Echofest 08 review

Echofest 31st Oct and !st November 2008
The Music Café. Leicester.

Echofest was set up by Leicester band Echolocation as the antidote to the ridiculous ‘battle of the band’ type shows and X-factor-isms that seem to be prevalent in all walks of life at the moment.
The idea was to get some great bands together from all round the country, most of whom they had seen on their travels, and let them play their thang, no rules, no competition just alternative music. There were some extraordinary performances from bands young and old over the two days.

Friday saw former Factory records artist Kevin Hewick kick start the festival with his new band, No Junk Promise, playing a set of originals before going off to join Peter Hook in Paris.
Twenty Below Zero were next. These are the most talented band to come from Leicester in a very long time. Rare is it that the drummer of a band captures your attention in the way that Darryl Reid does. Reid is no Phil Collins or Don Henley though, this is no middle of the road tosh, this is exquisite indie rock blowing away all peers and in an age where the talent less Razorlight are held up as luminaries of the genre they are sure to go a very long way.
Echolocation played their first set of the weekend, performing tracks mainly from C92, with the highlight being vocalist/Poet Pete Ingram reading out a misinformed review, very funny and self depreciating.
Headlining Friday were Black Carrot, like many bands at echofest defying categorisation, a little bit Kraut rock a little bit funk a little bit avant-gardism with a twist of Tom Waits. Talking to singer Stewart Brackley you wouldn’t imagine the primal wounded animal sounds that come out of him.

How could Saturday top such a great night? I don’t know if it did but it was certainly its equal.
Hulot stormed a set that sound like a cross between Wire and some electro punk outfit, great bass, guitar and electronics.
Armson filled in some amazing acoustic blues guitar
The Gummy Bears were delighted with their set producing something that crosses the Alabama Three with PIL.
Mojo and the Beatniks sent us to sunny California for some early 70’s revivalism.
Tim Filor blessed us with a rare acoustic set. That voice is in fine form.

Once in a while Swiss Guards have to get out of the studio and backed by members of echolocation the Guards performed a short set of modern classics. Swiss Adam won the best-dressed award with his fine vintage military jacket.
Possibly the hit of the weekend were Preston duo Scoobeef?. Powerhouse drums and incendiary funk guitar the pair cooked up a storm. Their songs had wit and depth and Beth’s amazing guitar playing recalling Adrian Belew, the Minute Men and a voice not unlike like Skin from Skunk Anansie, whilst retaining their own unique identity and presence. It’s hard to believe that there are only two of them.
Next up were Peeping Thom & the Voyeurs. For a band so young to produce music so world weary is a sight and sound to behold, surely they will go a long way. Sans harp player Miranda and drummer less, this could have fallen flat on its face. That it certainly didn’t is testament to Thom’s Nick Cave-ish vocals and Simon’s manic guitar.

The penultimate band were The Kull. Arriving with enough kit to fill Wembley the Nottingham’s “most likely to..” produced a surprisingly melodic wall of sound that called to mind Soundgarden and The Cult’s best bits.

It had been a long couple of days and it was running pretty late by now.
But it was time for echolocation to finish what they had started. Pulling out an incendiary performance the festival organisers proved they were at home with the wealth of talent that had gone on before. Producing a set showcasing newer material to be released on Revenge of the Yes Men in the new year, the band showed depth, class and staying power. Lit up by their famed projections and clouded in smoke, they were at once atmospheric, caustic and humorous. Aptly they closed the show with their classic The Shut Off, leaving DJ Lyn and Swiss Guards Sound System to mop up the stragglers and partying bands.
A great, great gig. And a massive success. With many asking to play the next one Echofest looks like it could be a fixture in the Calendar.