enthusiastically ate it up and fed back into the performance.
Kneecap
“It’s Kneecap: The Recap!” Perhaps the most talked about and anticipated headliner set from Trees, the Irish rap trio from Belfast, Kneecap, who have been in the news for their (somehow) controversial support of Palestine took to the main stage after the sun had finally set to the cheers of damn-near all 14,500 punters. The DJ was in their recognizable Irish-flag three-coloured balaclava on a big booth in the back that showed mostly animated videos to go along with the songs on the front of it, while the two rappers paced back and forth out front (no Irish flautists present.) They pounded through a couple of Gaelic tracks before addressing us, talking about their previous visits to the festival, working their way up through the stages. A bit later in the set a spontaneous Free, Free Palestine chant broke out in the crowd Mo Chara commented how he was never sure how to talk about it within the set but since we brought it up that they would like to obviously reiterate their support for Palestine given their unique Irish view of being on the wrong side of colonialism that they knew from history exactly how wrong what was happening really was. They poked fun at the British government who they’ve already beaten in the courts and plan to again so invited us all down to Mo Chara’s next court date in London where they promised a concert out front of the courthouse where they plan to beat them again. The DJ did eventually let the tracks from last year’s breakthrough ‘Fine Art’ bang which had the masses bopping up and down, chanting Parful all while lights strobed. They also had us chanting new singles “H-doubleO-D” and the latest Tory Kemi Badenoch-bashing The Recap which tore it down. Arguably not a typical sound for the rockers and punks of Trees, we still ate it up and gave it right back at them. This resulted in them declaring “Ur a buncha sound cunts.” Compliment of the highest order. Somehow the show lived up to all that anticipation.
Everyone beamed while walking up en masse to grab more drinks and their silent disco headphones for the first-night after-party. When they turned in I went over to the Frabbit campsite stages for an accordion/ukelelee/acoustic x 2 band spelling out Protect Trans Kids and a few other tunes before turning in about 2am on what would soon be a completely flat air mattress (not that my exhausted self would really notice.)
Friday
Thank goodness we’d swapped spots with Phil as we ended up in his tall tent’s shadow come the heat of the early morning that foreshadowed the day to come. And this was still mighty early as I tried to sleep in but by 930 it was too hot and everyone was very much awake and playing Sausage in the Hole for Lil’s hen do.
Ever
Slightly tardy I could hear Ever from the campsite before I made the short walk to the Axiom to see them. I was solo as I couldn’t recall how to describe them to Phil the day before but then it all came flooding back. They were young, eager English lads that played grunge music – a scene that essentially ended before they were born – but did a really good job of it. With the singer keeping a Kurt Cobain haircut, albeit cleaner. Not just grunge though… I’m still not entirely sure that one of the tracks wasn’t a Muse cover (in a good way) it was that soaring and huge. I was quite impressed and think they’ve got plenty of promise.
After picking up a tote bag and then aborting an attempt to catch up with the crew in the vastly oversubscribed Coheed acoustic/podcast in the Forest I went back to the Axiom.
Oversize
Five fellas playing loud guitar rock on the Axiom stage. This was perhaps the first set of the entire festival that I had marked more of a passing interest in that didn’t elicit much interest in person.
Press Club
My storied history of this band continued, having first seen Press Club on a whim for a free, intimate Kings Heath gig way back when and being blown away, liking most of their recorded music (albeit two albums ago a little less so) and then being only moderated impressed by last year’s Axiom gig when she infamously climbed the tower holding up the tent. Well, after a strong recent album and on the final gig of the four-week European tour they were in fine form. The musicians, yes, sounded solid, but the fiery ball of energy that is the lead singer was leaving it all on this gig. She prowled the stage, climbing over all the amps and back and forth to the edge, to the rail, to the crowd, and then into the pit. She crowd surfed, moshed, stood fully up on the rail, sang an entire verse intimately into a man’s face. A wrecking ball that brought this early-day mainstage set to the entirely next level. I joined the fracas, jumping into the dusty pit to holler and dance along to a few of my preferred tracks (like Separate Houses) that others seemed to agree upon. Stupid, happy grins all around after we all “left our hearts in the suburbs!” They’re back on top in my books.
Youth Fountain
There was a shockingly large crowd in the Neu Stage tent for just one man and a guitar. Yes, Youth Fountain played self-admittedly overtly emo songs that wring out the emotions from a six string. There was a strong following with the group down the front calling out individual requests and him obliging where he could to fill out his half hour slot. I sat on the inside edge of the tent with an angled view and liked what I saw/heard.
