Inshriach Estate, near Aviemore, 17-20 June 2011

Now in its third year and boasting over seventy-five acts programmed across three days, Insider returned to the stunning surroundings of Inshriach Estate promising its most ambitious and diverse schedule to date.

Among the early highlights was the increasingly impressive Homework; one of the picks at recent industry showcase goNORTH, the Edinburgh-based four-piece again sparkled, showing a growing consistency of imagination and quality. Homework are a deeply promising Scottish prospect, steadily developing a genuinely strong identity which cleverly remains utterly accessible while avoiding conventional structural constraints.

Another early performance of note came courtesy of Findlay Napier and The Bar Room Mountaineers with their smart take on the traditional set apart by some highly accomplished narratives, lovely instrumentation and a winning presence.

Admiral Fallow

It was perhaps fitting however that Friday’s programme belonged to local artist Rachel Sermanni. The young Carrbridge singer-songwriter became an unavoidable voice across 2010 and performing with her full band, she was outstanding at times. With a steady stream of high quality young songwriters moving in the present climate, what elevates Sermanni is the fact that she is simply better than most. The sheer emotional range of her material is highly impressive considering her age, and thanks to an exhausting live schedule, she has developed at considerable pace into an engaging, cultured performer.

Shifting from poignant, pin drop moments to quirky, jazz infused offerings, her material moves from quirky and ambiguous to tender and accessible with an artistic coherence which is explicit and bold. With a seriously impressive response from wider industry at a host of conference and showcasing platforms including SxSW and MUSEXPO, a busy festival season planned and her debut release set to drop later this year, surely it’s just now a matter of time for one of the most exciting emerging artists in the country.

Another act to generate a huge buzz at goNORTH earlier this month, Edinburgh-based Capitals, also merit a strong mention. Originally from the Highlands but now based in Edinburgh, the duo’s dazzlingly infectious electro-pop sounded utterly fantastic in places. Highlighted by a host of media as ones to watch in 2011 and picked out recently by leading industry publication, Music Week, Capitals are seriously hot property, so opportunities to catch them to a handful of people in a forest in the Highlands are surely very limited indeed.

Capitals

Despite the weather turning a little nasty on Saturday, the audience appeared to swell considerably for what transpired to be a thoroughly entertaining, cross genre programme.

An early performance of note came courtesy of the ever-excellent Abagail Grey. With their recent offering, Apple Cherub Dove, more than delivering on their debut’s sophisticated promises, the five-piece remain a seriously interesting and inventive live experience.

Up at the Backwoods Stage things remained pretty interesting throughout, from the sharp indie of the Little Kicks to the whacked-out gospel of the excellent John Knox Sex Club, via the lovely folk-pop of Kitty The Lion and the instantly hip French Wives.

Back at the Main Stage, Edinburgh hip-hop outfit Stanley Odd proved the ideal antidote to the temporary lethargy which appeared to roll over proceedings. Their seductive blend of tight grooves, cool Moog breaks and rapper Solareye’s impeccably delivered lyrical bombardment was utterly potent in places and really connected with the ever growing crowd it attracted.

Stanley Odd (Image by Alan Dunlop )

With Insider suitably primed, it fell to Admiral Fallow to close Saturday’s main schedule, and any concerns about following energy with intimacy instantly evaporated as the Glasgow five-piece’s sublime indie-folk reverie descended over the Main Stage. From the desolate beauty of Old Balloons to the punchy folk-pop of Taste The Coast, they remained consistently brilliant throughout, even joined by Lau’s Aidan O’Rourke and Kris Drever for a brilliantly ramshackle rendition of Neil Young’s Old Man.

Away from the main site, the raw ferocity of Bronto Skylift’s 2.30am pounding of the estate stables proved a fitting way to close a day of genuine diversity and real quality.

I couldn’t make Sunday’s programme, headlined by Lau and featuring a more folk-oriented feel, but with a growing number of independent festivals plugging into the ‘boutique’, family-friendly market, Insider is the real thing; one of the most unique experiences on the calendar, packed with interesting distractions, great food and a truly excellent live programme.

© Alexander Smith, 2011

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