Body & Soul Festival - 2010 - Day 2
DAY 2...
Do you like dub? Do you like reggae? Do you like dub-reggae?
If so, then you're in for a treat, as the tent hosts a five hour reggae marathon. It's all accomplished stuff, and an awful lot of people get totally into it, energetically dancing and shaking themselves to the riddim. ATL declines to get involved, instead watching from a distance and soaking up some of the incredible sunshine.
Perhaps the surprise highlight of the entire festival comes on Sunday evening with Australian seven piece Blue King Brown making their Irish debut. Fusing a myriad of different influences, it is truly difficult to pin down their sound to any one style of genre, leading to a wonderfully kaleidoscopic experience. In all likelihood, by the time the dust on the summer festivals has settled, the name Blue King Brown will be on a lot of people's lips.
By this point, things had become possibly a bit too 'chilled out' overall, and !!! provided a timely injection of punk-funk relief, tearing the main stage apart like a hurricane. Intense bass grooves locked in tight with psychedelic, yet rhythmically taught guitar, whilst drums and percussion provoked movement in every muscle possible. Frontman Nic Offer works the crowd into a frenzy, with twin horns blaring out behind him, and ringing out into the night sky.
Following this is no small order, but R.S.A.G. (aka, Kilkenny one-man-band, Jeremy Hickey) rises to the challenge, putting on an absolutely unforgettable performance, perfectly justifying his position as headliner on the main stage. Playing drums in front of a screen upon which is projected images of himself playing various instruments, Hickey pounds the skins with wild abandon, earth shuddering basslines shattering the peace of the last two days. It's high energy stuff, and by the end of his set, the crowd is desperate for more, shouts of "ONE MORE TUNE!" echoing round the surrounding woodland.
After that, more DJs, more organic food, more drumming, and a campfire - business as usual, really. As the sun rises over the horizon, ATL retires to its tent, completely exhausted. One of the best run festivals we've ever seen, the only fault to be found would be perhaps more variation in the range of acts playing, but even this is a minor complaint. This looks set to be THE small scale festival event of the year, and it can only be so long before the unique intimacy is threatened by the sheer number of people wanting to get involved.
Do yourself a favour and check this one out now - it's good for both the body, and the soul, I believe.
Words: Steven Rainey
Photos: Skye Bompas
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