(Forgot to go catch any of Keg as suggested by Phil who said they were solid.)
Blackgold
A set that certainly had people talking was Blackgold (nothing like Blackpink except the name). Despite the heat all five member came out with their skin fully covered with black underclothes and gloves, black/white/gold only shirts – a variety including a couple Lakers jerseys, and la piece de resistance, shiny metallic gold masks on everyone. This fit the stage which had a graffiti-style backdrop with their name, and another on the front of their DJ’s turntable tables. In addition to the DJ they also had a drummer, two guitarists (with headless guitars), and an MC. As you can guess, this was a nu-metal set and their influences were obvious with the first being one of the biggest in the game, Limp Bizkit, but also moments of the Beastie Boys (whom they sampled, along with Cypress Hill) and even bits sounding like Rage Against the Machine. It was done surprisingly well for what I assumed was going to be a novelty although there were a number of cringey rhymes making up the rap component of this rap-rock. If I had to guess from the voice the singer is a white Englishman (confirmed). They pulled it off and I even ended up staying to the end, in part because the crowd was giving it a fair go and enjoying themselves making it all the better.
Thank
Even though it’s a very short trip to the Neu stage, Blackgold had run well over their timeslot (unbeknownst to me) so the Thank set was well underway. Quite excited for these guys after really enjoying the last two albums I easily worked myself right up to the rail. The singer (talker?) was a lot shorter than I was expecting but that was fine because the attention was on the absolute unit behind the kit that was placed right up front. Topless, covered all over, including his scalp, with tattoos, and making the drumset look like a kids’ table, he absolutely attacked his instruments – I’d be afraid to be a drum around him. He was the focal point, not to take away from the guitarist and fill-in bassist who smiled sheepishly when introduced as only having had three practices. Disappointingly the vocals were way down in the mix, vastly overpowered by the rest of the instruments, taking away the key element to their sound. They introduced themselves as being from Leeds but I regret not blurting back “there’s never been a good band from Leeds,” held back in case they’d already played Dread before I arrived. Despite knowing most of their discography I barely recognized many of the songs except Writing Out a List of All the Names of God. Still the drummer put on such as show, as he was visibly exhausted between each song, at one point pouring water on his kit, then holding his sticks crossed above his head while his band stood ready for his signal to start, and this took even more than a minute before he finally kicked off and water soared everywhere.
The Dangerous Summer
Went to find Phil watching The Dangerous Summer on the mainstage as they were a poppy indie punk band that was right up his street. The pint sized singer in jean shorts and a white tank top gave it his all. They sounded fine to me in that good but somewhat generic way that these sorts of bands tend to – unless you’re invested in the catalog it all is pleasant but not all that engaging. Even Phil had enough after hearing one of the old school songs he wanted and we ambled away.
Frank Turner – Love Ire & Song
Perhaps the most Trees artist there is, it feels as if Frank plays the festival in some capacity every year. This year he was doing it twice (more on Million Dead below) with the first being a solo playthrough of his 2008 album, Love Ire & Song. As could have been predicted the forest was flooded with patrons sat or stood up everywhere there was a spot. We got as far as the bar but didn’t want to push in more so watched him strum a black acoustic guitar with the title of the album on it in white lettering. He talked about writing this album around the time Trees was just getting started. As a seasoned professional he spoke and played well but I discovered him well after this album’s release and therefore didn’t have enough emotional attachment to continue beyond a few songs partly obscured by bar orders.
Popped round to the tent for a minute and found a good chunk of the crew hanging out there so stayed for a short time before grabbing a Manjula Thai potato curry burrito before realizing I’d had the same last year and although liked it, found it to be a little underwhelmingly seasoned. Ate this while listening to…
Trash Boat
I’m quite sure I dragged Phil to see Trash Boat at the Birmingham Academy 2, perhaps opening for someone, but we couldn’t pin it down. Either way these skate punks were now on the main stage and sounded fine but I was zonked. I snagged a shady seat leaned up against the sound booth fence and caught a few Z’s while they chugged away, only getting up for the final couple songs that weren’t overly memorable.
