Glastonbudget 2017

Second edition – 8th June 2017

The Glastonbudget music festival took place over the weekend 26th May to 28th May 2017.

This report was compiled by Trevor Locke.

This report will be expanded and will include photos by Pascal Pereira. Please bookmark this page and come back to it later.

Reporting on a festival – that had four stages running continuously throughout each of the three days – is a challenging task, with a limited team of reporters. Our report brings you our selection of the many bands that played at the festival and apologies to your band if you did not get a mention.

Attendance at this year’s festival was strong and, we think, might have exceeded previous years. As in previous years, there was a party atmosphere at this family-friendly event. On Saturday in particular many people donned fancy dress costumes, a regular feature of Glastonbudgets; many groups wore themed costumes and there was a lot of inventive imagination in many of the fancy dress costumes worn over the weekend.

Friday at Glastonbudget

Traps
Played on Saturday on the Icon stage. Traps was awarded Glastonbudget’s Band of the Year award.

Whiskey Rebellion
Played in the LoCo tent. A band that has frequently featured in this magazine

Saturday at Glastonbudget

Anoa.

Played on the Icon stage on Saturday. Leicester band Anoa cracked off a pretty good set. Although not a contemporary sound, Anoa plumbed the depths of some easily recognisable genres from earlier rock bands. This is a band that is increasing in popularity and certainly one to follow. Anoa appeared at the Hand Made festival in April. We saw them at The Musician on 17th May when I commented ‘Wild, furious, jolly, sparkling… Anoa pulled off another sensational set.’

Kazabian

The Big Top holds about 800 people, or thereabouts. On Saturday it was full. A true festival experience. Everybody was bouncing with their arms in the air. A set of Kasabian anthems like no other. Massively good performance. This band is a Glastonbudget stalwart.

Skam

Skam started to attend Glastonbudget at its second ever occurrence. Stalwarts. Since then they have not missed a single year of the festival. This is one of Leicester’s longest-serving original bands. Thee of Leicester’s foremost music artists. Amazingly lighting engineered by Jamie Borland.

Jimmy Amnesia
played on the Icon stage on Saturday. This is a band that has made many appearances before in this magazine. The band’s vibrant offering of Britpop brightened up an otherwise dull afternoon. As always a superb performance by lead vocalist Ryan Jensonn.

Dedbeats
Icon stage. Saturday.

At the front, the legend that is Rhett Barrow. With him a bassist and a drummer Sean Moran – Lead guitar/Vocals, Rocket McNamara -Bass and Vajk Vigh -Drums.

Strategy

Loco stage Saturday. Two artists from Chesterfield; one singer with guitar and the other a beat boxer with a microphone. They were very impressive. The singer was particularly good; a fine fine, he articulated the songs well. Their set includes some of their own original songs. Very ear-pleasing. We saw them when they auditioned last year when we said ‘An unusual combination of an acoustic singer with a guitar and a beat boxer with a microphone. They were from Chesterfield. What stood out, apart from the unusual combination, was that the singer – David Kaho – had a very good voice with the accompaniment of a beat boxer – Curtis Roberts – made this a stand out act. Vibrant. Entertaining. ‘

Elysian
Duo Lon and Celia. Lon had a busy festival; he also was on stage as part of the Whiskey Rebellion.

Thunder Hammer

Icon stage, Saturday. Hard rock of a high order. A scorching set. A full-on performance, particularly from the lead vocalist, their set included a number of covers from the likes of Guns n’ Roses and Queen among others.

The Moderators

Main stage, Saturday. Mod, 2-Tone, Ska. This band’s floor-filing anthems had the crowd moshing on the grass. After 22 years of making music, this must be one of the longest-running Leicester bands. But are they a tribute band? No. Unless you think they are tributing themselves!

Sunday at Glastonbudget

Bands we had marked for attention today included Flip Like Wilson, Mercury, Ska-amanaga, Kynch, 50 Shades of Funk, Scribble Victory, Toby Joe Leonard, Christ Ostler and others. Many of these have featured in our magazine in recent months.

Flip Like Wilson played on the Icon stage on Sunday. This Leicester band is one that we have been following for a long time.

Several  reviews in this magazine have praised their music and reported on many gigs around the city in which they have excelled.

They are one of our featured bands.

A little latter, on the icon stage, Damage Protocol. Post punk infused metal from Leicester. We saw them again at Firebug a few days later.

Kynch is one of our favourite bands. Their set on Sunday attracted quite a crown.  Several people commented how good they were. We saw Kynch on 19th May when they played at the Musician with Anoa.

At the beginning of May we went to a show at Loughborough College where we saw 50 Shades of Funk. As I said in my review of their set back then: ‘The songs performed by 50 Shades of Funk were highly enjoyable and many members of the audience showed their appreciation as each one was announced. Songs by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Marley, Jamiroquai, Maroon 5, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, KC and the Sunshine Band and many others. It was all completely enjoyable and, for many of us, brought back happy memories. ‘

In the VIP tent, there was a small stage with a big line-up:  on the printed programme were several acts we have heard of before including James Cull, Toby Joe Leonard and Chris Ostler.

Security

Following the bombing at the Manchester Arena, only three days before the start of the festival, the UK was on high alert and there was a heightened police presence in common with all other large public events. For the first time ever, fully armed police officers were seen at the festival. The reaction of the fans appeared to be favourable and many of them were seen talking to police officers and drawing them in to the fun of the event. Generally, festival-goers seemed to be reassured by the presence of the police. Speaking on BBC News television, festival organiser Murray Stewart said that this had always been a trouble-free event.

Awards

Nick Tanner, founder of Glastonbudget, writing in the Leicester Mercury, said ‘Glastonbudget recognizes what a professional sound and light team can bring to a performance, and its contribution to the overall audience experience.’ The festival was given an award for sound and lighting at the Tribute Music Awards.

Leicester band Traps was given the Glastonbudget award for Band of the Year.

Weather

It was a fine weekend; rain was no more than a brief shower. Friday was very hot all day. Windy conditions on Saturday presented a few minor problems for the site.

Stages

In addition to the main stage, on which the tribute acts performed, there was a Big Top, the Icon stage, the LoCo stage and an acoustic stage in the VIP tent.

Prices

A copy of the programme and bands info booklet cost £3.00

Complete list of acts: will appear when the final edition is published.
See also:

Our report on Glastonbudget 2016