Truck Festival 13: 24-25th July 2010 (day one)

Truck Festival, Steventon 24th-25th July 2010

Just before the big commercial festivals kick off over the country, everyone’s favorite off the beaten path music fest, Truck was back this weekend celebrating its 13th birthday with its usual refreshing approach and we were there to join in the celebration of music in all forms old and new.

Day One (Saturday)

Having set up camp and initiated the new truckers among us just how brilliant Truck is, we headed for the music. It was a tough choice between perennial Oxford scene heavyweights Alphabet Backwards and the fantastically named Ace Bushy Striptease. My acquaintances chose the heavier option while I, surrounded by familiar faces, opted for one more…

1.15pm Alphabet Backwards

Appearing as a 5 piece with female backing for James’ endearingly upbeat vocals you may, in the past been able to go to an AB gig knowing exactly what was in store but they’re definitely sounding heavier today and along with Steph’s vocals they’re sounding all the better for it.

One thing that is always pleasantly surprising about these guys is their fanbase. The tent was packed here, despite the early afternoon slot, singing along to the old and giving a great reception to the new tracks; though I have to say those were excellent. There really is nothing not the like about them, a perfect start to the weekend.

Playing Collide on the village pub stage–

2pm Thomas Truax

To say there were confused glances as New Yorker Thomas Truax set up on the mainstage would really be underselling quite how bonkers the display was. Set to the soundtrack of a looped sound byte of what was presumabley him saying “this is only a soundcheck” he placed instruments on the stage that apparently, he invented himself and that I would be at pains to describe let alone label. All this aside however, this was nothing compared to what was to come later.

Casually meticulous would best describe double T’s approach to this show. He introduces “cannibals have kidnapped our Nicole Kidman” without irony as well as declaring it is to be played on his “… hornicator”. Pretty much from the get go I was penciling this in on the list of “weirdest things i’ve ever seen”. This was cemented when, on the next track we our greeted by his drummer “mother superior”.

For the third song he decided he would play everywhere else but the stage, with the crowd following. So many unique moments even during this single piece, fortunately I managed to keep up and get some great pictures-

His performance was mesmerizing, absolutely fascinating. It felt like we’d traveled back to Victorian England and were being given a demonstration on music of the future. All I know is I loved every second of this. Comparisons? Nick Cave on bad acid.

3pm Stornoway (acoustic)

A great addition this year is an (official) stage in the merch tent for acoustic performances of artists already playing full sets at Truck.

Reminiscent of the scene in the Village Pub last year, which was packed to bursting point. It’s intimate. It’s hot, but damnit it’s intimate! And what’s more, we’re in Oxford and it’s Stornoway!

Makeshift but hardly ramshackle. the Cowley boys set up and, as pointed out it’s almost superfluous introducing them. Opening up with “I saw you blink” from their debut album, Beachcomber’s windowsill followed by a majestic multi-string underscored version of the, nothing less than beautiful, Fuel Up. They saunter through an engaging 4 song set in front of an audience that will be 20 times bigger come the evening.

3.30pm Good Shoes

If only to differentiate them from the entiiirely differently monikered “Good Books” I headed for the village pub to the the shoe kind of good. Turns out, in the genre of Britindie, these boys also make the good kind.

Musically from the passion inspired school of musicianship GS guided a feverishly devoted crowd through their songs quite emperiously. And, it must be said, rarely do you see crowd surfing at half past three in the afternoon. In top gear they must be quite formidable.

4pm Tellison

A quick word on Thomas Tantrum, who were on before Tellison and whose set I caught the last 5 minutes of. I want to give them some props as an element was present in their performance here that was only hinted at on C.D and that is that they rock. Megan Thomas’ vocals may come across as overly sugary to some but take away the production and it’s actually quite raw adding to quite a heavy sound overall. Worth checking out if only to see which side of the fence you’re on.

Besides, if anyone was begging to have their face well and truly rocked off they had Tellison for that. Definitely in the Biffy Clyro mold for oh so many reasons, and may I say I made that comparison before I realized they were Scottish. Two lead vocalists drive this behemoth that is going down a storm here in the barn, in fact it’s easy to forget that’s where you are while watching these guys. That is to say they play like they’re playing a stadium, not that they make the smell disappear!

5pm Holly Miranda

Preferably I would have liked to preserve adjectives such as haunting for the ensuing Esben and the witch. Unfortunately for them, Holly Miranda’s performance is just that; beautifully haunting.

With fragile Chan Marshall-esque confessional vocals, her guitar playing is light yet accurate with the band giving her weighty emotions equal power with some pretty hefty riffs. Whether melancholy on record or poignantly powering home live, Holly Miranda is well worth your time.

5.50pm Esben and the witch

The rhythmic pounding of the drums and bassy drone that set the tone on record are very much in force here. These dripping, gothic vocals are in high demand this tea time o’clock with the barn operating a one in one out policy. They’re not a particular spectacle by any means though the persistent pounding coupled with dark washes of echoey ambience complete with their Oresteia inspired thematics do make for an enrapturing atmosphere.

Standout track Eumenides live in the barn-

6.50 Darwin Deez

I had to explain to quite a few people why I was missing first chunk of Stornoway’s main set. Basically, Darwin Deez is worth it. His jangly, guitar driven pop tunes could soundtrack any summer between 1980 and today, he’s kind of unmissable.

DD appeared in his traditional way oversized t-shirt with headband holding back his incomprehensible curls. The sparse instrumentation of his debut are done away with live for a full band which does render some of the tracks a little less recognizable but for his unmistakable vocals. Do check his tunes out though, he really is great.

Radar Detector Live at in the barn-

7pm Stornoway

The local-boys-come-good made their second appearence of the day, fulfilling their truck destiny and playing the mainstage. It felt like a real home coming gig, a celebration of all they’ve achieved in the past year; headline tours, the sheldonian, a top 15 album and here Brian is genuine in his thanks to the local crowd.

Under a beautiful ocean blue sky with whisps of white cottoning the sun’s blaze they showcased a set very much in line with what they’ve been playing on tour, complete with borderline genius cover of Black Box’s ride on and rightly so. Just as the album was a record of the band from their conception to 2009, this was Stornoway coming home to fill us in on what they’ve been up to and what’s in store for the future and quite rightly too as though Stornoway’s output up to today is comforting and familiar, it’s what is to come that is the most exciting.

Saturday Headline- Mew

Mew, widely accepted as one of the best live bands in the world today, playing Truck was another “look how far we’ve come” moment for the coming of age festival.

Anyone who wasn’t aware of how big having these Scandinavian masters of the ambient here might gave gotten an idea from the sheer scale of their set up-

Often the effects are a better spectacle than the band (U2, Muse, Gorillaz etc.) but here they merely add effect to what is already an amazing back catologue of visceral, other worldly epics that they have to choose from tonight.

It had everything; their masterful craft on display until midnight, a handful of the best from their newest album album name, all the home runs from Frengers, Glass handed kites and last year’s no more stories… gorgeous epics like 156, snow brigade and comforting sounds soaring through a beautifully clear night sky with not a single person under any illusion that they were not witnessing a once in a lifetime evening.

Whether standing in the crowd or lying in the grass letting the music drift through the warm air cleansing your spirit, tonight; we are truly blessed.

Tomorrow: Truck 13 Day 2