Horton's halftime iceberg
Blooming Marvellous
Rockaway Beach was a great little festival, with about 6000 people, with the Centre stage holding just under that I believe. On the smaller Red stage most bands get just over 30 minutes, so it's like a live sampler. With the last band and bands on the centre stage doing full sets.
I got to see 27 Bands in a weekend, went to a brilliant silent disco, went tenpin bowling, saw the end of ,Stop making Sense, and 'The Shining' on the big scrren, saw the end of a pub quiz and saw some DJ’s in action.
FRIDAY - REDS STAGE
16.00: INDIAN QUEENS - Solid start and first of many women guitarists rocking out both venues.
17.00: BELLATRIX - Sounded like Bjork at times and did some incredible beatboxing at the end of the set.
18.00: TRUPA TRUPA - From Gdańsk and describing their music as very simple, I thought they were fantastic, great surging guitars and repetitive lyrics, I will definitely seek them out again when they play a longer set.
19.00: YOUNG KNIVES - They were great, but reminded me of a prog rock Beta Band, took ages to set up and never seemed happy with the technicals. However, had a new second drummer who was very good and at one stage played portable drum pads, redesigned as fruit machine cherries. How can you not like a band with cherry drum pads?
FRIDAY - CENTRE STAGE
20.30: BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD - I was not sold on them prior to this, but have to say they were very impressive live, and there are a lot of them. Crowd loved them as well.
21.30: SOAK - Bridie Monds-Watson and her band are extremely tight knit, and look and sound as if they should be touring big, packed-out venues. Guitarist overpowered the vocals at times.
23.00: JOHN CALE - One of my favourite gigs of the weekend. He did a live interview in the afternoon and talked of how he challenged the band to embrace mistakes and improvise. Did a great version of I’m Waiting for the Man. His guitarist was amazing, no idea who he was.
01.00: PRINCESTEEN - How to make a drunk festival crowd happy. Band plays one Prince song followed by a Springsteen song and repeat. Separates the crowd into to two crazed mobs quite quickly.
SATURDAY - REDS STAGE
12.00: PAGANS S.O.H. - Excellent, and remind me of a blend of hip hop, Galliano and the Stone Roses (although guitarist was wearing a West Brom shirt).
13.00: SCROUNGE - Starve was one of my tracks of 2019. The high octane, feedback drum heavy duo did not disappoint. Will definitely be seeing them again.
14.00: PENELOPE ISLES - Brilliant set from the Brighton band. They rocked out, then kept on going through the weekend, from record signings to the silent disco, you can’t keep a great band down. Would definitely see again.
15.00: RASCALTON - Remind me of early Jam, early Ruts. Four Glaswegians with attitude, rocked out while wearing Loafers and Fred Perrys.
16.00: THE SWEET RELEASE OF DEATH - The only band I missed, however like Penelope Isles, they were out at everything I went to over the weekend. Did they even sleep?
17.00: OUR GIRL - Very enjoyable, very slick band, great guitarist and sound, would seek out again.
18.00: SELF ESTEEM - Hmm odd pick. I liked the song she did with Django Django, but she sang to a backing track, with synchronised dancers, felt like she had turned up to the wrong festival. Sadly a lot of people including me departed early. Good voice.
SATURDAY - CENTRE STAGE
19.30: PETER PERRETT - Solid start, felt the most Butlin’s performance of the weekend, slow, melodic, enjoyable, played Another Girl Another Planet and the place went mad for it. Finished with a great Velvet Underground cover of What Goes On.
21.00: NOVA TWINS - I said I would never buy a record of theirs, but they tore the place down with their metal insanity. Ear drum bashing, crowd jumping, full-on rock, bonkers to watch.
22.15: THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN - Brilliant, slick, 19-song setlist with a break so they could go and have a cup of tea, ROCK ’N’ ROLL.
SUNDAY - REDS STAGE
12.00: ADWAITH - One of my favourite bands of last year, they didn’t disappoint. Loved it when they explained that ‘Lipstick Coch’, the first single I bought of theirs, was about Gwen the bass player going on a date with a lad she described as fit while wearing red lipstick. I would love to see them again, although they said their next concert was at a Siberian music festival.
13.00: EYESORE & THE JINX - The Fall meet Half Man Half Biscuit at a Pyschobilly gig. I like them in small doses at the moment, but they could be a grower.
14.00: THE VEGAN LEATHER - Really liked this mob from Scotland, drove down from Glasgow in 12 hours and went straight back. Art pop, rock, driving beats and lots of energy. I would try and catch them again for a longer set, playing Brighton on 24th Jan.
15.00: LIFE - Possibly the set of the festival, the only time this venue was completely packed. Great presence, great energy, in your face and they give the IDLES a run for their money. I dabbled with their last album and will both revisit it and will definitely catch them again. The band went ten pin bowling after the set.
16.00: MELYS - Brilliant, started by saying hello we are from Wales and from the ’90s. Really good set, very polished performance and two homages to John Peel, saying the festive 50 still means something to them.
17.00: HEAVY LUNGS – heavy noise and set, I always want to like them more, but they lost out to LIFE in my book.
18.15: INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS OF POP - fun energy, electric driven pop.
SUNDAY - CENTRE STAGE
19.15: BRIX & THE EXTRICATED - Two fall tracks, great stage presence from Brix and good band with both Hanley’s from the Fall.
20.30: THE WEDDING PRESENT - Great set, great rapport with the crowd, really good set, with a middle aged mosh pit prior to the real thing.