Cloud Nothings
My worst clashes of the weekend were both for La Dispute. Since they were likely oversubscribed in the forest, while playing stripped down versions, I decided to skip the trek there and instead got right up front for Cloud Nothings in the Axiom. This Cleveland trio has put out a few excellent, hard-hitting guitar rock albums that fly under the radar. The thing is you really want to see them play it live to appreciate how technically amazing they are. Fortunately this was my privilege to catch them for at least the third time (Hare & Hounds, Nice ‘n Sleazy’s) and they did not disappoint. The long-haired guitarist strums the hell out of that guitar while singing on the edge of straining just like on the album but it’s always been the drummer that pushes things over the edge for me. Incredibly fast but also precise. The cymbals swats and stops somehow happening even faster than my eyes can process. I like the entire discog so was pleased with the setlist including highlighted by Pattern Walks and I’m Not Part of Me (although the build of No Future/No Past wasn’t quite perfect as the finale.)
FIDLAR
“Hi, we’re Taking Back Sunday and we’ll be back here on Sunday” cracked the green tank-topped singer. It was only 5:30pm back at the main stage so the heat hadn’t yet abated but FIDLAR didn’t care. They cracked all kinds of jokes and jammed their slacker songs. Sometimes the music sounded a little half-assed but it was done with such jovial charm that it all added to the vibes. For example, they interpolated all of Wonderwall at record speed into the middle of another song, and as well as QOTSA’s Feel Good Hit of the Summer appropriately during their own song, On Drugs which already intersperses Basement Jacks’ Where’s Your Head At?. My fave before and after the set is still 40oz. on Repeat though. The banter was top notch plus they opened the pit right up huge and then invited a strictly girls-only pit, giving permission to tear any guy who entered apart (and sure enough two or three tried their luck but unfortunately got off easy.) Feel get set in the summer!
Before the double headliners I took the opportunity to grab a burger with my beau, head back to the tent for a quick slosh of water before changing into fresh clothes. The V(egan) Burger stand bacon burg was very good and the loaded bacon/cheeze fries also a deserved treat.
Coheed & Cambria
These sci-fi punkers have always made larger than life metal guitar tunes and despite In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3 basically living in my sister’s first car’s CD player I’ve never seen them before. Well, that changed and even with a lifetime’s worth of build-up they smashed it. It was a technical spectacle as all four of them absolutely ripped it, note for note. My only minor complaint being that the notoriously long-haired singer let the audience sing parts a little more often than I’d prefer, especially as beyond that album, 2022’s A Window of the Waking Mind, and the hits from Good Apollo I’m Burning I don’t know their catalog inside and out. Fortunately no matter the song they put on an impressive display, the songs from this year’s album Goodbye, Sunshine and Searching for Tomorrow went down a treat, and my personal fave song The Liars Club totally pleased me, while they also touched on everyone else’s including A Favour House Atlantic and Blood Red Summer. Superb set closed out in the setting sun with the singer playing a double-necked guitar.
Million Dead
Having been put onto Million Dead by a friend, only for me to realise when listening to it that it was Frank Turner’s former rockier group, just before they reformed, I figured I had to check them out to report back. Again, the recorded music sounds fine to me but I didn’t connect to it so that was a similar feeling during this set, although I was pretty obviously in the minority of the pretty packed Axiom tent crowd. Frank started with “this is our first show in twenty… four hours” and explained their first set in twenty years had occurred the night before (and that we were glad it had as they worked out the rust.) He went on to say how they’d all gotten together for a couple jams and word leaked to one of the lead bookers/organisers/promoters of Trees who then put an offer out to them. Turner did the sums and concluded that since it would make him, his band, and their fans all happy that they should do it and contribute to the net happiness of the world. And since they were doing Trees they booked a whole tour. I believe it was all original members and they seemed to be enjoying themselves and sounded perfectly fine, as fast punk rock tends to do cranked to 10. I stayed for 5 or so songs that I enjoyed but with one being as good as the next I snuck away for a breather, a beer, and to meet up with my buds before….
Taking Back Sunday
One of the most emo bands ever in my books and here they are headlining Trees Friday night, their first time at the festival and my first time catching them live. They had an air about them, appearing on-stage with all-five in matching blue suits that they soon almost all dropped the jackets from as despite the sun setting it was still really warm. The lead singer with his long, luxurious hair had a fair bit to say that amounted to very little and Steph and I argued whether he was an airhead Fabio, or her view that he was simply a wannabe people-pleaser. I agreed with the wannabe part as he could not seem to sing all the way through any of his own songs, and not just the crowd singalong parts but loads of lines, which was incredibly noticeable and annoying. The other guitarist and vocalist, it should be said, was excellent. Despite that the band played well including new track S’Old. Since a few songs from the first two albums are still stone-cold classics they overcame the singer when playing the absolute bangers You’re So Last Summer, A Decade Under the Influence (opener), and the penultimate song that me, Phil, and Neil all jumped up together for, Cute Without the E, Cut from the Team. (Only missing out on There’s No I in Team.) You can Makedamnsure they went out with a bang.
