Dores, Loch Ness, 10-12 June 2011

EVEN in the face of less-than-perfect weather conditions, RockNess is still capable of maintaining its title of ‘The Most Beautiful Festival in the World.’ Set on the picturesque shores of Loch Ness, the austere scenery provided a stunning backdrop for big-name acts such as Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers and Paolo Nutini. While famous for its annual dance-heavy line-up, a near perfect balance was also struck between rock bands, DJs and solo performers.

Friday night set the standard high for the rest of the weekend, with Nero and Skrillex both providing a charged atmosphere in the form of eclectic, sample heavy dubstep. Katy B, a relatively new face on the UK underground scene, then performed songs from her album On a Mission. With her girl-next-door good looks and unassuming London accent, Katy is a breath of fresh air in the resurgence of female singer-songwriters – there was neither a fake eyelash nor a neon wig in sight throughout her entire set. Her sound matched her image by being at once innovative and relatable. ‘Broken Record’ in particular, with its thoughtful, haunting vocals, provided a refreshing counter-perspective to Skrillex’s take on the dubstep phenomena.

Revellers at RockNess (photo Fergus Feggans)

Meanwhile on the main stage, Two Door Cinema Club created feel-good vibes with their bubbly, retro take on indie-pop that psyched the crowd up in time for Kasabian. Whether you love them or not, there can be no denial of Kasabian’s intense appeal as a live band. Their set of danceable, clapable tracks were so well received by the crowd that it served to remind the doubters that RockNess is just as much of a home for indie bands as it is for dance acts.

Frontman Tom Meighan possessed emblematic rock star poise – his dedication of their sing-a-long classic ‘Thick as Thieves’ to ‘the gorgeous girl with the blond hair in the front row’ was reminiscent of Hendrix. It was an interesting moment when Meighan, infamous for his outspoken, controversial image, briefly departed to allow the dark and mysterious Sergio Pizzorno to take centre stage. Pizzorno lent a mellow simplicity to Kasabian’s songs that is often lost in the face of Meighan’s bravado. Nevertheless, the lead singer’s return snapped the crowd out of this dreamy lull and brought Friday night to an awe-inspiring finale.

Kasabian (photo Fergus Feggans)

With the late bedtime and early start to skip the queues for showers, it was hard to differentiate between Friday and Saturday. Luckily, The Japanese Popstars soothed this confusion by instructing the crowd that they were ‘trying too hard/ to keep control/ just relax/ and let go.’ The trio’s brand of repetitive, electronic style house could be described as nothing short of trippy. Listening was not unlike drinking a Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream milkshake made out of every flavour – but in a good way.

Visions of Trees created similar techno-ambiance at the Rock N Roll Circus. This was my favourite stage at the festival, as it showcased lesser known talent that had not yet achieved the buzz to take them to Goldenvoice or the Main Stage. The circus ring-style rows of seats provided the crowd with a real chance to sit back and appreciate the music that one often misses out on in the bigger arenas. With its relaxed, intimate atmosphere, it felt like a safe haven from the chaos of day-glo and deluge outside.

Saturday night on the Main Stage was dominated by famous names from the club circuit. Radio 1 presenter Annie Mac was amongst the first to emerge out of the downpour. While she certainly brightened up the gloomy weather, the world renowned DJ seemed to be playing it safe, and her set was lacking in a fair proportion of its usual ingenuity that is present in her remixes. Nevertheless, the buzz continued, allowing for Laidback Luke to perform in front of a truly enamoured crowd. The veteran DJ’s brand of classic electro-house was well-appreciated, as was Magnetic Man’s decision to off-set their non-traditionalist music by dressing in full Highland regalia.

Example’s set then proved that appearances can always be deceptive. His blend of hip-hop and grime fitted in seamlessly among the packed dance line-up, despite the fact that he looks like he should be working in a book shop. ‘Girl Can’t Dance’, with its mischievous, just the right side of misogynist lyrics, is a clear-cut favourite.
The Chemical Brother’s closed Saturday with a performance of all their standard classics, accompanied by the most impressive light display of the weekend. ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’ and ‘Do It Again’ were given a sinister edge by the accompaniment of psychedelic silhouettes of mime artists and huge, scary clowns. With the addition of these projections, more recent hits such as ‘Galvanize’ had an even greater impact, and made their set seem more like a piece of performance art than a concert.

Chemical Brothers (photo Fergus Feggans)

Rousing the sleep deprived crowd on Sunday was the comfortingly melodious and unperturbed Mike Dignam. The almost twenty-one-year-old may not have quite hit the big time yet, but he certainly created a new legion of converts, including me, with his skilful, wholehearted performance that included the spell-binding ‘Slow It Down’ and ‘So Wrapped Up,’ that breathed a maturity and sensitivity beyond his years. A music festival, after all, is not only a place to see old favourites, but to discover new ones as well.

Over on the main stage, The Twilight Sad showcased a depth and scope of sound that they’ve clearly been developing carefully over the past few years. Having previously unimpressed me at Belladrum a few years ago, I was seriously amazed by the direction they have since taken, careering down a wonderful road that arrives somewhere between The Editors and Leonard Cohen, all set off by James Graham’s beautiful Scottish accent.

This tranquil mood was continued in the form of Lissie, an understatedly beautiful American folk-rock singer whose influences seemed to span everything from Bluegrass to more contemporary artists such as Shania Twain. Lissie has gone from strength to strength over the past year, having won ‘Song of the Year’ at the iTunes awards for ‘When I’m Alone’, and toured the United Kingdom with close friend Ellie Goulding. Her performance is full of vivacity and self-assurance, and is joy to watch, particularly during the atmospheric and evocative ‘Everywhere I Go.’

Following in Lissie’s considerable wake were We Are Scientists. Possibly the most charming band of the weekend, they seem just as delightful on stage performing hits such as ‘The Great Escape’ and ‘After Hours’ as they do in their interviews. Over in the Rock N Roll Circus, the Smoke Fairies’ murky blues folk, which conjures images of misty, alligator filled swamps and melancholic mid-west towns, gives no hint of their Sussex school-choir origins. ‘Living With Ghosts’ and ‘Strange Moon Rising’ are both wonderfully creepy, with the female duo’s perfect, eerie harmonies drifting to the roof like clouds of smoke from a Wiccan fire.

On the Main Stage, Glasvegas were similarly emotive. They were welcomed to the stage like local heroes, despite hailing from Glasgow’s East End. ‘Geraldine’ carries the same terse wit as ever, while the sound of the entire crowd singing along to ‘Daddy’s Gone’ has to be one of the most touching moments of the whole festival.

Paolo Nutini (photo Fergus Feggans)

There was some debate as to whether Paolo Nutini would be a suitable closing act for RockNess. While his specific placement within the line-up was nowhere near as controversial as, say, Jay-Z playing Glastonbury, it was dubious that his laidback, blue-eyed soul could provide the electrifying finale that everyone anticipates from a sizeable festival. However, contrary to any doubts, Nutini worked as a perfect culmination to the weekend’s festivities: the ideal hangover cure to the Skrillex and Chemical Brother-fuelled debauchery of Friday and Saturday night.

After a definite overdose of dubstep over in the Goldenvoice tent, Nutini’s affecting melodies ease, but by no means placate, even the most hard-partying of crowd members. Ballads such as ‘These Streets’ and ‘Last Request’ create such beautiful moments that one might believe that they were written with the darkening skies of Loch Ness in mind. With a voice like Paolo’s, who could fail to be won over?

© Rowan Macfie, 2011

Links

• RockNess