Friday 15/07/05 Day 1 @ Guilfest

Hailed by a certain newspaper as “the best festival for established bands”, this year's Guilfest line-up certainly sparkles with everyone from the big to the beautiful, whilst also boasting some of the smartest up and coming acts around. Established 14 years ago, Guilfest's reputation for its diverse line-ups, friendly vibes and gorgeous array of intriguing stalls (with things that you actually want to buy, as opposed to the twaddle touted at many of these festival affairs!) has sky rocketed, making this years’ fest the biggest one yet.

The theater of the outlaw is played out in full on the BBC2 main stage by the gloriously entertaining and scarily talented Alabama 3. Think acid house meets country and western. With four darkly humorous, lyrically infectious album under their belt, as well as having provided a theme song for channel 4's mafia series 'Sopranos', this band have more than enough solid material to keep the crowd up and boogieing. The blueprint for the band delivered as a full on sermon back in the mid 90's in the shape of 'The First Presleyterian Church Of Elvis The Divine' with its band of wayward disciples (all with fantastic made up names) shows the extent of the bands creativity, and with their set peppered with guest vocals from Larry Love's wife Samantha, their set exhibits the entertainers that they are, as well as leaving little doubt as to the talent and musical skill integral to the clan.

Boasting adoring fans such as Noel Gallagher, The Zutons and The Coral, it's little wonder that Liverpool band The Stands truly rock out on the main stage with their effortless amalgam of everyone from the Byrds to The Band, with a bit of Bob resonating within. Their laid back, retro feel was the perfect soundtrack to the beautifully balmy summer evening, providing testament yet again to this years talent-fest.

Guildford lads Big Wednesday were flying the flag for the unsigned acts over on the other stage, and they clearly had the wind in their sails. Glorious, energetic, melodious indie rock, textured with unmistakable passion and musicianship sets this band apart from the plethora of guitar based young acts around at the moment. Formed two years ago, Big Wednesday's hardcore fans situate themselves against the barrier and show their support by completely rawwwking out.

Photos by Richard Parsons

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