Thrill Collins
The Trees skiffle stalwarts played a bumpin’ silent disco set in the Forest at midnight which I caught the end of – that Dirty Dancing song, Barbie Girl which they pointed out Weezer completely ripped off (for Island in the Sun?), a COVID-written medley they’ve defo played before, and an “encore” of Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) that went down a treat. Funny, they joked that the invitation to play came later and later every year, to the point that they feel that it’s just assumed they’re going to be there (which they probably are – like Frank Turner they’re basically part of the furniture!)
Saturday
Everyone else decided to drive home for the day to escape the heat so Steph and I were left to our own devices plenty early to cope with the heat making for a long, full day taken at a slow, steady and very hydrated pace. Had a chili bowl from the stall next to Bunnymans (cuz they hadn’t opened yet) and it was alright, though nothing to write home about. (I never did get my Bunnymans chili in a bread bowl cuz I ran out of free time!)
Hunny Buzz
And buzz there was as despite the early morning (10:30am!) there was a sizable crowd in the Neu Stage. The four young folk on stage played catchy indie rock with the frontwoman commanding the attention during the songs but the drummer handled most of the banter with good humour. They sang Happy Birthday to their bassist who took that opportunity to remove his top! Good, clean fun.
Gen and the Degenerates
We’d heard them soundchecking “this is post call” over and over but the sunny mainstage set itself was much better. Their snarky BIG HIT SINGLE in response to their labels demand for another hit single was amusing and sounded fine, while I also liked the silly and despite the name, fun, Anti-Fun Propaganda. The singer (presumably Gen) also made an impassioned speech about trans rights and writing to your MP to be our voice. Use that platform!
A rare empty slot we topped up on water for what would be the hottest day of the weekend, hitting 33C and moved early to the shady Cave.
Last Hounds
Didn’t know much about this Brummie band before going into it but they were playing the Cave meaning it was likely to be hard and loud. And it was, in such a glorious way. The five of them cranked through rockers with huge guitar parts and well-sung parts with emphasis. Partway through the finale they said "please welcome our friend Jason to the stage!" and the singer from letlive bounded onto the stage, a ball of energy and screams for half a song and then they were done. A solid discovery for the weekend!
Bad Sign
Apparently it had been seven-years since Bad Signs had played a gig but didn’t show it besides their gratitude for people turning up, which they did in the incorrectly name in this case Neu Stage. The larger than life singer belted them out while slapping the bass but the guitarist led the musical charge. I think they were just looking for reassurance when they asked the audience if they should keep playing shows and received it.
Only listened to Catbite while sitting under the cider tree eating pad thai and spring rolls which were BOMB!
Humour
Forming in Glasgow these four young fellas played reasonably straightforward guitar-propelled rock tunes. Their stage presence wasn’t overly standout but I did very much enjoy the sound, and don’t think it was just because of the energy drink coursing through my system.
Love is Noise
Unfortunately these Brits never really got off the ground. Plagued by sound troubles from the hop they just got through the first song, tried to fix their backing track for song two, realized it wasn’t going to happen so told us very apologetically that they’d play just one more song and call it a day. Seemed odd to me that four guys on stage with drum/guitar/bass couldn’t manage to put on a show without prerecorded songs but that seemed to be the norm for the weekend.
Tarmac
Three guys on the Neu stage couldn’t hold my attention so I went for a snack.
Beetbox was one of the remaining vegan vendors that I hadn’t supported this weekend yet, probably because something in me remembered. Those memories were unlocked with the disappointing 4 quid sausage roll that didn’t have much sausage, nor a great taste, and a 12 pound chicken wrap (the going rate for most mains at the festival tbf) was a small wrap consisting of only 2 Quorn pieces, some lettuce, pickle, mayo, and chili sauce.
Bruise Control
Meeting back up with Steph who had stayed in the Cave I found what I assumed was an Aussie band based on the mustaches, brash sense of humour, and love of beer. The outback-hatted lead singer was already topless in short jean shorts with “Born T’ Lose” tattooed on his paunch while a snake eating its own tail encircled his belly button. Turns out they’re from Manchester and just really like playing quick, loud, rock music and having a solid, good time. And that is what was had by all, myself included, closing with Taxman. We got a mini circle pit going and he was more than happy to join us in the dust.
