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Wizard Festival 2009

New Deer, Near Ellon, Aberdeenshire, 29th August 2009

Featured Artists: Buzzcocks The Charlatans

Now into its third year, Wizard - Aberdeenshire`s biggest music festival - proved a big hit last weekend. A shorter bill on Friday drew the likes of The Levellers, The Beat, Idlewild and novelty Scottish act the Red Hot Chili Pipers and, with the weather changeable but largely on our side, a few thousand Scottish music fans reconvened at the New Deer Showground in Aberdeenshire on Saturday 29th August for a full day`s musical entertainment.

With four stages, 35 acts, a well-stocked beer tent and an impressive selection of eateries (including, joy, a stovies van) the Wizard festival delivered all you`d expect from a show of this size and enjoyed one of the friendliest crowds as a result. Here`s a run down of some of the performances we managed to catch.

We arrived on site just in time to catch Mancunian folk act The Travelling Band on the Voodoo Stage, the first of many acts today to have uprooted from Lancashire and aptly, given their name, made the 380 mile journey Northwards. A six piece with more hair than a Metallica moshpit, they initially give us semi-acoustic pleasantries with nods to alt. Country - such as `Biding My Time` which makes an early appearance in a set that constantly sees Adam Gorman and Jo Dudderidge swap lead vocal duties. They dedicate the fourth song in their set to Proud Mary who are waiting in the wings and, although it`s not their best, it builds to an impressive finish thanks largely to the added zing of a Korg synthesizer.

A tentswell has more to do with the inclement weather than the band`s switch to upbeat country half way through but some of the crowd do take the band up on their demand to "get your dancing shoes on". However, for many assembled here this tempo change is unwelcome and their early promise is flushed out by their country rock moments. They absolutely lose the crowd during an acapella section and by their final track (a brief return to form) it is clear that this is a band with a split personality and sadly they seem to favour the weaker one.

Going from one six piece to another, next up is The Ray Summers on the horrendously named Freedom Stage. They are fronted by a guy with a Stuart Cable haircut and have a prediliction towards ska-tinged indie rock. One track which appeared to be called `The Valley` is uptempo, punky fun that turns into Zorba the Greek and is the best representative of their low-bill fayre. However, they project a confident version of themselves and recapture Britpop in the same way Kaiser Chiefs do, albeit not at the same level. But there`s no reason why they couldn`t reach the heights of, say, The Supernaturals with the correct exposure.

Of course, when six members is simply not enough, we find Edinburgh`s BombSKAre who reach double figures. Something of a rarity of the ska revival genre, this band don`t rely on Specials, Madness and Bad Manners covers and their own material stands up very well whether being sung in English or, impressively, Spanish. The singer moonstomps more enthusiastically than someone half his age. Most importantly, they seem to have the time if their lives with every gig.

One song is dedicated to and named after Lloyd Knibb, the drummer of The Skatalites, who they declare is the patron saint of the band. In fact, the only conceivable cover they do play is a few bars of Monty Norman`s `James Bond Theme` towards the end of their final song (cleverly made a medley when they`re told they`ve only time for one more). The hard-skanking audience would have loved more.

Although back in the Freedom tent there`s a serious decrease in personnel for trio The Virginmarys, there is also a monumental increase in decibels from this hard rock outfit. At best, and on a song which appears to be called `Bang Bang Bang`, they sound like a pissed off version of The Who but ironically with really boring, albeit forceful, drums. Unfortunately they fail rather spectacularly to keep a crowd in their tent and it isn`t long before we have to move on.

However, we probably all wished we hadn`t. It`s a wonder Proud Mary have never made it. Despite being talked up by Noel Gallagher and playing the straight, no bullshit rock that they do, they`ve never progressed above mid bill at even the smallest festivals. Their songs are well played yet extremely formulaic and at least their hats are impressive. But that`s largely the end of the plaudits. I guess this kind of music needs the character of, say, the Gallaghers as it simply does not stand out without ballsy charisma. A reasonably busy tent seem happy but they`re unlikely to tell their friends about it.

Somehow it`s amazing that some tracks are just a few notes and a bunch of talent away from the likes of Teenage Fanclub that it can come across as so mind-numbing live. When the pace does quicken, it sound so excruciatingly Lynyrd skynyrd that they may as well just play `Freebird` and get it over with.

Escaping for the day`s first visit to the relatively small Banshee Tent, the next act up are Aberdeen`s local heroes The Little Kicks. The tent is full reflecting the band`s pull in the Aberdeen area and both the band and the sound are on top form. After an unscheduled solo from their drummer which clearly surprises the other members, they kick into what is the best song I`ve heard today. After a series of acts so heavily influenced by Twentieth Century sounds (and some very tedious with it), the Kicks are the first act today that actually make you believe it`s the Twenty-First Century and little bursts of wah wah really help add further originality to the set.

Singer Stevie Milne wears an Ungdomskulen t-shirt and dedicates `Such A Shame That We Don`t Talk Any More` To Noel and Liam Gallagher. The band always seem to move with the zeitgeist and when they`re on form (as they are today) it`s something to behold. The tent empties somewhat when The Cuban Brothers arrive on the Voodoo Stage, but more fool them as the Kicks` set remains strong with the Franz Ferdinand-style `You Can`t Stand the Sight of Me`.

