Tanglewood Festival 2013

Ever wanted to feel as though you’re in Game of Thrones at a festival? This is the place to be. 

Still in it’s infancy, Co. Down’s Tanglewood rings in it’s third year, blossoming into a two day event with overnight camping for the first time.

2013 festival season weather will live long in the memory and once again there was sunshine and blue skies for almost the entire weekend. No wellies required here! As you enter the festival arena you find boutique elements scattered throughout the site. There are various stalls selling homemade goods with brightly coloured lamp shades and telescopes tied to branches. 

More Than Conquerors breeze through their early set on the Main Stage, playing with the unbridled passion and ferocity for which they’ve earned a reputation. Their performance features numerous tracks from their upcoming debut album with the chugging base lines of ‘Jaw’ a savage stand out. The Belfast quartet aren’t known for their soft side but they play the closest thing they have to a ballad in ‘Heart and Home’ which excels with a sweeping chorus and signature breakdown. 

Of the newer acts on the bill, both Hologram and Hurdles impress. Hurdles have been garnering an ever growing name and it’s not hard to see why. Their brand of Strokes-esque pop-rock is packed with catchy hooks. At times they swerve a bit too close to their influences, but as a young band honing their sound it’s forgivable. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is a track just made for chilling out on the grass on a summer’s evening.

For those looking for a mid-afternoon respite the Riff Raff Dance Tent provides ample shade and company with a mix of chilled out house and floor filling anthems. Things heat up later in the evening with Derry’s Japanese Popstars drawing ravers from the adjacent camping area in their droves. 

Hometown boys Young Aviators bound into Narrow Water with all the confidence of seasoned pros. Lead singer and Jason Gordon-Levitt look-a-like Decky McKay takes every opportunity to interact and have fun with the crowd. Standing at the front of the stage he offers the prize of a toaster to whoever is the most crazy during their latest single “Forward Thinking”. Their garage rock tunes are a big hit and Decky duly delivers throwing the aluminium toaster into the crowd through a hoop-a-loop!

One of the more quirky elements of the festival was the Spirit Store Stage which was in fact an adapted boat. Duke Special was right at home in such unique surrounds and delivered a crowd pleasing set to a sea of fans. ‘Freewheel’ is still missing from his set but he makes up for it with a delightful cover of ‘Maps’ by Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

For those looking for something different to enjoy before the evening’s headliners, the mainly acoustic showings in the Gramophone Tent are replaced by various saucy performances of burlesque and cabaret by Newry’s Burlesque Belles. 

As darkness falls we are treated to performances from local ska-punk legends Pocket Billiards and headliners And So I Watch You From Afar. Pocket Billiards keep up their momentum from Glasgowbury and blast through an array of bumper dance inducing numbers including ‘Robot Repeat’ and ‘So Many People’. A muddy pit begins to develop in front of them but it’s not from moshing. It’s from a collective of jivers who are loving every minute of it. The band even treat us to new song ‘Gotta Give Up’ which fits in perfectly with their already stellar collection of tunes.

We tip our hat to Tanglewood’s young upstarts who put on a solid weekend of music while making the effort to create their own identity and take risks. The potential is there for this event to develop further – let’s hope they’ll be back to put on an event better show next year,