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Electric Soft Parade, The Schla La Las, Chris T-T, Fonda 500, The Mules, The See-see
Steventon, Oxfordshire
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Article
written by Ged M
Oct 7, 2007.
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The day of sun - or at least at first. Following the floods of July, it seems only fair that the festival enjoys better weather, at least until Sunday evening. And so to the first moan of the day: why do people bring folding chairs to watch bands? The only acceptable chair has wheels and you get it on the NHS. Everyone else should either sit (only OK in front of the main stage) or stand. Folding chairs are for twats and the Cambridge Folk Festival only. They'll be bringing hampers in their 4x4s next. Relax...andw ith that rant over, it's back to the narrative. Our Sunday begins watching Napoleon III in the Trailer Tent. The three-piece are not as good as at End of the Road last week; partly because of tape machine problems, partly because though N3 has added two humans to his previously solo-with-tapes set, there’s still a mismatch between the live contributions and pre-recorded parts. Happiest drummer I’ve even seen though!
Skylarkin are a noisy trio – that Nestor batters his drumkit like he bears it a serious grudge – but I prefer their sound when Katie plays keyboards rather than guitar. It’s seriously good indiepop, like Mates of State. Following them, it's the first time I get to see the See-see and it justifies the price of admission for me. It’s West Coast psychedelia with a drizzle of folky goodness and it knocks all those other Americana chancers into a crumpled Stetson: rock solid beat courtesy of Ben Swank plus lots of sweetly melodic, slightly bittersweet songs. If you were upset to see The Eighteenth Day of May break up just as everyone started to discover them, you’ll love the sound that Richard Olsen and his new chums are making now.
The Mules are wasted on the main stage for a lazy Sunday lunchtime crowd. It was just one of a number of odd decisions – the Foals had to be moved from the Trailer tent on Saturday because the number of people trying to gain entrance constituted a safety hazard. People seem to like the Mules today but for me their dark waltzes and gypsy-jazz need tighter settings and post-sunset to be at their best. Still the greyhaired patchwork-jeaned hippy dancer finds them a challenging set of rhythm merchants. Their version of ‘Life During Wartime’ is excellent, especially Timothy Leslie’s keyboards that make the chorus sound like ‘Crazy Horses’.
I’ve seen Fonda 500 many times and they never fail to produce an entertaining show. Today was no different, despite playing to a field of (mostly) horizontal people, with an on-form Simon calling the crowd at various times “winners”, “losers” and “bastards”. The newer material appears slightly darker, maybe more – dare I say it - “mature” but you're always minutes away from another piss-taking indie-disco thrashalong. They’re followed by Truck stalwart Chris T-T. He seems to be playing fewer festivals this year, maybe because of his carbon footprint, but the old songs sounds fresh today. The set is full of his humanitarian socialism (not in a party political way) leavened by a large dose of wit – he makes up the wonderfully eccentric ‘Wasps Can Kill Bears’ on the spot in response to a teenage heckle - and an increasing (it seems) environmental awareness. The acapella ‘M1 Song’ shows off his folk chops but the same message is carried over in his new ‘Hedgehog Song’. Hug Chris T-T when you see him hug his next tree.
The Schla La Las get bumped up to the Main Stage as secret special guest Robin Gibb(!) has cancelled at the last minute. This proves appropriate for what they announce is their last show – yes, the Schla La Las are going to attend their individual projects and won’t prettify our stages en masse no more. Shame for many reasons but chiefly because they play as well as I’ve ever seen them play; throw in Hannah and George’s witty repartee and the Panthergirls’ contribution and it’s memorable in so many ways. Shame George’s entreaty to buy their single didn’t persuade more though…
Alberta Cross make me cross. They spend so much time fannying around setting up that even their soundmen are insisting urgently: “we have to start now”. And when they do, they’re just a very good impression of early 70s Neil Young with a dash of Dylan. Why the self-importance? Following them (a bit of disappointment), it’s off to see the auction of the quilt, which eventually raises £300 for charity (and a fair return for all that work) before it’s off to the main stage and Electric Soft Parade. Glenn Tillbrook is standing in front of us to watch them play and he must hear echoes of Squeeze as well as Paul McCartney in the songs. It’s a fine set, including covers of The Associates (a lovely ‘Blue For You’) and Guided By Voices, and made memorable by Tom White’s comedy banter and the awesome riff to ‘If That’s The Case Then I Don’t Know’ that makes it, for me, one of the singles of the year.
The marrow-chilling rain that drizzles steadily through the set reminds us that summer’s over. Whereas we might have endured it in July, it’s too much now and we decide to forego the dubious pleasures of Idlewild and the undoubted treat of The Tamborines, almost the last band to play. But leaving, we reflect on Truck 10 and its triumph over adversity; even if it doesn’t have high-profile headliners, the lack of pretension – where else can you be stood behind Emma Pollock in the burger queue or chatting to an enthusiastic Eamon Brakes waiting to see a band in the Lounge Tent? - it keeps going for all the right reasons and continues to earn our support, and respect. Keep on trucking!
(pictures by Colin B and Ged M)
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