https://www.cluas.com/indie-music RSS feeds for CLUAS Irish Indie Music 60 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/117/Glasgowbury-2009-Eagles-Rock-Co-Derry#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=117 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=117&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/117/Glasgowbury-2009-Eagles-Rock-Co-Derry Glasgowbury 2009, live in Derry Review snapshot: Two thousand five hundred music fans with a liking for mountainous flora and fauna descend upon Eagles Rock for another feast of ceol agus craic. Full review: Mud, sticky mud, deep mud, all very brown, and, well, everywhere. Well, it's Ireland, it's summertime, what you gonna do? Put the head down and stick two wet fingers up to it. Early Saturday, the sky's blue, the birds chirping, signs for a dry day were good. Fast forward a few hours, tents erected, first beer started and Zeus decided to fart on us. Well, macks and wellies packed, up yours Zeus As the festival site dried out on Sunday morning, the 2500 (the first sell out) weary troopers left Eagles Rock a bit battered and the worse for wear, but happy of heart. Glasgowbury 09, the tenth festival was again, an unmitigated success. Over 60 bands played throughout the Saturday on 4 stages. The best of the North’s burgeoning talent, along with some new pretenders, mixed with a smidgen of oldin’ goldies, including the only Irishman to play the original Woodstock, 'Sir' Henry McCullough (take a bow sir) wowed the muddy masses. And lest we forget, local dance heroes, the Deep Fried Funk ensemble provided a few late night beats and the Innishowen Gospel choir along side The Beat Initiative, the North’s carnival arts collective bringing a bit of culture to the proceedings. As with most folk and festivals, the best laid plans and itinerarys often get slightly altered, or in this case completely reworked as a few sociable beers were shared with old and new acquaintances in the very picturesque campsite. We eventually did make it into the festival proper; we were greeted with the dirty rock tones of Derry's Skruff. A whirlwind set of fine riffs and sky punching rock beats got the day off to a good start. Skruff stable-mates, Here Comes the Landed Gentry took on the baton with an hour of wondrous grunt fueled rock and hillbilly blues. HCTLG have been become a bit of an institution in the north of the island and it isn’t hard to see why, the tunes, the energy, the peerless front man, Marty Doherty, aka Mort Van Cleef Dortenson and their inimitable rapport with the crowd. HCTLG will be playing Dublin's 'Hard Working Class Heroes' festival in October, go check, you won’t be disappointed. General Fiasco have been touring extensively of late and on the back of a storming set at Oxegen, took to the main stage and showed the masses just why they have been touted for great things. They are as tight as they are confident and assured with a set of blistering pop infused rock in their youthful armoury. And So I Watch You From Afar as this year’s headliners finished off the night, and the festival, in style. As the night sky embraced Eagles Rock, Ireland's answer to Explosions in the Sky took to the main stage with a sonic array of building instrumental rock tunes. Nobody does loud-quiet-loud quite like these guys, and the crowd react, oh how the crowd react. This gig had everything, the tunes, a stage invasion, even some vocals (!), all lapped up by a few thousand smiling, and spoiled Irish folk... Legendary. Roll on 2010. Sig Doherty More ... Sig Doherty Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:52:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:117 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/66/Lisa-Hannigan#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=66 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=66&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/66/Lisa-Hannigan 2009 sees the third year of one of Ireland's fastest growing and most interesting music festivals: Cork X Southwest. The August bank holiday will see picturesque Skibbereen awash with music-lovers as The Waterboys, Lisa Hannigan and Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club among many others take to the stage. Sig Doherty catches up with Lisa Hannigan. Hello Lisa, where are you this Irish summer’s morning? Currently in Galway, we had a gig in the Roisin Dubh last night and have another one tonight, so waking up in rainy Galway Now the shackles have been discarded, how are you revelling in your new found freedom as a solo performer? Great!  