GuilFest 2007 Review
Day One: Friday 13th July
As we leave Bristol, heading off to spend the weekend under canvas at one of the UK's biggest and best-loved summer festivals, the storm clouds begin to gather, the heavens open and, promptly, it begins to rain. Undeterred, we continue on our journey, happily reaching our destination to find blue skies and sunshine awaiting us, and GuilFest 2007 already well on it's way.
With punters turning up in their droves, musicians and roadies flooding through the artist entrance and music already blaring from several stages and tents across the site, the excitement in the air is undeniable. After setting up camp for the weekend in a leafy corner of Stoke Park, we start the weekend by heading off to the Ents24 Stage to catch New York six-piece Ra Ra Riot. Using an
Ra Ra Riot, GuilFest 2007
orchestrally thick concoction of percussion, guitar, bass, cello, violin and keyboard - layered with the simple, sweet vocals of frontman Wesley Miles and cellist Alexandra Lawn - their youthful, melodic alt-pop has the early crowd seduced from the word go.
Next-up on the steadily filling Ents24 Stage is ex-Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley who, dressed in a bright red mini-skirt and black punky t-shirt, delivers a series of unashamedly raw feminine pop-punk tunes to an appreciative and vocal crowd, showcasing tracks such as the undeniably catchy I Want You To Know, the Julianna Hatfield-esque Behave and latest single Siberia.
Charlotte Hatherley, GuilFest 2007
A short walk to the BBC Radio 2 Main Stage introduces us to Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela who, after a rather drawn-out technical set-up, are met by eager anticipation as they proceed to wow the audience with an electrifying set of intricate flamenco-styled guitar playing. Drumming out rhythms on the bodies of their guitars, whilst running up and down their fret boards at lightening speed, the pair are goaded by the crowd with whoops and cries of both appreciation and encouragement. For an instrumental duo playing largely traditional and classical music, their effortless ability to command the Main Stage at a festival of this size is something rather special indeed.
Heading back to the Ents24 Stage, we're treated to a sumptuous set of femme-fatale indie-pop from the beguilingly sexy Howling Bells. Front-woman Juanita Stein holds the gathering crowd in the palm of
Rodrigo Y Gabriela, GuilFest 2007
her hand as her vocals cut through the fading daylight, drawing comparisons to a female Nick Cave or a darker Debbie Harry, as she fluently slurs her way through tracks such as Broken Bones and latest single Low Happening.
While the Saw Doctors take on the Ents24 Stage and London rockers My Vitriol headline the Rock Sound Stage, we take a quick respite for some food, and then it's back down to the BBC Radio 2 Main Stage for today's star attraction, brit-pop pioneers Supergrass. As we nestle in with the growing crowd, the audience eagerly awaits the band's arrival as they prepare to play one of their biggest gigs in over three years. The fact that they haven't played a show of this size for so long is very much apparent in their enthusiasm. As they bound onstage amid a flurry of lights and feedback and launch
Howling Bells, GuilFest 2007
into the classic I Should Coco track Caught By The Fuzz, they're on top form, grinning from ear to ear and taking pure pleasure from every chord they strike.
The classics continue throughout the set - from the anthemic Sun Hits The Sky, to Grace (which Gaz dedicates to Chris Difford's daughter) and 2005 single St Petersburg, interspersing them with some of the new tracks they've been readying for their, as yet un-named, forthcoming album. Their sound, on every track - new or old - is unbeatable; that full-bodied, unmistakable, 'Supergrass' sound - yet the crowd, sadly, seem restless when they're not playing their well-known hits. Despite, naturally, wanting to play some new stuff, they know what the audience want and don't mess about. They keep the momentum going with 1999 hit Moving, I Should Coco's Lenny and clear audience favourite Pumping
Supergrass
On Your Stereo, which gets the crowd - a mixture of young and old alike - jumping and singing along and, as they leave the stage, screaming for more. Returning for an electric encore of Sitting Up Straight, Supergrass finish the set having done themselves proud and proving that there's a lot more to them than just Brit Pop, sideburns and 'Alright'.
As the crowds begins to disperse and head back home or to the campsites, we follow suit, finding ourselves both exhilarated by what we've seen so far, and excited about what the rest of the weekend will hold.
Click here to read Day Two of our GuilFest 2007 Review
Words & Photos: Meg Rowell
