Beacons Festival returned to the lovely grounds of the stately Funkirk Estate near Skipton last weekend (17th-19th August 2012) following last year’s weather related cancellation. It was worth the wait!

Set in a truly stunning location deep within the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, the festival offered a packed schedule of entertainment offering something for everyone. Relocated to higher ground this year, the festival experienced no worse conditions that the mud and rain which has plagued many an event this ‘summer’. There was much to commend this event with eight different scenes offering everything from poetry - to dance - to spoon carving, plus an eclectic line-up of top notch artists to add to the heady mix. Throw in some fine ales and cocktails, and a young enthusiastic crowd, and the weekend was a cracker.

Let’s get the one big negative out of the way up-front so we can move on; writing as a fairly seasoned reviewer - the toilets were terrible. In 2012 a festival review should not be focussing on what, today, is a given – decent facilities. The provision of toilet units was woefully inadequate for the sell-out crowd attending, both in the camping areas and in the arena. This was compounded by dreadful servicing. I will not elaborate further! To their credit, the organisers acknowledged the situation and there was some minor improvement later in the weekend. This was so at odds with the quality of much of the rest of the festival that we’ll put it down to inaugural year naivety.

The festival arena itself was large, with little noise pollution between the host of stages, and provides the organisers with plenty of room for future expansion as this festival matures … and grow it will.  2012 gave a flavour that this festival could grow to become one of the regions flagship events once they sort some fundamentals out.

A major plus of Beacons, given the vagaries of the climate, is that ALL the stages are covered, with the main stages held in huge marquees. A big-up to the sound engineers by the way, with some of the best sound desk mixing we’ve heard at many a festival.

With such a packed programme it impossible to take it all in; so here are a few of the highlights:

We kicked off on Friday with some fine hazy lazy reggae dub from local heroes The Root One Band.  Suitably chilled, we rolled over to watch, what for this reviewer at least, was the find of the festival – Submotion Orchestra. Generating a brilliant mix of jazzy breaks and electronica, lead singer Ruby Wood’s vocals adding marvellously soulful overlays to the dubstep beats. Catch this Leeds based crew soon and enjoy!

Roots Manuva, always a class act, had the main Stool Pigeon stage rocking for his headline set, us included. We also caught a Bill Hicks documentary and an urban poetry session during the day too …. The varied arts, cinematic and theatre performances crammed in over the three days in the atmospheric ‘Into The Woods’ area would put the non-music ‘arty’ elements of some other festivals to shame. Told you it was a packed and varied entertainment package!

Saturday saw the best of the weather, and also some brilliant performances; best of the best being Ghostpoet and Wild Beasts. Ghostpoet had the place jumping with a surprising dynamic full on set. The guy really raises the heat for his live sets and he treated the up-for-it Beacons crowd to an absolute blinder. So too for the mighty Saturday night headliners, Wild Beasts, who continue to cement their position as one of the best bands around with yet another masterclass. Even more mature and polished since we saw them two years ago, there is even more depth and quality to their sound now. Sporting balaclava’s during the set in a nod to Pussy Riot was a nice touch too. Champion! Yet more Saturday good times was the four hour set from the legendary Andrew Weatherall and cohort Sean Johnson over in the Beacons Social. Excellent mastery of the decks to provide a truly roller coaster soundscape – a slower, moody, spaced first hour led to a throbbing collection of beats later in the set. Experts at work – excellent.

Sunday found another discovery for this reviewer – the unfortunately monickered That Fucking Tank. Described as ‘hypnotic math-rock’, it sounded like riff driven post-punk mayhem to these battered ears. No vocals just a wall of fevered riffs & manic guitar breaks; whatever the label it was absolutely splendid stuff.  Certainly a change of style, if not sheer quality, Patrick Wolf vied for set of the festival with a virtuoso performance of singer song writer excellence. Delivering brilliant vocals, keyboards and guitar, the guy simply oozes charisma. Supported by violin and cello to provide an almost orchestral dimension this show was one to remember. An awesome talent.

Toots & The Maytals delivered a polished Sunday headline set. Quality and experience always shine through, and this performance literally had the marquee crowd bouncing with exquisite reggae fused ska, rock, and gospel. Perhaps a little popularist towards the end of the set with the ‘get those lighters & cellulars in the air’ moment but we’re minded to forgive him!

So there you have it – the inaugural Beacons Festival; Work In Progress. Packed full of good times and destined for bigger things – but do sort the basics out for next year guys.  

 

 Article by Barrie Dimond