My Glasgowbury: Matthew Alexander Patton (Photographer)
August 2, 2010 No Comments
(C) Colm laverty 2010
Photographers are vital to any music festival – They’re there to capture the moments and memories that can mark the turning point in many a band’s career. The 10th anniversary of Glasgowbury was not just a day, it was an occassion and Matthew Alexander Patton happens to be a Glasgowbury veteran; this year being his 4th. Taking a bit of time out from his snapping duties, he presents MLNI with his Glasgowbury 2010 highlights:
The Rupture Dogs (12:00 – Spurs Of Rock Stage)
A band with more balls than the Coleraine Jet Centre, the brothers McGreevy and the wee wolf that is Gary Hanratty collectively boarded the stage to some disarray – barriers not yet erected, crowds being held back at the gates – and yet by the third song in had gathered the passing attention of the masses, packing out the tent with an early performance that stood strong in spite of all the furore that came later in the day. Pinging out distilled Foos‘ style riffs, matched by the uniquely talented vocals of frontman Allan, they exceeded all of the requirements (and then some) needed to open such a prestigious event as Glasgowbury’s tenth birthday.
Highlight: Allan asking for the audience to choose their last song, me shouting “Today & Tonight“, and him saying no. I cried inside.
And So I Watch You From Afar (4:00 – G-Sessions Stage)
A secret show that wasn’t so secret, and an audience that not so much as welcomed home four travelling audio heroes, as gave a triumphant thank you to the four horsemen of the sonic apocalypse…who just happen to call Northern Ireland their gaff. Through charging our lungs with material from ‘The Letters EP‘, past a teasing of new material and on to the crushingly strong ‘Set Guitars To Kill‘, And So I Watch You From Afar continually prove that their brand of ‘hoo-rah’ will cause people to sing along to instrumental music, crowd surf and go mental in equal measure. In fact, I’m surprised there wasn’t a birth in the crowd…
Highlight: Going breathless and partially blind during ‘Set Guitars To Kill‘ and then realising that I was fairly dehydrated – a wonderful feeling that only those four hallions can deliver whilst sitting down. Might need a check up…
Team Fresh (4:10 – Spurs Of Rock Stage)
The only logical negative that could be squarely aimed at Glasgowbury over the last few years has been its ability to showcase a much wider range of the music than is being performed here in Northern Ireland, and this year any solid detractors can tip the hat in the Draperstown direction with the inclusion of such acts as Team Fresh and Pocket Billiards to an already eclectic line-up. With a vibrant animalistic crowd on tap – many of them very aware of what’s on offer – Team Fresh rattled out hit after hit of ‘riffrap’; taking the crowd on an experienced and tight ride through the lives of the North coast faithful. Anyone new to their sound was given an assured performance that rang true of a band stood practised, waiting in the wings, called up to festival duty and hungry to deliver.
Highlight: The powerful front prongs of Slaine Browne and Andrew Dunbar unrelentingly introducing the audience to a taste of the North coast via their powerful lyrical gymnastics.