Everyone`s favourite Celtic-Cuban brotherhood are, however, a perfect festival band and you never know how much of their hilarious banter to believe. Certainly the very vocal Miguel Mantovani is hiding more than just his schlong in those gold, sparkly shorts. But there`s no hiding their skill as entertainers. Whether it be figure-defying dance ability, vocal dexterity or sure fire fun, they deliver brilliantly.

Most songs seem to regard going out and having a good time, getting down, showing out and the like. But it`s the excellent in between banter, replete with local geographical knowledge that gives their performance such appeal. After throwing his vest to the crowd, Mantovani gives us a rendition of Q-Tip`s `Breathe and Stop` over Michael Jackson`s `Don`t Stop Till You Get Enough` (a la the DJ Skillmaster bootleg) before a crowd pleasing breakdance routine through Banbarra`s `Shack Up` and DJ Kool`s `Let Me Clear My Throat`. They end with a version of Lionel Richie`s `All Night Long` in only their underpants. Seeexy...

Former Big Country member Bruce Watson, over on the Banshee Stage, is hilariously deadpan...and his set is beset by sound problems. Not only does the sound engineer forget to stop the mix CD when Watson takes to the stage but this is an acoustic show producing unexpected feedback (Jesus and Mary chain unplugged anyone?) Problems aside, what he does do (with co-guitarist and son Jamie) is fabulous frenetic folk. With a backing tape providing percussion and bleeps over his rather Dylan-esque, nasal vocal ("we`re the Hunan League now" he quips) they`re an entertaining act.

Quite a lot has been written about Twisted Wheel (named after the famous Northern Soul night in their native Manchester) and quite rightly as this three piece have a bright future. Singer Jonny Brown drips with sweat, hunched over the mic. He really drives a band which is completed by Birdland-haired bassist Rick Lees and the steadfast rhythmical timekeeping of drummer Adam Clarke. At times tonight Brown is reminiscent of a young James Dean Bradfield and he`s undoubtedly star in the making. Their final track gains a big reaction, even if the crowd is unnaturally small for a main stage act third on the bill.

However, the tent soon swells for tonight`s next band from Manchester, the legendary Buzzcocks and their own brand of "dad-rock". Featuring original members Pete Shelley and a very animated Steve Diggle, they kick off with their early favourite `Boredom` - Diggle playing up at all times to the crowd, pointing out particular members and Shelley all the while giving him theatrical looks of disapproval. As promised, the set is full of former hits: `Fast Cars`, `I Don`t Mind` and `Autonomy` appear in quick succession before Steve pulls a range of age-defying moves during `Why Can`t I Touch It?`.

The tent is packed with everyone from old punks to young bucks enthusiastically singing along, particularly during `Harmony in my Head` where Diggle actually offers the mic-stand out to the front row and the classic "What Do I Get?`. With ten minutes still on the clock they depart for a quick breather and come back with `Oh Shit!` and huge crowd reactions (pointing and pogoing aplenty) for `Ever Fallen in Love` and `Orgasm Addict` which culminates in Diggle throwing his guitar off stage, then the mic stand, then quite probably himself. Punk ain`t dead, it`s just improved with age.

Speaking of old glories, Tim Burgess of The Charlatans has regrown the famous bowl cut of the early 90s and Christ does he look good - even if he clearly dyes that famous moptop. To my delight, 1992`s swirling organ classic `Weirdo` gets an early airing. with Tim moving snakelike to it`s whirling melodies. When `Bad Days` and `Tellin Stories` gets big reactions shortly afterwards, it comes as some relief to realise the band are intent on playing a hit-heavy festival headline slot tonight. I always think bands sound better in small venues and, having only ever seen The Charlatans at big festivals and on huge stages, this is a small personal treat.

Newer material like `Blackened Blue Eyes` sounds so much better up close and, mixed with plenty old stuff, the blend is just right. For instance, a surprise appearance of `Happen to Die` from 1992`s `Tremolo EP` with its orgasmic organ solo sounds fantastic alongside the more obvious highlights from a twenty year career....and when `The Only One I Know` creeps in there`s a huge cheer with tentwide dancing, even though Tim`s vocal has a slightly resigned sound to it. The rest of the band are immense, however, and, yes, it is abridged somewhat. Their biggest ever hits `Hey Country Boy` and `One to Another` follow and are given similarly quick run throughs. But, again, the crowd love it singing back every word.

The Charlatans blew musical forefathers Buzzcocks off stage tonight. This was a brilliant gig by another veteran Manchester act but one with such a full, round sound that it`s impossible not to be caught up in it. Closer `This Is The End` encapsulates what went before perfectly. It`s a rabble rouser that the Stone Roses would be proud of.

Old favourite `How High` starts off the encore. Again it`s played at breakneck speed, even more than originally, before a much-appreciated appearance for `Sproston Green` sends a few thousand Scots home happy.

Posted on 6 September 2009 by Richard Brown

Tags: Wizard Festivals The Charlatans Buzzcocks Twisted Wheel Bruce Watson The Cuban Brothers The Little Kicks Proud Mary The Virginmarys BombSKAre The Ray Summers The Travelling Band Aberdeen

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Wizard Festival 2009

New Deer, Near Ellon, Aberdeenshire, 29th August 2009

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