So, Jan and I went along to the Monument Festival, which was in Herrington Park, just opposite the iconic Penshaw Monument, a landmark which sits high above Sunderland and is visible from all around the area.
The venue had hosted the Kubix! Festival the previous week which featured boy bands and was unfortunately on a very rainy evening, and the site was apparently very muddy. We were lucky in that the evening was dry, and the muddy ground had dried up. Winner!
The publicity told us: “Monument Festival is a brand-new music festival that replaces Kubix Rock! The same great day you know and love, just under a brand-new name giving it it’s own identity! A packed day of rock, indie and alternative music, and much more, is heading to Herrington Park……. With a host of brilliant bands and amazing artists, across two stages, this will be one of THE festivals of the Summer in the North East.”
We went along for the evening performance to see the Coral, Jake Bugg, and the Kooks. Unfortunately, for some reason (I think it may have been the mud from the previous week) the Kooks did not show up and we saw the Coral, Shaun Ryder’s Black Grape, and Jake Bugg, in that order. Still, it was an entertaining and interesting evening. The event had two stages, each in its own tent, and we were in the main stage for the evening.
First up was The Coral, a band I have seen several times; firstly, supporting The Who at the Royal Albert Hall, and then supporting Radiohead (I think) at Manchester Cricket Ground. They have some great songs all performed with a strong Liverpool twang. Songs I recognised included “Pass It On”, “In the Morning” and the final track “Dreaming of You”. All quite 60s oriented, yet with their own style. Lots of fun and a great starter for the evening.
The Coral Setlist: Bill McCai; Pass It On; Simon Diamond; Faceless Angel; Lover discovered; Watch You Disappear; People Are Strange; That’s Where She Belongs; Jacqueline; In the Morning; Holy Revelation; Dreaming of You
Next up was Shaun Ryder and Black Grape, the band that Shaun Ryder formed after the breakup of Happy Mondays. We were not familiar with any of their songs which sort of mash rap with Shaun’s inimitable style. Quite enjoyable for a first visit to the Black Grape world.
Black Grape Setlist: (something like) In the Name of the Father; Tramazi Parti; Nine Lives; Pimp Wars; Yeah Yeah Brother; Set the Grass on Fire; Reverend Black Grape; Dirt; A Big Day in the North; Milk; Kelly’s Heroes
Finally, the new headliner was none other than Jake Bugg, someone I have seen several times before; headlining at Newcastle Academy when he was a young and upcoming artist, supporting someone in Hyde Park (either The Rolling Stones or The Who) and a couple of other times.
He is a solo artist with a clutch of great songs, an acoustic guitar and the charisma and power to engage with any crowd, anywhere. My favourite song, and his best known, which came towards the end of the set is “Lightning Bolt”. Listen to it; it’s very catchy and an excellent singalong (which everyone did).
A very enjoyable evening, if not quite what was expected in terms of the lineup, in a local festival near a local landmark. Many thanks to Jan for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site.
Jake Bug Setlist: (something like) Simple as This; Trouble Town; Messed Up Kids; Zombieland; Seen It All ; Broken; Taste It; All Kinds of People; Two Fingers; Lightning Bolt; What Doesn’t Kill You; Simple Pleasures; All I Need
This was The Artic Monkey’s big gig, and sold out in amazing time, with a second night being added immediately to satisfy demand for tickets. The Artic Monkeys had come from nowhere, and were suddenly all over the place and massive. I hadn’t heard anything by them, but David and Laura fancied going so I bought tickets as soon as they went on sale. I’m glad I did, as this was a great gig. We drove down and arrived just in time to see The Coral. David and I had already seen them supporting The Who at the Albert Hall a year or so before. Their very 60sish blend of jangling guitar, folk-rock, and psych is exactly the sort of thing I like. They went down well with the crowd, but the sound mix was pretty poor. Supergrass came on and really rocked, and were a bit of a pleasant surprise to me. Much more rockier than I expected; reminded me of Steve Marriott and Humble Pie.
The Cricket Ground is a massive venue and it was absolutely packed by the time The Artic Monkeys took to the stage. The reception was unlike anything I’d seen for some time. The whole crowd sang along with every word, and went absolutely mental, with beer (or was it piss?) flying everywhere. By the day of the gig Laura had bought the album and I knew some of the songs, particularly I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, Mardy Bum and When the Sun Goes Down. We all sang along, and had a great time. Stayed the night in a hotel which was walking distance away and drove back in the morning.
Setlist: Fluorescent Adolescent; I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor; Brianstorm; Still Take You Home; Dancing Shoes; From the Ritz to the Rubble; Fake Tales of San Francisco; Balaclava; Old Yellow Bricks; You Probably Couldn’t See for the Lights But You Were Staring Straight at Me; This House Is a Circus; Teddy Picker; D Is for Dangerous; If You Were There, Beware; Mardy Bum; Do Me A Favour; The View from the Afternoon; When the Sun Goes Down; Leave Before the Lights Come On; Encore: Plastic Tramp; 505; A Certain Romance.
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