GuilFest 2007 Review
Day Three: Sunday
We awake on Sunday to find the sun still shining over GuilFest and, as the day begins and strains of the Rock Choir's versions of Dancing In The Street and Disco Inferno filter across from the Main Stage, we head up to the Ents24 Stage to catch local singer-songwriter Billy Irvine, who surprises us all with an upbeat full-band set of bluesy, gutsy rock'n'roll. Backing singer Natalie Ross almost steals the show with her ballsy vocals and incredible stage presence, but Billy just manages to keep the limelight and the band draws a respectably sizeable and enthusiastic crowd for the time of day.
A quick trip back to the BBC Radio 2 Main Stage to catch a few tracks from musical supergroup
Billy Irvine, GuilFest 2007
Skaville UK proves to be well worth it, as they present an energetic, if a little generic, set of vigorous bounce-along ska that warms the early crowd up nicely.
Up at the Ents24 Stage, Guildford locals Sym-Choon take to the stage in an undeniably imposing manner, managing to coax a rather small audience to the front and, by the end of their set, more than treble its size with everyone clapping and shouting for more. It's impressive stuff, even if the music - pure, unadulterated rock - is a little questionable.
Next up, it's Ents24's Gig@GuilFest Unsigned Band Competition winners Kal Els Cape. It's at this point that it decides to rain - a bit of drizzle at first and then a full-on downpour, which sees many
Skaville UK
audience members running for cover, whilst a few hardcore constituents stay put. 'Sorry for bringing the rain from Yorkshire...' apologises frontman Shane McMurray before launching into the indisputably catchy Getting Back and steadily drawing the rain-shy crowd back down to the front. Everything about Kal Els Cape - from their energy to their songwriting to their pleasingly rounded sound - could easily see this band playing the Main Stage next year - in fact, they could probably have played it this year and still got people clapping and singing along.
As the rain clouds part and the sun returns, we stay put to catch another local band, the rather grungy Redwood, who easily receive the biggest crowd at the stage so far. Their Pearl Jam-esque big-rock
Sym-Choon, GuilFest 2007
sound seduces the audience of young and old alike, seeing queues forming at the merchandise stand before their set is even over. Country-rockers The Redlands Palomino Company are up next, whose sweetly-sung brand of traditional country is a little odd following Redwood's rocky set, but they nevertheless manage to keep the crowd engaged with singer Hannah Elton-Wall's mesmerising vocals and the band's up-tempo hill-billy rolling-rock sound.
Heading back towards the BBC Radio 2 Main Stage, live trip-hop outfit the Dub Pistols are already in full flow with a packed audience before them. It's a little strange having an underground dance act on in the middle of the day and, between the small children running around with beach balls and ice creams and a certain amount of 'dad-dancing' going on, the atmosphere feels a bit wrong. But the
Kal Els Cape
Dub Pistols give it their all and are nonetheless an impressive and striking live act.
Levellers' frontman Simon Friend is up next at the Ents24 Stage, commanding the audience with his husky, rootsy vocals and politically engaged songwriting. Naturally, it's the Levellers songs, from The Boatman to encore The Battle Of The Beanfield, that get the most attention, but Friend is a natural performer and his fans tend to be rather die-hard, making his set an enjoyable exchange between artist and audience. Scottish indie-kids The Dykeenies follow, swapping Simon Friend's older audience members for distinctly younger ones, before commencing to fill the area with the loud, brash sound of indie-pop at its finest. Their playful between-song banter engages the growing crowd, with current single Clean Up Your Eyes getting the pogo-ing started nicely.
Redwood, GuilFest 2007
Catching the last few tracks of Toots & The Maytals' set on the Main Stage, including a gloriously received version of Monkey Man and the infamous Pressure Drop, it's then time for second headliners, The Magic Numbers. Bursting onto the stage and kicking off with Those The Brokes opener This Is A Song, the crowd receives them both gratefully and gladly as their melodic pop fits in perfectly with the evening's atmosphere, gearing everyone up for some last night fun. Continuing with Forever Lost, hit singles I See You, You See Me and Love Me Like You, their onstage presence and effortless ability to entertain primes the crowd suitably for the impending Madness performance.
First though, we've just got time to catch the second half of Belfast multi-instrumentalist Duke Special up at the Ents24 Stage, whose beautiful melodies and unusual compositions lull a captivated
Duke Special, GuilFest 2007
audience into a dream-like state, as main-man Peter Wilson's haunting vocals glide effortlessly over the top. Last year's Last Night I Nearly Died sends shivers down the spine, as does the hair-raising piano ballad No Cover Up from new album Songs From The Deep Forest.
As Seventies rockers Uriah Heep prepare to headline the Ents24 Stage, and the louder than loud Yourcodenameis: Milo top the bill at the Rock Sound Stage, the unmistakable sound of Madness carries across the site from the Main Stage and it's time to head back down to catch the last act of the festival, who are already guaranteed to end the night with a bang. With lead man Suggs looking as sharp as ever in a tailored navy blue suit, they bound onstage with as much energy as a band half their age, while the audience - easily the biggest of the three days - surges forward in anticipation. Kicking
Madness, GuilFest 2007
off with The Supremes' You Keep Me Hanging On, the atmosphere is electric, which is only compelled by saxophonist Lee Thompson putting down his instrument and climbing the stage rigging, egged on by the over-excited audience. The hits, quite naturally for a band of this stature, come thick and fast. As the sun begins to set, 1982 smash House Of Fun rings out over the boundless audience, followed by the inevitable Baggy Trousers - which only gets the audience even more heated - and the unavoidable Our House.
As members at the front of the crowd begin to get pulled out by security staff worried for their safety, Suggs politely asks everyone to move back a little as the barriers begin to reach breaking point. It's a testament to Madness that, not only have they managed to keep going for so long and keep their original fans, but they've managed to keep their credibility and, from the amount of shirtless youngsters in the crowd tonight, gain a few new fans too.
As the sky eventually turns from grey to black, Suggs announces to the audience; 'This one's for you all to take home, to remember us...', before launching, to the crowd's delight, into the unmistakable It Must Be Love. Leaving the stage, there's no question about an encore - the crowd simply wouldn't take no for an answer. Returning with an exultant version of Madness, the stage is as fit to burst as the audience, as the band bring on their collective kids to dance to the tune of final song Night Boat To Cairo.
It's a fitting end to a fantastic weekend. GuilFest has proved to us all that a family festival can be as much fun as the bigger, more hardcore festivals such as Glastonbury, Reading or Leeds, and that the safe, laid back atmosphere only adds to the enjoyment. The selection of bands on offer has managed to satisfy pretty much all tastes, and, in between, there's been enough on offer - from the Comedy Tent to the abundance of stalls to the Children's Area - to keep even the most restless types occupied. We head back for one final night in our sleeping bags, happy, fulfilled and more than ready for next year.
For more information about GuilFest, see www.guilfest.co.uk.
Words & Photos: Meg Rowell
