Tramlines 2018 - Part One

As soon as July kicks in thoughts turn to Tramlines. Those thoughts are mainly how am I gonna fit everything in and how am I gonna get there. In recent years I've stayed in a hotel (ah, those heady days of having money), or at a mate's, or I've commuted from Donny and of course that one memorable year when I got it all wrong and spent the weekend lounging about in Sheffield Northern General. This year was to be a commuting year and relying on the infamous 23.29 last train to Donny. I can tell you now that not once was I on that train this weekend.

Saying all that on the Friday night I had the courtesy of a lift thanks to my Sine FM colleague Stevie P. Along with erstwhile photographer Mark Loraine we set off under heavy skies. Summer was having a night off and not before time. The Tramlines Main Stage has had another wander this year and is now camped out in Hillsborough Park and that is where we were heading with the plan of picking up our press wristbands, hopefully catching Milburn and treating it as pretty much a Stereophonics gig. We parked where we shouldn't, got VIP wristbands which we weren't expecting and entered the festival site through a gate we weren't meant to use. It was all shaping up nicely.

Now there has been much talk of Tramlines decision to move out to Hillsborough Park. But to attract the names they have this year and wish to continue to attract it makes sense to have a larger 4 stage, self contained ticketed site. There is still a place for the fringe stages (which were still rammed all weekend despite the 30,000 people in Hillsborough), you can still do both (even with the trams on strike) and at the end of the day it's not a fucking competition. Sorry but some of the post Tramlines rants wound me up a tad. The first thing that hits you is that the new set up feels like a festival, not a stage dropped in a park as Ponderosa and before that Devonshire Green had sometimes seemed. More bars and toilets though please. The queues were ludicrous.

Having found my good friend Zoe and bragged about having VIP access we though we should check out said VIP area. I would have though VIP would have had more than a small gazebo for shelter, a couple of very pricey take away vans, a bar with queues longer than out in the main arena and no view of the Main Stage but apparently not. We abandoned it sharpish to go catch Milburn properly. We're only a stone's throw from Hillsborough Stadium (admittedly you'd need a remarkably good arm, actually it would probably take relay throwing, but it's close OK) and Wednesday fans Milburn come on to Wednesday's adopted 'Hi ho Silver Lining'. My chants of Rovers Till I Die were very much drowned out. Still, I decided to put my footballing differences to one side and enjoy the band.

Mlburn

Yes there will always be Arctic Monkeys comparisons especially given the shared history of both bands. You have to wonder what would have happened if Milburn hadn't buggered off for 8 years. But at least it's all about the music and not a pigging hair cut. Milburn do what they do well and have built up a fiercely loyal fan-base. It's hard to be truly musically original these days, the trick is to do what you do better than any of your contemporaries. Milburn do that. Before 'What Will You Do (When The Money Goes)?' Joe Carnall announces 'You have ten minutes left of Milburn. Let's make it count.' They're taking another sabbatical. Just hope it isn't 8 years again.

Stereophonics are forever slipping off my radar and I have no idea why. It's happened all through their 26 year career. Last year's 'Scream Above The Sounds' is an excellent album. It sounds as fresh as anything they've done and yet I still forget what a tour de force they are. They are helped with this freshness by Kelly Jones' inability to age. I don't know what they drink in the valleys but it does him the world of good.

Kelly Jones. Photo courtesy Mark Loraine

Throughout the set myself and Stevie P are forever saying 'I hope they play (insert Stereophonics song here)'. They did. 'More Life In A Tramp's Vest' and 'A Thousand Tress' get an early airing and we know we're in for a good one. It's a 21 song, all eras set list that leaves absolutely nothing on stage, whilst looking effortless at the same time. That's 26 years honing your craft right there. When people have that tiresome best guitarist debate Jones is never mentioned. He should be. The outro to 'Sunny' alone shows what a master shredder he is.

(You can already see the difference between a professional photographer and my crappy camera skills can't you. Thanks to Mark Loraine for some of the photos used here).

