So Im recovering from an amazing weekend at Tramlines in Sheffield. It’s the biggest urban festival in Europe and Timm is the production director so I have been down on Dev Green hanging out all weekend feeling the Sheffield love.
Into it’s fourth year, Tramlines is bigger and better than ever, and the best thing about it? Its FREE… Imagine that? A free festival that is about music, talent and getting together the amazing people of Sheffield, not about making money and corporate fat cats rubbing their hands together and coining it in.
Photograph: Mark Tierney
Friday’s highlights for me were the awesome Dead Sons - whose first gig was in July 2010 at Tramlines – the boys came back to a packed arena of fans singing along, and more impressively, doing ‘the dance’ – you know THE dance… if you don’t know what Im talking about go watch this video and then get practicing in front of the mirror…
Photograph: Mark Tierney
Photograph: Mark Tierney
Next up was Reverend and The Makers – the band played a good mix of old favourites and new crackers and had the crowd eating out of their hands. Jon McClure was made to be a front man – love him or loathe him, you can’t help but watch him in awe. Jon loves Sheffield and man, does it show. Put him in front of 6000 giddy Sheffielders and watch the place explode….
Photograph: Mark Tierney
On Friday night I ended up drinking with those naughty boys from Dead Sons and so spent a fair chunk of Saturday laying in a deck chair nursing a sore head…
I did manage to catch part of Hey Sholay but missed the frankly amazing stage dive….
Photograph: Georgina Martin Photography
The fantastic thing about about Tramlines is that it is city wide, it’s not just one stage. There are other stages on Barkers Pool and Peace Gardens as well as events at Weston Park and the Folk Forest in Endcliffe Park. There are over 70 venues involved which meant you are just spoiled for choice. I headed over to the Folk Forest where it was a real family friendly vibe, music, market stalls and eating ice cream laid out on the grass whilst the kids played on the park – heavenly!
Photograph: Timm Cleasby
Sunday brought Everly Pregnant Brothers, the best thing to come out of Sheffield since Henderson’s Relish… a ukelele band playing comedy covers of popular songs. Such a feel good band, you can’t help but sing, dance and laugh when you see this band.
They opened the main stage with their Amy Winehouse quartet on Sunday and drew in a HUGE crowd – they are fast becoming a Sheffield favourite.
Photograph: Timm Cleasby
And then I managed to say hi and get a quick photo. I am doing an awkward squat to make me smaller than Toby Foster… I also made an inappropriate joke about maracas.
The band then played a version of Rehab for Tramlines TV – I think you can hear me wooping when they finish.
So that was my Tramlines. I had a blast and fell in love with Sheffield all over again.
Timm’s festival was a little different…
“So Tramlines 2012…
1 Bruised elbow
1 Bruised arse
1 Pulled lower back
1 Twisted ankle
1 Split head
2 Numb big toes
2 Very sore feet
5 Nights with less than 5 hours sleep
6 16+ hour days
2 Broken video screens (Bloody rain)
1 Very Late artist
1 Amazing last minute band (I’m looking at you Hot Soles)
1 Amazing production team (That’s everyone who has worked with me on this years festival)
3 Amazing days / nights of music and fun
100,000 + hopefully happy festival goers.
My tramlines was eventful and fun and I want to thank all my team without you lot the festival would not happen… you’re all amazing hardworking people. Thankyouthankyouthankyou…x”
For more information on Tramlines take a look at their website. Thanks to Mark Tierney for use of his photographs, to see more from Tramlines take a look through the rest of his shots here.
