Jam By The Lake: Live Music in the Durham Bubble

Arriving on Saturday 11th June for Van Mildert’s free annual music festival, Jam by the Lake, it was instantly clear that many fair weather supporters had been deterred from attending the highly anticipated event due to persistent rain. Despite the drizzle however, the enthusiastic crowd gathered in front of the main stage, pints of cider firmly in hand, refused to let spirits be dampened. Others opted to defiantly lay out rugs upon the lawn under a host of gazebos and colourful umbrellas. Their efforts were soon rewarded by the host of musical treats that followed.

With upcoming gigs at the O2 Academies in Newcastle and Islington, Durham’s own Venice Under Water offered refreshing proof that contrary to popular belief, the Durham bubble really can launch exciting new talent as they well and truly got the party started, throwing some indie/trance flair into the mix with pulsating drums and nu-rave style synths. Similarly, earlier acts The Love Pumps, described by NME as ‘clearly designed to get youngsters in the mood to smoke hemp and fornicate’, soulfully contemplative Ash Cooke and self-confessed ‘groovy blues’ gang Moist were thankfully unearthed from Durham’s seemingly non-existent music scene.

Ska and reggae fusion band Too Spicy commended Durham for ‘knowing how to skank’, whilst The Generals’ booming bass lines reverberated around Mildert’s lawn taking no prisoners. Newcastle/Sunderland five piece Chased by Wolves showcased a bluesy Americana style with lead vocalist Emma Williams adding a seductively feminine edge to the folky, Dylan-esque ‘Be My Love’. The quintet expressed gratitude towards those ‘sticking round’ despite the rain, their engaging, atmospheric performance a perfectly acceptable thank you.

In a sharp stylistic shift, experimental rap act Baron Von Alias arguably stole the show, despite having been drafted in at the last minute to replace a band that had been forced to pull out. Storming the stage like pros having performed at Newcastle’s Evolution back in May, Baron and partner in crime Mr Breeze, complete with top hat, suit, tie, moustache, pocket watch and sunglasses, ordered their mesmerised audience to ‘spas out like you’ve never spassed out before’ as the chorus to ‘Get Wild Gan Mental’ packed an innovative yet hefty punch.



Headline act Polarsets, of Radio One’s Big Weekend fame, returned for an encore due to popular demand after a memorable set last year. Their unashamedly DIY attitude to technical problems- ‘we just have to draft in some gaffa tape to fix the drum kit’- was endearing, their unfailingly enthusiastic efforts to create a summery vibe against the grey and rainy backdrop hugely successful. Counting Ellie Goulding and Delphic amongst acts they have previously performed alongside, their African style percussion soon had the crowd embracing their inner child, blowing bubbles onto the stage to feel-good tracks such as ‘Sunshine Eyes’ and ‘Morning Master’.

With an enticingly diverse line-up ranging from acoustic and folk to rap, punk and ska, Jam by the Lake delivered exactly what it promised despite the rain: an enjoyable, chilled out festival, free and open to all, with something on offer for everybody.

Link to Palatinate: http://www.palatinate.org.uk/?p=14148

Evolution: The Festival in the Car Park Returns

May Bank Holiday weekend heralded the return of Evolution festival as its army of 60,000 descended upon the Newcastle/Gateshead quayside. With tickets priced at only £35 for two days of musical revelry, the event was flooded by a tidal wave of teenagers and students ready to celebrate post-exams freedom without breaking the bank. The acts were spread, like last year, over three stages. Keen to discover some emerging talent off the beaten track, the first stop was the smaller, folk-orientated Ballast Hills stage, where Ellen and the Escapades, introduced as ‘acoustic pop’, were providing the perfect soundtrack to summer. Hailing from Leeds, the quintet’s wistful harmonies ooze nostalgia and naivety without being old-fashioned, their cover of The Beatles’ ‘Here Comes the Sun’ and closing song ‘Coming Back Home’ simultaneously catchy yet mellow. Next up were raucous Swiss trio Mama Rosin with their intriguingly irresistible fusion of African, Caribbean and Mexican influences. An exciting hybrid of instruments and musical styles reacted to create a bluesy yet powerfully upbeat set, bursting with contagious energy.



Over on the distinctly chart friendly Spillers Wharf stage, Example whirled the masses into a hyperactive frenzy with current number one ‘Changed the Way You Kiss Me’, whilst across the bridge at Baltic Square, Annie Mac unleashed her Sub Focus DJ set controversially half an hour late. Tinie Tempah, complete with trademark wayfarers and high-top trainers, roused the crowd with club hits ‘Frisky’, ‘Miami 2 Ibiza’ and the Ivor Novello award winning ‘Pass Out’. Charismatic, creatively diverse and anthemic, his set succeeded in converting even the most sceptical amongst his audience. Having palpably warmed the stage for headlining act Plan B, Tinie closed his dramatic performance to the chant of ‘Tinie- Tempah- Tinie- Tempah’, confirming his status as the contemporary star of the modern urban music scene. Defying generational boundaries Plan B’s set ranged from a somewhat dubious dubstep remix of Ben.E. King’s classic ‘Stand By Me’, to a more successfully soulful rendition of Otis Redding’s ‘My Girl’. Popular classic ‘She Said’ saw Ben Drew at his vocal best, yet his relentless attempts to inspire fans into creating a wall of death fell rather flat, much to his evident and rather amusing frustration. As darkness fell over the quayside, the main stage was illuminated with dramatic red and blue lights as Plan B drew the weekend to a close with the infectious rhythms of ‘Writing on the Wall’ and ‘Prayin’’.

Evolution is undoubtedly a fun, value for money event, but to say that the likes of Glastonbury and Bestival need not watch their backs would be somewhat of an understatement. At the end of the day, a glorified car park littered with empty vodka bottles and teenage vomit can only exude so much festival spirit. Added to the treks between stages, the overcrowding and the poor sound system, the traditional festival atmosphere was somewhat lacking. Having said that, the music was well worth the very reasonable ticket price, particularly on the grassy, chilled-out Ballast Hills stage, so don’t be put off giving this northern festival with an urban twist a shot next year.