 | | Bone-box (photo: Ged Camera) |
Replete in all black outfits, Bone-box brought their sleazy sound to the big tent, mere yards from where front man Jay Taylor and drummer Ben grew up. Trusty Hound opened a set to the brave punters, who had faced the showers on a typically grey summer’s day, and the sound system did justice to the compendium of instrumentation that includes an electric violin and trumpet as they wove though their swamp blues, taking in traditional Celtic tunes along the way.
 | | Howard Marks (photo: Ged Camera) |
The fervour which greeted Howard Marks is a real eye-opener. Everyone wanted a picture taken with the man mostly famed for being arrested in possession of narcotics, and the phone networks were close to meltdown trying to cope with the number of excited people sending on images of ‘Me and Howard Marks’. On stage, he politely asked if anyone would be offended by him telling tales of "How to smuggle drugs". Bless him. That’s absolutely what they wanted, hence the ‘herbal’ cigarettes thrown on stage for him.
 | | Easterhouse (photo: Ged Camera) |
Reformed for a one off gig that may develop into a more permanent arrangement, 80s cult heroes Easterhouse took the stage with Andy Rourke helping out on bass. When Moorfest’s line up was announced, several pairs of old eyes were wiped in disbelief at their return, but their lyrics, such as "I blame George and Barbara" or "This country will be the ruination of us all" still maintain a relevancy 20 years on. Old favourites 1999 and Whistling In The Dark sounded as fresh and vibrant as when first aired, and while the hair may be greyer and thinner, there was still a sense of unmistakable mischievousness.
 | | Haven (photo: Ged Camera) |
Tom Hingley was down for a solo set and knew exactly what the crowd wanted to hear - old Inspirals hits. He duly obliged with a set that included Saturn 5 and This Is How It Feels, which kept the crowd in a sing-along mood. Meanwhile, Haven’s fans were out in force to support a band that always seems on the cusp of making it big.Ìý Well, they certainly produced a big sound that fills the tents and keeps their followers happy.
 | | Badly Drawn Boy (photo: Ged Camera) |
With a little help from his friends, Badly Drawn Boy acquired a harmonica holder from Bob Dylan and a guitar from Haven. He also turned an outdoor gig into something resembling an intimate party in someone's front room. Tonight, he wanted half the crowd to clap in 6/8 time (and helpfully explained it) whilst the other half went for a different signature. And they did it; such is the warmth and affection Damon can generate. His allegiance to the (wo)man on the street is revealed as he announced that "Eugene is the true winner" of Big Brother.
 | | Pete Wylie (photo: Ged Camera) |
Following Damon, Pete Wylie, the natural born entertainer and showman, thrived on having the audience under his control, plus his bands, in their various guises (this time around, it's the infamous Mighty Wah!), have plenty of catchy pop tunes.ÌýSo Comeback was followed by Story Of The Blues, wry smile was followed by quick wit, and suddenly, it didn't seem like over a decade since they were in the charts.
 | | Denise Johnson (photo: Ged Camera) |
A Certain Ratio have dipped their instruments into almost every area of the musical spectrum throughout their long career as musical chameleons, but tonight, they are firmly focused on getting the tent filled crowd to dance. They successfully manage it with a little help from the vocal talents of Denise Johnson, and the chants for "ACR, ACR" go on long after the band has finished on the stage. Thankfully, the music at Moorfest defeated the weather. |
