Wychwood Festival: Where Tim Booth Walks Among Us and Glitter Vikings Roam Free
- Sam Holt
- Jun 4
- 5 min read
Wychwood Festival 30th May-June 1st at Cheltenham Racecourse
IMAGES / WORDS SAM HOLT
Wychwood Festival is hosted on the grounds of Cheltenham racecourse. In addition to a great musical lineup the festival provides a range of workshops and comedy, and is a perfect way to start the festival season. It’s not as hot as last year, but when I enter the main arean the atmosphere is brightened by people having a good time on the rides, at the bar or simply sitting back to enjoy the music.
This year’s acts include 90’s Britpop stars Shed Seven, ‘james and Doves unveiled as headliners. Bands from the genre have seen a resurgence in recent years with several bands returning to tour. In some respects, those who attended many of their early events now have families and are able to enjoy the same artists with their families and Wychwood has been described as one of the most family friendly festivals, so it’s a perfect fit!
Bristol-based band Pocket Sun opens the main stage with some fantastic soundscapes to set the mood for the next three days., but it was Daniel Bedingfield that had the crowd wowed, especially when he jumped off the stage and straight into the crowd. Scouting for Girls played an enthusiastic set, they are a band I find you know several of their songs without realising it. They opened with ‘I wish I was James Bond’, included a great version of ‘Come On Eillen’ the assembled crowd were in fine voice. The band ended their set with a rousing version of ‘She So Lovely, they are clearly a fan favourite. “You won’t know anyone of our stuff” said vocalist Thom Rylance from The Lottery Winners and to be fair I didn’t. “I’m gonna come back on stage and I want to you treat me like a real rock star”, and they did as he strutted around the stage, posing for the crowd, going on to play a rousing 45 minute set, much of which came from Anxiety Replacement Therapy and KOKO.
Friday evening was rounded off by a superb set from York’s finest, Shed Seven who were clearly up for a great time. “Do you remember the 90’s? exclaimed vocalist Rick Witter, “I don’t, while much of their set included hits from back then including ‘Going for Gold’ and ‘Getting Better’, They also included several from their recent album A Matter of Time released just last year. Closing the set with the fabulous ‘Chasing Rainbows’ as the first night was over on the main stage. All in it had been a great opening day.
Saturday kicked off with Joe Wicks providing PE, unfortunately, or was it fortunately? I was too late to partake. As I walked across the field I was greeted with music from Wesson, described as a retro pop band and often likened to The Beatles and the Kinks, their set was pleasant and had set me up ready for the afternoon. From the moment Doreen Dooren lead singer Carol took to the stage in her glittery dress complete with Viking hat riding across the stage on her mobility scooter I knew we were in for a treat, banger after banger of hits as she put it, they were a great choice to warm the crowd. Friends confessed ‘they had me dancing for their set and I don’t dance, such is their draw.
Ibibio Sound Machine followed making quite the impact with their catchy funky music, and an array of alternative instruments provided a little world music to the day. Eno Williams on vocals swirling around as she danced connected well with the crowd keeping them entertained. Public Service Broadcasting took the stage at 7.15 opening the set with Electra from their recently released album The Last Flight. Their back drop was based on the cockpit of the ‘Electra’ and was used effectively for their videos, going on to play several of their past hits including ‘People Will Always Need Coal’, ‘Gargarin’ and ‘Go’ before completing the set with ‘Everest’. They were received enthusiastically and played a storming set.
Excitement was building for headliners james, and they appeared a little after 9pm, all eyes were on front man Tim Booth as he sang ‘Getting Away With It (All Messed Up’), it’s always been a favourite but I didn’t expect it as the opening song. For the third song of the set Booth made his way down the steps that had been added and onto a walkway enabling him to connect with the fans as he does so well. Their set was a great selection that included many of the big hits including ‘Laid’, ‘Come Home’, ‘Sit Down’ alongside some of the newer material. The arena was awash with people wearing ‘Daisy T shirts and Hoodies empathizing the draw they had been for many.
On the final day, Sunday: Big Sky Orchestra took the stage at mid day, I caught their set as I arrived for the final day. The Bar-Stewards Sons of Val Doonican played the 2pm slot, they are known for putting their own words and ‘takes’ to existing songs about the local Travelodge, or protest songs about food and chef’s descriptions of it, from this we were reminded “it’s not Jus, its Gravy”. Their attire was very 70’s lots of colourful tank tops and crimplene or polyester trousers, I do wonder if the organisers were aware of the extra fire risk! Joking aside theirs was a fun set and included Scott Doonican crowd surfing,
Skinny Lister brought their folk punk style music to follow on. I gather the band have played the festival before and went down a storm. Scott Milsom provides the low end on his Double Bass, with an enthusiastic Max Thomas on Melodeon running around the stage, while Lorna Thomas is great on the vocals, and I gather is somewhat of an arm wrestler. The crowd loved them.
Fishermans Friends from Port Isaac, yes from the same place as Doc Martin. Slowed the pace down with a set of Cornish sea shanties. With five singers and a backing band of four musicians they filled the stage with their presence and sound, theirs was a short set but one that was enjoyable on a Sunday afternoon. X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan who has gone on to secure several top selling albums, singles and release an autobiography followed. She enjoyed chatting between songs, or telling stories as she put it, including one about a Dutch lady who thoughts she was singing about goats as she introduced ‘Loaded Gun’. I enjoyed her set and wasn’t the only one judging by the crowd she drew.
Liverpool’s The Zutons providing a high energy set, unfortunately it was shorter than some but still included many of their hits, that of course included ‘Valerie’, and a cover of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’. Saxophonist Abi Harding was impressive and added a great dimension to the band. Closing this year’s Festival was Doves, it was a powerful set that saw the band drawing on music from their back catalogue of albums, most of which came from The Last Broadcast and Kingdom of Rust, either way it made for a great way to close out what had been a great weekend of music.
Wychwood had been a great weekend, not only of music, but fun for all the family to enjoy as it takes its rightful place as a small family friend Festival and in a great location, at the foot of the Gloucestershire hills of Bishops Cleeve and close to but not quite close to the ancient Wychwood Forest.
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