Tag: Wickerman Festival

Connect Festival 2007

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!  

Inverary Castle. Image credit johansens.com

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.

Arrochar and Tarbet station. Image credit geography.org.uk

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.   

Wickerman Festival 14

A degree of sadness pervades as I draft this week’s blog as it details the fourteenth and last ever Wickerman Festival to be held which took place on 24/25 July 2015. There were rumours for over a year around the future of the event, eventually resulting in the confirmation later in 2015 that Wickerman would be no more leaving a huge chasm in my annual gig calendar!

On the bill were the Waterboys, who I recall I first become aware of when they played the Tube on a Friday teatime on Channel 4, also playing were Squeeze whose set I enjoyed. Glasgow post punks Catholic Action and electronic synth band Ubre Blanca, bizarrely named after Fidel Castro’s favourite cow were also in residence, alongside Errors, Belle and the Beast, Beth Fourage, Be Charlotte, Wayne Devre Set, Sister Fox, Vaselines and the grungy Tuff Love.  

The punk contingent was covered by Amphetameanies and stalwarts Eddie and the Hot Rods with their timeless Top 10 hit ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’, their only constant member being singer Barrie Masters, prior to his death in 2019. 

Cellist Calum Ingram headlined the Acoustic Tent and the reggae/ska corner had Jimmy Cliff with his ‘Many Rivers to Cross’. There was hip-hop from Hector Bizerk and main stage performances from Lulu, Stereo MC’s, the ever-impressive Neneh Cherry and Pere Ubu who I did once own one album by, namely ‘The Tenement Year’ however the only song I can recall is ‘George Had a Hat’.  

Neneh Cherry. Image Credit djdmac.com

Folk tones were ensured by Glasgow five-piece Washington Irving, John Bramwell, frontman from I Am Kloot, Chichester’s Tom Odell, Novantae! from Galloway and Rick Redbeard which was the solo performer stage name for Rick Anthony, lead singer for the Phantom Band.   

My notes also inform me that I saw SLUG who were promoting their debut album ‘Ripe’ though I cannot recall their performance. In the last two or three years they have received a lot more attention and received considerable radio airplay from the likes of Mark Reilly.

Aiden Moffett (of Arab Strap fame) and Bill Wells were also on the roster. We also headed over to the third stage to see the excellent Pains of Being Pure at Heart, who I was watching for the fifth and final time before their subsequent break up.

Many of my favourite Scottish bands had played this festival over the years including Teenage Fanclub, The View, The Proclaimers, Idlewild, Aerogramme and The Rezillos to name a few, however the cream of the crop Mogwai had never graced the festival.

This was partially rectified by Stuart Braithwaite, Mogwai main singer appearing for a solo set on the Acoustic stage which we obviously attended. I managed to have a brief photo shoot and chat with him and who knows if there had have been a following year perhaps Mogwai might have played, we shall never know! 

John Dewhurst, Uncle George, Stuart Braithwaite and me replete with dubious festival hat in the Acoustic Tent. Image Credit Mrs Braithwaite.

So, before we depart the South West Scotland amphitheatre permit me, if I may to take you on a final tour of the site. From the initial taxi/bus drop off point you would traverse through the tents to the wristband collection point then onto the main entrance which in reality was a hole in the wall.

Opposite the entrance you could purchase a stage times list before turning left past the funfair, circus or cinema, dependant on what they chosen to incorporate that particular year. Onwards past the Acoustic Tent, behind which in later years there was a craft beer and Mojito tent.

At the apex of the hill was the shop, Third Stage and Solus and Scooter Tents, of which the latter in the early years resembled a Mash Tent where they had stellar DJ’s playing. From here, you had a superb vantage to watch the Wickerman burning at midnight on the Saturday night. I seem to recall one year they had a little mini golf course next to the statue.  

Traversing down the hill rolled you past the VIP area and main beer tent, where occasionally bash em up bands would play. In the natural bowl was the main stage followed by the Dance and Silent Disco Tent. Just in advance of fully circling back to the main entrance you would find the fabulous Reggae Tent which was always erected on an incline. This tent was a regular final stopping point of the evening where you could purchase a hot mug of tea and a flapjack whilst being dually soothed by the Bob Marley inspired soundtrack and stoned by the pungent aroma permeating all around.     

A couple of years later, when in attendance at another Scottish festival, one of the gig brethren said the festival was good, but it is not Wickerman and we all murmured in assent, I can think of no more fitting epitaph than that!