Hinterland is a funny old festival that can’t seem to find its feet. Sized down from two nights to one and centred more towards a single venue attempts have been made this year to improve upon an uncertain debut. The same issues of the timing and legwork involved in catching bands are present but a stellar line-up offer some promise.
First up are British Sea Power, who draw a large crowd despite an early slot, whilst just up the street in Pivo Pivo are Panda Su. Fronted by singer Su Shaw they captivate the tiny room at just the same time as the The Spectrals from London are dazzling Macsorleys.
In Arch 2 The French Wives take to the stage and find a crowd that grows by the song. The Wives have the energy to fill such a big space and shaky-egg percussion from a moustachioed guitarist and layers of trombone gave them something different. With Siobhan Anderson in New York performing as part of Scotland Week there might have been a substitute violin player but the same quality remains. ‘Halloween’ has the power to command attention wherever it’s played whilst forthcoming single ‘Me v Me’ is the perfect end to a strong set from the locals.
Back in Arch 1 headliners The Mystery Jets arrive before an excited fan base and get things all wrong. The set begins with a new song and any atmosphere is killed off in seconds. New offerings are littered throughout the set and, whilst sounding interesting, this was the wrong night for such a venture. It’s only when they get back to favourites like ‘Hideaway’ that the audience are allowed the sing along they crave and, even with a song as wonderful as ‘Flakes’, it becomes clear that missing the end of the set New Yorker Jeffrey Lewis is the best bet.
And he doesn’t disappoint. The words ‘this is a gangsta rap I wrote about mosquitoes in Maine’ are surely the cure to any disappointment. Alone on the big stage, Lewis is as charming as ever as he switches between bittersweet folk songs and hand-drawn films which are projected behind him. The crowd are won-over and requests like ‘Don’t Be Upset’ show off his unique talents.
With the bulk of the action over there’s only time for the wonderful experience of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs– one man in a dinosaur costume playing electro to an initially empty Arch. Last time he was in Glasgow there were just seventy people in The Captains Rest, but by the time he gets going the Arch is packed and doing what the Arches does best; dancing gloriously. DJ sets from Friendly Fires and Hot Chip keep the tempo up and end a mixed sophomore effort from the Hinterland festival on a high. Steady improvement then, and Hinterland looks like its here to stay.
Pics: Alan Dunlop
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