'Traffic' is just simply gorgeous, 'Local Boy In The Photograph' perfect as ever and the 2 minute, punk frenzy, breakneck dive through 'The Bartender And The Thief' is mesmerising. Stereophonics more punk than Green Day. Fact!  We finish with 'Dakota' (of course) and the Hillsborough crowd go a little bit crazy. Bodies and beer fly everywhere. The young dickhead next to me who'd talked about his crocs (or something) all through the gig even pays attention. Stereophonics live are simply magnificent. We walked out drained from the whole euphoria of the experience knowing we'd just witnessed something very special.

And that was Friday. Back in the car, home by 11pm, only 2 beers (thanks Mark) and relatively fresh for Saturday.

Saturday 21st July

Saturday was to be another steady one. My girlfriend Beckie was joining me on the Sunday and it was agreed that'd be the day we went for it. Myself and Mark had a relatively early start (10am train) as we had a breakfast invitation at Zoe's. She lives overlooking Hillsborough Park. Ideal. Stevie P had decided to give today a miss and join us on the Sunday. We managed to get one of the few trams running and by 11am were munching sausage and bacon butties. There was an offer of coffee. Or a beer. Stupidly I unhesitatingly said beer and the first bad decision of the day had been made. My mate Mark (from Rewind in Waterdale) was in the area and dropped me a line. He rolled up with his bottles of neat JD and joined us for a pre gig beer. Mark (Rewind Mark not photographer Mark) could only do the Saturday but had had to buy a weekend ticket, 12 hours before Tramlines announced they would after all be selling day tickets. Nice. Today was pretty much all about Bang Bang Romeo who were on stage at 1.30. We wandered over to the site were Mark (Rewind etc) got his bottles in but had to neck his flask of JD. He then proceeded straight to the bar. Mark (photographer etc) took his place in the pit as we went stage front were we met TV's Chris walker who promptly went straight to the bar. I was feeling it before the band came on stage.

Bang Bang Romeo were doing three separate festivals this weekend. I'm not sure if that was the reason for the early stage time but they certainly merit a much later slot. Still, there was a decent sized crowd already in place as they take the stage to the strains of the 'Natural Born Astronaut' intro. 

They simply belong on big stages. From new songs like 'Baby Blue Bird' and latest single 'Shame On You' to old favourites 'Chemical' and 'Adore Me' they undoubtedly have the tunes and in Anastasia Walker have one of the most enigmatic singers you will ever witness. Ross Cameron is just the epitome of cool as his guitar soars through the heart of every song, tearing them up into kaleidoscopes of pure beauty, whether it's the aching strains of 'Chemical' or the full on glorious rock crescendo of the 'Adore Me's resolution. Live they are fleshed out with Ray Loverock on bass and Richard Cook on guitar and keyboards.

Cooky is just a fabulously talented musician. I've seen him in countless bands, playing countless instruments, playing countless genres and nailing it every time. Understated, certainly underrated, but ultimately reliable. He frees the band up to go off on whatever tangent they chose knowing Cooky's there to keep them all on track. Every band needs a Cooky.

Ray is one of the most accomplished bass players you could ever meet, he makes it all seem so easy. His presence has allowed Richard Gartland to mature into an unrivalled rock drummer, never missing a beat and throwing in fills that define belief, the backbone of BBR. The funk breakdown that Ray and Rich throw our way during 'Invitation' is simply sublime, as Stars pulls the crowd in further, wrapping them round her bejewelled fingers before offering her soul with the pleading of 'A little more now'. It's an absolute triumph.

Their debut album is due in the Autumn with a first headline tour to coincide. I already know it's gonna be massive. If there's any justice come 2019 Bang Bang Romeo will have the world at their collective feet. 

After their set myself, Chis and the Marks had a discussion trying to decide on a genre specific description of the BBR sound. We failed. Admittedly my hazy recollections of said conversation  don't help. Intimate stadium guitar based/indie/rock/pop/prog/funk anyone? Just go with magnificent. It's the best way.