Summer Sundae 2007

United Kingdom | by Claire Elshaw | 14 August 2007

By Sunday afternoon the weekend’s diet of long hot days, greasy burgers and too much booze is taking its toll. A lethargy has descended on DeMontford Hall in Leicester. Everyone is sitting/laying down looking a tad worse for wear; one woman has even snuck back to her tent and returned with her duvet. Koops set of sophomoric soft jazz means by 5.30pm the audience is virtually catatonic. Then out swagger the Pigeon Detectives and like a sudden shot of adrenaline the crowd are back on their feet, swarming to the front and the energy levels have returned to where they were Friday afternoon.

With a name like Summer Sundae Leicester’s premiere festival seems to promise hazy days and ice cream. Delivering both in spades, people arrive on Friday bright eyed and bushy tailed to watch Kate Nash whilst munching a Cornetto. With current radio favourite ‘Foundations’ and ‘Mouthwash’ sliding down as well as the creamy, cold ices the weekend is off and running.

The long gaps between acts on the main stage and the usefully staggered start times mean that most people move indoors to catch Findlay Brown, or head to the Rising Stage or the Musicians tent to check the acts taking to the stage, but they are soon back as The Aliens bring their otherworldly distorted sounds and raucous hair to the hill. And following on, The Concretes bring a waft of Scandinavian charms to the stage with their summery electro indie.

As the evening draws in the numbers swell. Although with so many bars the queues stay minimal. The definite emphasis on family also creates a beautifully relaxed homely atmosphere. On his tenth album The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon must have had more problems choosing what to cut out of a set list than what to leave in. Classics such as ‘National Express’ and ‘Something for the Weekend’ get an airing with an impressive orchestral backing and the acoustic ‘A Lady of a Certain Age’ sounds suitably haunting.

Saturday dawns as another blissfully sunny day. Kitty, Daisy and Lewis set about proving that rockabilly lives, whilst impressing most with their musical chairs-style onstage instrument switching whilst Andy Griffiths entertains over on the musicians stage with a charming acoustic set.  Jazz Jamaica then provide the perfect afternoon soundtrack with their reggae tinged versions of the James Bond signature tune and My Boy Lollipop.

Music isn’t the only thing on offer at this site. With the Kids Zone offering art and crafts activities for kids and big kids alike, and the odd cowboy show. The village also has the Cabaret tent with a line up of comedians and sketch groups. But despite the varied temptations many choose to take a cooling stretch indoors for more music in the form of Maps. Whilst often referred to as ‘shoegazing’, any self respecting woman will tell you that if said shoes are the latest Jimmy Choos there’s not much better to be gazing at. And the Mercury Prize people clearly agree. Maps' intricately layered soundscapes and spine tingling melodies fit perfectly.

Martha Wainwright takes to the Indoor Stage that Maps has just vacated armed with only an acoustic guitar. The change in tempo and feel doesn’t worry the Martha massive, who are clearly out in force, taking every spare minute to belt compliments at her from the pit. She deserves every single one though with her soulful voice belting out new material and crowd pleaser ‘Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole’ with equal aplomb. Martha is back onstage for a duet with The Magic Numbers as Saturday’s line up heads to its finale. The Numbers audience range from 6 months to 60 plus years. Acknowledging those at the more tender, fresh-faced end by apologizing for any slips in language, they rack up the sing-along scores with the like of ‘Love Me Like You’ and ‘Forever Lost’. Martha joins them in the encore for a mesmeric version of ‘Some Velvet Morning’ as a tribute to Lee Hazelwood.

Sunday is a little overcast and the mood a little hung-over. Toy Heroes do their best to inject some life by burning up the Rising Stage. Cherry Ghost also calls the masses to order and demand some attention with their guitar ladened indie riffs. Proving why ‘People Help the People’ has been getting their home audiences hot under the collar in Manchester, the band saunter through their set. It’s then that Koop bring their own unique brand of  insomnia cure to the table and lull the audience into a state of stillness that borders on the statuesque only to be followed by the Pigeon Detectives who give the audience a caffeine slap in the face. Having ripped up the stage at several of the UK’s most well known outdoor musical events the Pigeons set about proving they could wring the life out of even the most polite family friendly audience. Crashing, mic-swinging and jumping their way through ‘Take Her Back’ and ‘I Can’t Control Myself’, they leap out into the audience and fight with the bouncers whilst somehow managing to not swear. Playing their encore without actually leaving the stage because, in their own words, it seems like a waste of precious stage time, ‘I’m Not Sorry’ was clearly going to be a favourite and the mad pogo-ing suggests it is.

With energy levels revived by the Pigeons, and yet another round of fast food, the audience are ready for the pillars of the British music establishment that are the Sunday closers. Echo and The Bunnymen come first with ‘Killing Fields’ and ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ proving as shiver inducing as ever. Whilst those in the know take the opportunity after their set to catch Polytechnic weave their magic spell in the Rising Star tent and then fight the crowds on the way back out to see Spiritualized's introverted and yet effective acoustic performance. Featuring an army of backing singers and, refusing to face the audience, it was an odd set and best enjoyed from the back with the final beer of the weekend.

Packing up the face paints and the picnic mats the audience head home with musical appetites well and truly sated. An odd and eclectic mix of acts meant that there was always someone on to investigate and if that didn’t suit; a change of pace could be found elsewhere. The well ordered and maintained facilities were a masterclass in keeping the masses happy. In fact the only real complaint was when the ice cream levels ran low. Given the lousy British Summer so far it seems everyone had taken the opportunity to gorge themselves whilst the sun shone. Leicester; clearly good at more than just crisps and cheese.