Review by Northings
Tartan Heart Festival 2005
16 Aug 2005 in Festival, Highland, Music
Italian Gardens, Belladrum, 12-13 August 2005
The Proclaimers
THE SCOTS POET Thomas Campbell once wrote “The Scots are steadfast – not their clime“. And if ever a festival proved a saying it was the Tartan Heart Festival 2005.
Mother Nature might have thrown down all the water she could find, the car park queues may have been as long as Loch Ness, and it might have taken two hours to get a poke of chips, but you won’t find many souls who’ll tell you they had anything less than a fantastic time at Belladrum. It obviously takes more than a wee bit of rain (OK, a huge bit of rain) to extinguish the party spirit of 7,000 festival-goers in the Highlands of Scotland.
The mellow, family-orientated music and arts festival took place in the sensational setting of the Italian Gardens at Belladrum Estate, near Beauly. The Festival brought the Highlands alive with 50 bands playing over 3 stages, as well as a range of other attractions from belly-dancing and shamanic journeying to speed dating and sweat lodge ceremonies.
Stereoglo kicked off proceedings on the Garden Stage, but had to wait till midway through their opening number for their audience to arrive, with hundreds of intrepid festival goers gathered in anticipation waiting for the gates to open! The Skye band opened the Garden Stage as part of their prize for winning PULSE, described as a “Talent Trawl throughout the Highlands” organised by the Tartan Heart Festival in association with Mad Hatters at Hootananny’s, www.hubl.co.uk, and HI~Arts.
As the festival goers clambered down the terraces like ants at a picnic, their feet tapping and hands clapping, the scene was set for the second Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival. And as the bands played, so did the children, with puppet shows, face painting, bouncy castles, music & dance workshops, and much much more, keeping the wee ones more than amused.
As the floodlights illuminated the muddy expanse in front of the main stage, a contented crowd drifted homeward bound, with a smile on their faces, mud on their shoes and a song in their tartan hearts.
Glasgow band El Presidente strutted onto the stage next, with front man and founder Dante Gizzi looking pristine in a crisp white suit which wouldn’t have lasted long in Saturday’s mud. With their energetic upbeat songs, catchy choruses and party vibe, they certainly lived up to their reputation as the “Scottish Scissor Sisters”. Midway through their set a procession of youngsters, decked out in handcrafted hats decorated in every colour under the sun, danced through the crowds proving Belladrum festival really is fun for all the family.
The Hothouse stage came alive with the arrival of Birmingham quartet The Editors. With their early 80s tunes drawing comparisons with Joy Division, they soon drew people in with their edgy sound. The Hothouse Stage continued to rock for the rest of the day with rousing sets from Exist (who played twice due to late pullout of The Black Velvets), as well as the unique sound of musical veteran Jah Wobble.
Hailing from Iceland, Emiliana Torrini was next on the Garden Stage. Although the ethereal sound she created was undeniably beautiful, it may have been better placed in one of the smaller tents.
Mercury Music Prize nominees The Bees warmed up the crowd, their sound varying from upbeat, summery funk grooves to rockin’ guitars, stripped down 60’s drums and epic knee trembling organ arrangements – the perfect intro to the Friday night headliners, Alabama 3.
The stage exploded into life as they launched into their unique style of mixing traditional cowboy bluegrass with a touch of acid house. It may sound strange and bizarre but believe me it works. Joined on stage at one point by N’faly Kouyate and his Kora, they had the whole audience in the palm of their hand, as Belladrum danced the night away to their brilliant and diverse set.
As the last few notes of Alabama 3’s headlining set drifted out across the beautiful Belladrum Estate , the heavens opened and the rain came, starting a trend that would continue for the rest of the weekend. With the gentle pitter patter of rain to be heard bouncing off canvas for the rest of the evening, contented festival goers headed off to enjoy the communal fire, before finally resting their dancing feet for a well earned rest ready for Saturday’s fun to begin.
With colourful wellies and hooded rainmacs the order of the day, so began a fairly wet and showery Saturday. . .
Although at times the site resembled a mud bath, the rain did little to deter the revelers from having fun inside or out. With most well prepared for the unpredictable nature of the weather in the Highlands, it seemed little could diminish the festival spirit.
The tents proved hugely popular throughout the day, not only as shelter from the downpours, but also through another great schedule of music. Hailing from the Isle of Lewis, Poor Old Ben’s blend of indie-pop and country folk was followed by a full house for local lads The Cinematics, riding high from a recent support slot with The Editors who had played the same stage on Friday.
The Black Isle Brewery Grassroots stage boasted diverse performances from performers such as Ruth Sutherland, Craig Anderson, Feis Rois Ceilidh Band, headliner Michael Marra and many more, which kept the festival’s smallest tent bulging at the seams with happy festival goers.
Saturday saw the Garden Stage host an impressive, and predominantly Scottish (the exception being British Sea Power) line-up. Braving a particularly bad downpour, a small crowd braved the weather to support Ricky Ross’s acoustic set, pleasing his fans with some new arrangements alongside Deacon Blue favourites ‘Wages Day’ and ‘Twist and Shout’. Aberfeldy encapsulated the spirit of the festival with their upbeat and inspiring set of warm organic tunes, ideal to lift the spirits of any dampening spirits.
Last year’s success story Peatbog Faeries didn’t disappoint with their toe-tapping blend of acid croft and techno folk. The crowds jigged and reeled to the Skye musicians who certainly warmed up the crowd for the festivals finale from Auctermuchty’s favourite twins, The Proclaimers. As the rain subsided, they proved a fitting end to a fabulous festival, belting out hits such ‘500 Miles’, ‘Letter from America’ and ‘Cap in Hand’, which got the crowds clapping and singing at the top of their lungs.
As the floodlights illuminated the muddy expanse in front of the main stage, a contented crowd drifted homeward bound, with a smile on their faces, mud on their shoes and a song in their tartan hearts.
Joe Gibbs, the festival organiser, commented: “Although it was a shame about the rain on the Saturday (we hadn’t invited Travis to play because it ‘always rains on them’, but it didn’t seem to make any difference), it didn’t seem to dampen festival spirits in the least. We feel we’ve earned our festival spurs in surviving the downpours and floods (the Met issued a severe weather warning for the Highlands for localised flooding) and are already looking forward to next year.”
And with next year’s festival already confirmed to take place 11-12 August 2006, it looks like the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is here to stay. Our advice for next year? Pack your wellies and get your tickets early!
© Fiona Carr, 2005
