Live Review

Summer Sundae Weekender – De Montfort Hall & Gardens, Leicester

• 22nd Aug 2011

After having car problems that caused me to miss Friday and Saturday’s festivities at Summer Sundae, I wasn’t going to let this spoil Sunday’s trip to one of my favourite local festivals.

Having been lucky enough to visit Summer Sundae previously, my expectations of the festival were already high. This year was no exception… and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. 

On entering the festival there was an ambience about the place which oozed  a very calm and chilled atmosphere.  The whole place had loads going on, the pathways of a once completely green open space were filled with quirky stalls, vintage clothes, delicious cuisines and a very large colourful welcome sign.  You knew you were at Summer Sundae. 

Leicester’s festival prides itself on offering visitors not only the pleasure of music but the chance to experience other creative amenities.  There was a creative tent to have a go at making art, a games tent where you could take part in a big games of tug and war and also a comedy tent where you could experience some great upcoming and well established stand up comedians.
As we absorbed in the cheery atmosphere my ears picked up by the most over used word of the festival, Mcfly.  On all young teenage girls lips (not to mention written on arms, hands, faces and wherever possible) was the fact Mcfly were to be the ones closing the festival on the main stage.  This totally showed how one band can change the age ratio of the festival.  Last year there had been a very even spread of ages possibly because of headliners Mumford & Sons and the Futureheads. This year was filled prominently by those born in the mid 90’s. 

As I started to feel my age, we decided to indulge in the food from the Wagamama’s tent and sipping drinks in the sunshine from one of the Orange Tree tents, admiring the fact there was truly something for everyone. 

I believe it’s always good to check out new upcoming acts and see something you perhaps wouldn’t usually.  So off to the LAST.FM Rising stage it was to see Dutch Uncles, an indie band from Manchester and a little later catching band Dry The River, who after a long discussion we believed that, if Kurt Cobain had been a live and still doing music (and obviously mellowed) then this would be his sound.  

The Comedy tent threw out waves of laughter so I decided to go check it out, none other than Jon Richardson from 8 out of 10 Cats was on stage.  His innocent charm got the entire tent howling with laughter. Next was onto The Musician Stage to see Kitty Daisy and Lewis.  These talented three were siblings from Durham, they stood out for their Rockabilly look and sound, their music influences were the sounds of swing, blues, and R n’B. This multi talented family were all swapping instruments from the harmonica, ukulele, banjo, trombone, guitar and so on… clearly showing how truly talented they were.

The crowd around the main stage began to wake up as the funky soul sounds and not to mention flamboyant  dancing act of the Cuban Brothers, got everybody pumped up for the rest of the evening.   To follow on from that was of course Fulham rapper and his band… Example. By this time the crowd had got bigger and bigger,  chanting back the lyrics to some of their top hits ‘Watch the Sun Come Up’ and ‘Natural Disaster’, as much as these tracks got everyone going the one they were eagerly waiting for was number one hit ‘Changed The Way You Kissed Me’ causing the entire audience to sing, jump and dance in union.

Finally to close the festival were of course Mcfly.  A band who emerged from the days of Busted (nearly eight years ago), these four guys can certainly play their instruments – and even though they are classed as a mainstream ‘pop’ act they are talented young guys (of course that wasn’t exactly the first thing being thought about by all the teenage girls pressed up against the railings).  The boys were easy going, chatty and very happy to be there, ultimately putting on a fantastic show. They most certainly made all those who questioned the fact they were headlining eat their words and give in to the fact they were possibly enjoying the show.  The boys varied their set with upbeat songs like ‘Party Girl’ to slow ballads like ‘It’s All About You’.  Finally closing Summer Sundae festival with ‘Shine A Light’.

Good things come in small packages.  There is always plenty going on.  There is truly something for everyone, and of course plenty to entertain young children, making it a perfect family festival too. 

Roll on next year.