I have a really amazing band around me who are also my friends. It’s an absolute pleasure travelling around with these people, and the tour manager (Una Molloy) is my best mate. It just has been amazing! And we have been writing songs on the road as well, and slowly getting better at that! It’s going really grand. Sea Sew, studio wise, was put together in two weeks. How much of this would have been put down to the familiarity of working and playing with your band? We put in quite a bit of work prior to going into the studio so we were very prepared, and hadn’t really slept at all. Plus, we only really had the money for 2 weeks in the studio. So it was a case of doing quite a bit of work before the recording sessions so we were at a point where we could record in 2 weeks, which is a short space of time. There is a wide range of instruments at play on Sea Sew which adds to the depth and beauty..... Yeah, well I wanted to use slightly different instrumentation. I wanted it to sound 'crooky', and well, a bit kind of ‘rusty’,  and we hopefully managed  that by using old squeaky, broken down instruments a lot of the time! When-ever you are originally penning the songs, would have an overall sound of how you want the song to progress or does that happen later during the arranging in the studio? The songs all take a kind of different approach. Sometimes they start with a simple drum pattern, a two chord progression. So each one is kinda different from the outset and we'll let them percolate for a while, and the arrangements then get fleshed out. I try to break it down to the most basic of components and then add its back in which to me is the easiest way of constructing a song and trying to keep as much space as possible in the arrangements. It’s working fantastically well. You have just finished Glastonbury 09. With its lack of rain, and heavy weight performances from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave and Neil Young will go down as one of the great festivals of recent times. How was the experience for your good self? Ah, it was amazing! The rain was there on the Thursday night; we arrived on the Friday and missed it! We saw a little bit of Neil Young, which was great but we caught most of Bruce Springsteen which was just amazing, he is such an incredible performer! He was jumping about and running like a kid, high fiving the front row as he went. Apart from his music and singing, he just has so much energy. Great to see! Well, it gives everyone so much hope, as the Boss isn’t a kick in the ass off 60... Ah yes! He's fitter than most people I know! He always gives so much to the audience energy and time wise. Just extraordinary. You always look as though you are having such a great time on stage yourself, which in turn transcends to the audience. You see so many performers on stage, who frankly look like they’d be happier doing the ironing or unblocked the sink! I'd be like 'go get a real' job. You know, I think this is the best job in the world, it’s just the best to be able to play music to people. We just finished a gig with Josh Ritter recently, and he is the most smiley person in the world! And its infectious, everyone there has such a wonderful gig experience, everyone ends up smiling! And in turn, you're be lifted by the audience’s reaction, its lovely You have recently finished an extensive tour in the USA with Jason Mraz. Yes we did an extensive tour with him in the autumn, which comprised of 44 dates in amazing venues. It was such an incredible tour to be on playing on with my band. You know, to be playing in venues like Radio City, so it really set the bar high for ourselves! We cannot wait to get back out there touring again. What are the logistics of a tour like that for yourself and the band? Well, you have to get to the next venue independently. You could do a localised tour in a van say, but if you are criss-crossing the country and have a gig every-night you really have to be in a tour bus. We ended up staying in the tour bus for the entire tour, didn’t see hotels or motels! Physically and emotionally, an extensive tour of the states must take its toll? It's two months long and you know it could have been, but really we were all so excited to be there, so glad to be touring that the excitement carried us through the whole trip. And we just had so much fun having never toured in that way before as a band. With many long and arduous hours decamped in a tour bus, what box sets are currently on rotation to ease the boredom? On the recent American tour, we all watched Deadwood, an amazing show during the prospecting times with a lot of colourful language! Amazing show.  