DAY one of Wickerman, the sun is splitting the sky and the campsite is bustling. This festival, now in its 12th year, is amazingly sold-out for the first time ever and the buzz around the festival site suggests so.
There’s a certain excitement around the festival, even early into the live performances. It could have something to do with Nile Rodgers and Chic due on site in a few hours. The legend has been the soundtrack of many people’s funky lives, and with Bobby Gillespie due to finish things off after him- Wickerman and its revellers cannot wait.
With a 20 ft Baywatch Hoff dressed in recognisably Californian red shorts and white t-shirt welcoming people into the site, it’s a sign of things to come. Sunshine is the theme of the weekend right up until the closing of the festival. And even when the rain does arrive, nobody really cares and is thankful for some rest-bite from the blistering heat delivered to Dundrennan this weekend.
Holy Esque put on a remarkable performance on the Summerisle Main Stage early afternoon. As flocks of people arrive to hear what Hynes and the lads have to offer, its clear why this lot are one of the buzz bands of the weekend. Read our full review here.
The Temperance Movement also have an early slot at 14:55- playing to a packed crowd, the band have a great sound that fills the main arena, although it leads you to wonder what a band like this could do in an intimate inclosed venue like The King Tuts or Poetry Club back in Glasgow. These guys stopped by the Tenement TV yurt post performance to record a special session, which you can watch on the website soon.
KT Tunstall arrives on-stage and is met by a phenomenal crowd who can’t wait to hear her hits Suddenly I See, Black Horse & The Cherry Tree and Other Side of the Word. Luckily for them, all are included into the summery set that sees Tunstall grin from ear-to-ear from start to finish. Huge sing-alongs fill her performance, as young girls dance along with their mum and dad.
We can’t talk about day one without speaking about Chic again, you can read our full review here. The legend that is Nile Rodgers took to the main stage with Chic and surprised an unsuspecting crowd with hit-upon-hit of funky disco tracks. Penned hits by the super-producer Rodgers included Diana Ross, David Bowie and Sister Sledge to name a few. Highlights from the performance included Sister Sledge’s He’s the Greatest Dancer, Chic’s Le Freak and an impromptu dance to the band’s closing track played through the PA Get Lucky. Chic will also play a hotly-anticipated set at November’s Warehouse Project. For more information visit their website.
Finishing things off in spectacular showman fashion is Glasgow’s very own Bobby Gillespie with Primal Scream. Dressed sharply and all in black, the charismatic front man ripped out a belting set of classics and new tracks too. Our full review of Primal Scream’s explosive headline performance can be read here, including their fantastic renditions of Rocks and closing track Come Together. Read our full review here.
