Forest Fest review: Peter Hook and Teenage Fanclub among highlights of Day 2
If you, like me, are one of those sad sacks who bore all and sundry by moaning about the 'good old days' of festivals then Forest Fest in Emo, Co Laois will finally shut you up.
Now in its third year, this boutique gathering sports a well looked after car park and campsite for a start. Once inside, the Village and Perfect Day stages are to your right, or head straight for the Fleadh (and some nice craft beer action) or the main stage.
The site's compactness saves on shoe leather but means there's some sound spillage between stages, albeit nothing that'll spoil anyone's day.
A great kick-off from Limerick's Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets, whose early Springsteen, saxophone-driven rocking eventually drew an enthusiastic crowd after a brief delay with the gates. These Charming Men's Smiths tribute was as superb as always. Therapy dotted their set with Philo-isms ('We need your helping hands') and they (and Kilkenny's Kerbdog) were like a shovel to the head but in a good way.
Peter Hook & The Light provided an enjoyable time-trip, despite the fact that Hooky and his guitar player couldn't make up half a singer between them. I haven't seen two bass players on stage since the glory days of Spinal Tap but versions of Blue Monday and Love Will Tear Us Apart are always welcome.
Teenage Fanclub at Forest Fest.
A brief stop for a bit of head-banging to the concertina of Buille before joining a packed tent for the Classic Beatles. 'John's' wig disproved all of Isaac Newton's apple-related theories but that didn't stop a great show, almost drowned out by the communal singing.
Later, we were treated to a spirited set from Manic Street Preachers. "Do you remember the 90s?' James Dean Bradfield asked. It's a safe bet most of this audience does. Huge cheer for Design For Life, as there always should be, and the rest of a career-spanning selection from the Welsh Clash, especially a particularly good You Love Us, which we undoubedly do, was equally useful. 'You're the people we're here for!' Right on.
The sound wasn't great at the back, and the bar and the bathroom were a fair hike from the front of the main stage, and more toilets are always welcome. But these are minor quibbles at a festival where the staff were fantastic and there was a fine variety of food and drink.
My night ended with Teenage Fanclub because there will always be something irresistibly attractive about the combination of overdriven guitars and harmonies. Everything they played was teleported in from some glorious jangly dimension, but the selections from 1991's Bandwagonesque, especially The Concept's heavenly coda, were a blessing. A near-perfect ending to a great day out. Where can I get a ticket for next year?
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