Hinckley Music Festival report for Sunday

Photos by Kevin Gaughan

Photos copyright Kevin Gaughan

Text by Trevor Locke

‘Never go to a festival without a warm coat’. This was the first thing I wrote in my notebook for today, in the cause of teaching myself a lesson for trusting in the British weather, as I shivered in my shirtsleeves.

Today’s programme was opened by Leicester band The Dedbeats. A few hardy souls had gathered in front of the main stage to hear Rhett Barrow and his band playing in the wind and rain. Performing his song ‘stormy skies‘, Rhett provided an apt contribution to the festival experience. Like the other bands this morning, The Dedbeats ignored the weather and lack of audience and got on with it. So well done to them and what a great set of thoroughly enjoyable music it was too.

12:35

On stage 2 Definitely Maybe played while the next band set up on the main stage. The sound of Oasis was blown across the field.

By 1 o’clock it looked like the rain had set in for the day. Such is life at festivals. Demons of Ruby Mae were not deterred by the weather and being a “real band “ they delivered a hugely good set of their extraordinarily good music despite the weather and lack of an audience.

The three musicians often changed instruments, Jonny Gavin at the front with a set of drums and electrical gizmo’s, Adam Rowley on keyboards.

The weather might have been dreadful but the music was faultless. The band’s distinctive musical offering was lead by the rich and powerful voice of Jonny Gavin and all three of these talented musicians gave us a superb set of moving and uplifting songs. I for one was very happy to shiver in the wet to hear music of this quality.

DoRM’s beautifully evocative and mesmerizing image-laden songs was a great joy and their performance was no less impressive than when I heard them last in the settings of Leicester’s ancient Guildhall not long ago. Some of their friends stood in the rain for the whole of their set.

Over in the shelter of the Acoustic set, Carlos Stein was entertaining an audience with his distinctively different set of loop-pedaled songs which have attracted the attention and salutation of those who opt for something alternative to the mainstream. Despite a welter of problems with the sound system, the artist known as Stein retained an enthusiastic gathering.

2 pm

The rain has stopped and the sun has come out, I noted. Leicester’s Ferris are setting up on the main stage.

I wrote too soon. Just as Ferris commenced their first song, it started raining again. With their two solidly good front singers, Ferris can always be relied on to provide a set of quality musical delights. “We’re British. We still carry on “, singer Scott Grewcock remarked before delivering one of the song’s from the band’s latest album.

3 p.m.

Los Dambusters brought a set of well-known covers to the main stage. By this time the site had pretty much emptied of people and, having been offered a lift back to Leicester, I decided to call it a day.

The Hinckley Festival

Festivals tend to be located in out of town places. Parking at the HMF seemed to be plentiful and while it was possible to walk from the bus or train station, it was not a short walk and there was difficult to find a convenient bus service. A taxi from the train station cost £7. The large field at the Football stadium provided plenty of space for the event and access to the club house was useful, especially for recharging phones from a stable electricity supply.

The field for the festival site was otherwise used as a football training ground, which was good because, unlike farm-based fields, it was no covered in animal droppings. It was well-drained and free of mud and puddles.

The festival’s music policy provided variety, more so than most other festivals. Saturday afternoons ‘metal fest’ line-up was particularly welcomed.

Hinckley Music Festival Sunday

Hinckley Music Festival report for Sunday

See also:

Hinckley Music Festival report for Sunday

See also:

Share this: