Livestock Festival review
FARM FEAST/LIVESTOCK FESTIVAL
Soho Riots – Stealing Sheep – Dan Croll – Peter Hook & The Light
Wirral Food and Drink production @ Claremont Farm
In providing its takers with a refreshingly tranquil atmosphere, the amicable site of Claremont Farm proves to be a strikingly exclusive setting for a two-day music festival. Farm Feast, with its strive towards sustaining a unique weekend, proficiently blends the pleasant family occasion together with the nostalgic festival surroundings that make this event just as plausible as the rest.
You don’t have to look much further than the name itself to garner an understanding of its daytime résumé. An assorted food feast, courtesy of the Wirral’s local talent, is met harmoniously by sets from an abundance of rock/folk musicians interspersed throughout the day – a taste of what is to come from Sunday evening’s Livestock. A festival in its own right, Livestock promises an enthralling bout of music – preceded with sets by folky rock ‘n’ roll act Rob Vincent, and Natalie McCool, who’s amped up stage presence turns out to be a worthy warm-up for what is to follow.
Despite the relatively small crowd that greets the opening act onto the Livestock stage, SOHO RIOTS display a commendable performance, having already amassed a flourishing live reputation amongst the crowds of Liverpool – courtesy of impressive shows alongside The 1975 and JAWS. Playing tracks from their upcoming EP, Soho display their outstanding melodic capabilities here, with Sweet Spot’s bouncy guitar riffs and keyboard synth giving the band all the qualities of a modern indie-rock band. Andy Woodhouse’ (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar) delicate, yet restless vocal line during Who’s Your Man? and I Only Want to Talk show in his occasional grimacing turn away from the mic, and furthermore expose Soho’s ability to manoeuvre almost seamlessly from a fragile guitar melody into a full fronted indie anthem. Based on this evidence, it seems Soho Riots are destined for great things over the course of this year – be sure to check them out!
With producing a peculiar blend of folk and electronic music, comparisons to female trio The Staves and LA band Warpaint surely don’t come as a surprise to STEALING SHEEP. The three-piece’s ambiguous onstage setup on the live circuit consists of an abundance of synthesizers, accompanied by a diverse palette of percussion instruments, which adds admirably to the vocal harmonies – a melancholy sound, which is beautifully coalesced, and sits perfectly within the reverb that fully immerses the crowd in Stealing Sheep’s performance. The elements of ‘medieval folkiness’ shrouded within songs such as Shut Eye and Rearrange allude to the bands’ signature qualities, whilst the occasional effects riddled guitar interjections give us a glimpse of a band who really carry a great deal of substance. The adventurous use of percussion to form a key component of the bands’ sound is an extremely admirable feat, and the droney synths produce a distinctive style of music that contributes towards a set of songs that Stealing Sheep can truly call their own.
The final act to play before Peter Hook’s headline slot comes in form of DAN CROLL – A singer-songwriter who is a product of Liverpool’s very own Institute of Performing Arts. Kicking off proceedings with his latest single From Nowhere, the simple yet effective organ riff provides a backdrop for what is an incredibly catchy tune and at full force displays Croll’s superb song writing ability. The occasional spouts of camaraderie between Croll and the audience show signs of an artist whose confidence is at large – a feeling matched as he fires into the afro-acoustic song Maway. The African-like harmonies show the bands’ impressive vocal qualities, working together effectively with the bubbly and energetic melodies that shine a bit of happiness over what is an extremely dismal evening. In/Out is one of the few tracks that exhibit Croll’s multi-instrumental capabilities, though his final song Home is one that sees him pay his respects to the city of Liverpool, met by a warming reception from a crowd who seem more than happy to take him as their own.
Gracing the stage to perform songs from Joy Division and New Order’s back catalogue, PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT are an act welcomed into the Livestock frame by a crowd who are all too familiar with what is to follow.
Hook’s opening track Blue Monday introduces us whole-heartedly to a synth backdrop that is instantly recognisable. The singer’s occasional retreat to the synth pad makes for an energetic start – the wave of mysterious sounds adding that little bit of extra nostalgia to an intro that raises the bar for what is to follow. Leading into the bass heavy Age of Consent now gives Hook’s supporting band a greater role, their impeccable quality meeting face to face with a fantastic arrangement that completes the occasion as the night rallies on. The front man’s expertise on the live stage is commended by a swarm of fans that hastily gather amidst the muddy fields – a vote of confidence that can only fuel Hook’s performance as he paces back and forth. Â
Tracks like Temptation and final song Love Will Tear Us Apart give Peter Hook and The Light an admirable outing, with Hook’s occasional arena-filling roar showing just how much passion he has for what he does. The reminiscent buzz soaking up the atmosphere on this drizzly evening is unrivalled, and Hook’s reinvention is one that serves to target fans whose ability to accept change is at its utmost. Judging by this reception, there are plenty of them out there.Â
