Y Not Festival Pike Hall Derbyshire 1-2 August 2014
DAY 1
I arrive early morning by train and I'm picked up by Taxi share with 5 people also heading to the festival which starts today 1st August,its 10am,I've just booked into my B&B,which I have no time to fully appreciate,as I'm picking the key up and going straight to site.
I arrive with many festival people who are dragging along crates of beer and carrying tents waiting to pitch a spot before going to the event,some are in fancy dress so far I spotted a guy dressed as a giraffe, and another in a dressing gown and wellies, everyone is preparing themselves for a wet day and I have my waterproofs ready.
We are let in at 12 noon,I've no time to look around and head straight to 'Big Gin Stage', a few people gather for 'Hey Sholay' the first band of the afternoon,singer looks like 'Harry Styles' some lads notice this and start yelling his name out 'Oi Harry,Harry!!', the singer plays along with it and says "Oh yeah got it,got some new fans great", they play Indie pop music and then M+A (You'll remember they were at Truck Festival 2 weekends ago).
It's now raining pretty bad,I'm in parka with hood and holding an umberella,they start their set and introduce themselves "We are M+A and we are from Italy" and they begin the music they get though 2 or 3 songs and stop as the rain is really heavy so the techies push back their equipment as its really getting battered by the weather and is causing them concern ,after a few minutes they start again,I've got my whistle today so I can join in the house party,but not many people are around Weather= 1 Festival = 0.
I spot some young lads joining me on the barrier,they're about 14 and one lad has a bottle of water but he's looking spaced out and is struggling to talk to me, I say to him "That's not water is it, what have you got vodka?" he smiles and says "Shh don't tell anyone" I look back at him and think typical any excuse to drink, he won't remember any of the festival being drunk on day 1 he disappears with his mates, sheesh Generation Z !!
Next band on are 'Bat & Ball' with female singer on guitar and vocals,they are quite melodic,it's still raining though not many people are around ,there loads of other stages like 'The Big Squid Stage', 'Allotment' 'Quarry Stage' this is bigger than last years festival at 5'000 now there is a reported 15,000 coming to it,and it's SOLD OUT,Y Not started in 2006 by a farmer who's name is Tony (ynot) it was originally started as a birthday party that grew into a small festival that is now popular every summer,there is plenty to do plenty of food stalls from Tea and Toast at the entrance to the Burger and chips you can buy inside the arena area, and Dolly Daggers Bar it has also won the cleanest festival toilet award.
Then was a real treat on 'Big Gin Stage' 'Racing Glaciers' I was talking to 2 people from Cambridge who love festivals they guessed that I'd like the band and they were right I did ,the singer was on keyboards and guitar there were 4 members,their sound was very epic and anthemic if you can imagine 'Alt J' meets The Editors' meets 'Keane'' that's how good they were ,1 to watch this year.
Temporarily the rain halted , 'Sonic Boom Six" bounded onto the stage they were very energetic from the start, a band with their roots in Ska,Punk and Hiphop, suddenly the crowd had swelled with a lot of older people that hadn't been around, the female singer in White Dress and trainers, shaved punk hairstyle had everybody bouncing around to 'Virus' a catchy rock out tune that even managed to start a whirling mosh pit behind us,some were a bit crazy banging into people,they were all blokes who were drunk and some teenagers joining in, the male singer of the band was in suit and shades with hat that rivalled mine, he was getting us all psyched up and jumped off the stage to greet us it went nuts as people tried to reach him, the mood had changed the festival had finally officially started.
Next up Birmingham's 'Superfood' (They were also at Truck) I was looking forward to seeing them again they had amassed quite few fans here too as many knew the words, then it was the return of heavy rain again hood went back up on 'Yuck' came on they had female singer on guitars and sounded a little bit like 'The Breeders' meets 'Sonic Youth', there was a lot of dry ice I could hardly see but I did notice 2 thirds of the band 'White Lies' watching them on stage right having a drink, The squashing has started already I'm not fazed by it though, although 2 annoying people are trying to spoil it for this tall guy who stood next to me is arguing about them pushing in,next up Fiction labels own 'Spector' it's heavy rain now ,they begin their set the singer has shoulder length hair he's wearing his trademark glasses suit and t-shirt,the crushing is getting worse much worse I've been winded twice, it's reminding me of Leeds last year when I had to get pulled out before Eminem.
People behind me are struggling they want to get out already I try and help them with security in front I point over to them there are about 4 on not enough for a festival event really, the 2 annoying females managed to upset the guy next to me that he let them on and now they were starting on me "You're Pushing, Stop Pushing me" I looked squarely at her and said "No You're Pushing I don't need to push I'm on the barrier and I push back, I've been here all day", she is literally pushing her arse at the side of me trying to shove in, they leave after mid way through 'Spector', I'm not letting anyone in Fxxk Off!!
So the crowd have started chanting and 'Spector' finished with 'Cherry Thunder' and now for 'Razorlight' it is Pissing down heavy I can barely see the stage ,I'm in agony my ribs are hurting, my knees are too, I'm dug in ready for the final act.
'Johnny Borrell' is sporting a catweasel beard, I can just about make his features out and I'm front of stage.. the dry ice is not helping much,they kick off with 'In The Morning' the crowd go nuts all I can think is just hold on no matter what it's spoiling things but its ok Breathe...
More hit songs follow 'Stumble & Fall' 'America' and 'Golden Touch' are all crowd pleasers, from being in throes of pain ,what I can recall is 'Johnny' didn't talk much during the set I wish he'd of said something to get the crowd to step back, more people were unable to cope and were dragged out I snapped and shouted to security to sort this out I said "You need to do something ,you need to tell people to step back" to which he replied "That's what happens when your at the front love" I scowled "I know what its like to be at the front I go to about 20 gigs a year mate" he walked off.
