Yes We Realize – Indian Summer In Full

• 19th Jul 2007

While the masses continue to flock year in year out to the over-priced, over-hyped talent drought known as T In The Park, Indian Summer continues to offer a healthy alternative to the educated music enthusiast amongst us. In this, its 2nd year, Indian Summer boasted an intriguing mixture of mainstream indie (The Flaming Lips), ‘do you remember the first time?’ over 20’s nostalgia (Idlewild) and fresh, seductive ‘ones to watch’ in the form of Au Revoir Simone. On top of these lovelies lay a whole host of other impressive newcomers as well as the ever-popular Optimo dance tent, which was predictably brimming with smiley faces throughout the weekend.
The only disappointment this year being that there would be no place for Aidan Moffat to read aloud his brand of provocative yet highly entertaining poetry. Well, as he would no doubt grumble, ho hum.
Situated in the fashionable West End area of Glasgow, Indian Summer set out to cater for all, and not for the first time in this part of the city, moulded alternative guitar freaks and dance fiends together – the diversity of the line-up adding variety to the type of fan who turned up.

Spread across two humid days, the festival offered some of the most random, not to mention spectacular sights and one would witness at any gig. This was mainly down to Sunday night headliners (and without a doubt, main attraction) The Flaming Lips who played their only UK festival set and pulled no punches when it came to the visuals. The sight of the dancing Santa’s was a particular highlight.

Elsewhere ex-Delgado’s songstress Emma Pollock was in high spirits, wooing the gathering crowd early on in a Saturday bustling with surprises. No bigger of which was the inclusion of Idlewild on the main stage. Roddy Woomble and co’s set was full of energy and despite a disappointing last record, their show was more than worthy of a slot in this years line up. The Texan Fleetwood Mac/ Radiohead sound-alike's Midlake also played their part in a first day where everyone was spoiled for choice on the main stage.

On the smaller BBC 6 Music stage, lay some undiscovered gems. Ra Ra Riot have been making big noises in the music industry of late for all the wrong reasons, however since the death of their drummer, they have continued on and showed no sign of bleakness in their noisy performance. On the same stage came another Indian Summer find. Au Revoir Simone have been busy establishing themselves as ‘the band to take note of’ and since playing at an art exhibition for the king of esoteric film, David Lynch, they’ve been gathering more and more deserved praise. Praise, which had obviously been taken note of by those who turned up to catch the synth driven pop delights. The band played the kind of uplifting electro tunes that made their last album, ‘The Bird Of Music’, so refreshing and in their 4th Glasgow appearance, showed how their confidence has continued to grow.

Another fix of nostalgia came later that night when Daniel Johnson appeared. Attracting a 6 Music Tent sell out crowd, the living legend was a particular low of the whole weekend and despite doing all he could to get things going, it never happened. In all honesty, the performance was more than heartbreaking than heart-warming with the troubled genius struggling to strum in time with his weary singing. Still I suppose we have the old records. Before the depression had chance to set in Saturday night was being brought to a close with New York uber-cool hipsters The Rapture, and then the country-rock headliners, Wilco, ending the first day on a high.

The surprises continued Sunday when Franz Ferdinand’s’ Paul Thomson showed up on drums for Glaswegian hopefuls Correcto and elsewhere ‘breathtaking’ was the word on punters’ lips after witnessing a remarkable set from ex-Swans frontman Michael Gira. The main stage continued to overflow with indie guitar favourites and one of the festivals other main attractions Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! were of typically high standards, playing fan favourites such as ‘Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)’ and ‘The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth’ which had the crowd in full dance mode just as the sun replaced the drizzle.

Before then, all eyes were set on the rather brilliantly named Swede collective, I’m From Barcelona, who turned up in their numbers. Looking like a less hippy(ish) version of The Polyphonic Spree, they gave off a serious sense of déjà vu, appearing onstage as they did with similar Flaming Lips-style party-mode antics.
While we waited for the Indian Summer crowd puller, we were treated, for the most, by Jason Pierce and his new Spiritualized Acoustic Mainlines project. Although, even he must have known who we really turned up to see.

Sure enough, it wasn’t before long the Wayne Coyne Fan Club were treated to what they had been waiting for and The Flaming Lips appeared in a typically spectacular fashion. Coming complete with huge images of wrestling squirrels, masses of tickertape and a George Bush-bashing frontman, The Flaming Lips ended Indian Summer with the climax it had been waiting for.
Their seemingly ‘celebration of life’ themed set had everyone on cloud 9 and instated themselves as pioneers of charm as well as leaders of visual rock. Their music, their personality and their political correctness, all combined to discard any of the few bad performances provided by earlier acts. Did I mention the dancing Santa’s? Tremendous.