Inverness / Dores, 7-9 June 2007

Theatre Fall (photo - Stuart Moffat).

WHAT’S THAT coming over the hill? Is it a monster? No, it’s not Nessie, folks, it’s just another couple of summer festivals competing for your love – and your pennies.

While the promoters of Rockness down in Dores on the banks of Loch Ness counted their pounds, shillings and pence, goNORTH proved they are not in it for the money, allowing free admission to all their shows.

Featuring 60 acts in 7 venues across 2 days in 1 city, this entirely free festival is aimed at showcasing the cutting edge of local talent within the Highlands & Islands alongside worthies from as far across the globe as New Zealand, Russia and the Faroe Islands.

It was heartening to see so many locals turn up to support live music, as bands (literally within spitting distance of each other) played in venues all within a half-mile radius.

Down at Hootananny, Norway’s very own Big Bang were doing just that, creating an explosion of sound that scalded the earlobes of those brave enough to venture close enough. The Viking rock lords are clearly big fans of southern rock, and it was almost a surprise not to see the name Lynyrd Skynyrd lit up in huge neon lights across a Norwegian flag instead of a Confederate one.

Their Scandinavian cousins, the Faroe Islands’ 200, however, were flying the flag of Independence upstairs in Mad Hatters. Tighter than their drainpipe jeans, this venomous political punk act have more hooks than a meat locker. Much of their vitriol was aimed at the Danish government (funny rather than worrying), every song about as sensual as a bucket of puke thrown in your face. Punk certainly, Jim, but not as we know it.

In sharp contrast, a few minutes down the road at the Foundry Bar, Glasgow’s Make Model were doing their very best to sound like Scotland’s answer to Arcade Fire.

Bathed in lights more suited to lighting up dirty disco floors, and stood beneath the Foundry’s impressive chandeliers, the sextet’s autumnal-sounding tunes and (clearly) apparent self-consciousness was not unlike early-days Belle & Sebastian.

Egged on by an appreciative crowd, the real mobbing however was going on round the corner at North 21.

Teaming with fans of local heroes, Theatre Fall, music radio presenters and journalists looked on eagerly, as this intense bunch of brats belted out the kind of infectious hook-laden power-pop Kaiser Chiefs are famous for.

A riot was predicted for their appearance at the goNORTH tent the following day at Rockness 2007, and the lads didn’t disappoint.

Bathed in glorious sunshine, the festival, nestled on the north shore of Loch Ness, has come a long way since Fatboy Slim headlined the first Rockness last year. Over 35,000 ar esteimated to have attended the event on each day, and, in keeping with the dance theme, the likes of Chemical Brothers, Groove Armada and Daft Punk made sure festival-goers got up on the good foot all weekend.

The location bestows one of the finest views of all summer rock festivals in Scotland, and no doubt the many recorded sightings of Nessie might have had a lot to do with the offer of a cash reward for a glimpse of the elusive beastie.

Talking of big beasts, Alabama 3 come across as though they’ve been reared on Jack Daniels all their lives. Famous for supplying the theme tune to hit TV show, ‘The Sopranos’, the drugstore cowboys looked like extras from ‘Deliverance’, preaching about Elvis Presley, sharpening their spurs against acid beats and slide guitar riffs.

The entire set was all about fun, fun, fun, and pseudo Havana outfit, ‘The Cuban Brothers’, were fun personified, kicking off their show on the XFM Stage with a version of ‘Scotland the Brave’ – Latin-style.

Camper than the entire site’s tent pegs put together, the quartet look more like Cuban pimps than brothers, and it wasn’t long before half-naked breakdancing ensued as master of ceremonies, Mike Keat, led the audience in a giant dance-along to Lionel Ritchie’s ‘All Night Long’.

The Charlatans then brought some much-needed guitar-based rocksmithery to proceedings, running through a workmanlike set of new country(ish) tunes and old favourites. Baggy-jeaned refugees from the Madchester era flocked to the main stage, no doubt irked by the lengthy queues snaking their way from the Soulwax tent.

Frustrated by not being able to catch a glimpse of Belgian record-spinning, cut-and-past mixologists, 2ManyDJs, security had a job trying to stop people from sneaking in under the tent.

The real highlight, though, was being experienced by a small band of lucky punters over at the MySpace bus. Playing to just 20 fans, The Automatic gave those lucky enough to get aboard an acoustic rendition of their big hit, ‘Monster’. Unfortunately, Nessie wasn’t in keeping with the party spirit and was nowhere to be seen.

Sadly, tragedy struck over the weekend when a 39-year-old man from Dundee died of a suspected heroin overdose. Hundreds of police mounted roadblocks and trawled the event with sniffer dogs.

Although it cast a dark cloud over an otherwise excellent weekend, both goNORTH and Rockness comprised everything you’d expect from a quality festival: great music, a great location, lots to see and do, and above all, an appreciative audience who know not only how to party – but behave, too. We wish them both well.

© Barry Gordon, 2007

Links

• GoNORTH
• Rockness