There’s no better way to spend a bank holiday than at a festival, and this year’s Neighbourhood Weekender had the perfect line up! With acts fit for any age, it was certainly not one to miss!
Opening up the Main Stage was Seb Lowe, with his politically driven writing and energetic band, his performance definitely kicked off the day with a bang! I’ve seen Seb Lowe several times now supporting different artists, such as Blossoms and Inhaler, and every time without fail, his set has created such an atmosphere for later acts. Despite still being quite a small artist, his stage presence is so captivating and I’m sure he gained many new fans after his set.
Next to hit the Main Stage was Welsh indie-rock band The Royston Club, and they were clearly favourites, with at least half of the crowd decked out in their merch, Shallow Tragedy t-shirts as far as the eye could see! As fans screamed along to every lyric (and guitar riff too), the blaring hot sunshine framed their amazing set, one of my favourites of the day! Even their newly released singles, Glued to the Bed and Shivers, had fans singing along, and their headline tour in the Autumn is one I’ll be attending for sure!
I then headed over to the Viola Beach Stage for the highly anticipated set by Bolton band, Florentenes. Having just supported major artists (the likes of Razorlight and Jamie Webster) around the UK, their support has grown massively and that was clear within the size of their crowd! Talking before the festival, Florentenes continued to show their appreciation for their fans as “it’s all down to them that we get opportunities like this”. Just over a year ago, I saw Florentenes perform their first ever sold out gig, at The Snug in Atherton – a café turned music venue with a capacity of 100 – and to see them perform at such a big event this year is such an achievement and I feel so grateful to witness their rise in success. With two EPs now under their belt, 14:17 and Homegrown, the fans knew every song inside out, and even their unreleased tracks were crowd pleasers. Their catchy guitar riffs and passionate vocals have undoubtedly cemented Florentenes as a band to keep an eye out for!
“It feels like a big stepping stone to be on our first proper outdoor festival”
Florentenes prior to their performance
Having gained myself a perfect spot at barricade, I stayed for the next act, The Guest List. Their sound is a little calmer than Florentenes, and their set was a well needed break from the loud hubbub. Like Seb Lowe, I have seen The Guest List support many artists, but this was by far my favourite performance of theirs! Although the weather tried to put a dampener on the set, the fans didn’t even notice, as every song was greeted with screams. 161 earned them a loud cheer from the crowd, with that track about their hometown being greeted with the same enthusiasm as the band themselves. The lyrics of their closing song, Weatherman, were very apt (should’ve should’ve listened to the weatherman) as the rain poured down, but not even the windy conditions could ruin such a good performance!
After a quick picture with Kai (singer of The Guest List) and a little chat with Seb Lowe and Florentenes, I headed over to the Big Top and caught the second half of The Lottery Winners‘ set. The tent was filled to the seams with fans even spilling outside trying to watch their performance. Singer Thom Rylance really knows how to keep a crowd’s attention, and his spontaneous cover of Snow Patrol‘s Chasing Cars was magical! Their ‘indie rock YMCA‘ Turn Around got the whole tent moving and dancing. The Lottery Winners‘ whole set was the epitome of feel good festival fun!
As the rain continued to beat down on the tent, excitement only grew inside as Merseyside band The K’s appearance was extremely anticipated! Fortunately, I ended up only a few rows from the front and had a stunning view of their set. Their lively and raw sound vibrated the whole tent, with the energetic crowd bouncing to almost every song, mosh pits dotted throughout! Hoping Maybe was the highlight of their set for me, as the tent swayed as one and enjoyed the slower track together. Singer Jamie Boyle jokingly announced their Main Stage debut next year, and with the energy from Glass Towns and Sarajevo, it would be a missed opportunity for the festival if they don’t!
With the setting sun as a backdrop, James took on the Main Stage as The Reytons owned the Big Top, and I spent the last part of the day at half of each. The Reytons certainly are an indie rock must listen to, with their angsty sound and punchy guitar riffs. They were fitted perfectly to close the Big Top Stage, and their fast paced energetic tracks were certainly crowd pleasers! However on the Main Stage, James created a different atmosphere completely. Their hits such as She’s A Star and Sit Down were greeted by the crowd like old friends, and having been in the industry since the 80’s, vocalist Tim Booth really knew how to captivate a crowd. With his wacky persona, the crowd loved him, and James ended the day with a nostalgic feel.
Overall, the first day of Neighbourhood Weekender was faultless, and even the sudden weather changes couldn’t ruin the feeling! Although there’s bigger and arguably better festivals out there (cough cough Glastonbury), in the words of The K’s “there’s no place, no place like home”.
