The Wickerman Festival 2009 - Dundrennan
Published 2nd Jul 2009 by Damo Jones

The Wickerman Festival
Friday 24th and Saturday 25th July, Dundrennan, Scotland
www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk

This year’s Wickerman festival just north of the border in Scotland is primed to detonate in a sonic explosion of unprecedented mayhem and merry making, as one of the freshest, most dynamic and inspiring festivals returns for a two-day and night dose of aural medicine not to missed. This year Skiddle and fellow music-miscreants Uber – one of the UK’s best kept clubbing secrets in Carlisle, of all places – have got their heads together and come up with something very special indeed. Recruiting a mixture of old friends and new faces, of top-drawer big name talent to those just upon the cusp of it, across no less than three arenas there is the pooling of some revered names indeed.

If that was quite a mouthful then it’s because the Wickerman packs a jaw-crunching punch of knock your socks off electronic and live music sourced from some of the most forward thinking exponents of genre-crossing sound.

Set in a the beautiful, lush and rolling hills of Dundrennan as festival sites go the stunning area is certainly up there with the best of them – a tranquil, idyllic area of forests and hills, valleys and brooks around which is built the Wickerman site. The emphasis is firmly on an intimate weekend of fun through which dancers segue to lazy summer bands and beats during the day and the pace is upped somewhat as night falls and stars speckle the sky.

And yet again the standard of live acts has scaled new heights, with some bold and inspired headline acts and a huge range of unsigned and new outfits across five electrically-charged arenas. It’s a typically eclectic and left of centre collective of names – The Human League’s 80s electro, pop-tastic indie smashes from The Zutons and of course lots of you got the love from a certain Ms. Candi Staton, over to pop-folk from The Magic Numbers and hands in the action from Idlewild.

For those who like their tunes a bit meatier there is much to indulge in. Whilst there are some scene stealers and genuine legends on display, Wickerman is also a staunch supporter of new DJ talent and hooking up with acquaintances who have impressed during the last few months. But that talent first...

Headlining on the Skiddle Skirmish Showcase in association with Uber and Trashed are Hot Chip for an armpit-whetting DJ set. As a band they have dominated since the seismic Over and Over heralded the arrival of a hot new act, and since then they have toured the world and made serious names for themselves as DJs too, taking in some of the hottest clubs and parties with sets infused with electro, disco, nonsense, party tracks and smatterings of true genius. There is also – arguably – the return of one of the. He has formed a strong bond with the Uber gang which is why he is back to bring back some of the classic house sounds which permeated the 80s and 90s. A man who, it is said, Uber themselves helped coax out of a certainly premature retirement in 2007, unleashing a new lease of life in one of the Ibizian father figures and a man whose name, really, needs no further qualification: Danny Rampling. The guys are underpinned by one of the young stars of the scene, a tireless worker whose dedication has paid off making Sonny Wharton not only still a man to watch but now one spoken of in the revered tones of those truly in the know. Support from the headliners comes in house, techno and electro guises from James Ryan, Organic DJs, Gash DJs, General Jimmy, Liam Bulloch, Jay and Kev, Lee Watson, Ki Creighton, Matt Hinde, Martyn Taylor and Tim Shaw. Go here for more info: www.wickerdance.com

Over in the Lot49 Presents... Desert Storm arena, there’s a titanic trio of deck devilry from Meat Katie, Dylan Rhymes and Lee Coombs. Headlined by a man who has been on the scene for longer than many can remember yet he remains as fresh as the first day he signed up for deck duty. A fine ambassador for the lost art of good effing breaks, someone schooled away from the generic big but empty beats into crafting something a bit more special – Lee is a fine addition to Saturday’s superlative sonic session. Dylan and Lee both compliment what promises to be wall to wall breaks and bass and beats – the guys are supported by some great names including Dopamine, Simon Jackson, Elite Force, G-mac, Believe, Silver Storic and Kid Blue.

Finally all sorts of mayhem is promised in the For No Reason Mess Tent with a handpicked who’s who of young upstarts and seasoned hands from parties, clubs and sessions all over the UK. For those looked for something a little more sanguine, the Funkademia DayTime Disco is helmed by Good For The Soul.

The Full DJ Lineup at Wickerman:

Go to: www.wickerdance.com for more info on the dance action at Wickerman

The Skiddle “Showcase Skirmish”
(in association with Uber & Trashed)
Hot Chip (DJ SET)
Danny Rampling
Sonny Wharton
James Ryan
Organic DJs
Gash DJs
General Jimmy
Liam Bulloch
Jay and Kev
Lee Watson
Ki Creighton
Matt Hinde
Martyn Taylor
Tim Shaw

Lot49 Presents... Desert Storm
Meat Katie
Dylan Rhymes
Lee Coombs
Dopamine
Simon Jackson
Elite Force
G-mac
Believe
Silver Storic
Kid Blue
For No Reason Mess Tent
GASH DJs (gash digital / ibiza rocks)
Prostitutes & Policemen DJs
The Murkage Cartel (monday murkage)
Oldboy (contort yourself)
Nolife - Live PA (for no reason)
Dirty Dan (for no reason)
The Filth Wizard (beats of rage)
JC Lately vs Dirty Bizzle (wtf?)
Jono Carr vs Micky Fidget (bad estate)
Alan Murphy vs Metrobone (coda)
Harrison (mumu)
Matt Long & Brad Mercer (monocult)
Liam Rielly (for no reason)
Sandeman & Mr Dickie (family affair)
Adam Connal (urban gorilla)
Brent Burns & James Durkan (dirty analogue)
Danny Johnson & Andy Fullard (...dont ask!!!)
Tom Knox & Anthony Newman (a bit catchy)
James Wilson (circus competition winner)
Mr Mowgli (concrete jungle / for no reason)
Craig (Firewater, Glasgow)

Jungle Boogie (outdoor stage)
with Funkademia

And live music at Wickerman...

Summerisle Main Stage
The Human League, The Zutons, The Magic Numbers, Idlewild, Candi Staton, Billy Bragg, Dreadzone, Utah Saints, Kid British, Zion Train, O'Death, Casiokids, Burn the Negative, The Kabeedies, Its A Buffalo, The Dangleberries

Acoustic Village
Andi Neate, Samba Sene and Diwan, Phil Kay, The Loose Kites, The Meat Men, Sweet Billy Pilgrim, Joni Fuller, Milton Balgonie, Ash Dickinson, Fiona Lindsay

Axis Reggae Tent
Dr Huxtable, Mikey Don, Cojo, Perry B, Mr P, Emjay

Scooter Tent
The Dickies, Bad Manners (not announced until Friday), Penetration, UK Subs, Goldblade, Isa & the Filthy Tongues, Bombskare, Antiproduct, No.1 Station, Root System, The Amphetameanies, The Bum Clocks, Debutant Disco, Torrents, Sharks, More From Jim, Berry Tweed and the Chasers.

Solus Tent
Pearl and the Puppets, The Xcerts, Luva Anna, Babygod, Celebrity Chimp, Drums of Death, The French Quarter, The Gothenburg Address, Just Tourist, Meursault, Mr Kil, Punch & The Apostles, Reginald, Remember Remember, The Second Hand Marching Band, The Seventeenth Century, We Were Promised Jetpacks, The Velcro Quartet

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