The Stool Pigeon

The number of lo-key and boutique festivals popping up all over the place is indicative of how bored people have become with the corporate shebangs that dominate the summer's music listings.

One such festival breaking out from the mould of V and Reading/Leeds is Green Man. Set in Glanusk Park, Wales against the backdrop of Sugar Loaf Mountain, this loosely defined folk festival not only boasts a faultless lineup (well, almost, more of which later), but provides the kind of environment that's so homely and laid back that it's not unusual for minor celebrities and musicians to mingle with punters (also, more of which later), or find yourself dodging hyperactive toddlers with an endless supply of energy running around in the mud chasing bubbles.

So Friday kicked off with relative ease. The weather was great, the local food and cider was even better and listening to Fight Like Apes cover Mclusky's "Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues" made me feel a wee bit nostalgic and weepy.

Catching James Yorkston's soundcheck on the main stage was a bit of a treat for two reasons. Firstly, hearing the folk supremo sing a delightful version of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" - sadly omitted from his actual set - was rather lovely. Secondly, realising I was watching said set alongside TV royalty was even better. Why Eastenders' Sanjay was larging it in a field in Wales I have no idea. That he was there made my friends and I deliriously happy - but this could have been the whisky talking.

Where Gita was remained a mystery: perhaps she was catching experimental noise-mongers and synth enthusiasts Fuck Buttons in the Fokey Dokey tent? The Bristol duo's slow-builder track Sweet Love For Planet Earth sounded both ethereal and ear-bleedingly loud.

The day's headliners Spiritualized suffered from sound troubles to begin with, but Jason Pierce's backing singers more than made up for that. Pierce should learn to cherry on up himself, though, his failure to interact with the crowd put a bit of a downer on things.

Alas, come Saturday the weather took a turn for the worse. After braving the torrential rain to catch Babel while Zoe Ball and Norman Cook were walking their sprog, and upon hearing the soothing tones of the North Sea Radio Orchestra, it was time to admit defeat, wade through a sea of mud and retire to the tent for a few hours with a bottle of Jim Beam. By the time psychedelic rock pop monkeys Super Furry Animals walk on stage - Gruff Rhys complete with a Power Rangers helmet - the skies miraculously clear just long enough to appreciate their stomp of "The Man Don't Give A Fuck".

Laura Marling, accompanied on stage by members of indie folk outfit Mumford & Sons offered the highlight of Sunday's line-up.

Sadly, the day's low light was provided by Rhys Ifans' newest musical endeavour. To say The Peth are excruciatingly painful to watch would be a gross understatement. A cacophony of insufferable noise created by 10 hapless saps on stage was enough to make me want to stab my ears with knitting needles. On one track a half-cut Ifans squeals out "How big is my cock?" I'm not sure old boy, perhaps we could get Sienna Miller on the blower and see what she thinks?

Thank goodness for The National, Iron & Wine and folk royalty Pentangle, who all brought back an element of decorum to the festivities. The latter band closing an amazing, if not very wet weekend. Bar The Peth, Green Man has once again proved to be a festival not to be missed.

Oh, and Sanjay, if you're reading this, get in touch. We'd love to know how your weekend was.

Popularity: 1% [?]

More content of interest...

• North Sea Radio Orchestra / Meeting House, Brighton (Posted in Reviews | Sports)
• Hospital Cuts (Posted in Features | Full Features)
• The National: A Skin, A Night (Posted in DVDs | Reviews)