Anxious
A band I had in blue on my clashfinder (one tier below “must-see”) didn’t exactly match those lofty expectations. Their hard-hitting punk music was more than fine but the singer was not to my taste. He claimed to have no ego but kept goading people to come forward and razzing them for having their arms folded – it was coming across as overtly American. Again, I enjoyed the music, as I do on record, but won’t be rushing back to see them again anytime soon. Fortunately a six-pack of pints showed up to the pit – grown men in cardboard costumes for the annual contest – and proceeded to spill themselves all over the place. What the singer kept calling a “weird pit” was really them just having the time of their lives, whereas any of their mates fell over the rest pounced on him and body surfed them over the bar whether they wanted it or not. This amped up the energy for everyone which was entertaining to watch and by the end of the set all the costumes had been forcibly ripped from their bodies and cardboard thrashed all about.
Sparta
Jim Ward’s spinoff after the infamous At The Drive-In split had never been a huge favourite of mine, although I did enjoy the first album, Wiretap Scars, when it came out. (Especially the single Cut Your Ribbon but I’d already checked and saw they hadn’t played it live all year.) Perhaps because of my muted expectations I was positively surprised by the show. Only three of them, Jim played guitar and his voice was excellent. Even songs I was unfamiliar with sounded swell and I was again pleased to hear a few from that album that I did recognize, notably Glasshouse Tarot, and I believe it was Air in finale as I had to walk away early.
Cyan Kicks
It was worth it to make it all the way to the Forest for Cyan Kicks, the first of a few female-fronted electro rockers of the afternoon. In fact, they were already playing Echo, one of their best songs, as we walked in so when they started on another after a few tracks standing sidestage I decided to jump into the small pit that was brewing. All four members were in black leather, although the singer was a lot more revealing full-body fishnets than her counterparts. Steph may disagree but I think they’re equally enjoyable live as recorded, which is a compliment.
Vukovi
Off on my own again I pushed right to the front of the mainstage for Vukovi who also hail from Scotland. The frontwoman not only had a booming powerful voice and presence during the songs, but brought that affable Glaswegian charm and humour between songs. She was barefoot but the stage in the baking sun was lava according to her so at some point during the set put on camo crocs offered to her by a front-row fan, and she swore us all to secrecy about this (oops!). The guitarist and drummer lifted much of the load but I believe there were reasonably noisy backing tracks involved as well. She commanded our attention though, making a stage dive for a short surf and often coming right to the rail to rally us while belting it out. A large, fun pit thanks to another costume leading the charge as Mr. Fridge directed us, crowd-surfed and had his groceries pilfered while also losing his door. The backdrop read My God Has Got A Gun and that song hit the mark.
La Dispute
The agonizing conclusion of my double La Dispute clash was to start at their plugged-in set in the Axiom which I did now. It was full but not too packed that I couldn’t worm my way reasonably close up. They played really well and the singer gave it his all but as with most post-punk, if you’re not tied to the songs or lyrics then it is a little the same. I only started listening to them in the last couple years and never to any particular album so didn’t have that meaning that as much as I like them after three or four songs I’d gotten the gist. I really wanted to hear the new Environmental Catastrophe Film which they apparently did during the Forest set but I couldn’t stick around which was good because they didn’t do it anyhow. I did hear the last few bars of King Park upon my return at the very end.
The Hara
These three mascara-wearing alt-metal dudes had super impressed me a couple year back on this same stage with a quiet-hours headphone set. And they did it again today in full speaker glory. The heavily tattooed singer was climbing up the speakers and scarily onto the roof of the stage soon after I arrived, and had apparently already gone up into the rafters during Trophy which I was sad to have missed. They rocked real hard in their accessible metal way, most harder than their #1 Spotify track Fool & the Thief which they also played. And the singer never stopped, at one point going all the way to the soundstage after splitting the crowd and then running full speed at the stage until we crushed into a pit around him before he reached the rail. The energy he exuded was reflected right back from the enthusiastic crowd, exemplified by tearing off our tops and waving them about, and as we sang it back at them on Friends.
