Back for a second year at Victoria Park Glasgow, the Indian Summer Festival benefitted from a sun-filled weekend that would have been hard to predict in the days running up to the festival. The Friday and Monday in Glasgow featured some torrential rain at times but on the whole, the musical weekend was unharmed and that helped a lot in the good vibes surrounding the festival. It's a different crowd from what you would expect at T in the Park but there was no reduction in the sense of fun.
Another thumbs up for the festival was that it was home to many faces of the Glasgow indie-scene. Not including the ones who were performing over the weekend, the site saw members of Franz Ferdinand, Sons and Daughters, Malcolm Midleton, Strike The Colours, Bricolage, Mother and the Addicts and plenty more all enjoying themselves and if high level musicians are choosing the festival to be the place to be for the Glasgow Fair Weekend, then who are we to argue? If that wasn't enough, a member of local TV show River City looking kinda trashed, thoroughly enjoying herself in an outfit that would raise some eyebrows on TV should surely convince any non-believers of the great pull of this weekend. Before this overview turns into the Razz column (the gossip column in the local tabloid rag), let's get back to the music and there were plenty of great moments.
From Emma Pollock's opening set (evoking memories of the Delgados opening Glasgows Gig on the Green in 2000) to the Flaming Lips shining lazerbeams out of Victoria Park and hopefully scaring unsuspecting passers-by, it was a festival with a difference that more than deserves to be around for a few years. The Main Stage built up to their headliners well on both days and the consistency of the acts is something that far outstrips T. The names may not be as well known but Indian Summers Main Stagers all had a good pedigree and a reasonable case to be on a Main Stage, something which other festivals which chase the commercial market may not realise. It also allowed acts like I'm From Barcelona to reach more people than they normally would and their lilo-surfing antics was definitely one of the main topics of conversation on the Sunday evening.
The BBC6 Music Hub Stage perhaps slightly suffered from the Main Stage sound seeping into it but again, there were many joys to be had throughout the days and offered respite from the brief rain that occurred. With the Optimo Tent contuing its victorius reign from last year's performance, the sense of the famous club night carried over to the festival and you could sense there was many people revisiting their own clubbing past whilst they were partaking in what was on offer. Perhaps there was some element of the festival being of great benefit to those who have maybe moved on a bit but there was plenty of participation from all age groups to suggest that the festival is open to all, its certainly priced competitively, clocking in at around half what a weekend at T costs. Of course, T does offer more stages and a bigger level of headliners but its all relevant and for cost value, Indian Summer stands up well to its rivals.
And everything else that was available was just like a festival but just a bit different. The food was of a higher quality and variety, there was a place to drink properly and there was even a Beanscene tent to catch a few local performers and partake in a decent coffee, at T you would be accosted for having the temerity for having a beverage that wasnt at least 4.0% alcohol!
And if one of your things at a festival is the showground and fair elements that appear nowadays, there was a treat in store at the end of the festival. Exiting the park on the Sunday night and seeing the kids swing park being over-ran by a huge group of people who really should know better, it's clear that the weekend had a great impact on the revellers and provides a great alternative to what else is available.
Next year T in the Park will celebrate its 15th year and it should receive many plaudits for that, but for those who went to the early T's, that's a lot of time and that festival has changed so much and perhaps doesn't fit their needs and wants anymore. Indian Summer provides all the fun and frolics a music festival should provide but throws in local amenities, familiar pubs and the opportunity to hit the clubs or your bed straight after, so let's hope that Indian Summer has many more summers left in it as well.