The sun has been shining & festival season is underway. So daughter & I set off for Slam-dunk a punk rock festival set in the grounds of Hatfield House. This year we went early as two of our favourite bands were playing the same venue a couple of days before so it was a ‘no brainer’ for us.
Youmeatsix (YMAS) were celebrating the tenth anniversary of an album supported by The Hunna. The tickets were worth it for these bands alone but on the evening a range of other bands also in the line up was a bonus.
Other Bits of London
We spent the day in-between having a very chilled day in London revisiting Camden. We got there by travelling via a canal boat to Little Venice another corner of the city we had never been too.
The key thing I learned was not to try juggling an ice cream cones. Yet thanks to my newly acquired skills miraculously the ice cream did not land on the floor.
The link is to a short video of daughter & me with ice cream.
Music & Beer
Saturday came & we headed for the arena & spent the day sipping cool beer & absorbing the atmosphere. The music was amazing & we discovered a few new bands in the process.
I decided to be brave & wear my doc’s for the day which were amazingly comfortable. Making the hours breaking them in around the house worthwhile.
No sooner had I returned home but it was time to pack all the kit & head to Derby for Download. My shift buddy & I decided to travel together & this made the journey fun.
All was going well until we discovered she had left her tent poles at home! Eventually a solution was found and we settled into festival life which was certainly challenging. It felt like our campsite was at the bottom of a runway so sleep was in short supply.
Old Rockers
I love rock music and so this festival had much to offer. However one aspect that does disappoint is the fact that some of the headline slots are still dominated by the bands of yesteryear.
I’m probably in a minority but why are some of these old bands allowed to hog the limelight? While I accept this is just my point of view & cynically it probably comes down to money but surely they have had their ‘moment in the sun.’
My main grumble is that despite being very talented people very often they have not released new music in years . Preferring to ‘coast along’ on old tracks with stage performances to match.Very often the narrative of these acts have not moved on either.
In some cases this means they are perpetuating very mysogynistic ideology. Therefore I would much rather go listen to the newer bands with a much more inclusive message & approach in general.
The highlights of the festival for me were Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes ,Biffy Clyro & Wargasm who were amazing. Yet equally entertaining were those bands tucked away in the tents dotted across the site who are patiently awaiting their chance to shine. One day it would be good to see bands such as Boston Manor, The Hara & Meet Me @the Alter on the larger stages.
Heading For Home
All too soon it was time to pack up the gear & head for home. Having to charge my electric car at a service station proved more time consuming than I would have preferred. The UK service stations do really do need to step up their game when it comes to providing adequate charging facilities. Two is not enough given the increase in EV’s & the time it takes to recharge.