And as a result all of our language got pretty rough and ropey!! It actually affected all of our aesthetics, all the boys got the three piece suits and handle bar moustaches… it was just great. And we've been getting into the Wire as well. You are back doing a mini-tour with the Swell Season in August... Yeah! I cannot wait to see them play again. I'm really looking forward to those gigs. You're just backed from Glastonbury and you are booked to play the electric Picnic, have you any other festivals lined up this year? We are playing Latitude and Guildfest next week which are going to be a lot of fun. [and Cork X Southwest in August] Do you have a favourite festival? I think it would have to be the 'Picnic! I've been there every year, with the exception of the first year, and it’s just got the best atmosphere! It’s the perfect size for wandering around without thinking you have spent you whole day traipsing through mud! They put a huge effort into make it an 'other-worldly' experience, where you're leaving your normal life and going to a tiny town for a few days and really do make it a special trip as opposed to just going to see gigs. And it’s nice that’s it’s just down the road!! Hemming-stitch or back-stitch? [much laughing later] I wouldn’t know! I'm not very good at sewing at all, I've learned very roughly and shabbily. The album stitching, it’s certainly not a beautiful piece of work by any stretch of the imagination [to which we agree to disagree! Sig] Thanks Lisa for the time and we’d all like to wish you all the good luck and fortune in the future, and then some! Sig Doherty More ... Sig Doherty Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:66 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/69/John-Shelley-and-the-Creatures#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=69 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=69&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/69/John-Shelley-and-the-Creatures John Shelly and the Creatures are on the crest of a wave, garnering much momentum, having an Ireland- and UK-wide TV add use one of their fine tunes and having just sold out Whelans on the day of rest...surely its time for the masses to embrace Ireland's answer to Wilco...well? Sig Doherty catchs up with the 'Creatures mid-tour? How are you and where are you? Good thanks! Just sitting in a car on the way down to the Spirit Store in Dundalk munching on Percy Pigs. NITB using 'Long May You Reign' for its TV advert: how did this come about? (One of you guys give brochures out to Spanish and German backpackers one summer?) It all came about when we were contacted by Promotion Company Bruised Fruit who told us that the Advert Company were interested in using the track. Next thing we knew...we were on the telly! ..doesnt get much more interesting than that I’m afraid! With 2007's fine EP Big Day Out spawning first single 'Angeline' and now the success of 'Long May You Reign', when will we see the first, and it this stage, very highly anticipated long play? Well we are working on tracks at the moment. We don’t want to rush anything. We’re of the opinion that we would like to have time to gather together an album that we’d be completely happy with. At the moment we are just too busy to give that our full attention so we may be looking at the end of the summer to go into the studio. I’m sure there will be another single in the mean time though! What has inspired the album elect? We’ll tell you that come August. At the moment we are all listening to a lot of Fleet Foxes, Mogwai, Velvet Underground, Quasi and most recently a lot of Frank Sinatra. Wings has been on the stereo a lot too... they are only the band the Beatles could have been. :) With half the band from the north, and half from the south, how did JS and the C's evolve into what we see take the stage? We all met in Queens University studying Music Technology. Walter and Phil have known each other for years and had recorded a demo of a track called 'Blinded and Cross' (possibly our next single). We got talking to Kev our drummer one day and had a jam in a rehearsal space. Ger came along then after we heard one of his demos on Myspace which turned out to be 'Long May You Reign'. With your heads in a spin with the recent surge in interest, surely you're now seeing a few labels batting their eye lashes and showing a little leg? Or are you keen to keep on the DIY route? We have had some interest lately and have been talking to a few labels. Its all a bit strange at the moment with the current climate so noone really knows whats happening. We have a publishing deal with Big Life Music which is fantastic so we’ve seen a bit of side boob so far. With the success of other local acts like ASIWYFA shaking folk up, Therapy?, like a phoenix from the flames, releasing a new blinder, the likes of Fighting with Wire and Duke Special , the growth of the Glasgowbury Festival, these are exciting times for the local music scene....what is floating the 