Tramlines | A Month Of Memories
SMOKE FAIRIES It is festival season at the moment-what for you makes a good festival? Discovering new music is always exciting, it’s great to come across a band for the first time and go away feeling like you have a new perspective. Hidden hip flasks are also important as well as wellies without holes in and ear plugs for when you finally want to go to sleep. And of course the feeling that you are a million miles away from normal life.
What has been your festival highlight to date?
YOUNG PECULIAR
Latitude was a definite highlight. There was a great atmosphere in the tent we played in and the line up included Josh T. Pearson and Sharon Van Etten, so that was exciting to be a part of. Afterwards I took a boat across the lake and then it all goes a bit hazy until later in the evening when I watched someone performing with a giant wolf puppet.
What for you makes a good festival?
What are your impressions of Tramlines?
What has been your festival highlight to date?
It’s great that people can see so many acts for free. Sheffield is somewhere we always like to return to - the music scene seems to be very vibrant.
What would be your dream festival line-up? If I could curate a festival Dolly Parton would headline, there would be a monster truck arena, a falconry display and perhaps a workshop from Muppet, Swedish Chef to provide some culinary education.
Do you prefer large festival stages or intimate venues? They both have their own merits. We have had some great experiences playing in very small tents with very attentive crowds. Right now I am really appreciating bigger stages though. With a five piece band its nice to have the space to move around without getting hit on the head wuth the neck of a bass or tripping up over guitar leads.
Mike: A good mix of music and food that isn’t extortionately priced. Bernadette: A good festival is one where you discover new bands and fall in love with their music. Good festivals are also sunny!
M: Probably Kid Conventional at the Lantern Theatre (Friday of Tramlines). It’s a beautiful little venue and there were some other really great acts there that night. B: Yeah we spent most of this year’s festival watching acoustic acts to be honest, it’s been really nice to escape the city centre madness and chill out with some mellow acoustic music. Notty House was good for that on Saturday. I’m a huge fan of hip-hop though so I really enjoyed the Cool Beans DJs at the Great Gatsby on Saturday night.
What are your impressions of Tramlines? M: It’s great that there is so much different music on and that it spreads quite far out into the city too for those who aren’t fans of large crowds. B: There’s a great sense of community in Sheffield at the time which is great.
What would be your dream festival lineup? M: I’d like to see a mix of good hip-hop and funk; probably Tower of Power and Biggie Smalls just to witness the incredible jam session at the end. B: I agree with Mike - there should definitely be a lot of hip-hop and funk to brighten up the inevitably grey British weather. I’d also really like to see The Mars Volta, Rage against the Machine, System of a Down, Alanis Morrisette. If we’re allowed to have dead people in our line - up can we get Kurt Cobain back? I bet there’s someone out there who could make us a hologram.
Do you prefer large venues or intimate venues? M: Intimate venues. I like to feel as though I’m one of only a few people to have an experience. It makes gigs a lot more special. B: I think there’s a time and a place for both. As a performer I guess there’s nothing more moving than looking out on stage to see/hear a whole load of people singing your songs back to you, but the smaller venues often show the music off in the best light, and are a more pleasant experience for the audience.
7 Tors
What are your impressions of Tramlines? It’s got such a feel-good community buzz about it and best of all it’s free! It’s an amazing opportunity to see bands that you wouldn’t usually get the chance to see. Plus it’s safety first with Tramlines, where else would you get stewards with megaphones advising you not to get run over?
We prefer more intimate gigs because you can really appreciate when a musician is talented and it can be more emotive. Although for a heavier hitting band you can’t beat the atmosphere of an open air large festival venue! We’re probably less keen on arena gigs as they can be a bit claustrophobic (we wouldn’t turn down playing one though).
What for you makes a good festival? Some really good quality portaloos and somewhere to plug in your hair straighteners. But after that, we love a variety of acts - its always great when you go to a festival to see certain bands but then spot something new you haven’t heard before
What has been your festival highlight to date? At tramlines one of our favourites was Cats:For:Peru who had some great new music. We also loved Screaming Maldini who played at the Weston Park bandstand in the sun with lots of feel good summer songs. Both bands are from Sheffield - it’s good to hear the local talent.
What would be your dream festival lineup? Seven Tors playing Main Stage; Led Zeppelin, Muse, Black Keys, Rolling Stones, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Bjork, Coldplay, Stereophonics, Fratellis, Goldfrapp, Bombay Bicycle Club, Friendly Fires, Those Dancing Days and Justin Bieber - just so we can feel his silky hair.
Issue 45 | Chic Lifestyle Magazine
Photos by Jeremy Williams
Do you prefer large festival stages or intimate venues?
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