Wet and windy, but great fun!
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| • OUR MATTHEW: HIs rain dance didn't appease the gods - as he found out when he woke up in three inches of water! Ref: messybus053 (wk22) |
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| • KEEP DEVON DEVONSHIRE! YOung people wore a pamtomime outfit of a cow to promote Devon. Ref: messy bus 006 (wk22) |
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| • Ref: messybus009 (wk22) |
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| • One of the acts at Urban Lawns 2007. Ref: messybus045 (wk22) |
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| • Festival goers weren't put off by the weather! Ref: messybus063 (wk22) |
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| • Ref: messy bus 062 (wk22) |
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| • Ref: messybus024 (wk22) |
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| • Ref: messybus023 (wk22) |
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| • Ref: messybus059 (wk22) |
Matthew Low reports from
Urban Lawns 2007
URBAN Lawns music festival was held in spectacular style in Axminster, with an estimated 1,500 people strolling through the gates to watch some excellent live music over two days.
In spite of driving wind and rain, the weather didn’t dampen the spirits of those who attended. The atmosphere was electric, with festival goers commenting on the great quality of the bands.
Saturday - 11am - Fellow festival goer Ed and I arrive at Cloakham Lawn Sports Centre.
We’ve been looking forward to this for ages and spirits are high as we run a check of our inventory: toothbrush, digital camera, novelty hats, hooded jumpers, notepad, tent, picnic. Everything is in place for a fun-filled weekend of live music.
There is a brief dip in morale as we realise we forgot our pillows, but we pick up again as a girl dressed as Little Bo Peep walks past and we catch our first sight of the camping area.
11.15am - We choose a spot under the shelter of a huge tree and hastily put up our tent which, when constructed, looks dangerously flimsy, so we perform a brief sun-dance around it to appease the gods and keep the rain away.
11.30 - The serious business of watching live music begins and we make our way to the arena, which looks fantastic, set against the picturesque hills and farms in the background. The arena is lined with stalls and activities of all descriptions: a sumo wrestling ring with inflatable sumo suits, paintball gallery, numerous cafes and food stalls, an art and craft wigwam, and a fancy-dress stall amongst others.
Noon - The main stage looks impressive and it is not long before the music is under way, with The Subterraneans kicking off proceedings.
We spend the afternoon alternating from the main stage to the marquee, watching the bands and soaking up the atmosphere. People of all ages are arriving in a steady stream and everyone looks like they’re having a great time.
3.05pm - During the Reckless Princess set, a pantomime cow runs past with a Devonshire tattoo on its rump.
We later discover it belongs to the New Devon Army, who have a stall in the centre of the arena and describe themselves as an underground movement of event organisers and surfers who campaign to ‘keep Devon Devonish’.
They strike me as a kind of Young Farmers’ Club-meets-Jackass and, although not being from Devon originally, I empathise with their struggle and slap a cow-shaped Devonshire flag to my own rump in solidarity.
5.30pm - It’s beginning to get overcast and we decide to use our backstage wristbands to see what rock and roll revelry is going on.
5.35pm - We’ve hit the jackpot! Event organiser Tracy Churchill is cooking a barbecue and we enjoy a tasty burger or two whilst mingling with some of the bands.
6pm - We receive an intriguing insight into the rock and roll lifestyle when an urgent message crackles through on Tracy’s walkie-talkie.
“Emergency, we need three cups of tea! The sound engineers are parched!” a voice says.
Three cups of tea are swiftly dispatched and calm is restored.
Attendance has picked up all day and there is a large crowd in front of the main stage in time for Firebug’s headline set, which is awesome.
Firebug have come all the way from Los Angeles to headline. Lead singer, Juliette Tworsey, said: “We’ve really enjoyed it so far and the people here are really cool.
“Although the sun hasn’t smiled on us, we’ve had a great time and we especially liked The Prospects, who were on before us.”
11pm - everyone is in high spirits as an impressive fire display starts and lanterns are released into the skies.
Midnight - The marquee is a writhing, churning mass of bodies bumping around to a DJ, and myself and Ed are in the heart of it!
Ed seems to have obtained a set of enormous earphones from somewhere and at one point I’m drawn into a light-sabre fight with a complete stranger.
1.30am - We have a roaring campfire going and a crowd has gathered round.
I’m not sure if it’s the cider, but I’m sat next to a pirate playing the guitar!
It later transpires I was not hallucinating and it was, in fact, Charlie Hill, of Honiton-based band Inferno.
3am - The wind picks up and we retreat to the tent as the heavens open and the last embers of the fire are put out.
After a brief discussion about what fun we’re having and how we hope the tent stands up to the elements, we fall asleep.
Sunday - 9.30am - I awake to find my feet three inches underwater. The rain had not stopped all night and, unfortunately, the tent we bought wasn’t built to withstand the wind and a small swimming pool has formed inside the door.
11am - We return to the car to turn the heaters up full blast and dry off for half an hour. It works wonders and, by the time the music has started again, we’re dry and in good spirits.
No one else seems to have had any problems with their tent and we make a mental note to buy a better one next year.
12.30pm - We learn that the main stage has been sacrificed, due to the relentless rain, and all the bands are playing in the marquee for the rest of the day. We spend the whole day watching the bands, with my personal favourite being Kemosabe Junior, a one man slide guitar and mouth-organ show.
4pm - The rain turns out to be a blessing in disguise as there is a great atmosphere in the marquee and plenty of time to listen to people’s thoughts about how the weekend is going.
Pat MacLeay, 26, from Frome, in Somerset, said: “It’s a shame about the rain, but I’m really impressed by the quality of the bands. I’ve been to festivals all over the world and the bands here were better than at most.”
Sally Ruark, 17, from Honiton, said: “I don’t care if it’s raining outside, we’re having a wicked time! Firebug rock!”
Lucy Dalton, 24, from Honiton, said: “It’s great that there’s a festival like this round here and there are some quality bands on. There’s not always that much to do for young people around here, but this is amazing and I would encourage more people to come along.”
10pm - Honiton’s Sweet Black Angels are among the highlights of the evening’s programme and, by the time Moscow’s Punk TV bring proceedings to a spectacular finale, myself and Ed are truly exhausted from all the fun we’ve been having, so it’s “Goodnight, Urban Lawns” and off to sleep in the car as the tent is a no-go.
The festival was fantastic and I would recommend it to anybody.
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