Long Division Festival 11/06/2011
Following my annual joy of attending “Live at Leeds” it’s now the turn for it’s local neighbour Wakefield to host a similar event “Long Division” festival, sure it may not have the quantity, but it does have the quality. Indeed when I saw the announcement for the festival I had to look twice to make sure I hadn’t accidentally curated the festival myself.
It’s the first event of it’s kind in the Merrie city, mostly organised by the team at The Hop and cross my fingers that it all works out, exciting times to be living in Wakefield (new art gallery, new shopping center, new hospital and high security prison).
So after a long journey from home taking the best part of 5 minutes I’m stood outside The Hop in the sunshine, off to get my wristband and catch…
The Spills @ The Hop Wakefield
It’s early so I’m surprised to see a nearly full Hop, I squeeze in but as soon as I arrive I have to go and meet my mate to give him his ticket, but still had time to see their drummer fall off the back of the stage.
And so we head to the Town Hall to see…
Blood Oranges @ Wakefield Town Hall
On arrival to the building we are directed upstairs to “The Kingswood Suite”, a rather large function room complete with bar facilities and grand interior décor. We grab a beer and await the arrival of the band.
Every now and again you see what bands call “technical difficulties”, today the hand of fate points the finger of cock-up at Blood Oranges, as they enter the stage and tune up a string snaps and then same one snaps during the first track – oh dear, so they play the set with one guitar despite best efforts of the bands family members attempts to locate a suitable replacement from the green room.
Just Handshakes, We’re British @ Wakefield Town Hall
I’m not particularly looking forward to these, the set I saw earlier in the year at “Live at Leeds” was a bit dull. So as a sit on the plush carpeted floor of the venue with a pint I’m surprised that I find their catchy twee pop familiar, maybe I like them more than I think.
As is customary after a few beers I need the loo, normally I wouldn’t mention it but as I as I enter the gents there is obviously someone being “ill” in the cubical. Not just a bit ill, but full blown “huey” yelling. Eventually a bedraggled figure emerges from the cubical and staggers through the door and across to the green room. How odd.
Nepoleon IIIrd @ Mustangs Wakefield
I feel the need to see Nepoleon as he’s been around for years. It turns out to be a bad choice for me, his beat filled dance electronica is an urban kilometre outside my comfort zone.
It’s also my first ever visit to “Mustang Sallys” it’s as tacky (quite literally – do they not have jif micro liquid here ?) as I’d have expected and the beer tastes of pipe cleaner, ummm minty lager.
Tiny Planets @ Wakefield Town Hall
Back to the Town Hall to catch the end of Tiny Planets, I quite like the snippets that I hear and the singer confesses to “being really nervous before the gig” – no s#!t, this is the bedraggled figure who was spewing in the gents earlier.
So let’s try something new.
The Windup Birds @ Mustangs Wakefield
Now this was a pleasant find, imagine Art Brut, with Eddie Argos dressed in the skin of Paul Morley, singing Half Man Half Biscuit lyrics over a Fall backing track in the vocal style of Johnny Vegas.
I stare quizzically, almost mesmerised as I try to workout if I hate it or love it, I decide I love it.
Runaround Kids @ The Hop Wakefield
Oh my, I think i love this band, it’s all very Cribs like with a couple of stand out non Cribs like tracks.
I’m very pleased to say the place is rammed and are greeted with cheers that the local heros deserve. I look forward to the album launch lots.
The Grand @ Graziers Wakefield
The 4th venue of the day and a rather decent pint of Tim Taylors Landlord. So the band, yep I like them…
…perhaps a little on the epic side of indie in places, but yep some good tracks.
And so for food, after finding a decent 3G signal urban spoon directs me to Bollywood Lounge and very nice it was too (and reasonably priced).
So full of Chicken Tikka Keema Balti I head early to the predictably busy…
Los Campensinos @ The Hop Wakefield
Seeing Los Camps in 200 capacity venue is something I was really looking forward to. It’s a squeeze as they all crowd on the tiny stage.
I’ve probably seen these about a dozen times and this is everything I had hoped for and more. Only slightly marred by the pissed up grey haired Boris Johnson look a like in the weddoes tshirt and checked red shirt behaving like a tit, deliberately trying to push kids over in the mosh. Where is the security ? I feel slightly ashamed.
I leave one before the end to make sure I catch…
The Wedding Present @ Mustangs Wakefield
My fave band, in my hometown, It should be perfect, but it’s not.
The tacky USA theme club just seems wrong, the sponsors intro seemed out of place, the sound – FFS I can hardly hear the guitars, just the bass.
There soon developed some “tension” between the crowd and the bouncers, clearly they weren’t used to people moshing and tried to stop them. Eventually things got ugly and several fans were ejected and according to what I heard on various forums (although I didn’t see it) were assaulted.
So the gig stopped, the band talked to the organisers and the bouncers were kicked out. Then for the final three songs it got really good.
After the gig there was a post match analysis with my mates off the Weddoes forum, we agreed that it’s quite the oddest weddoes gig we’ve been to.
The Retrospective
So the day on the whole was 95% brilliant, amazing line up, easy access to venues, just great. But the 5%, oh a horrid 5% – Mustangs bouncers were bang out of order.
So more than a ripple of applause to the organisers. Looking forward to next year already.
2 Responses to “Long Division Festival 11/06/2011”
This little summary made me smile, especially my honourable (?) mention as the ‘bedraggled figure’
Ridiculously nervous, not sure why – I’ve been playing in bands for years!
Good write-up of the day.
you’re welcome fella, hope to see you at the hop some time soon.