Live Review

Greenman Festival 2009 – Glanusk Park, Crickhowell

• 3rd Sep 2009

“Lucien we have 2 days worth of fresh pasta to eat up!” comedienne Josie Long, successfully sums up the demographic of the festival in her overheard quote of a harangued mother reprimanding her young child. But what’s new really? “British Music Festival is Unmistakably Middle Class” is never going to make headlines. What ho, with the best line up of 2009, and the most idyllic setting, who’s to blame the flocking lefty bourgeoisie?

The defiant weather, deviates from it’s forecast 3 days of solid rain providing the perfect environment to stage a truly enjoyable festival.

Benefitting from some glorious early evening sunshine, Gang Gang Dance gave a compelling performance on the Main Stage, setting the scene for Friday nights more experimental theme showing just how far the festival has come from it’s folksey roots. Percussion rich with unrelenting synth, their simple tunes drift on the warm breeze with as much ease as the constantly spurting bubbles courtesy of Bubble Inc next door.

Next up came San Francisco’s Wooden Shijps on the Far Out stage, (a stage that’s name apparently originates from it’s geographical location rather than any obscure musical leanings), providing a welcome dose of guitar heavy, riff rich psychedelia, though turning the volume up a notch wouln’t have gone amiss.

Back to the main stage and Mars born (his claim not ours) former 13th Floor Elevators frontman Roky Erikson takes to the stage. Unfortunately, despite his musical pedigree and truly crazy rock ‘n’ roll life (three years in Texas’ Hospital for the Criminally Insane), his performance is more reminiscent of classic pub rock than the pioneer of psychedelic rock that he is. I took consolation returning to the Far Out Stage in time to catch the end of Four Tet’s headline slot where an excitable crowd and packed out tent suggested this was where I should have stayed, although not the most groundbreakingly experimental of sets to date, his successful manipulation of the crowd into a frenzy with only his trusty laptop never ceases to amaze.

Friday night headliners Animal Collective are greeted with much expectation, what band could possibly be more suited to play in the natural amphitheatre with the backdrop of the Sugar Loaf Mountain (real name!)? Delivering a safe set drawing largely from current album ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’ they are accompanied with the best light show of the festival, but their performance leaves many unsatisfied, despite gaining momentum towards the end they fail to blow minds.

Saturday relief dawned as a morbidly cold night transformed into another sunny day. There was a certain amount of apprehension with today’s line up which looked likely to clash more violently than some of Richard Whitley’s more adventurous shirt and tie combinations, however it was off to a promising start as I heard Stornoway’s gentle folk conjuring landscapes not dissimilar to my current surroundings. The Leisure Society followed in a similar vein, though I’m not sure they fulfil their hype as England’s answer to Grizzly Bear.

Taking a wonder around the site, past the lake and the giant inflatable elephant over to Einstein’s garden to check out what goes on in this edifying area. Normally weary of these so called ‘educational’ enterprises especially ones to do with science, we partake in an enjoyable game of Ringo (combining the smug satisfaction of identifying musical exerts with the simple pleasure of bingo) not sure where the science bit comes into this, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Spurred on by this neuron stimulation I head over to the Literature Tent to listen to the writer Clinton Heylin read from his new book, an in-depth study of the songs of Dylan from 1957-1973. One has to give him credit for attempting to academically analyse a man who is notoriously contradictory and unwilling to speak of his past. I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for Clinton when the next speaker Joe Boyd trounced him within the first few seconds with hilarious personal Dylan anecdotes that made Clinton’s talk ‘dry’ to say the least (who could really compete with having Dylan in your shower?). Accompanied by Robyn Hitchcock on guitar performed seminal songs from each era as Joe read from his book ‘White Bicycles’. Needless to say, even those familiar with Boyd’s work were blown away by his easy recollections of the 60’s and 70’s and that he did in fact know anyone who ever was anyone and seemed to be present at any moment of importance. The audience emitting a mixture of jealousy and hatred in equal measure.

Having heard enough of people speak about the brilliance of music of 30-40 years ago (and sitting alone in a tent full of middle aged men for 3 hours) it seemed appropriate to seek out some more contemporary sounds. Beach House on the Far Out Tent make a great case for what is new and exciting now. You would expect a band with such a distinct sound to be over after one album, but now 2 albums in their appeal remains undiminished. Creating ethereal layers of gentle fuzz, using repetition of riffs and lyrics to splendid effect tracks such as with ‘Gila’ become powerful evocations of forgotten childhood summers. The crowd is left enchanted.

Grizzly Bear on the Main Stage continued to enchant with their pitch perfect harmonies and musicianship. They were joined on stage by Beach House’s Victoria Legrand to great effect on backing vocals for their rendition of “Two Weeks” from their latest album ‘Veckatimest.’ Unfortunately they fail to stray too far from the recorded version they still convey their masterful musicality as they unravel their intricately crafted textures and layers.

Unfortunately due to another monumental clash I have to forgo Bon Iver to see my beloved Andrew Bird. But at least I know I will not be disappointed by the man, who is in my eyes perfection. Having seen his live performance a few times now, (some may call it stalking), one thing I most enjoy is watching as an old timer is, other peoples reactions to it. On record it’s all very nice, but to see live that it is him making all the sounds, from looping pizzicato rhythms on the violin to his amazing whistle (a whole other instrument in itself) and the range of his voice A live performance of his is never the same twice as he seeks to reinterpret the tune each time. Drawing from various bits of his back catalogue his latest album Noble Beast sat well in the rugged Welsh landscape but it was tracks from his 2005 album Andrew Bird and the ‘Mysterious Production of Eggs’ that received the the biggest cheers from the crowd as Fake Palindromes shakes the crowd to the core.

Finally to Jarv on the main stage, I love the man, he can still certainly move but I’m afraid I have to go with the majority as regards his latest output, it just doesn’t do as much for me as Pulp. He is amusing enough nonetheless though more between the songs than during them.

Sunday as a day of rest suitably begins as the Fence Collective display their finest wares. Rozi Plain shines with her touching ditties, accompanied with full band, endearing the crowd with kooky chit chat between songs. Trembling Bells over on the main stage are stunning. I wasn’t a fan of the 70’s tinged psychedelic folk of this years ‘Carbeth’ album but live Lavinia Blackwall’s voice is affectingly powerful with the spirit of Sandy Denny.

Overlooked Glaswegian indie popsters Camera Obscura don’t disappoint with their bittersweet songs of love and heartbreak finishing with a fine rendition of Razzle Dazzle Rose (particularly pleasing if you happen to be stood next to a Rosie which I was).

Warren Ellis, Dirty Three’s rock ‘n’ roll high kicking frontman, is perhaps the funniest violin toting Australian I have ever seen. Despite his appeals to the “good people of Scotland” for new song ideas for a 55% credit, there was no escaping from the performance of the band between the raucous banter breaks. Between them the trio create epic cinematic landscapes but it is Ellis’s fiddling dexterity that veers from sweet singing violin to hard, dark rock that dominates a great performance.

So finally to Josie Long where I began, sorry I sacrificed Wilco for a laugh. I think she may have used up her main ideas for her slot on Friday night and she was being terrorised by a group of under 10’s at the front but apart from that her Jeffrey Lewis style festival round up with pictures drew a more than a few chuckles from the crowd.

Green Man is in essence a great festival, still maintaining it’s independence against multinational nasties as well as providing a line-up to rival any of the corporates.

Everyone IS very nice: fact. The site IS very pretty: fact. The music IS generally very good: fact. If that is not enough I suggest you go to Reading.