Festival: Wychwood Festival 2012 - 12/06/2012

In the run up to Wychwood Festival 2012 the weather did not look like it was on the festivals side. Luckily, when it came time for the festival to open its gates for its 8th year, both the sunshine and the fans came flooding in.

After cementing ourselves as Cheltenham’s finest woodsmen over in the campsite it was time to go and check out some fresh unsigned talent over on the Pomme Stage. The first act on the bill, was the aptly titled Touch Of The Sun. This acoustic duo treated Wychwood-ers to a selection of their own blend of mellow folk as well as a handful of crowd pleasing covers.

Next up was female solo artist Ellie Dussek who was one of the real gems of the festival. Her unique songwriting, personable demeanour and her tongue-in-cheek serenade of her old Nokia made for one incredibly uplifting performance.

KSH & The Going Goods can be considered as the festivals curveball, an acoustic band with a fresh twist. Imagine a mix between Plan B, The Streets and Ed Sheeran. These gents brought the funk, the groove and most importantly the good times!

Andy Oliveri is quickly making a name for himself on the unsigned scene, dipping his toes into various musical projects as well as his soulful and delicate solo work. Oliveri embodies the aura of Damien Rice; his performance is at times so fragile yet in others so strong. It was impossible for even the most casual passersby to not be drawn in by his impeccable musicianship.

Seeing off Friday’s proceedings were three women with the voices of Greek sirens. The Cadbury Sisters are a harmonic, acoustic act that will definitely be appearing on the mainstream radar very soon. Their folksy charm, traditional song structures and engaging stage presence left the entire tent captivated.

Saturday’s BBC Introducing Stage was chock full of unsung talent that will no doubt be blowing up across the UK music scene in the not so distant future. One such talent was Rozi Plain, an acoustic act with tremendous promise.

Super Square Cloud give perhaps the quirkiest set of the festival with a whole arsenal of zany lyrics and instrumentation, and it’s a innovative cocktail that goes down a storm. It’s not very often you find yourself tipping your hat to a fellow in a bear hat, but this bunch certainly deserve it.

Danny Shah was our true star of the Big Top Stage. While only a solo artist he carried the audience in the palm of his hand. The set was full of foot stomping pop-tinged electro and a genuine sense of enthusiasm that ensured no foot was left untapped.

Daine & Myles kept the party vibes going with their truly rousing rap-influenced display. It’s groups like this that show why festivals are such great ideas. Only at festivals will you see such a mix of impressive acts from all genres and walks of life, and it’s clear to see that in the shape of Daine & Myles Wychwood have phoned in the best and brightest.

Over at the Pomme Stage Dusk deliver a beautiful, organic slice of acoustic folk. Frontwoman Emily Rose accompanied by her very talented violinist Rebecca Louise Frost helped sooth Fridays frivolity with a promising performance that just goes to show that here at Wychwood the unsigned scene is alive and well.

Alex Connachie is a prime example of how a solo artist doesn’t need much to make an impact. His upbeat catalogue of sensational tunes got the Saturday night off to an epic start. Although Alex is such young talent on a small stage his set makes you wonder how high he’ll be up the bill next time around.

The festival is sadly one of Jim Wain’s last ever shows, which puts a bit of a dark cloud over their otherwise rousing set. Although that shadow rapidly shrinks when they whack out the Britney Spears wig and get every man, woman and child dancing and singing along.

If we had to pick one band that stole the entire show for us at Wychwood Festival 2012 it would have to be I, The Lion. WIth a sound that is as far removed from acoustic as you can get, it was sensational to see them take their typical chaotic performance by the horns and turn it into such a sweet acoustic set.

Simplistic Scientists are a real act to watch out for. Their inspiring, educated and downright groovy sound showcased both their fantastic musicianship and their fun-loving stage presence. If you imagine mixing Rage Against The Machine, UB40 and Bob Marley together, then the result would surely be the stellar Simplistic Scientists.

Finally after a quick hop over to the Main Stage to catch music legends James it was time for a well deserved sit down (see what we did there?), and head back out on the road in search of more of the UK’s immense unsigned talent.

http://www.wychwoodfestival.com/