'Creatures boat music-wise at the moment? what is the last act you got really excited about? Will we just make a list? Ok.. The Good Fight, Panama Kings , ASIWYFA, Escape Act, Cashier NO.9.. the list could go on and on. The sheer volume of talent up here is astounding. I think if the music industry wasn’t in such bad shape all these bands would have been snapped up by now. With a 101 summer music festivals to choose from, will we be seeing John Shelly and the Creatures play at any? We really hope so! We are definitely aiming for it so watch this space! If any promoters out there want us to play please do get in touch! Many thanks men, and the very best of luck! John Shelly and the Creatures fine fine music can be enjoyed at the following locations, go slay: www.myspace.com/whywalter www.johnshellyandthecreatures.com John Shelly and the Creatures can be found causing beautiful chaos in the following locations 31 March 2009: Auntie Annies, Belfast 01 April 2009: Spirit Store, Dundalk 02 April 2009: The Limelight, Belfast 30 May 2009: Spring and Airbrake, Belfast 09 Jul 2009: Waterfront Hall (Trans Festival), Belfast   Sig Doherty More ...           Sig Doherty Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:69 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/84/Conor-OBrien-of-Villagers#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=84 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=84&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/84/Conor-OBrien-of-Villagers Depending on where and when you came in to the Irish music scene, Conor O'Brien will be known to you either as part of the much-lamented The Immediate, the guitarist in Cathy Davey's touring band, or the lead man in his new project, the folky but smoky Villagers. Simon Doherty fired a few questions across cyberspace at him ahead of the Villagers upcoming EP. How are you sir? I'm ok, visiting my folks this evening, typing the answers to this interview on my mother's kitchen table. Headphones on. Slightly disconnected. The new tunes sound great, what are the plans for releasing an EP or album? Thank you. We're releasing an EP in February, 500 copies only, mainly to sell at shows, but we might put them in some shops if we don't get too lazy. There's more than enough material for an album, so I'm sure it'll slip out at some stage this year! Any murmurings from labels? Is signing for a major even in the masterplan or are you gonna go down the DIY route that so many other Irish bands /artists are now doing? Jeez I don't know... I find it tough answering questions like that, I find it hard enough planning my day. At the moment all I'm thinking about is this little stop-motion video I'm making, and worrying that it may be eating into songwriting time. My god it's taking a long time. In Towers and Clouds, one of my favourite ever albums, is quite a quality benchmark.....you must be so proud being a part of that album? Yes I'm very proud of being part of it. Personally, I can't listen to it, but I am proud of it. Are you still in contact with David, Peter and Barra [of The Immediate]? Is the pope partial to a warm glass of milk each night before he lays his hateful head on his silken pillow? Favourite gig of 2008? Hmm.. I didn't get much of a chance to actually see many gigs, but the one that had most of an effect on me was Bonnie 'Prince' Billie in Vicar Street. I think it was part of a festival... sorry, the name escapes me. Was it a Foggy Notions thing? Anyway, it was really great. Favourite album of 2008? Shit I can't think of any 2008 albums at the moment... the first album that popped into my head was 'Night Falls Over Kortedala' by Jens Lekman, but I've just done a wikipedia and it was released in October '07 - is that close enough? I love it because it makes you laugh until your belly hurts, and then he hits you with his particular brand of raw emotion while your defences are down. I think 'Postcard to Nina' is the best example of this. I actually hated it when I heard it first, but it stayed in my head, begging for a 2nd chance. "Please Conor", it whined, "please listen again.. I won't dissappoint you". And it was true to its word. How have you found working / touring with Cathy Davey? It's been a very purple experience. Cathy is a very gifted person. To say that it is an honour to join her and her fellow bandmates onstage each night is most definitely an understatement. Is there any irish band / artist you would like to collaborate with? I don't really like the idea of collaboration anymore - I'm quite aware that I'm progressing quite nicely with this writing business on my own. I think I'd like to keep it like that, at least for the next week or so. Interview by Sig Doherty More ... Sig