The Wickerman Festival 2008
East Kirkcarswell, Galloway, Friday 25th-Saturday 26st July 2008
'Hello Wickerman! It's great to be here in Dumfries and Galloway! How ya doin'!'
These are all the things that electro gothfather Gary Numan doesn't say as he takes to the stage at the Wickerman festival 2008. Okay, you can't really blame him – after a gorgeously balmy hot day (during which I'm working), the heavens have opened and drenched us all (just as I knock off and prepare to soak up some sunshine), leaving us with a thin dismal drizzle in the air and a soggy field to stand in.
But this (and the half hour delay that's now set in) haven't dampened the spirits of London's finest Deep South techno rockers, Alabama 3. The lively nine-piece treat us to a sizzling funky set that features, well, lots of songs from Exile on Coldharbour (the only album I own), including a lively 'Hypo Full of Love' and 'U Don't Dance to Tekno Anymore' and of course the obligatory dark and moody 'Woke Up This Morning'.
But anyway, back to Gary Numan. He's an undeniably great performer, and, backed by an awesomely dark, intense, industrial band, he sounds amazing, particularly when he launches into classics like 'Cars'. It's just that, well, he's not very chatty and somehow, at a jolly, family friendly festival, that strikes an odd note. He comes on stage, he rocks out, he leaves, and in between, although he weaves an incredibly powerful, moving, melodic soundscape, he only has one setting – moody goth – and the music only has one setting too – dark and brooding. So all in all, I was left both blown away and strangely unsatisfied. Odd.
Saturday starts foggy and, well, kinda continues that way. But like Alabama 3, the Dub Pistols aren't going to be put off. You see, this is why I like to go to Wickerman (for free, with expenses, at any rate): because I would never go and see a band like the Dub Pistols otherwise, and they are just great. I'm not going to pretend I know the first thing about reggae/ska beats, but hey, they mash up songs by the Stranglers, the Specials and, believe it or not, AC/DC in a gloriously upbeat way so what's not to like?
Next up is Scotland's sweetheart KT Tunstall, standing out from the fog in a silver puff ball dress that would make Gok blush. Her cheery acoustic strummings aren't entirely to my taste, but her enthusiasm and obvious delight to be there would win over the most cynical of critics and its hard to resist the infectious good humour of her onstage banter (bar some unfortunate comments about 'mental people').
And then of course she has a few good hit songs under her belt, the highlight of which is a storming version of her breakthrough single, 'Black Horse and the Cherry Tree', which morphs cunningly into the White Stripe's 'Seven Nation Army' to riotous response. 'Other Side of the World' is wistful and charming, 'Under the Weather' is, well, pretty appropriate in the circumstances and 'Suddenly I See' is a great way to wrap up a set full of charisma, fun and energy.
And so onto my favourite bit, the burning of the wicker man (this year sporting a natty Mohican do). A shame, then, that we can't actually see 'the woody bastard' (as KT Tunstall dubs him), as the fog is now a real pea souper, but we can see lots of fire swinging, which seems to go on forever as we hang around in the cold. But, finally, the wicker man takes light, his majestic frame slowly engulfed in a blaze of orange and yellow flames. And a group of girls behind are actually singing 'Summer is Y Comen In'. Although possibly not in Dumfries and Galloway…
