Ravi's Wickerman review

Always nice to see a platform being provided for new artists then, especially so when it's homegrown talent...

There's always a great vibe to this festival, with positivity being beamed and blossomed out from both from performer and punter. I met so many random festival goers from all over the country embracing eclectic music with the added sprinkling of peace, love & happiness...traditional hippy culture perhaps but this festival does it well and effortlessly...

Thankfully no camping for me this year! Instead I was lucky enough to embrace the lush surroundings of a warm bed and hot running water (bliss!) in my decadent surroundings of a static caravan in nearby Southerness...

I was positively pampered in comparison to my friends who were all hardcore camping...not that I rubbed it in...nor did I mention that I was perhaps having several hot showers over the course of the weekend...simply 'because I could'...no, not me...

The Friday night belonged to the headline act of the Scissor Sisters who took to the stage with a full on set of colour, choreography and disco-pop which delighted an ecstatic crowd...

Texas rocked the crowd on the Saturday night; with Sharleen Spiteri in fine form, igniting the crowd with a battle of the sexes sing-a-long of all the classic Texas hits from 'Halo', 'Summer Sun', 'Say What You Want' to what has now become their standard festival encore of 'I Don't Want A Lover' and the Elvis favourite 'Suspicious Minds'...

Once again talk of a new album on route (Sharleen spoke of this last year at Belladrum) however this time we actually heard a wee taster. A typical Texas energized rock and hip hop laced number (the latter could just be a result from the rather lush DJ set they fuse into their live sets) taking inspiration from the classic Motown hit of 'Dancing In The Street' so throw in some hints n bits of David Bowie and Martha Reeves...and quite a number indeed.

In between I caught up with Newton Faulkner who was beaming from his recent success of hitting Number 1 on the album charts with his new album 'Wright It On Your Skin' which I have been playing on All Night Long. Thoroughly nice and down to earth chap who commented on how the Scottish crowds are always a delight to play too. He's looking forward to coming back to this side of his border showcasing more hipster folk-funk from his new album at the start of October playing, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness.

Although the music rocked on through to the wee small hours of Sunday morning with various DJ Set's...the traditional ceremonial burning of the 40 foot Wickerman against the night sky marked the end of a truly wonderful weekend of music, laughter and love...roll on Wickerman 2013...