Godiva Festival Coventry 2nd & 3rd July 2016

Godiva Festival Coventry 2nd & 3rd July 2016

 

Saturday  Godiva Main Stage

 

Well I never thought I'd get to a festival this year had nothing planned that I found to be original to review, so its a big surprise thanks mainly to a tweet from 'Tim Burgess' of 'The Charlatans' that they'd be playing a free! Yes.... free!! Festival, well ok I had to pay to get there but the line up was worth it.

 

So Saturday I'm in front of the stage centre left waiting for the first bands to kick off the festival, the first band are runners up of the 'Free Radio Godiva Festival Competition' they are called 'TellMeI'mPretty' a young band who's lead Guitarist/Vocalist is working the 'Tom Meighan' look of 2009 with flowing blonde locks and hippy shirt, their set includes a 'Beatles' song of all things ,later on the same singer re-appears with another band 'Idle Noise' this time wearing a marvel comics tee, things really get started with the older festival thespians 'The Sessions' with a female blues rock singer, her long hair and raspy vocals reminiscent of 'Jefferson Airplane' brought right up to date with the 90's blue denim jacket short stretch red dress and sneakers. 

 

This is followed up by 2 more bands 'April' whose singer walks around the stage at high speed talking .. but I cant hear a word he's saying #KeepStillMan his vocals on stage are drowned out by the instruments its a wall of noise I just cant get into  #LessIsMore, then we are treated to a band all in black called 'Ravens' they sound influenced by 'Jesus & Mary Chain'.

 

  Fast forward to 4.40pm though and 'Fronteers' a band from Hull who caught my attention on 'MTVRocks' earlier this year with their single 'Idol' the surprise here was I didn't realise it was them til I'd heard the song in their set today,they have an e.p. out and are festival wide in the UK with upcoming appearances at 'Y Not Festival Derby' and 'Bingley Music Live Bradford' they are also playing 'Sheffield Tramlines Festival' later this month, watch out for these guys they're going to go somewhere I tell you.

 

 

 

 Next act 'Ekkah' Intro'd as a band influenced by 'Madonna' and 'Prince', my ears prick up instinctively, as the Female Duo take to the stage, One girl is on Keyboards wearing a shiny gold skirt and Black summerstyle top she also plays Sax and nearly reduces me to tears when she says "This song is for Jon Brookes" (reminding me that Jon is no longer in the Charlatans line up now he passed away a few years ago I was always close to him its also the first time I'll of seen the Charlees without him there , The Charlatans as people shaped me into the Music writer I am as I once dabbled in free journalism for a US college paper and later created a 'Muziczine' ) anyway the other girl is wearing funky leggings has dark hair and 'Lennon' glasses they play a unique blend of upbeat funky disco pop.

 

 

 

After 'Ekkah's set, a pause whilst a casualty of the crowd is dragged to safety this is the other side of festival life keyword in this case #Excess, next act to get on stage is Welwyn Garden City's  'The Subways'(  ie from London to you lol)they are a punk trio that first played a radio 1 stage in Reading and Leeds and have become the most entertaining U.K. act to play festivals since 2009, they take to the stage with energy and swagger, with 'Billy in white tshirt and Jeans and 'Charlotte' with her Bass guitar who is like fizzy buzzbomb onstage peach coloured hair and glittery makeup she rockets across the stage bouncing and leaping in the air to 'Oh Yeah', Josh on drums hair flailing as they rule the Godiva stage the crowd of 25'000 or more, they play last years 'Taking All The Blame' and I notice basically it all goes ballistic it all gets very rock n roll, turning it up a notch with 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' the crowd go nuts as 'Billy' decides to leap in and surf only 3 people away from me I budge quickly out the way, and he's up in the crowd behind me ....whoah I get too close sometimes phew !!.  

 

 They end their set with 'Rock & Roll Queen' another anthem from their back catalogue, they as leave the stage the crowd gets back to some kind of semblance of uprightness, next band not really a fan of tbh 'Mystery Jets' its all a bit too early 'Coral' not enough 'Biff Bang and Clang' for me but the crowd are enjoying them, The singer arrives on crutches to the Keyboards, their are 2 main singers one is guitar to left and the other in Leather trousers seated with his acoustic guitar and keys, the Bass player is wearing Leather trousers  and shades that's all a bit 'Starsky & Hutch', one song I do know and find familiar is 'In love with a girl 2 doors down' the crowd actually love them they get a huge response in fact 2 girls stood next to me travelled from 'Birmingham' just to see them.

 

 

 But tonights main act is what I'm here for as well as the lure of  'TheSubways' I'm here to see my fav childhood band not seen live in 4 years yes its been that long .. 'The Charlatans' are headlining tonight and are we in for a treat.

 

 

 As  'Tim' walks out onto the stage in awe of the strong crowd in front of him, and 'Martin' , Mark and Tony gear up for the first track 'Weirdo' Omg that Intro it still moves me awesome, Tim onstage dancing signalling his arms gesturing at the crowd smiling beckoning them forward #Update #NowVerySquashed.

 

 

They play a great set of old and New songs including 'So Oh' followed 'Just When You're Thinkin Things Over' and 'North Country Boy' was also great to hear 'Blackened Blue Eyes'and the completely awe-inspiring classic 'The Only One I Know', 'Tim' still sports his Blonde hair working the Cadburys Button's man look to a tee still, for he dosent look a day over 25 !!. 

 

 

Tony is in the corner  amongst the dry ice ,orange glows and laser lights surround him as the music gets louder it's a shorter set than what I'm used to I wanted the show to go on longer, I shouted for 'Jesus Hairdo' but to no avail, we got the epic set closer 'Sproston Green' always Whirltastic experience!! influenced by 60's Psychedelia and the closing track on 'Some Friendly' their debut album I can hardly believe I've grew up with this band that have been going over 25 years, beginning '1989' Wow what a journey!. 

 

 

 Sunday Day 2 my day 2 Its hotter Than Spain here, people are relaxing in the other field with their families and children taking in the stalls sights and falconry with a kiddies animal farm also a hit with adults ,its lovely here I'll miss you Coventry it's my last day here, I check out the nearby tents with honey bee stalls Rspb charity stalls with different things to do, the oddest thing I saw was a '9/11' conspiracy theory stall with photo albums and conspiracy sheets claiming it was all not as reported weird, how bloody bizarre I walk away confused  and think 'Matt would've found this interesting! and toddle off to do some sunbathing on the hilltop by the fairground, hours later catch my train home, What a Great Festival , Great Weekend Hope to go back soon Godiva Love Ya

 

LMi xo