The Great British Alternative Music Festival – Minehead Butlins, UK

Butlins might seem an odd location for a Punk festival, but it certainly pulled in a crowd. Driving towards the site on Friday it was easy to tell who was also heading over for the festival. I’m not sure if Butlins have ever seen such a bunch of people arriving to check in!

Opening the festival on the Centre Stage was Department S, who did a great cover of Alvin Stardust's ‘My Coo-ca-Choo’. There were a few venues where the bigger bands played and also many bars dotted about the place – some just trestle tables with barrels of ale behind. You could tell this was a no kids allowed weekend!

Following Department S was Hazel O’Connor doing songs from her Breaking Glass album. The popular ‘Eighth Day’ went down well.

Friday’s line up in the Redz venue was where many punters chose to be – Anti Nowhere League, UK Subs and topped off by Sham 69.

The League came on at 8.30 with still many people queuing outside to get in despite the pouring rain. The crowd were well up for the rocky gig and people were pogoing happily. Animal roared out their hits as they worked their way through the set. All the band were on form. The crowd got more and more riled up, so much so the front barrier fell forward, landed on the stage and created a ramp! People stormed onto the stage and security had no chance. The crowd loved it as did the band!

Once more guards were called in people were ushered back and for the rest of the gig there was a scrum of security trying their best to hold the barrier up themselves. At one point there were 9 of them barely holding the Punks at bay!

By the time the UK Subs came on the barrier was fixed. Pete from the Vibrators filled in for Alvin. The mosh pit got going and actually seemed fairly civil! Charlie Harper was still going strong despite getting older. ‘CID’ and ‘Stranglehold’ went down well.

Sham 69 with Tim V finished the evening going through their back catalogue including classics like ‘Borstal Breakout’, ‘Tell us the Truth’ and ‘That’s Life’. It was a packed show with people still queuing to get in. I don't know why venues think that Punk shows must be full of smoke but for some reason this one was. The bands sometimes hate it too.

The next day Ed Tudor Pole kicked things off at 2pm to a surprisingly good sized crowd considering how hungover everyone seemed to be. Ed used a good trick to get the spread out punters to move in closer – he spoke to everyone without using the mike so they had to move in to hear. Back on the microphone he told amusing jokes about how old punks have got. Singing in his rock n roll style he made the show fun, pulling crazy faces and telling anecdotes. He had the audience laughing and singing along. Surprisingly ‘Who Killed Bambi’ and ‘Swords of a 1000 Men’ seemed a little rushed, maybe he’s getting tired playing them every gig?

Steve Cradock followed Ed with a good reception from the already warmed up crowd. He’s familiar to most as the guitarist in Ocean Colour Scene and Paul Weller’s band.

In the evening The Lambrettas brought the mod revival to the Centre Stage where there were plenty Ben Shermans and parkas on show. After them came the Beat with their usual bouncing set including ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’ and ‘Hands off She’s Mine’.

From the Jam kicked off with ‘Down at the Tube Station’ and ‘Going Underground’. The Centre Stage was fitted with a bouncy floor and boy it was bouncing. Bruce Foxton was the only party pooper of the weekend telling the photographers that they’d had enough photos and were told to leave.

On the Reds Stage former Skeletal Family singer Annie Marie Hurst started the night with her gothic look and sounds.

Following her were the Damned. They took their places on stage, Dave looked like an old style pilot with his shades and leather jacket and Captain Sensible came on with a big bottle declaring it was mineral water - yeah right! There was plenty of camaraderie between the Captain and Dave as the show progressed, the best I’ve seen them in ages. Everyone including the band and crowd thoroughly enjoyed the gig.

The night finished with Eddie and the Hot Rods.

On Sunday TV Smith had the early slot and said he was amused at playing at 1pm and being able to see the crowd’s ugly mugs! Despite a small sound hitch at the start he played a good set including ‘No Time to be 21’. His songs were quite melodic played with an acoustic guitar - very anti-establishment, anti-rich, anti-religion and anti-Great Britain, anti-all! He played “the hit” ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’ which was one of the liveliest of his songs. He finished up with ‘One Chord Wonders’.

Wilko Johnson played with bassist Norman Watt-Roy from the Blockheads and drummer Dylan Howe. They had a funky, bluesy rock style and Wilko amused with his jerky movements, scary eyes and open mouth. He even had a retractable guitar lead so he could move all over the stage. There was no chatting between songs like he normally does, possibly short on time? There were some fantastic solos on the bass, excellent music playing.

Secret Affair was one the bands I was looking forward to seeing and they didn’t disappoint. Another sharp dressed mod revival band on the bill, Ian Page was great on vocals, guitar and trumpet. The brass section made the big crowd dance along while singing classics like ‘Going to a Go Go’ but it was their own songs ‘Time for Action’ and ‘My World’ that had the crowd singing along.

Later on the bill the Vibrators and Nine Below Zero also played.

The Blockheads packed out the Redz Stage on Sunday night. The seven of them came on stage including one original member Chaz Jankel. Their music was funky and soulful with a whole variety of sounds to listen to – sax, shaker, synth, keyboard, bass, guitar, drums… each musician very good at their own instrument. The bassist was excellent, and the whole band clearly enjoyed playing with each other. Songs that stood out were ‘Trevor’ and ‘What a Waste’, not to forget the funky ‘Reasons to be Cheerful’ complete with cowbell. The saxophonist was even playing two saxophones at once during ‘Hit  Me With Your Rhythm Stick’!

John Otway complete with his band played next. He came on to chants of his name and kicked off with one of his “two” hits ‘Really Free’. In his usual style he was leaping around stage all smiley and getting tangled in wires. The audience were in fits of laughter from the start. It was a very different show from when Otway plays without the band, nice to see him play off other people on stage. The band has been together 19 yrs with no line up change which is quite a feat! It might be the same act each time but Otway is such a showman it’s entertaining each time and fun. ‘We Rock’ was it’s own comedy show and the famous double guitar came out. There were tears of laughter during ‘House of the Rising Sun’, brilliant, all 3 lead guitars were playing behind their backs at one point.

The night finished with the Boomtown Rats in Redz and Dr Feelgood in the Centre Stage belting out their hits to a packed room.

With over 5000 people there over the weekend I think it was a success. Roll on next year!

             More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 

-Sally and Dod Morrison-
Big Wheel Overseas Correspondent

 

 

 

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