The Hinckley Music Festival report
Friday
Read our reports on The Hinckley Music festival
It was ten minutes to go to the first band. A few tents were up in the public camp-site. It was a weekday, not a holiday, and a lot of people were still be at work at the festival opened it’s gates.
5 pm
The festival main stage opened with The Decade Runners. Plenty of photographers were there to snap them. The sky was overcast but at least it was not raining. The sound system was good. The band put on some lively songs and a few punters gather to enjoy the music. Some rock music fans will only just have arrived back from Download.
The Decade Runners (from the Ashby/Donisthorpe area) played well, their lead singer – Rob Lea – vocals and guitar leading the band in a set of lively and entertaining songs. By the end of their set the sun had come out.
On the main stage today we heard
Intents
Feedback voice
Formal Warning
Sixty Fours
Black Star Bullet
Over in the acoustic tent the line-up included
Ian Bourne
Samuel Idwal
Jack The Busker
Bryn Walton
Thom Black
6 pm and I listen to Radio Leicester news to see if the piece I recorded for them had been broadcast.
On stage 1 the band called Intents starts to play. They opened their set with a cover of ‘rocking in the free world.’ The band has a female vocalist on guitar and male vocalist on bass. Relaxing and enjoyable music with some lively songs.
Already people are walking around grasping pints of beer – always a good sign for a festival.
Singer Carol Leeming walks past me.
The evening has warmed up now that the sun has come out.
I am sitting in the press tent, at the table provided, with my notebook, observing the main stage and writing down notes for my report.
6:40
Already feeling hot I find myself a refreshing pint. There are three stages to cover so I spent some time running about the site to keep an eye on what is happening.
7:50
Stage two sees the appearance of the Mighty Gyrators. Pete ‘mez’ Meredith lead the vocals and I recognised one of the band members – the guitarist from Ghandi’s Flip Flop, the punk band I liked so much. They play a set of punky songs and attract an enthusiastic audience.
Feedback Voice start up on the main stage. The young four-piece band gave out some remarkably good music. Though fairly new, they have developed well and their work is good, very pleasing listening. Playing their own songs and some covers they delivered it all with plenty of verve. Andrew King, lead singer, lead the band in a tightly played set of appealing music.
It’s turned out nice, I wrote as I baked in the warm evening sunshine.
Feedback voice played at the OBS this year.
7:25 pm
In the acoustic tent Ian Bourne was singing, an artist I had seen a few times on the open-mic circuit and an accomplished singfer with a set of appealing songs.
Later Ian was followed by Samuel Idwal, on stage much earlier than his advertised slot so I nearly missed him. Idwal has a fantastic voice; Idwal deploys his voice with both power and subtlety. I rate him as one of the best male acoustic artists in the county. Back in March, Samuel broadcast live on Radio Leicester.
The HMF has done really well in attracting a line-up of top bands and singers to this event.
Kontours come on stage 2 to do a set. From Coventry, the band played a set a bluesy hard rock songs.
Quite a few more people are around on the site now.
The time arrived for Formal Warning on the main stage and a crowd gathered to support them. They played ‘club foot‘ – much to my enjoyment – it’s the one cover song they do and I always look forward to it.
It’s beginning to feel more like a festival now. Formal Warning is a true festival band and one of the select few local bands to have played at festivals in Europe. The sun is shining, the sky is clear and there is good music coming off the stage and a crowd is enjoying it all – for now it all looks pretty good.
Some fans are wearing wellies; others are walking around on the soft grass in their bear feet.
On stage lead singer Ash Wright was in top form, throwing those famous shapes, while Leon and Kyle ran round behind him with their guitars. Some of the fans were singing along, as Ash held out the mic over their heads. Formal Warning played their song ‘twister‘ – which has become a firm favourite with their fans and admirers.
Having run out of phone charge and writing paper I decide to head back to Leicester.
See also:
Read our reports on The Hinckley Music festival
Hinckley Music Festival home page
Dates of forthcoming festivals.