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Ok, so first off I must iterate the fact that this particular run down is in no particular order, nor is it a definitive list of the best British record labels of all time (as if such a breakdown could ever be truly quantified). It is simply a list of some personal favourites within the British...MORE>>
It’s Saturday, August 15th and the sun has decided to creep out and shine down upon De Montfort Gardens. Summer Sundae is in full flow and as we are passed our booklet, opened at the middle page, it is clear to see we are in for an afternoon of brilliantly diverse music.
First stop, as always, is the bar. This bar was not like most festivals, it had more
than the usual Stella and Fosters on tap. An array of 50 or so kegs of Leicester’s
local ales and ciders. I play it safe and opt for the Bulmers and take my seat in
front of the packed Main Stage awaiting The Joy Formidable. The crowd at Summer Sundae
is as assorted as a bag of Liquorice, a wide-
After a decent set from The Joy formidable we decided to hang around to catch Broken Records,
and it was a good choice, this Scottish band create an unusual mix of “European Folk with modern Scottish alternative music” as described by the booklet, not a genre that you’ll come across too often. But lying on the grass, whilst hopelessly trying to gain that golden brown tan, they provided the perfect background tunes.
By 6pm we had moved into the Indoor Stage located in De Montfort Hall to watch Emmy The Great, someone who we unfortunately missed at The Big Chill, the week before. Her soft vocals seemed to fit the atmosphere in the Hall and gave the listeners a brief respite from the heat outside.
We caught some other acts here and there including Bombay Bicycle Club, 65DaysOfStatic
and Future of The Left before heading over to the Rising Stage for Frank Turner.
His set was certainly one of the highlights of the festival, performing to a packed
crowd, he gave us a taste of the new album and some classics, with The Real Damage
raising the roof of the Rising Stage (most likely as everyone in the tent could relate
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It was then back to the indoor stage in anticipation of Mr Hudson and Chipmunk. The
Hall was filled with eager young students awaiting the man who is currently filling
their iPods. He did not disappoint, a set that included a number of his most successful
tunes, unfortunately he did not perform There Will Be Tears and he said his farewells
and had walked off stage without giving his fans what they had come to see, Supernova.
The crowd chanted for him to come back and he duly obliged ending the set with an
awe inspiring performance of Supernova leaving no-
It was now 11pm and there was one act left to see. The engineers set up the stage,
a set of decks and a microphone was all that was produced. And then from the corner
of the stage a small figure appeared with a swagger that exuded confidence, and rightly
so, Chipmunk (2008 Best UK Newcomer MOBO award winner) came out to a huge applaud.
He performed Chip Diddy Chip, Tiny Dancer and a number of other massive hits before
closing with Diamond Rings. Chipmunk is among a group of artists that are revolutionising
the British Music Scene and a group that I expect to see dominate the UK and possibly
US charts for the next 5 years, those he has worked with and toured with include
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So with it’s fantastic line-
