On The Meadow Festival (Part 1 - Afternoon session, Artaca, Stereo Cupid et al)

I spent my Saturday at a music festival in a brewery. I had been looking forward to this for a while as it is right up my street -  a whole day of indie guitar bands, most new to me. Its really a great idea - a lot of little known bands all brought together with the chance to play to a larger audience than any of them individually could muster. 

The mastermind of the operation is a young man called Leo Gerchen, who is lead singer of Emergency Break. He put the whole thing together and was very visible throughout. A proper livewire. Anyway, more of him anon when his band actually play - see next entry. Suffice to say the day built up beautifully, the later acts justifying their later billing.

I didn't get the best of starts personally. The venue is in a business Park in Walthamstow off the Blackhorse Road. Unfortunately I went in completely the wrong direction coming out of the tube station so the journey took about 10 minutes longer than it should have done. Which would have been neither here nor there had it not been raining cats and dogs. And normally I would have checked on my phone sooner to make sure I was going the right way, but didn't because of the downpour. Suffice to say I was soaked on arrival and cursing my incompetence.

As you can see above, the venue really is a brewery. There is an amount of floor space next to the huge vats of beer which is where the crowd goes with a stage put up at one end and the bar at the back. Unlike bigger festivals, the beer selection is excellent - craft beers here, so unlike more expensive festivals, you can drink premium beers rather than just being charged premium prices for the shittest beers on the market.

Archangels

Despite my unhappy detour I still arrived in time to see the first act. Which was not a happy experience. They were a girl punk band (with late substitute male bass player) who were genuinely one of the worst acts I have ever seen. I mean, I grew up with punk, understand the ethos of just getting up and playing, its not meant to be polished etc. You don't expect operatic voices. But this was just painful. In the extreme. Basically just screeching vocals. But even the screaming was flat and out of tune, if there was a tune to be out of. Honestly words cannot express how awful they were. So that did leave me somewhat fearful for the rest. Fortunately there was a very steep improvement after that.  

But at the end of the set there was one good bit of news. The guitarist announced that this was their last but one ever gig. The world is saved. (Ok not from war and pestilence but at least from their caterwauling. Baby steps...)

President Elect

I had to ask the drummer afterwards what his band were called. They were introduced, and the lead singer mentioned their name a couple of times too, but its interesting how, without context, its hard to pick up what is said. I heard "Present Light", and then "Private Life", or so I thought. However, they did nothing to make me want to see them again. By no means bad, but the vocals were no great shakes, the guitar work better. But full credit to the drummer who filled in as substitute drummer for Stereo Cupid later on, as well as helped out at the ticket desk. (He looked like the brother of the lead singer.)

Mega Sun Machine

Crap name for a band, but the first band on the bill that impressed me musically. Lead singer had a good voice. 4 guys and 2 girls, the girl on keyboards also contributing to vocals which gave a bit of variation. They offered stage presence too. From Southampton. Probably alone among the bands in that they didn't have a "fan club". It was quite noticeable how the audience changed throughout the day. Tickets were cheap enough that you could come and see just the one band that you liked. But  many of these acts, even the execrable openers, had a group of friends who gave noisy support to their mates on stage. Which is nice and contributes to the atmosphere.

Artaca

I had seen this outfit three times before, always as a support act to someone else. They impress me a lot. I think they have changed a guitarist since I saw them last. And this time did no covers

The main man is clearly lead singer Oscar. This was the best I have heard his vocals. Not a foot wrong. They do sound very good. What they don't have, to my ear, is a banging tune yet. And they lack excitement on stage. Very laid back approach

Stereo Cupid

If Artaca lack excitement on stage, Stereo Cupid offer it in spades. Aggressive, in your face rock led by a gobby Manc. What's not to like? Honestly they were great fun and gave it their all. They are also a nice bunch of lads to which I can testify as I bumped into them on the way home on the tube. By which time they were well pissed having been drinking solidly since their performance at least three hours before. They insisted on entertaining me, and the carriage, with a rendition of Take Me Out!

Very striking looking chap on guitar - very tall and hair dyed what I can only describe as bronze. You could spot him a mile off. Like a beacon.

Getting hot on stage as lead singer never stopped bouncing around or prowling across his domain

And you have heard the expression sweating blood. Well they were sweating a lot, but this chap on guitar also cut his finger, leaving his guitar covered in blood which he needed to wipe off after every song with hastily proffered kitchen towel. The red stuff on the photo really is flecks of blood.

Now two of them shirtless and continuing to thrash away with northern swagger (although the Manc lead singer told me he actually lived in Clapham!). And he somehow managed to cut his lip during the performance so also was bleeding down his chin. Truly giving it all, with two of them now bleeding for their art!.

The Utopiates

So Stereo Cupid were quite some act to follow. But The Utopiates were one of the more surprising acts of the day. Another Manchester, or at least Northern band. They offered more of a dance vibe than any of the other acts. Much more restrained on stage (hence far fewer photos - they just didn't do a lot), but sounded great. Playing Stoke Newington in September according to the lead singer, so might go.

So I will cut this review off at this stage with four acts to go, so into what I might describe as the evening session. Saves this being too long an entry (which you might think it is already!) Suffice to say really starting to enjoy the gig, although getting a bit stiff. By the end I had been standing for over 9 hours. Normally at such events I would have a front barrier to lean on. But there was no barrier just a comparatively high stage, too low to lean upon, too high to sit on. Although fine for resting one's beer. Also a good sized stage. Plenty of room for acts to move about.