T in the PAAAAARK!
Day two and the sun showed no sign of letting up!
Continuing my journey of checking out the Scottish bands on display at T20, I headed on down for an early afternoon mosh with PAWS. Introduced on stage by Uncle Vic himself lead singer Philip snarls, "Are you ready to throw your life in the gutter and scrap it out?". The answer, it would appear is a resounding yes! There's probably no better way to start your day than with a bout of headbanging and sound tracking that was tracks off their SAY Award long listed album 'Cokefloat!' such as the brilliant 'Sore Tummy'. Smattered in amongst them were a couple of new songs including the promising 'Let's All Let Go', a fasted paced attack of track.
Time for a stroll over to the T-Break stage where limbering up were previous Scottish Fiction session guests Fake Major. Beefed up to a five piece for the occasion the four armed singer-songwriter produced a stunning display of indie-folk. Their vocal melodies drip with emotion and perfect timing. Recent single 'Little Researcher' buoyed the crowd, while 'We're The Same' bounced along with joyful purpose. For any new comers to the band via this set, I can't fail to see how they wouldn't be converted.
Michael Cassidy sets the Balado crowd a challenge to really test how up for it they are. The Paisley singer has a strong hometown contingent at his set in the T-Break stage and the T crowd are urged to "out-woo" the Paisley folk. Tough ask, but with Michael and his band sounding as strong and right as they do, it's not long until they oblige. Set favourite 'Battleships' gets a roof raising applause, and 'Run Rabbit Run' kicks off a massive tent clap along. The band sound like an interesting mix of Scottish folk and American country, really adding oomph and depth behind Cassidy's stunning vocals.
It was a long wait for me until my next dose of music, the time in between spent chatting to some bands, and grabbing food from the ever delightful Healthy T. A full on re-charge was needed to as the blistering sun fair takes it out of you. Evidenced by many lobster red, slightly groggy festival goers.
It was worth the wait though as the anticipation of Frightened Rabbit was bubbling over down at the Radio 1/NME stage. Their heads self-admittedly firmly up their own backsides now with a MASSIVE Frabbit styled cross, they struck across the sage with an energetic opener of 'Living In Colour'. And as if things couldn't get more epic, fan favourite 'The Modern Leper' prompts a massive crowd sing-a-long. Lead Frabbit Scott Hutchison admits the band have been waiting "f*cking ages for this". They reveal that this wait has been 10 years as they played the spellbinding 'Backwards Walk'. As you'd imagine the set is littered with tracks of the new album such as 'Holy', 'Backyard Skulls' and 'Late March, Death March', the latter of which is accompanied by some sound life advice of "just all get along" from Scott. As always with FRabbit there's room for dancing and for 3 and a bit minutes the front of the crowd resembles a massive hoe-down with 'Old Old Fashioned'. Penultimate track 'Swim Until You Can't See Land' was as roaring as ever and set closer 'Keep Yourself Warm' fuels a testosterone and alcohol response the kind which the track was written for. Each time I've seen Frightened Rabbit they have stepped it up a notch, and today was no difference. Band of the day for me.