Around this time a year ago, I heard about the Hinterland Festival – basically an inner city music festival that takes place over 2 nights, with tons of bands in 15 odd venues across the centre of Glasgow. I thought it sounded interesting, but didn’t get to go, and regretted it. So, this year I’m going to give it a bash. And it’s at the end of this week.
Since I’m gigging myself on Thursday night (soloing some new Murnie songs at The Racasse in Clarkston), I’ve got my sights set on Friday, and since there are 60 odd bands playing and finite time between sets (although unlike most music festivals – this one has a plentiful supply of taxies!) I’m planning carefully.
Step 1 – Download the schedule.
Step 2 – Go on a listening tour of myspace. This may take several days.
Step 3 – Mark up schedule with the stuff that shows promise.
Step 4 – Panic because there is more to go and see than is humanly possible.
Just like any festival, really, except that this one is devoid of useless, lifeless “headliners”, and geared instead towards new music.
Realistically, it looks like I’m going to get to see 6 or 7 acts during the night. But it’s a serious logistical exercise working out which ones. What route do I plot between the Arches cluster (where the early stuff happens) and the Sauchiehall St cluster (where the later stuff goes on)? And do I want to take in the interesting folky stuff at Tuts en route or go via the Flying Duck? And although I love Zoey Van Goey, do I want to spend half an hour with them when their album launch is a week on Saturday?
Stuff that’s caught my ear early on: Colorama / Remember Remember / Rogues / Punch And The Apostles / Broken Records / Ming Ming And The Ching Chings / Isosceles / This Will Destroy You / Wild Beasts / Oh, Atoms / ZVG (of course)… and quite a few more.
Tricky.
ayeahmur 