The countdown to Glasgowbury has begun and for those of you who can’t quite decide which acts to see, Chordblossom’s advice would be to try and pick up a copy of the Glasgowbury sampler, free with last week’s issue of Hot Press magazine. A fantastic sixteen track showcase of talent from both sides of the border, this is the perfect CD to accompany your drive up to Eagle’s Rock, giving you a crash course in what the festival has to offer. Don’t panic if you’ve missed it, however, as Chordblossom is at hand to give you all the information you need, as well as some helpful links to the artists themselves:
Farriers
The Time – 9.20pm
The Place – Eagle’s Rock stage
http://www.farriersmusic.com
‘Another One Rising’ is a perfect slice of Americana fused with the Irish roots embedded in Farriers musical influences. As the standout plucking of the guitar and the gradual introduction of the strings section conjures up images of the dusty, old west, the lyrics paint a very different picture indeed. The dual vocals of Stephen Macartney and Rachel Coulter really stand out and almost give the band a Fleetwood Mac flavour. This is one band who are guaranteed to have you tapping your feet and clapping along at this years festival.
The Man Whom
The Time – 6.30pm
The Place – Eagle’s Rock stage
http://themanwhom.com
‘Sing Till There’s No Songs Left’ is a warm, gentle song by Wexford singer-songwriter The Man Whom AKA Ian Doyle. A song about enjoying the moment, and living in the here and now, complete with an uplifting jaunty brass section, there still is an underlying melancholy throughout as the singer is intent on keeping his focus away from the “thoughts that were pulling me down” mentioned in the opening lyric. Images of drunken revelry, singing in the sunshine and not quite getting all the words right does share parallels with the Glasgowbury festival spirit.
Our Krypton Son
The Time – 2.20pm
The Place – G Sessions stage
http://soundcloud.com/our-krypton-son
Twinkling piano keys and Chris McConaghy’s somber, echoey vocals make up the shoe-gazing, dreamy track that is ‘Catalonian Love Song’. Clearly inspired by the likes of Tom Waits, the Derry based singer-songwriter knows how to create an atmosphere, as the song has a spooky, gothic quality lingering throughout. Having recently released his second single, “Plutonium” Our Krypton Son is poised to make a name for himself as one of Northern Ireland’s most treasured songwriters.
Amidships
The Time – 12.50pm
The Place – G Sessions stage
http://amidships.net
A song about soul-searching that seems to be both downbeat and uplifting at the same time,’The One’ by Amidships carry on the shoe-gazing sentimentality with slow drawn-out atmospheric guitars and deep, dark vocals that only offer hope during the chorus. Similar musically to Grandaddy or The Beta Band, Amidships bring a warm style of lo-fi rock to the indie genre that is not worth missing out on.
Silhouette
The Time – 5.15pm
The Place – Small But Massive stage
http://silhouetteofficial.com
From providing backing vocals to Snow Patrol’s show at Belfast City Hall last year to infiltrating our homes thanks to the NI tourism board ads, it’s been an exciting year for Shauna Tohill and Silhouette. “Can’t Keep Up” is a fantastic example of a well-crafted pop song that gets stuck in your head for days, singing it to yourself in work so expect plenty of audience participation during her set at this year’s festival.
RunawayGO
The Time – 6.30pm
The Place – G Sessions stage
http://runawaygo.com
It has been a groundbreaking year for RunawayGO. From launching their outstanding self-titled EP to touring Ireland, RunawayGo are making waves both sides of the border. The video for ‘Electric’ is a testament to the band’s careful songwriting, as David Jackson and Fiona O’Kane sing about coming to terms with ending a relationship in a way that is powerful, aggressive and downright enjoyable.
Intermission
The Time – 3.35pm
The Place – Small But Massive stage
http://intermission.bandcamp.com
Intermission have been one of the hardest working bands to come from Derry in recent years as in the space of a year they’ve released not one but two impressive EPs. Combining shredding guitars and Glenn Rosborough’s trademark vocals, ‘Gotta Give’ is the opening track of their most recent release “Beauty of Chaos” and contains all the hallmarks of an anthem in the making.
Therapy?
The Time – 11pm
The Place – Small But Massive stage
Northern Ireland’s own Godfathers of Rock Therapy? make a very welcome return by headlining the festival. Dust off your copy of Troublegum for the journey up, as the boys playing on home turf is a rare treat these days so you can guarantee it will be a show packed full of greatest hits. From their thirteenth album A Brief Crack of Light comes the single ‘Living In The Shadow Of a Terrible Thing’ – a schizophrenic, ballsy held together by a mischievous guitar riff proving that after all these years Therapy? can still show the rest of the alternative rock scene just how it’s done.