Calva Louise
This was a special set. The singer introduced herself and her band early on as being from Venezuala – herself, big cheer, France – other guitarist, mixed British boo, and New Zealand – drummer, another cheer, but stated that they identify as a British band. Her English wasn’t perfect but was more than passable and was definitely passionate. She spoke about how hard it is for bands, especially those with little money, and proudly showed off the keyboard stand her bandmate had made for her that acted like a drawer so she could play it at the start of a song, then push it to the side to let us watch her shred the guitar hung round her neck, then pull it back over when she was ready. They proudly played songs from the album they had released just the day before, primarily sung in English but also Spanish, with its heavy double drumkick breakdowns. The crowd got fully on board early as not only were they endearing but also fuckin’ ripped. The setting sun was sneaking into the tent making it hot and dusty but that didn’t seem to hold back the moshpit. Lovely stuff all around!
As December Falls
Back on the Forest for another rock band with electronically tracked elements. As their intro they played all of I Want It That Way (BSB) which had basically everyone singing along. Beth, the singer, proudly talked about how they were fully independent – no label, no manager – and thanked their legion of fans while winning over new ones, myself included. More modestly dressed in her red dress (and blue hair) than the Bambie Thug, Vukovi, and Cyan Kicks singers who had a similar musical vibe, she belted it out nonetheless like on Angry Cry. Reminiscent of Avril Lavigne in places but hitting a lot stronger towards punk rock than pop punk. They also gave us a sneak preview of the title track from their upcoming album Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine. As had been happening much of the day, but especially on the Forest stage, a never-ending line of crowd surfers went over but during this set a few dressed as lifeguards were enabling this. A few older women got up on arms to cheers and then a couple kids, and before we knew it actual children were being cautiously put up. The security were legends who guided them all back safely to the ground and showed them the way back to their parents, making for a totally wholesome scene appreciated by kids, parents, band, and curmudgeons alike. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I really enjoyed their brand of accessible punk rock and will consider their next show (with The Hara opening!)
Alexisonfire
Blasting out of the gate, I wasn’t sure whether I’d head right in or pick my time but I knew I’d be in the pit. As it turns out it was only long enough to think “jeez, Dallas looks old with that long grey hair/beard combo” before I headed in as they kicked off with Accidents from Watch Out! then followed it up with Boiled Frogs from easily my favourite AoF album (and one of my all-time fave records), Crisis. Super glad I did as I joined the fray for a solid run that slowed down momentarily for easily the best song from post-reunion album ‘Otherness’ in Sans Soleil that had the rowdy pit shouting out the title lyric. It was dusty and chaotic, which was fun for a while but got a little old partway through as there were a few big dudes being a little too selfishly violent and far too many crowd surfers to look out for. It was easier to notice this when the set bogged down after the standout We Are the Sound as they chose a deeper cut Dallas ballad in It Was Fear of Myself That Made Me Odd, an Old Crows/Young Cardinals song, another Otherness tune before finally returning with Rough Hands and Hey, It’s Your Funeral Mama to try and save it. I get it that it’s your new music but we’re at a festival so cut out Blue Spade and even Dog’s Blood (although this one did actually sound good live.) This Could Be Anywhere In the World was another highlight but then that energy was immediately zapped as they just walked off-stage, or rather all but the bassist did who eventually did leave. While the techs tuned the crowd basically just stood around wondering if this was an intermission while trying to catch our breath from the dusty pit, not to mention three-days of stifling heat. When the sextet did re-emerge George did make a sarcastic comment like “wow, what a reaction!” but Wade jumped in to give us a break after the long weekend and make a chain mail weather joke (as he was otherwise inexplicably wearing a chain mail head covering for the entire show.) That didn’t exactly encourage our response and Young Cardinals only half did. Without much warning, as there was still perhaps 20 minutes left in the set they played Happiness by the Kilowatt only to peter out most of the way through into a Neil Young “hey, hey, my, my” singalong which they seemed disappointed we didn’t know and had to teach us. Little did we know those two were all that we would get – omitting the debut album entirely and my personal top song, Drunks, Lovers, Sinners and Saints. The six members all hugged each other, Dallas following Gord Downie’s lead and kissing most bandmates on the mouth, and they all seemed genuinely happy to be out there doing it – mentioning 20 years although I remember seeing them less than two months after their debut as they opened for Disturbed at the Kool Haus in Toronto in 2002 (meaning nearly 23 years). Overall it was a great showing from the band I've grown up with, where the highs were certainly very high even if a little front-loaded. Decent performances though I heard the vocals weren't well-mixed outside of the pit for the first half so not a whole lot to win over new fans. With such a catalog to choose from the setlist could always mildly disappoint some, especially long-time fans, like me (and Lorna). But with a bit of perspective it was still an ace gig from veterans of the hardcore scene.