I asked another for water for the crowd he said "We only have water for the staff" to my astonishment I said "Its a human right to have water, you need to get some, all gigs have to have water for people passing out" he agreed with me and radioed for some but in the end no water available they had to give out their supply eventually, it was ok for me I didn't want any I drank enough today ,but others were dropping like flies.
I've never felt more crushed in my life as 'Razorlight' played 'Somewhere Else' I was wishing I was in that hot shower or Big bath tub waiting at the B&B,I wish I had the chance to enjoy their set but I just wanted them to finish.
By 10pm it was the sing along 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen my adrennalin kicked in as the boys hit the stage I was once again in the zone and bouncing on my feet,whilst shoving my arms tight on the barrier and occaision clapping but that whistle came in handy, 'Harry' finishes 'TGOLA' and says "Y Not Festival are you having a good time? " I scream and I'm both in agony and ecstasy they are finally onstage, as the familiar drum beat of 'FTTF' kicks in and everyone is going for it singing fists in the air, it's still raining not even 'White Lies' can stop the rain this time, 'Harry' looks happy at the size of the crowd they've amassed for tonights headline set he beams his usual smile and they get on with the show.
They play 'APTH' and 'To Lose My Life' ,'Getting Even' and also 'First Time Caller', it's mid set and another Crisis emerges and this girl behind me who is much smaller than me is struggling to get her head on the barrier I say "Really sorry love there's no room I have no room honest" she tells me she's come from the back it was awful back there and she wanted to see the band she's a big fan, it's clear something is wrong she keeps fainting so I get her some water from the guys who's had to give out staffs water to cope, I help her get her arm on the barrier so she can see all the while still squashed I ask her if she's ok or if she wants to get out (I promised her I wouldn't say what was wrong that she couldn't move she was embarrased so I wont).
The band play on oblivious of the chaos in the crowd,I was very impressed by her determination in light of what she told me power to her, It's already encore time and 'Big TV' and 'Bigger Than Us' were up next so I told her "Its all right there's just 2 songs to go are you ok? she kept nodding she was but she was getting crushed ,I was now leaning quite precariously to the left,waving at the band whistling, and looking after 'Girl X' who was still passing out,What a Fxxking Festival this is !!, when the band left the stage I could move again as people went away,the girls friends found her I told her "She's ok she's been at the front with me she needs water and to relax a bit,it was squashy" they Thanked me for looking out for her and I left,I'd missed quarter of the set because of it.... Marvellous !!,I got back to the B&B counted my bruises and had that lovely shower .....Success!!!
DAY 2
I'm in absolute agony I can't be arsed today after "White Lies' gig chaos last night,I can barely move my head is aching oh yeah some bastard head butted me backwards during 'Spector' I'm remembering now.
I'm getting ready again taking my wellies and umberella,I've just had a hearty breakfast and a long relax so at 2pm I'm ready to go out again to the site. When I get there it's raining and 'Bang Bang' is finishing her set she's like U.K.'s answer to MIA but with a band.
I'm here again at 'Big Gin Stage' people are stood around watching ,the ground is muddy from yesterday theres a mud bath,next band on are 'Neon Waltz' ,it's starting to brighten up rain is stopping and 'Lyger' come on next there are a bit like 'Nirvana/Muse' in a battle of the bands type of way,today the atmosphere is different,two blokes stripped to their underwear are sliding around though the mud bath covered from head to toe in it, the sun is shining,I stand in the place I was before with lots of space no drunk teens, perhaps the hangovers have kicked in,hope it hurt like my head did!!.
Then a Japanese guitarist with a surprise live act, 'Hotei' he plays guitar like 'Matt Bellamy' if you shut your eyes it could be him playing an instrumental set he was awesome,I mean I was transformed alive again he played 'Mission Impossible' and some guitar solos,so glad I didn't miss this apparently he did a song on 'Kill Bill' the movie, he's huge in Japan but can speak little English.
I wander off after that and chat to stage door man and I told him about last night,he was really cool to chat to, the sun was hot and the mood was happy all around I managed to meet 'Hotei' and also 'Rick Witter' from 'Shed Seven' who I go to watch later.
I easily get to the front for 'Shed Seven' and what's even better there are 2 little girls watching it on the barrier too so I know it's not going to get rough, the sun is out the band come on and kick off with 'Getting Better' and 'Rick does his indie style swagger dancing, grabs some maraccas and launches into 'Where Have you Been Tonight and 'She Left Me On Friday',the audience were going wild there was no pushing though, 'Rick' says "We've got a surprise guest with us on tour please welcome Mr Tom Jones!!" on he walks in T-shirt and White Shorts and Sunglasses he waves at us and bows then walks off again, 'Rick' says "If you sing loud enough he may come on and do a song with us" so we all start singing 'Deliah' he doesn't come back on.
So on with the show, I shouted 'Dolphin,Dolphin !!' for the next song then as if by magic 'Dolphin' begins juddering guitars a pure indie classic and the 1st of their 12" single's bought,'Rick' swaggers around in Blue jeans and Grey shirt he banters with 'Paul Banks' the guitarist and they play 'Going For Gold' and end with the awesome 'Chasing Rainbows' where 'Rick' has us singing the chorus over and over at least 4 times it was a great highlight of the whole festival for me, awesome set 'Shed Seven' have still got it!!
So at 8.15pm not wanting to outstay my welcome I missed 'The Fratellis' and 'Dizzee Rascal' (I've seen him twice with Muse ..but not tonight I'm jiggered) I rush off for a relaxing spa and veg out with the TV at my B&B,Back home tomorrow.
This is me signing off Festival Duty ... Battered,Shattered but seen 'White Lies' again that's all that Mattered
LMi x