LaFaro
The Time – 8.20pm
The Place – G Sessions Stage
http://www.lafaro.co.uk
LaFaro’s ever skyrocketing popularity knows no bounds thanks to their original beer-swilling style of cheeky hard rock and clever vocals that send spit-flying. “Settle Petal” may not be the angstiest track from the band, but with a hypnotically alluring rhythm and lyrics filled with character, the track has all the bearings of a very Northern Irish stoner rock track.
Droids
The Time – 2.30pm
The Place – Spurs of Rock Stage
The vocals on ‘Astromech and Protocol’ begin with a synchronised chanting during the verses before going rogue and unleashing a sound not dissimilar to the likes of At the Drive In. Chunky guitar riffs are at the centre of the Droids sound so don’t be surprised if you get trapped in a mosh pit during their set as they pop their Glasgowbury cherry. Loud, angsty and fierce, Droids are definitely ones to watch out for.
Fighting With Wire
The Time – 8.10pm
The Place – Small But Massive Stage
http://fightingwithwire.co.uk
‘Dead Memory’ was originally available as a B-side (if you can still call them that in this digital era) to the single ‘Colonel Blood’. However, it has all the markings of being a strong candidate for a hit single material itself which is probably why it has been included in this collection. The eagerly awaited second album from this Derry based rock outfit is just around the corner, so Glasgowbury revellers are in for a treat as they prepare to unleash a plethora of new tracks.
Pocket Billiards
The Time – 6.05pm
The Place – Small But Massive stage
http://www.pocketbilliards.co.uk
Cheeky ska punk rockers Pocket Billiards have received an upgrade after packing out the Spurs of Rock tent at last year’s festival. It’s hard to believe that this band has been gigging for a decade and yet still show no signs of slowing down. From their recent album “Last Chance to Dance” comes the track “So Many People, So Little Time” which shows the band softer side and is a welcome change of pace from the rabble rousing favourites. Still, Pocket Billiards made quite the impact at last year’s festival and will make no bones about smashing that record this time around.
Paddy Nash & The Happy Enchiladas
The Time – 10.20pm
The Place – Eagle’s Rock stage
http://paddynash.co.uk
‘Works of Art’ is guaranteed to make your feet move and put a smile on your face. The lyrics are both funny and thought-provoking, as they celebrate faith in humanity and individuality. That’s the appeal of Paddy Nash – his ability to craft songs that relate to the everyman, taking imagery from his surroundings and the people he meets.
Master and Dog
The Time – 2.45pm
The Place – Small But Massive stage
http://masteranddog.bandcamp.com
‘Canada’ is the latest single from Master and Dog, a band who have their roots spread across the whole of Ireland. Their latest single, “Canada” is a breezy, soft indie track with a singalong chorus that has the raspy vocals of Walter inviting us to “take my hand, I’ll show you what I’m made off.” The song progression builds grandeur, creating an almost orchestral atmosphere by the end, defining “Canada” as a truly inspirational song.
The Jepettos
The Time – 1pm
The Place – Eagle’s Rock stage
http://thejepettos.bandcamp.com
Taking their name from the creator of Pinocchio, so to the Jepettos have vowed to breathe new life into their wood instruments. The gentle duelling vocals of Mike and Ruth Aicken perfectly complement the collection of ukuleles, glockenspiels and clarinets.The Derry based five-piece folk band have a sound that is sweet and fragile, with Goldrush perfectly highlighting this with a song that sounds like it has been ripped straight from the pages of a fairy tale.
Marc O’Reilly
The Time – 4.50pm
The Place – Eagle’s Rock stage
http://www.marcoreillymusic.com
“20 Minutes for 2 Years” by Irish acoustic roots musician Marc O’Reilly closes the CD with an acoustic folk roots song about how breaking up is hard to do. It’s a song that really hits hard for anyone who has had their heart broken and has believed they are due some sort of closure. This is a truly beautiful song from an artist who seems to be at his best whilst wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Of course, these acts are just the tip of the iceberg for what the festival has to offer. Spread over six stages, showcasing some of the best talent Ireland, both North and South, have to offer there’s plenty going on at Glasgowbury whether you’re a hardened festival veteran, or on a road trip with the family. See you up the mountain!