Doherty Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:84 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/87/Jaff-of-the-Futureheads#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=87 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=87&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/87/Jaff-of-the-Futureheads The Futureheads bass player on life post-major label... Sig Doherty recently caught up with Jaff, the bass wielding heartbeat of English post punkster’s the Futureheads midway through their British tour. He had popped back home between sell out shows in Glasgow and Birmingham to catch up with his fiancé and dog, and lucky I catch him, as he has just finished washing up, and is about to hit the town for some Christmas shopping. Rock and roll ladies and gentlemen. A reality check being home? For sure, touring around Britain as opposed to the States, Asia or Australia, when you get the chance to pop home you grab, keeps you grounded, and domesticated! Hearty congrats on your 3rd long play ‘This is not the world’, a rip roaring album it must be said. Well thanks very much, we’re all very proud of it. It was released independently... Yeah, the major dropped us last year when the 2nd album, ‘News and Tributes’ didn’t do as well as they’d have liked, we decided not to sign for another major, to take control put this one out ourselves, that’s what we all wanted and pushed ahead together. I suppose the greater artistic control, comes a greater workload as well... Oh aye, there is a greater workload for sure but we work with some great people, have good folk around us, like our manager, who looks after the business side of things, the distribution our sound manager, lots of top people. With this new independence comes a greater trust within the group and those close to the band, everyone with the same goals and pulling in the same direction... It's so much better, we just things done, the band and manager are the backbone and when we want things done, they get done…no like label conflicts, who are wanting this or that, it's just simpler and a much better way of working really. To be honest, the only real advantage a major label is that they have loads of money to promote, working independently has everything else. And of course with the advent of web promotion like Myspace, etc. That’s it exactly, there is so much promotion now that can be done for free which is great for anyone releasing music independent of the majors, and with internet, folk are downloading so much music for free which is part and parcel of the net and you accept. So what you do is try and cultivate a good loyal fan-base that come to the shows, buy a t-shirt, some merchandise and really get into the band or any band really and not just listen and download the latest fashionable album and shelve it a matter of hours later and move onto the next album. Do you think bands in general, their - for want of a better phrase - ‘business model’ has had to evolve with the onset of the internet? Bands are on the road more to keep their heads above water when in the past, album sales and an occasional tour was the done thing... Yeah, I suppose, that’s the way our label is focused. It worked well for the previous album ‘News and tributes’ post-release. It can be hard work being on the road, but it’s hardly like working down the pit! And it’s the reason we started the band, to gig you know. Any plans afoot for a 4th long play? Do you write while on tour, or do you get the tour finished with, then sit down and go for it…? Ideas are always being born while on the road. Our main focus is to get into the studio at the end of January next year. Have Christmas off, put the feet up. But we are gonna take a little easier next year you know. I’m getting married (a hearty congrats), Dave (Futureheads stick man) is having a baby. I suppose we’re getting on a bit (laughs). We just want to relax things, not rush everything. We’ll probably do a couple of gentle tours during the year to get us back into the swing of things, put out a couple of EP’s and hopefully get the new album out at the end of next year The eponymously named first album was recorded on a farm, through to ‘This is not the world’ which was recorded in the fantastically named ‘space mountain’ studio in the Andalusian mountains…have you a castle or the moon booked for the new album (laughs)…No no, we are definitely going the other way, recording it in a garage ourselves! Get a few demos out. We are really good pals with a guy from Fuel music, who is gonna work on the demos with us next year which we’re all really excited about. This year again, you have clocked up a monstrous amount of road and air miles…what hold your sanity together on the road? Well I think