Doncaster Live 2006
The hottest July on record Temperatures nudging 100 degrees. Blue skies and sunshine. Fantastic. Then the day of the festival comes and we have an entire months worth of rain in one hour. The hour before the outdoor music set was about to begin.
Doncaster folk are made of stern stuff. Would we let a bit of rain put a downer on things? Would we surrender and call it off? Would anyone turn up? As if you didn’t know, the answers are no, no and a resounding yes.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The Doncaster Live 2006 Festival was about much more than the main stage music and throughout the day there were performances all over town from some excellent acts. Check out the next page to get the lowdown on some of the other events.
But then the rains came. Normally this would not be a problem on an otherwise hot summers day; just the right excuse to sit in a friendly bar drinking something refreshing until the weather had done its worst and made way for the blue skies again. Just before the main event though? With 2,000 eager music lovers expected and some really top-class bands due to appear? Things were looking grim. The decision to cover the main stage area proved a sensible one, as did the one to leave some market stalls in place. Area 15 took to the stage just as the rains began to ease and the gathered faithful fans cheered them on from underneath their makeshift shelters. The rain didn’t deter the die-hards though, many just laughed it off and danced in the puddles in true festival spirit. By the time Area 15 were winding up their set, the downpour had eased and the sky was beginning to clear. Things were looking good! Next up, Ego Parade and not only had the rain stopped by this point, but everything had begun to dry out.
The local band played a blinder with the swelling crowd really getting behind them. It seemed that the appalling weather of only an hour before had already been forgotten and the evening was turning into something really special. Battle came next, not a local band (they hail from Stoke) but certainly one with huge potential. Recently they have featured heavily in the NME and will also be appearing at the Leeds festival this year. Mohair next, a local band with a bright future, especially if the reaction of the dedicated fans at the front of the stage. By this time, the younger music fans
were being joined by early evening revelers and the atmosphere was truly amazing. The spectacular sunset captured the magic perfectly, casting a golden glow on the crowd and market place buildings. As drinkers mingled with the fans it really began to feel like a true festival!
Then it was time for the next big thing. Little Man Tate have been enjoying some excellent press and airplay recently and its not hard to see why. This fantastic four-piece from Sheffield are South Yorkshire boys born and bred and really put in a killer performance. The crowd went wild, the band loved every minute and the bar had been raised once again. Big things are expected of Little Man Tate and judging by their performance on the night, the only thing that separates them from major success is time. Like all of the previous bands, Little Man Tate has a wealth of talent and a commitment to their art. You could be forgiven in thinking less than positively about ‘local bands’ in the past, as ambition invariably outweighed talent. Not any more. These new bands have passion and style; a dedication to their music that is borderline obsession. Practice, practice and practice some more to get the live sound just right, then play in front of as many people as possible to get the message across.
This ethos produces an incredibly polished performance and live sound, building a loyal following to boot. Then, when the time is right for that all important first disc, there are already thousands of established fans desperate to make their heroes even more of a success. Little Man Tate are nearly there and, if there’s any justice in the world, they will soon be topping charts, headlining arenas and generating an even bigger army of fans.
As the sun finally set and Little Man Tate left the stage to rapturous applause, the Bluetones sat quietly backstage preparing to headline the festival and bring the days’ live events to a close. The Bluetones are almost considered ‘old school’ indie, following chart and critical success in the mid-nineties. Their own eclectic mix of rhythm and guitar earned them a legion of fans, as well as the respect of their peers in the music industry. So, at around 10.30, the Bluetones took to the stage. Many of the younger fans of Little Man Tate and Mohair were still around and by now the word had spread of the event to other pubs and regular Saturday night drinkers around town. It suddenly seemed like everyone decided to converge at the market place all at once! Organisers predicted a crowd of around 2,000 people, but it seemed like there were many more. And what a treat they had. The Bluetones really are a class act, projecting their sound and using the stage like they owned it. From the first song they had the crowd eating out of their collective hand and upped the ante with each successive number. It was a fine performance from a fine band.
We can only hope to see much more of them in the future. And, with their final number Slight Return, the crowd went wild and the event came to a close. It’s rumored that next years event will be even bigger and better, with a bigger stage, more floor space and aims to draw in a crowd in excess of 5,000. Judging by this years event, we’d say that even those numbers may be a little conservative, especially if the quality of the bands can be maintained. Doncaster Live 2006 was a storming success, in spite of the weather worries.
Maybe everything came together so well because of the weather, galvanizing organisers, performers and especially the audience. Whatever the reason, the day was fantastic, with no disturbances or problems, just a good time had by all. Great music, warm weather and good company. A Special mention and thanks must go to the crowd though, braving the early evening rain and supporting the event with such passion and enthusiasm. It’s your support and response to events such as these that ensures Doncaster can encourage more and more top-notch artists to come and play. It couldn’t have happened without you.