Entertainment For Lively Minds
LOCAL AUTHORITY MUSIC FESTIVALS
Every year in August the capital city of Wales(Cardiff) has a 3 day Council Tax sponsored 'free' festival titled 'Big Weekend'. In addition to the funfair that adorns the area around the City Hall there is a music event which this year featured Imelda May, Camera Obscura, The Lightning Seeds and The Zutons.
The latter 3 acts were the main feature of the final night. Camera 'very' Obscura made every song sound the same, Brodie's lot were without their keyboard player and The Zutons were so boring they felt it was their role to continually tell everyone it was a "free" gig.
The attitude of we've been paid and you can enjoy if you want to, probably explains the reason why their career is stagnating. Even 'Valerie' sounded tired and pedantic.
But this is not the reason for my comments, what really irked me was the sound system or lack of it. Clarity was not the order of the day on that final evening. While I made an early exit mid 'Valerie' the road crew were struggling to reinforce the speakers stage left as the Zutons set resembled a vibrating noise.
Someone somewhere hired the stuff that obviously didn't have a enough guts to support a 3 day music event in the open air. Perhaps I was spoilt by the system employed at the 'Hard Rock Calling' event in Hyde Park earlier in the summer.
Oh and one final thought never ever go to one of these events if it is sponsored by local radio, because no matter how much they try to be hip introducing the acts they would never ever play them on their station.
PS. By all accounts Imelda May had been very good on the previous evening.
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Croydon
There is an annual festival in Croydon which has a 'World Party' on the saturday and a Mela on the Sunday. Only 1300 to 2000 each day but generally good fun.
I have seen Jimmy Cliff, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Ojos de Brujo and Rachid Taha there as well as umpteen less well-known bands.
An on-site funfair possibly helps defray the costs, and loads of public service and community-type stalls help justify the event. I do feel a bit guilty going as I don't even live in Croydon, but a big thanks to all the Croydon taxpayers who help pay for my entertainment :)
The Ashton Court Festival in Bristol used to be brilliant...
..Super Furry Animals headlined one year, Robert Plant did another. Portishead and Spiritualised both headlined in 1998,
Sadly now defunct, ironically pretty much due to its increasing success and rising costs
Ashton Court
Walking back over the bridge at the end of the night was a disconcerting experience.
There was a freebie in Eastville Park too. I saw Dreadzone there in about 1997.
The Beat...
...headlined Basingstoke's festival this year.
I'm not a fan but they provided a stonking hour's entertainment and definitely weren't suffering from The Zuton factor.
UPDATE
Just to let you now that this year the Council Tax payers of Cardiff have forked out for the nondescript 'Feeder' to close the weekend. Other artists involved over the weekend are Athlete, The Phenomenal Handclap Band,Chaka Demus & Pliers, Pee Wee Ellis & The Funky Assembly.
All this from 30 July to 1 August.Guess I won't be going this year.
Some good, some bad.
My local council puts on 'Middlesbrough Music Live' which occasionally has some good acts on, usually tucked away somewhere. Headliners of the ilk of The Hoosiers, The Zutons or Tony Christie tend not to excite me, although I did enjoy Ash a few years ago.
Of more interest is next town over Stockton's Riverside Festival Fringe which this year over three days features; The Human League and The Lightning Seeds; Calvin Harris and British Sea Power; MERCURY REV(!), Justin Currie (out of Del Amitri, much beloved by some on here) and Goldheart Assembly. As well as support from less well known and local acts, and a comedy tent with some performers you might have even heard of. Not bad for free, and have had many an enjoyable afternoon and evening down there. Still can't believe they've got Mercury Rev though!
HOW MUCH?
Seeing as I started it and my knowledge of the North East is restricted to football teams. Who pays the higher Council Tax - M'boro or Stockton?
Wonder if any of us will have 'free' events when the condemolition gets to work?
Should local authorities be spending taxpayers
money on free festivals? I'm not altogether convinced that there aren't more important things to spend our money on these days.
Small, subsidised local affairs featuring local artists, maybe - but is there really any benefit in giving (say) the citizens of Cardiff a free Zutons gig or the citizens of Monmouth a free gig by the Automatic?
AGREED
Couldn't agree more Stimpy.
Citizens in Monmouth? What next - they'll want to be English!
Careful...
The nationality of Monmouth is a touchy subject round these parts :-)
Job lot
Do some of these artists go around in packs - I only ask because at Summer Sundae last year Imelda May and the Zutons were on the same bill. Imelda is a great live performer and will get you dancing no matter what. The Zutons were a pile of shit which is a shame because their first album was quite promising.