to be honest, when you are not on the road, you have to get as much distance from the music as possible. Because we are on the road a lot, you’d rarely see the other guys when you’re back home, maybe catch up for a cup of coffee. Barry lives in Glasgow with the wife, so he’s there between tours and recording. Plus it’s good to catch up with friends you don’t see for weeks or months when you’re on tour, and of course the missus and my dog! But yeah, outside the tour, you have a clean break from the band and the music Keeps the friendships fresh... Absolutely, its good to have your own space and days off ye know. Head off on a stroll around a city you are playing in, and then play games and watch box-sets in the tour-bus with the gang, have a good laugh…and try not to talk about music, ‘cause we end up fighting about it! Anything and everything to evade meltdown! For sure. Just get away from the tour bus, visit an art gallery, climb a mountain, anything! And then meet  up later with the lads for a pint! What box-sets are currently on rotation in the tour-bus? Well, we’re actually watching the World at War which is excellent. We’ve just finished the Soprano’s. We’re looking for a new series to get into. Well, you have to watched ‘Entourage’? (I explain the concept and whole-heartedly recommend it) Seems kind of apt as one of the best episodes in Entourage features Johnny Drama’s legendary appearance on the Jimmy Kimble Show, and the Futurehead’s also appeared live on the Kimble show…. Oh aye, yeah…that was great. You guys have a great reputation as a festival band. Any festival over the years that, be it the crowd, or the way the festival promoters have went the extra mile to make your stay that bit better…? You know, I think the best show we ever done was Glastonbury 2005, and Fuji Rock that year too. 2005 was the year we really burst onto the seen, seeing 25,000 people sing your songs back to you, is well, unbelievable. And it had poured all day at Glastonbury, and the sun came out while we were on stage! Amen to that…. And Fuji Rock, you have the culture clash, and the language barrier but that all adds to the occasion, but the fans are so fanatical. But there are so many festivals in the UK alone now, and many are so terribly run and very little thought goes into them I asked my daughter last night if there was any questions she would ask, and she asked if you guys had ever been back to play at your old school? Laughs…funny you ask that, ‘cause we were just talking about it the other day. We haven’t, no, but it's something I’d love to do. Is there anything interesting or quirky in the Futurehead’s rider? (to which I point out that I caught a look at Therapy’s rider many moons ago and it had all the usual rock and roll ingredients, an array of hard and even harder liquor etc…plus, and I quote…”a selection of fine cheeses” –ROCK! Excellent! To be honest, we’re pretty standard. I know the Buzzcocks had a taste for Moet and Chandon Champagne and their rider request was, ‘no Moet no showy, no Chandon, no band on!’ The only special request would be that the lager is good, Czech beers and the like. Myself and Ross are vegetarians, so something to eat minus the meat! And, now that we are independent, we have tried to cut down on the rider contents now to keep the costs down to keep the band going ye know. So no pink carnations sprinkled on the dressing room floors…… I knew of someone who requested everything to be Vivienne Westwood styled backstage, which sounds very novel, but not for us! You want to tell them to come back to the real world! A couple of bottles of wine, 24 bottles of beer and water and that’ll do! Jaff, it’s been an absolute pleasure, many thanks for the words, enjoy the rest of the tour and as you slide down the banister of life….. Was my pleasure mate, all the best. Jaff was interviewed by Sig Doherty Futureheads play Cork’s Cyprus Garden’s on the 15th, Limerick’s Dolan’s Warehouse on the 16th and Dublin’s Academy on the 17th December. More ... Sig Doherty Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:40:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:87 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/177/Glasgowbury-Festival-2008#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=177 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=177&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/177/Glasgowbury-Festival-2008 Review of Glasgowbury 2008, Draperstown, Co. Derry Well, we came, we saw, we were conquered... and sunburnt (in a nice way). To the street with all these corporate shindigs like Oxegen et al. Glasgowbury is where it’s at and that ain’t no lie! A festival on top of the Sperrin Mountains in Co Derry, Eagles Rock to be precise, with