Alongside my favourite ever festival, which were always the Wickerman events, I have always endeavoured to attend other festivals in Scotland so was intrigued to hear of a new one called Connect in 2007. We decided to attend the debut event as for us it had a dream bill of four of my favourite ever bands, (if Carlsberg did festivals!) and three of which appropriately were Scottish. Unfortunately, the festival only lasted one more year and was scrapped thereafter due to high running costs, which was a shame as it turned out to be a belting event.
The setting was the idyllic Inverary Castle, located on the banks of Loch Fyne in Argyll and was badged as the first ever ‘boutique’ festival and was aimed at a more mature audience with the bonus of a real ale tent saving you from the ‘delights’ of Tennents Lager!
The first conundrum was bagging accommodation and Uncle George played a blinder by finding us some digs above a pub on the main drag in Arrochar. We then decided to undertake the trip by train as we always like to avoid driving if there is a viable alternative. The Preston to Glasgow leg was easy but the second part needing planning as there were very sparse trains onwards to Arrochar.
So, on the Friday, we arrived in good time for the 12.22 from Queen Street to Oban, because the next train was not for another four hours. Once the train traversed through the industrial area north of Glasgow it turned into a very scenic route with a steep uphill section bringing us into our destination of Arrochar and Tarbet.
The pub owners very graciously picked us from the station as it was a good mile walk into the town. We grabbed some hearty food and a couple of cold ones and then headed to the nearby bus stop for the ‘regular’ buses to the site…
An hour later we were still stood there and there was a small group of us now gathered but no sign of any transport. One of the brethren rang up to complain and astonishingly a taxi arrived which I think was free to take us to our destination.
As we walked up to the entrance, we encountered a young lass with the heaviest most overladen backpack I have ever seen replete with pots and pans (literally the kitchen sink!) who it transpired had travelled in from Manchester. Chivalry kicked in and we took in turns to carry the lead weight into the site, joking afterwards that we could have been inadvertent drug mules!
We watched Aerogramme’s last ever show on the Guitars and Other Machines stage, they were a very decent post-rock band from Glasgow. We also saw Vector Lovers, Baillie and the Fault, Numbers DJ’s and an enjoyable set from electro band Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS).
The first of the big hitters on the main stage was Jesus and Mary Chain, who I was seeing for the sixth time, but for first time for nine years since a chaotic Liverpool show on their final tour in 1998. Despite the inclement weather, they were excellent. We also witnessed a little of the headliners Beastie Boys before an infinitely smoother return journey to our digs where we were allowed to take a ‘one for the ditch’ Guinness upstairs at last orders.
On the Saturday, we managed to pick up a standard bus that dropped us in the small town of Inverary with its two pubs, the George Hotel, and the Anchor Inn. The George particularly was a lovely establishment with lodgings that Gill and I utilised a few years later whilst travelling to Mull. On the way to catching the ferry at Oban, you pass Loch Awe which lives up to its moniker. Mull itself was a beautiful island and we had one of our best meals ever at Café Fish in Tobermory. The restaurant looked like a transport café from the outside, but the food was astoundingly good.
Back to the festival, we arrived early specially to see my new favourite band the Hold Steady who I only caught for the first time a month early in Manchester and they did not disappoint. This time, we only got a truncated thirty-five-minute set, but they were still compelling viewing. We also witnessed Rilo Kiley and a segment of Primal Scream’s headline set.
The two acts prior to the headliners were of infinitely more interest to us, the initial one being the hardy perennials Teenage Fanclub and the latter the ever-magnificent Mogwai. More chaos then ensued at the coach pick up point, but we made it back eventually.
The Sunday consisted of a leisurely walk back to the station to await the opening train of the day back to Glasgow which landed at 14.09. In the interim we began to hear the distinct sound of a steam train hauling itself up the hill into the station which is always a sight to behold. It then sat on the platform for a spell, and we could see many contented punters being treated to a fine Sunday lunch and accompanying wine.