Thursday 30 August 2012

Local & Live Festival 2012 - Review




Local & Live Festival has reached 7 years of live music in Tunbridge Wells and it has certainly grown into something wonderful.
Around 100 local artists are selected from a massive 300 to play this great free festival held in the Pantiles every year. Tunbridge Wells is full of talented musicians so at the bank holiday weekend you can catch all kinds of delights.

This year I also decided to volunteer at Local & Live so I collected money in buckets, sold badges & stickers and did lots of cleaning up after dark.

MY HIGHS

FRIDAY sadly I didn't see any of the acts as I spent the evening at Burlesque Fever at the forum.

SATURDAY I saw Matt Pound & Lieutenant Leek at the Acoustic stage which was a brilliant set of happy folky songs and some amazing guitar.
Tom Williams and the Boat which I have seen many times (Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, The Forum) played to their usual energetic standard you can't help to dance to.
The Standard Lamps who I haven'e seen before played a variety of bluesy songs with a feel good vibe.

SUNDAY I loved the first act I saw Worry Dolls, two girls who can both sing beautifully and play various stringed instruments made me think of a mini warpaint.
The Varlies also played a great acoustic set set of feel good songs with a little appearance from one of their wives.
The Charlie Rivers Band were great to watch with a lovely alternative rock sound.
Intraverse who I have listened to since a young teenager never fail to impress with Max Pepe's amazing hair.

MONDAY I saw Quentin Holway at the Acoustic stage play a great cover of paint in black, Quentin has great stage presence and a great big crowd.
Billy Jupp is a wonderful character playing music from his up and coming album 'Chewing Soup' his style is very unique and worth a listen.
Goldie Reed a 25 year old girl with a beautiful voice, I was very much in ore of her dress sense too.

AFTER PARTY

I was lucky enough to go to an after party on Sunday evening in The Grey Lady exclusively for Musicians and workers. This was great late night fun with various artists from the festival on stage playing covers of everything from 'Stacey's Mum' to '(I can't get no) Satisfaction' I danced all night long.


Local & Live is a great festival to spend the summer bank holiday enjoying.
 In the Pantiles it feels very European and you can drink, eat and be merry in the great selection of independent cafes, pubs and restaurants.

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR. X



















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