some of the finest musical talent on the island, a festival where yet-to-be-friends help you across the camp site with your gear and help you set up whilst sharing a beer and announcing the bands they reckon are going to rock the ‘rock! Who'd have thought of such a hair-brained scheme? Well a music legend by the name of Paddy Glasgow, not sure if anyone else could have pulled this off... the man lives music, and the promotion of it, not for money, kudos, but for the betterment of its soul. In a nutshell...Glasgowbury 2008? It was 4 stages, 3 of which were indoor (the G-Session's, The Acoustic and The Spurs of Rock) and 1 outdoor stage ('Small but Massive Main Stage') and it all took place over one day 12 noon to 12 midnight, and a night's camping in a couple of fields (we were assured by the powers that be that no sheep were hurt in the making of this festival). We arrived early on the Saturday morning, the campsite already alive with the sound of camping novices cursing the limited instructions the 10 quid throw-away tent they came with. A few 360 degree turns to take in the breathtaking beauty that is the Glasgowbury setting, this really is something special. A few still cold tins downed in the comfort that there were no suits, computers or Starbucks in sight, nor no pop drivel, daft Dave or broadband adverts to be heard. Then off to explore… You know that feeling you get in your stomach when your walking into a festival, flanked on all sides by your nearest and dearest, filled with the buzz of life, the distance thud of some champion yielding his bass axe, well, if you could bottle that nervous, excited feeling, Smurfit’s bank balance wouldn’t come close. Bars, clothes stalls, stages, jugglers, stilt walkers, St John’s finest primed and ready for action (thanks for the masking tape if your reading)…time to roll. First stop was the G-Sessions stage, and Hybrasil. Technical hiccups sorted, the guys came on stage 10 mins late and for a short and very sweet time, blew the socks off the place with a set of new tunes, not a note from the superb Monkey Pole, but none the lesser for it, exchanging guitars for drum pads, moogs, korgs and other wonderous gadgets with exact precision, live, these guys are something else. It was all a bit weird with the merciless sun blazing, the factor 40 mixing with sweat seeping into the eyeballs as we caught a fine set from Limavady’s finest Furlo who were as tight as a tinker’s cuss. Quick ice cream, cool pint, catch up with few people I forgot every existed - festivals are a great place to reacquaint and relight old friendships. Now where’s that Spurs of Rock stage... Remember the 80's? Remember the Mama's Boys? Well Pat 'The Professor' McManus was in the Mama's boys, and he cant! For a while they were Ireland's rock saviours, and for one night only on a mountain in the middle of no-where, The Professor delighted us all a blistering set of, well, em, ahh, err, rock! A huge crowd assembled and left smiling, arm in arm... Result. And so I Watched you from Afar, Ireland's answer to Explosions in the Sky played a blinding set from their highly acclaimed "This is our Machine and Nothing can Stop It”, these guys really are the shit, ending their set with, at the last count, about 40 folk on stage dancing out, bing bong. The meat in So I Watched You From Afar and Fighting With Wire were the wonderous Oppenheimer, using some kind of weird wizardry to whip the crowd into a frenzy. Fresh from signing a big deal with Atlantic, Fighting with Wire had a right old homecoming, rocking out like the back door on a windy night with a moshpit to rival that of Triggerman’s earlier in the day.  Ash finished off the day’s music with a storming set of their classic singles' back catalogue, everyone arm in arm jumping in unison, cows darting for the nearest wunny bush and village folk were heard bolting the window latches awaiting the impending avalanche. Ash, whilst not the greatest album band, are a fine fine festival band, with a cannon of peerless tunes. Why didn’y they play Petrol? Who knows, but they did dot the ‘i’s and cross the ‘t’s with Jack Names the Planets from the same Trailer EP ...bing bong. With so much happening, the only downside was missing bands like SuperFreakz, Panama Kings, The Beat Poets, Ed Zealous, General Fiasco, Mantic, La Faro etc etc etc The campsite partied and laughed 'til the wee hours and as we all packed up and trounced up the road to various trains, boats and planes, sore, but happy heads, we thanked the sheep for a loan of their home. Life really doesn’t get much better. Until next year. Sig Doherty More ... Sig Doherty Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:21:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:177