With the imposing Drumlanrig Castle in the background and verdant Dumfries forestry as far as the eye could see. Feast’s first impressions of the vibrant Electric Fields was promising.
Electric Fields has flourished since its inception only three years ago, and has been collecting accolades since.
To get the full festival experience, Feast camped out and experienced the most chilled-out, friendly campsite we have ever encountered. There are definitely no numpties trying to sing ‘Wonderwall’ at five in the morning.
Stunning surroundings, happy campers, a truly stellar line-up and the sunshine beating down, Electric Fields was off to an absolute flier!
Electric Fields Review
With the imposing Drumlanrig Castle in the background and verdant Dumfries forestry as far as the eye could see. Feast’s first impressions of the vibrant Electric Fields was promising.
Electric Fields has flourished since its inception only three years ago, and has been collecting accolades since.
To get the full festival experience, Feast camped out and experienced the most chilled-out, friendly campsite we have ever encountered. There are definitely no numpties trying to sing ‘Wonderwall’ at five in the morning.
Stunning surroundings, happy campers, a truly stellar line-up and the sunshine beating down, Electric Fields was off to an absolute flier!
Glasgow garage-rock band, Sweaty Palms were the first band of the weekend. Having, previously heard the band’s ‘Hollywood Wax’, Feast were intrigued. Therefore, when the band appeared on stage dressed as cosmic warlords, we were not disappointed.
Sweaty Palms delivered a reverb-heavy, psych rock set with frontman Robbie Houston snarling along. The set was reminiscent of early The Horrors, interbred with The Stooges, their set on the Tim Peak’s stage was short, loud and definitely entertaining.
Baby Strange have been building acclaim with their punk-rock anthems who up the ante and started the festival proper. The band also dedicated their set to the late Gary Watson. Although the band flew through their high energy set full of dark ferocious tracks, it was a touching moment.
The Charlatans closed Friday with a greatest hits set with ‘Weirdo’, ‘North Country Boy’ ‘Just When You’re Thinking Things Over’ set the scene for the mass sing-along, with the fest ‘How High’ still sounded fresh and rousing. Whilst ‘The Only one I Know’ delighted old fans and new.
The Charlatans delivered a rousing set, full of atmospheric anthems which closed the first day perfectly.
Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5 thrilled one of the biggest crowds in the Saturday afternoon sunshine. The band can be spotted well before they are on stage, sporting the Yellow Movement canary yellow stage outfits. The band have built up a sizeable following for their upbeat shows.
The band genre-hop, lead mass sing-along about International Sex Heroes and Gay Icons and get the whole crowd to walk across the road (the whole crowd walked/danced from one side of the stage to the other in unison), there is also a dance-off and a crowd surfing unicorn.
The Colonel leads the crowd, in a dancing, hugging and laughing set, which sounds like some zany hybrid of Electric Six, Primal Scream, Frank Zappa and some crazy technicolour kid’s TV show.
It’s yellow, it’s fun, it’s a bit trippy and it involves everyone. Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5 deliver a true festival experience.
Feast caught the very end of ONR’s set but were impressed. Having only played a handful of gigs, the band looked confident and assured, sounding like early The Killers, it appears like the band are off to a promising start.
Honeyblood’s excellent afternoon set was full of lo-fi punk and melodic delights. With new track ‘Ready For The Magic’ highlights a feisty direction.
White delivered one of the sets of the weekend and it’s only a matter of time before the band grace much bigger stages.
The band set the scene and started whipping the crowd up, by sending huge bouncing balloons into the crowd which bounced back and forth throughout the set.
White look the part, and definitely have the future hits to back up the hype. ‘Future Pleasures’ furiously mixes, funk guitar, with a huge dose of post-disco pop a la Haircut 100 and ABC.
Frontman Leo Condie channels Brett Anderson with Brian Ferry and there is some pair of lungs on the boy, as he delivers the falsetto art-pop vocals with aplomb. The singles sound like future sing-alongs, as the band romp through an exhilarating set.
Fat White Family gigs can be raucous affairs, and there is always a sense of not knowing what to expect from their gigs, as the band have built a reputation for onstage mayhem. Frontman Lias Saoudi strutted and sulked across the stage, swigging from a bottle as the band rattled through ‘Is It Raining In Your Mouth’ sending the previously genteel crowd into a frenzied bouncing throng.
Tracks from ‘Songs for Our Mothers’ sound tense, glam and almost claustrophobic, and the fist-pumping crowd lap it up.
Whilst ‘Whitest Boy On The Beach’ was a thrilling assault. Given the band’s press of anarchy which follows them around, the crowd seemed disappointed that the band did not seem intent on carnage but so long as the wheels don’t come flying off, FWF have the songs and presence to go further.
Primal Scream closed the festival with a rousing performance, blending the hits and new material ‘Moving On Up’, ‘Accelerator’ and ‘Some Velvet Morning’. Bobby Gillespie held the crowd in his palm as he prowled around the stage. The band then hit the crowd with the arsenal of ‘Swastika Eyes’, ‘Rocks’ ‘Country Girl’ and ‘Loaded’. A truly electrifying finale.
Electric Fields was a fantastic weekend, and encompasses what all festivals should strive for. For an event of its size, the line-up more than delivers, coupled with a fantastic setting and friendly crowd.
Electric Fields was a glorious way to say goodbye to the summer. Roll on 2017.
Posted by Stacy Rowan
Sweaty Palms Interview
Feast’s Stacy Rowan met up with Boabby (Robbie Houston, vocals & guitar) and Rachel (keys) from reverb-soaked garage band Sweaty Palms after their rousing set at Electric Fields.
Nice stage attire! Where did you get the costumes from? (The band were still dressed in their warlock capes get up)
Boaby: Ebay! We got them off a guy that specialises in Medieval costume wear! I dunno where he
got the silver ones from, they’re a bit cosmic!
Rachel: I loved it! I loved it!
What are the biggest band influences?
Boaby: Nick Cave! Gunclub, Big Neds!
Band: Big Neds! Jacob Yates!
Boaby: Jacob Yates! Dale Barclay…Big Bellies!
Dream festival line-up, who would join you on the main stage?
Boaby: Bob Dylan
Band: Big Neds!
Boaby: Uncle John & Whitelock. Bernie Sanders has an album! Devo!
Rachel: The B-52s (the band agree)
Boaby: We’re opening a door here…
What’s happening next? What can we expect in terms of album and a single?
Boaby: Rachel is pregnant so we’re going to hold off. (Band all start laughing). We’re going to give
it a year or so then bring out the album hopefully. We’ll be busy raising a child!
Rachel: It’s going to be a cult!
Some up the band in 3 words.
Boaby: Sh**e! Miserable! C***s!
The band are still falling about laughing, and decide to get some gin.
Boaby: Mon the gin!