Y Not Festival Reaches Another Peak

Surely there could not be a more idyllic setting for a festival than in the Peak District, where the annual Y Not Festival is held; green rolling hills peppered with the odd copse are set among fields guarded with dry stone walls to keep the sheep and cattle safe, stretching as far as the eye can see in this glorious countryside setting.

Fittingly, the line-up for this year's festival was as distinguished as the surrounding landscape, from the bombastic dance act, The Prodigy, to the pure pop of Madness.

Red Rum Club are fast becoming an act that finally looks to be reaping the rewards of their years of touring supporting major artists. The Merseyside group arrived at the Y Not Festival on the middle day of the event with a bag of tunes that were infectious, irresistible and inspiring, with Would You Rather Be Lonely? being the song that rightly should be at the top of the charts.

Sigrid Photo: Adam Lievesley

Abigal Morris Photo: Jake Haseldine

Dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt, Norwegian singer Sigrid could have easily been mistaken for one of the festivalgoers; that is, until you hear her powerful and distinctive vocals. When an artist asks an audience if they would like to hear a new song, the question might become a death knell, especially when it is directed at a festival crowd.

Do It Again was quite the opposite, sounding even better than the more familiar hits that had preceded the track; wrapped up in a pure pop wrapper, the track was a real treat. The concise and consummate set concluded with her biggest hit to date, Strangers, ending a performance where Sigrid had made many new friends.

Bringing a touch of Bavarian style Oompah band to the Derbyshire Dales, The Oktoberfest Band turned Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk and the Adele track Rolling in the Deep, amongst many other familiar tunes, into a meaty jamboree that was as satisfying as a proper Bratwurst served alongside a cool beer. As the fans danced upon the wooden table tops in the Watchtower tent, the ambiance of a Munich beer cellar was alive and well in the Peak District!

With the mime of Kate Bush and the drama of Florence and the Machine, The Last Dinner Party certainly have a good image that includes a renaissance flair, though despite their debut album reaching the top of the album charts, they still didn’t appear to have the one track that stood out.

Abigail Morris was a charismatic lead singer with charm and a confidence that denied her young age. The new single This is the Killer Speaking showed a maturity in their songwriting, with Nothing Matters closing a set that had been satisfying but lacking a big impact.

Courtneers Photo: Jake Haseldine

The Oktoberfest Band Photo: Graham Clark

Watching Saturday night headliners the Courteeners was akin to going to a football match where everyone supported the same team. The atmosphere was a joyful one where a communal bonding experience prevailed. The warning not to bring any smoke flares to the festival was, of course, totally ignored by the exuberant fans.

As lead singer and the band's main songwriter, Liam Fray sang the first few lines of the opening number, Are You in Love with a Notion? The smoke-filled air felt more like bonfire night as opposed to a summer evening.

The band had enough stompers in their arsenal to satisfy even casual fans, and they would have been enthralled by the strong support received from the audience. Pink Cactus Cafe alongside Solitude of the Night Bus hinted more of a mellow side to Fray’s songwriting, though predictably Not Nineteen Forever developed into a mass karaoke exercise – and why not when the songs were as good and resounding as this?

As the band concluded with What Took You So Long? tonight, the hills had certainly been alive with the sound of music.