» Beachdown Festival review
Nick Aldwinckle touched down at the Beachdown Festival and checked out some of the smaller stages
Brighton Stage
With so many local bands playing Beachdown’s Brighton Stage it’s easy for some of the weekend’s real highlights to go unnoticed, first of which is the Tori Amos-like singer songwriter Shona Foster.
Shona Foster
Reigning in the vocal idiosyncrasies that make the likes of Regina Spektor such an acquired taste, Foster focusses on strong tunes with the odd dip into loud, full on rock crescendo. The end result is spectacular. Restlesslist are a bit of a Brighton supergroup, featuring members of Brakes, The Electric Soft Parade and Zettasaur. As such, their instrumental sound, incorporating math-rock, surf and even moments of proper metal, is eclectic and vastly different to almost everything else on this weekend’s bill.
This is something of a hard act for the gentle acoustic folk of Lisa Lindley-Jones to follow, who, unfortunately, pales in comparison. Lindley-Jones’ soothing ballads are strikingly affecting given the right environment, but in a noisy festival capacity, the music’s intricacies and subtle nuances are drowned out by louder, livelier acts such as My Device. Snarling, ferocious and furiously charismatic, these lads have been tipped for big things for a while now.
My Device
On the strength of this ideal festival performance (albeit to a small crowd), they richly deserve their shot at the big time, no matter how long they have to wait.
Cabaret Stage
Whilst the rock, soul, funk and dance fraternities gather in Beachdown’s main arenas, a humble, half-full tent to the left of the main stage hosts a small band of oddballs on the fringe of polite society, and, well, sanity. Boogaloo Stu stalks around like a camp terminator looking for his next stage victim as Fake Bush, Brighton’s own Kate Bush tribute act, starts proceedings with a note-perfect, glorious rendition of the classic ‘Babushka’.
The small gathering of young families and hungover wretches tempted by the bean bag seats are soon treated to something simultaneously brilliant, confusing and unbelievably fun: The Bobby McGee’s. Blending gentle, ukelele-plucking folk, bizarre circus costumes, willowy female vocal wispiness and oddly charming Scots spoken word from distinctive frontman Jimmy, this is one of the weekend’s highlights.
A short interval later, and unfortunately, it seems the cult following of goth-rock crooner David Devant and His Spirit Wife has abandoned him. Without the all-important atmosphere and general feeling of ‘getting it’, the pretty formulaic guitar numbers on offer tonight aren’t strong enough to win over any new fans.
It’s Sunday, it’s been raining and Boogaloo Stu has the perfect pick-me-up: Shitlips! The popular quiz show from his, Dynamite Sal and Dolly Rocket’s ever-popular Dynamite Boogaloo club nights. Stu is ably (and hilariously) assisted by Galactus-sized, leopard skin leotard-clad drag queen Le Gateau Chocolat, who has just sung his/her heart out to more than a little eyebrow-raising.
Boogaloo Stu
Wasted festival-goers are welcomed on stage for ridiculous quiz shenanigans involving chocolate spread, silly prizes and, most importantly, the filthiest of humour. Go figure. The Dynamite Boogaloo formula works well in a festival setting and it’s a great Sunday feast. Speaking of crude humour, Basildon’s finest son soon takes to the stage. Describing K*nt and the Gang is almost impossible, but let’s try.
Imagine a man clad in Burberry pyjamas and a Noel Edmonds wig, singing and dancing on stage to an electro-pop backing track about masturbation? Throw in K*nt’s ventriloquist dummy assistant, Little K*nt, songs about Carol Vorderman, men with beards, and, erm, jokes about Gary Glitter, and you have the most distinctive performer in the country. Depending on your taste threshold, K*nt is hilarious, but one thing’s certain: his songs are undeniably catchy. After a set as entertaining as this, you find yourself questioning how a song called ‘F*cksticks’ could be so great.
A fine addition to the Beachdown line-up, the cabaret stage has genuinely hosted some of the weekend’s real highlights. With a bit of luck, this great alternative to the traditional festival experience should return for next year’s August Bank Holiday weekend.
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Saturday/Sunday 23/24 August, Devil’s Dyke
****
Nick Aldwinckle
