Electric Fields tied off Scotland's festival season this year with rigour and grace. Their reputation for good food proceeded them and that family friendly, community atmosphere they boast about, was executed wholeheartedly. Not at one point did we feel unsafe, or bored, or let down by festival staff.
Veteran names such as The Charlatans and Primal Scream ended each day in a true party atmosphere, with euphoria lining every note. Their sets were big, bright and beautiful. However, Scotland’s best new music festival still hasn’t forgotten its roots. Everyone's favourite act of the weekend was probably one of the two headliners, but ultimately the weekend still belonged to the up-and-coming local talent.
With good food and feelings, comes good entertainment. The lineup kept us busy for both Friday and Saturday and we had the best time seeing some of the most promising UK talent out there.
Here's Samantha's Top 3 Acts from Friday 26th August:
Sweaty Palms
Draped in dark capes with hoods that made them look like something out of a medieval cult, the Glasgow act’s set brought an intriguing eeriness to the otherwise family-friendly festival. The dimly lit, cramped set up of the Tim Peaks tent meant the proximity between band and audience was near enough non-existent; for Sweaty Palms, however, this is the only way you should ever see them. Whether they’re knocking over mics in a crashing frenzy or slowing things down to more ominous, garage psychedelia; they’re a real spectacle to behold. Be sure to check them out should they come to an underground venue near you.
Find Sweaty Palms on the following sites: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sweatypalmsofsweat/
SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/sweaty-palms-2
Baby Strange
The Glasgow trio are one of the most hotly tipped new acts in the UK music scene, so it’s no surprise they got such an enthusiastic draw. They performed in the big top of the Stewart Cruickshank Stage - a fittingly dark setting for their punk-tinged garage sound - and, after dedicating the set to their late friend Gary Watson of The Lapelles, put on a short but no less exuberant run of their most popular releases thus far, all of which got the crowd going mad. It felt like it ended too soon, but then you could almost consider it a warm up gig for their September tour in support of their debut album - the hype for which only got bigger when they reminded everyone that it’s out on Friday.
Find Baby Strange in the following sites:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/babystrangemusic/?fref=ts
Twitter - https://twitter.com/BABYSTRANGEX
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baby__strange/?hl=en
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy1qbzlCS3K776X5CjgB9tQ
Sundara Karma
Another band with a debut album on the way, Sundara Karma surprisingly didn't get the sizeable crowd they clearly deserved, because of their early evening slot. This was less a shame for the band and more for those who missed them, becaus their set was pretty much the epitome of everything a festival performance should be. The blazing heat and the fact everyone had had time to get a few drinks in them certainly worked in the Reading four-piece’s favour (even a few of the stewards joined in with the dancing), but it was ultimately their catchy melodies and anthemically jubilant choruses that made them such a triumph. Sundara Karma are big on the hype train at the moment and this only cemented it; their songs are blissful pop fun and the mood they created was the dance party both they and the festival deserved.
Find Sundara Karma on the following sites:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SundaraKarma/?fref=ts
Twitter - https://twitter.com/sundarakarma
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sundarakarma/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/SundaraKarmaVEVO
Roll on Electric Fields 2017.
Keep up to date with all EF info al year round, here: http://electricfieldsfestival.com/