Once again Bushstock was looking like a who's who of artists that will and should be gracing our festival stages for the next couple of years.
So nice to be back at Bushstock last weekend. I have missed the last couple of years and it is the one London festival that I always regret missing. Since I first sat in St Stephens Church and marvelled at the wonderful acoustics and talent of the artists I have longed to go back and be blown away again. So Bushstock had a lot to live up to, my rose tinted eardrums remembered a really special experience and so I sat down in the church and waited............
So nice to be back at Bushstock last weekend. I have missed the last couple of years and it is the one London festival that I always regret missing. Since I first sat in St Stephens Church and marvelled at the wonderful acoustics and talent of the artists I have longed to go back and be blown away again. So Bushstock had a lot to live up to, my rose tinted eardrums remembered a really special experience and so I sat down in the church and waited............
I was NOT disappointed!
Absolutely the highlight of my day was Jack Garratt. He came on after Farao who were a tad lack lustre, as it was apparently a first live performance I do not doubt that things will improve. A little more confidence is needed and also for the audience to be able to really discern the lyrics which I could not. It was at this point when I was wondering how the festival would pan out when Jack Garratt started setting up and we wondered what sort of a racket he was going to make with drums and hard hitting bass lines during the sound check. He looked all unassuming, which he is when he speaks, somehow not really in command of what was going on. So I was still waiting to be blown away, looking forward to the moment when it happened and then it did. Suddenly unassuming Jack Garratt took command of the stage and his array of instruments and absolutely blew us all away. What a voice, it emanates up from the depths of his soul over ringing drums and growling bass lines. The anticipation of each drum beat was hanging in the air and then echoing round the church, the atmosphere and intensity he created was gripping and the set was over far too soon for my liking. Maybe it was the venue or maybe it was the crowd who were with him for every word of every song, whatever it was I will want to hear him again. So if you want to hear the sound of someones soul singing -hear Jack Garratt.
Hot on Jacks heels for my favourite artist of the day was Alex Vargas another super talent that I will be making an effort to see again. Haunting, lilting vocals and guitar filled the church nave, reminiscent of Jeff Buckley and sung with just as much feeling and passion. The band who were with Alex were creating a soundscape for him, a perfect setting for his heart rending vocals and then the bass kick in. Bushstock has gone all electro this year. The last time I went to Bushstock it had a distinctly acoustic feel but this year almost all the acts I saw had some sort of sound bending electronic instruments to make your heart pound. Personally I loved it, this may be Dubsteps only lasting legacy as it slowly seeps on to where dance music sub-genres are put out to pasture. Does it work? Roaring Reese Bass, in a church- hell yes! It works alright along with the grinding guitars and mind blowing everything that Alex Vargas and his band were playing and singing, they are ones to watch out for along with Jack Garratt.
I could have sat in St Stephens all day, maybe next year I will but I thought that I should see what was happening at the other venues so I went round the block to The Sindercombe Social to watch a couple of acts there. Up from Brighton for the day were Fickle Friends, this was a change of pace and intensity. Really lovely synth pop along the Friendly Fires lines and we all just had to dance and bounce with them. I love it when the band are clearly enjoying themselves and these guys were, it was infectious like the catchy melodies and uplifting drum beats. I found it hard to hear the lyrics during their set, although the lead singers voice was beautiful I could not hear the words. It really did not matter with this band though because the music and their energy was enough to keep me loving it so I am still interested enough to check them out in future when hopefully I will get the gist of what they are singing about.
The same could not be said of Farewell JR, I just could not get a word of the lyrics, the singer was right on top of the mic and just seemed to be mumbling although he clearly could not hear what we were hearing. It was beautiful to listen to but without understanding the words there was not enough of interest to make me want to hear the whole set so I wandered on up to The Defectors Weld to see Gengahr. This band intrigued me, they were late on despite being in the building and having done a sound check, they seemed a bit apologetic to be there and once again I was not getting any of the lyrics. But these guys can play guitar and there were times when it was really working for me, they had great hooks and a great sound reminding me a little of early Radiohead both in style and temperament. They don't look up and they don't engage with the audience but sometimes, some bands don't have to.
Up to Bush Hall, a glamorous old ballroom for the last acts of the night. I wanted to see Chloe Howl since the success of her single recently which I really like. While she undoubtedly has a great voice and is a born performer something did not sit right with her being at Bushstock. Once again I could not get the lyrics but there seemed something inauthentic about the set that I cant quite put my finger on. The band seemed like session musicians and Chloe herself seemed to be alternately aloof and abrupt then little girl like and since I could not understand anything she was singing about I will probably pass on seeing her again, the whole thing smacked of PR to me which seems at odds with what Bushstock is about.
What Bushstock IS about is The Felice Brothers. I was not sure what was going to happen, they are so laid back its like they are indifferent until they start playing. Once they started playing and singing and jumping about on the stage we all knew what was going to happen- a right old sing along and a right old knees up! They had a lot of fans in the building and I can see why, I am a fan now. This was more soul singing and what a way to end the night. These boys can play their instruments, really play and they sing with such a passion when they go for it you cannot help but love them. They have played Bushstock before and I hope they will again with their slightly country, slightly folk, slightly have to get up and dance music. They have come from up state New York but they are the kind of guys you want to find playing in an Irish Country Pub who will be up playing after the lock in with the beers going round and the dancing kicking off.
All in all I cant wait for next year, I am not going to miss another Bushstock. It has lived up to all my happy memories of it, the only shame is that could not see all of the acts on the line up, who can be in four places at once? I will however be memorising all the names on the line up so I can see them out if I come across them at another festival. It is safe to say if they have been on the Bushstock line up they will be worth checking out.
Published on 18 June 2014 by cateclare
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