22.00: FONTAINES D.C. - Worth the weekend’s fee alone. Album of last year, what tension and a dark and light set. They said two things during the set: ‘Thanks’ and ‘This is the last song, we don’t do encores.’ Loved it, the only way is up for the Fontaines.
I got to see 27 Bands in a weekend, went to a brilliant silent disco, went tenpin bowling, saw the end of ,Stop making Sense, and 'The Shining' on the big scrren, saw the end of a pub quiz and saw some DJ’s in action.
FRIDAY - REDS STAGE
16.00: INDIAN QUEENS - Solid start and first of many women guitarists rocking out both venues.
17.00: BELLATRIX - Sounded like Bjork at times and did some incredible beatboxing at the end of the set.
18.00: TRUPA TRUPA - From Gdańsk and describing their music as very simple, I thought they were fantastic, great surging guitars and repetitive lyrics, I will definitely seek them out again when they play a longer set.
19.00: YOUNG KNIVES - They were great, but reminded me of a prog rock Beta Band, took ages to set up and never seemed happy with the technicals. However, had a new second drummer who was very good and at one stage played portable drum pads, redesigned as fruit machine cherries. How can you not like a band with cherry drum pads?
FRIDAY - CENTRE STAGE
20.30: BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD - I was not sold on them prior to this, but have to say they were very impressive live, and there are a lot of them. Crowd loved them as well.
21.30: SOAK - Bridie Monds-Watson and her band are extremely tight knit, and look and sound as if they should be touring big, packed-out venues. Guitarist overpowered the vocals at times.
23.00: JOHN CALE - One of my favourite gigs of the weekend. He did a live interview in the afternoon and talked of how he challenged the band to embrace mistakes and improvise. Did a great version of I’m Waiting for the Man. His guitarist was amazing, no idea who he was.
01.00: PRINCESTEEN - How to make a drunk festival crowd happy. Band plays one Prince song followed by a Springsteen song and repeat. Separates the crowd into to two crazed mobs quite quickly.
SATURDAY - REDS STAGE
12.00: PAGANS S.O.H. - Excellent, and remind me of a blend of hip hop, Galliano and the Stone Roses (although guitarist was wearing a West Brom shirt).
13.00: SCROUNGE - Starve was one of my tracks of 2019. The high octane, feedback drum heavy duo did not disappoint. Will definitely be seeing them again.
14.00: PENELOPE ISLES - Brilliant set from the Brighton band. They rocked out, then kept on going through the weekend, from record signings to the silent disco, you can’t keep a great band down. Would definitely see again.
15.00: RASCALTON - Remind me of early Jam, early Ruts. Four Glaswegians with attitude, rocked out while wearing Loafers and Fred Perrys.
16.00: THE SWEET RELEASE OF DEATH - The only band I missed, however like Penelope Isles, they were out at everything I went to over the weekend. Did they even sleep?
17.00: OUR GIRL - Very enjoyable, very slick band, great guitarist and sound, would seek out again.
18.00: SELF ESTEEM - Hmm odd pick. I liked the song she did with Django Django, but she sang to a backing track, with synchronised dancers, felt like she had turned up to the wrong festival. Sadly a lot of people including me departed early. Good voice.
SATURDAY - CENTRE STAGE
19.30: PETER PERRETT - Solid start, felt the most Butlin’s performance of the weekend, slow, melodic, enjoyable, played Another Girl Another Planet and the place went mad for it. Finished with a great Velvet Underground cover of What Goes On.
21.00: NOVA TWINS - I said I would never buy a record of theirs, but they tore the place down with their metal insanity. Ear drum bashing, crowd jumping, full-on rock, bonkers to watch.
22.15: THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN - Brilliant, slick, 19-song setlist with a break so they could go and have a cup of tea, ROCK ’N’ ROLL.
SUNDAY - REDS STAGE
12.00: ADWAITH - One of my favourite bands of last year, they didn’t disappoint. Loved it when they explained that ‘Lipstick Coch’, the first single I bought of theirs, was about Gwen the bass player going on a date with a lad she described as fit while wearing red lipstick. I would love to see them again, although they said their next concert was at a Siberian music festival.
13.00: EYESORE & THE JINX - The Fall meet Half Man Half Biscuit at a Pyschobilly gig. I like them in small doses at the moment, but they could be a grower.
14.00: THE VEGAN LEATHER - Really liked this mob from Scotland, drove down from Glasgow in 12 hours and went straight back. Art pop, rock, driving beats and lots of energy. I would try and catch them again for a longer set, playing Brighton on 24th Jan.
15.00: LIFE - Possibly the set of the festival, the only time this venue was completely packed. Great presence, great energy, in your face and they give the IDLES a run for their money. I dabbled with their last album and will both revisit it and will definitely catch them again. The band went ten pin bowling after the set.
16.00: MELYS - Brilliant, started by saying hello we are from Wales and from the ’90s. Really good set, very polished performance and two homages to John Peel, saying the festive 50 still means something to them.
17.00: HEAVY LUNGS – heavy noise and set, I always want to like them more, but they lost out to LIFE in my book.
18.15: INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS OF POP - fun energy, electric driven pop.
SUNDAY - CENTRE STAGE
19.15: BRIX & THE EXTRICATED - Two fall tracks, great stage presence from Brix and good band with both Hanley’s from the Fall.
20.30: THE WEDDING PRESENT - Great set, great rapport with the crowd, really good set, with a middle aged mosh pit prior to the real thing.
22.00: FONTAINES D.C. - Worth the weekend’s fee alone. Album of last year, what tension and a dark and light set. They said two things during the set: ‘Thanks’ and ‘This is the last song, we don’t do encores.’ Loved it, the only way is up for the Fontaines.
