The dust is settling and the after shocks are still being felt....What has happened? Why is my head still all awhirl with psychotropic visions and random noise bursts. Can things ever be returned to sanity? Maybe the facts will help...now where are the facts? What was this FOCUS Wales event all about?
The story begins on a Thursday night as all good stories do. The festival has been in full swing all day with conferences on all manner of things taking place and our benign musical critics John Robb and AP Childs have been holding fort. There has been music too, of the acoustic sort as The Royal Oak pub stokes up the flames and summons all festival goers. The march is on for consumption...that is what we do these days, we “consume” music...well, if that is the case then what is it that my first band do?
Furrow explode on to the stage at South Central with sheer abandonment thrown to the wind. Pinning their badge to the No Wave scene with just a smidgeon of Black Flag, this is post-hardcore for the mini masses. Their feedback drenched songs are skeletal in delivery with lack of bass giving it a less grounded approach. Ones to watch these are, they will be coming to Echoes of the Future soon. I've seen a million bands but not one like this to open up a festival.
Hardcore needs satiated, it was off to church (strange, but true) for an appearance by Little Arrow. Visions of wonderment filled my eye as I approached the seventh wonder of Wales only to be betrayed by the eighth. Earlier this year I declared Wild Wishes one of the albums of the year. After tonight's performance not only is that cemented in my mind but also in the select crowd who witnessed.
Opening with a perfect rendition of ‘State of You and Me’, Little Arrow were assured in their delivery and looked like they weren't afraid of their surroundings. It's not often you get to play a church so you gotta make the most of it. ‘A Taste of Violence’ followed as the band started to impress with their individual parts with double bass and mandolin taking centre stage. ‘The Ancient’ sounded tonight like it was made to be heard in churches and every nuance of this beautiful song was heightened. I felt myself reaching an epiphany only kept grounded by the space I was in. Do I holler and shout, do I cry? I settle for grinning and knowing I was witnessing a special moment.
Special moments don't come much better than final song ‘I Man Ogre’. Take a man, give him a megaphone and tambourine and fill his background with feedback drenched bass. Jawdropping to say the least, this is one of my clues and facts as to the state of my mind now.
It was time for a wander around the venues to soak in the atmosphere. People were starting to wake up and the town was looking lively. Tiny Wooden Angels deliver a sterling set whilst hometown legends Terminal show the young 'uns how it's done. It is for the main event that everyone heads and this time it was for a different kind of church.
Things get random from now as I bump into both AP Childs and John Robb. God knows what I say to them as I try to sell the virtues of The Fag Machine to one and all. I think we were all in agreement with Baby Brave and the Lovebites though who performed their last ever gig to a baying crowd. Magic moments are rare, to get two in one night is even rarer. First Little Arrow and now the splendour of our favourite pantomime pop stars.
Baby Brave live are a different prospect to their recordings. The songs take on extra meaning as the crowd try to join in with the synchronised dance moves. Yes, you heard, dance moves...this is the 21st century you know...our indie bands can do this. And do it well; until you watch Baby Brave you will never understand the wonders of pat-a-cake played out before your eyes. The songs are pretty darn good as well. ‘Take Your Castles to Spain’ indeed! They made me ‘Jitter’ and they made me fall in love. A real treat.
Words cannot describe what looked like a biffed up Ziggy Stardust so we will block that out of our minds and pretend Charlotte Church didn't happen. Best to move on to the bar, grab a whiskey and talk some shit.
The facts are starting to form somewhere in the back of mind now as we move on a day to the final day of the festival. Hey, I'm a family man and have other things to do...plus there are certain bands we cover here at Echoes and Dust. Big Smiley Face.
So after a barbeque, beer and whiskey on a Saturday afternoon it is off to the rather unusual surroundings of Wrexham Museum for a gig by Golden Fable. I feel I'm duty bound to deliver this to you as they are one of our special bands here at (((((o)))))). Out of the hills of Wales and into our hearts, Star Map has captured our imaginations and taken hold of us.
So how would a gig work in these surroundings. No chance of hitting the hallucinogenic highs of a club, not a single light in the place. Rows of chairs facing a keyboard stack and microphone, just how would it play out.
No need to worry as they kick off with a wonderful ‘Almost Golden’, this is followed by ‘Sugarloaf’ on what could only be described as a high octane, hit filled start. The juxtaposition of the drumming and melodies ushers in ‘The Chill pt2’ and we are enraptured, taken off to those rolling hills and out of this space we are in.
New song ‘Avalanche’ is a much darker prospect, are our heroes getting jaded, is life on the road affecting them. Not a chance of that as Rebecca, enchantingly dressed like some pixie from Midsummer Nights Dream (hope you don't mind that one Becca. Big Smiley Face) regales us with their mission statement. Creatures of nature, they take the dark with the light and deliver it unto us in waves of joy. And there is more....
‘Crossfrire’ is stripped back to a bruised epic which is positively stark compared to the album version. It is all rather stunning when you think that this version will be the new single, an utter surprise that serves to enhance what follows with another new song.
Asked to commission a song for FOCUS Wales, Golden Fable obeyed the rule and have created ‘Southern Climes’ which is part inspired by the migratory tropes of birds and also by music. I'm not entirely sure where the overall aim was but it worked a treat as another dark and ominous bassline envelopes us in a gigantic hug. You REALLY need to see Golden Fable live to understand exactly what they are about.
Specific bands covered for review purposes, it was time to sample the rest of the festival. Beer in hand I cavorted through the night with Half Avian, obe and finally a barnstorming headline set by Michale Rother. I don't know much about Neu or Can but by god, I will be hunting this music down. It was an exceptional end to a great festival. And I didn't even mention the Korean bands who played...oh well, I'll keep them for another day.
So what have I learnt....churches make great venues, pat-a-cake should be only attempted if you're Baby Brave, Charlotte Church is odd and John Robb is a nice fella. Also that FOCUS Wales is a rather wonderful little festival...oh, and I think I'm too old for all this shit!
This review is dedicated to the wonderful AP Childs who provided excellent company throughout...hang loose man!!
