Positive Evolution

Something Else Not So North 28-30 July 2017

 

I wasn't expecting to be back at Elton Mazes quite so soon or at another Something Else event but luckily I was! The Something Else Up North festival was relocated down south after the site fell through. Unfortunate for some who lived very far up north and felt the travelling was too much but fortunate for those of us close to the Forest of Dean location.

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I came straight from work on the Friday to the site and after some chill out time and dinner we caught a new band we had heard of before but had never seen, Bolshy. Bringing a very energetic mix of punky ska sounds I thoroughly enjoyed them and will be seeking out their music in the future. After seeing Autonomads and Black Star Dub Collective at Surplus Fest and now Bolshy I am really excited to see these new young bands at our festivals.

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We finished the night with Suzy Condrad, loop station genius. I had discovered Suzy last year at Something Else in the Dean and since bought both her albums so it was great to see her again and know some of the tunes!

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Saturday brought some rain but also brought Muddy Summers and the Dirty Field Whores, a firm festival favourite. Afterwards was Attila the Stockbroker, a punk poet who I had never seen before but had heard of for many years. Back in the 90s when I was really into the comedy scene his name used to get mentioned. He was great, hard hitting, upsetting, funny, he had me laughing and crying with his words.

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Next were Skewwhiff who we didn't really get into but that is just our personal taste and no reflection on them as a band. What we were really waiting for were the last two acts of the night, firstly AOS3 who I love and would have been hard pushed to beat the great set they did at Surplus Fest a few weeks earlier but of course were amazing and had extra special guest Fraggle from Back to the Planet playing with them. To end off the evening in style was the Tarantism Duo disco set. Mel and Magnus playing their versions of classic disco tunes along with a couple of rave tracks thrown it to end! Amazing set with music you wouldn't necessarily associate with this type of festival but they pull it off brilliantly and get everyone dancing.

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Sunday brought more rain unfortunately and the field started getting decidedly muddy, it didn't dampen spirits however and we were ready to see friend Rhiannon as The Brewers Daughter. Lovely folky stuff, go and check out her album! Next up was TwoManTing, what I would call 'world' music, lots of African influences as well as Caribbean and folk. After a break for food we saw our good friend, Cara Means Friend. What more can I say about Cara that I haven't said before as due to being good friends we tend to end up at all the same festivals so she features heavily in my reviews! All I'll say this time is check her out on Bandcamp. After Cara we saw Mecurius Rising, another young band on the scene with great songs full of conscious lyrics and brilliant tunes, go and find their music online.

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With the festival scene really making a comeback in the noughties with big commercial festivals and smaller grass roots festivals quite a few bands from the old free festival scene reunited or started gigging again. RDF, AOS3, Dub The Earth and Scum of Toytown reformed joining bands like Tarantism and Inner Terrestrials who were already on the alternative music scene. Of course there were lots of other bands forming and gigging but the vast majority of bands at the sort of festivals I generally go to were all my age (having come from the protest and free party scene of the 90s). It is great to see all these younger bands making their mark on the scene and keeping it fresh and alive!

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Lastly to end a great little festival were Phat Bollard, another band I had discovered fairly recently and since got all their albums. An amazing live band, a real 'must see'. go and buy their albums but more importantly check out where they are busking and go see them! A fantastic end to a lovely weekend. I should also give a shout out to Gail of course for all her hard work organising as well as the beautiful soundscape solar stage where many of the bands played.

 

Below are a selection of photographs from the festival.