Wickerman Festival
Encyclopedia
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
held near to Dundrennan
Dundrennan
Dundrennan is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, about five miles east of Kirkcudbright. Its population is around 230. It is most notable for the ruins of Dundrennan Abbey, a 12th century Cistercian monastery...
in Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Dubbed 'Scotland's Alternative Music festival', the festival will celebrate its 10th Birthday in 2011 on Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd July.
It began in 2001 when the festivals artistic director Sid Ambrose, whilst working with the Stewartry Music Initiative, hit upon the idea of a local counter-culture based family-friendly festival due to the surrounding area being inextricably linked with various locations used within the classic British horror film 'The Wicker Man' (1973) starring Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
and Edward Woodward
Edward Woodward
Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE was an English stage and screen actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , Woodward began his career on stage, and throughout his career he appeared in productions in both the West End in London and on Broadway in New York...
. He took the idea to local farmer Jamie Gilroy, and by doing this, they ensured that the festival would eventually settle within a natural amphitheatre of 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) of prime Galloway grazing land at East Kirkcarswell Farm, Dundrennan.
Musically as well as creatively, the festival has been likened to a smaller version of Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
with a widely eclectic mix of music to suit everyone. It has several stages and these include a main stage (Summerisle), the Axis Sound System reggae sound systemtent, the Acoustic Village, a stage for punk/ska/northern soul called The Scooter Tent, The Solus Tent for new Scottish bands, several dance tents, as well as a children’s area, workshops, beer tent, crafts, a cinema, and much more.
The 2010 event saw Ocean Colour Scene play the Saturday night headline slot before the ceremonial and spectacular burning of the Wickerman, the 808 State DJ's then rounded off the main stage proceedings. On Friday night the Summerisle stage hosted Teenage Fanclub before a storming set from headliners The Charlatans.
Buzzcocks, The Futureheads, Tony Christie, Goldie Lookin' Chain, The Undertones, The Go! Team, Withered Hand, The Saw Doctors, Fenech Soler, Erland and the Carnival, The Saw Doctors, Sons & Daughters, The Grass Mountain Hobos, Back To The Planet, The Sex Pistols Experience, Ed Tudor Pole, The Amphetameanies & Root System all also appeared on various stages over the weekend.
The 2009 line up included The Human League will headlining the Friday night, The Zutons closed the Saturday night after Candi Staton. The Dance Tent saw the Hot Chip DJs & Danny Ramplingon the decks. The Magic Numbers, Billy Bragg, Idlwild, Dreadzone, Zion Train, Utah Saints, The Dickies, Bad Manners, Kid British and Pearl and the Puppets all appeared over the weekend.
Artists that played Wickerman 2008 included KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall
Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
, Gary Numan
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
, Broken Records, The Foxes, Dub Pistols
Dub Pistols
Dub Pistols are a London based dub music and big beat band, founded by ex-club promoter, Barry Ashworth, in 1996. The other members of the band were record producer and bassist Jason O'Bryan, Brooklyn producer and lyricist, T. K. Lawrence on vocals, Jap Slut guitarist John King, and turntablist DJ...
, The Cuban Brothers, Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Alan Cornwell is an English musician and songwriter, best known for being the vocalist and guitarist for the punk/new wave group, The Stranglers, from 1974 to 1990.-Career:...
(ex-Stranglers frontman), Neville Staple, Dream Machine
Dream Machine (band)
Dream Machine are a space rock supergroup, based in London, UK. Dream Machine play music that can be described as psychedelic and ambient rock music, incorporating guitar, synthesizers and woodwind instruments...
, Monkish, Attic Lights, The Hacienda Tour (featuring Shaun Ryder
Shaun Ryder
Shaun William Ryder, aka X, is an English musician, occasional newspaper columnist, actor, author, singer-songwriter and television personality, best known as lead singer for Happy Mondays and Black Grape – and more recently as the runner-up of the 2010 version of the British TV Show I'm a...
, Bez, and DJ Graeme Park), X-Press2, Annie Nightingale
Annie Nightingale
Anne "Annie" Nightingale MBE is an English radio broadcaster. She is most commonly known by the more informal name of Annie...
and Headphone Disco.
Artists that performed in 2007 included Fun Lovin' Criminals
Fun Lovin' Criminals
The Fun Lovin' Criminals is an American alternative hip hop / alternative rock group from New York City. Their musical style is primarily eclectic, covering styles such as hip hop, rock, funk, blues and jazz. Their songs often deal with life in New York City, as well as urban life in general...
, The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
, Hayseed Dixie
Hayseed Dixie
Hayseed Dixie is an American band which began in the autumn of 2000 with the release of their first album, A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC. The band performs a mixture of cover versions of hard rock songs and original compositions in a style that is a unique fusion of bluegrass and rock music and are...
, The Orb
The Orb
Throughout 1989, the Orb, along with Martin Glover, developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of its musical work came toward the end of the year when the group recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1...
, The Negatives, The Targets, Cider Spiders, Modus, Darkwater, The Call, The Beat
The Beat (band)
The Beat are a 2 Tone ska revival band founded in England in 1978. Their songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock, and their lyrics deal with themes of love, unity and sociopolitical topics....
, The Rezillos
The Rezillos
The Rezillos are a punk/new wave band, who formed in Edinburgh in 1976 and still play gigs around the world in a re-formed line-up. Although frequently aligned with the punk movement, the Rezillos' irreverent glam rock image and affection for campy girl-group iconography, set them distinctly apart...
, The Peatbog Faeries, The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
, Eat Static
Eat Static
Eat Static is an electronic music project from Frome, Somerset, England formed in 1989 by Merv Pepler and Joie Hinton. Hinton left the group in February 2008 after 18 years to spend more time with his family.-History:...
, Jah Wobble, Neck, Uniting The Elements, I Am Kloot
I Am Kloot
I Am Kloot are an English band formed in Manchester, in 1999 by John Bramwell , Peter Jobson and Andy Hargreaves .-History:...
, Skaville UK, Popup, The Low Miffs, The Kazoo Funk Orchestra
The Kazoo Funk Orchestra
The Kazoo Funk Orchestra are a music collective from Glasgow, Scotland.-Biography:The Kazoo Funk Orchestra formed in Scotland at the end of 2005, as a pre-apocalyptic merry-go-round collective, featuring musicians, anti-poets, dancers and finger painters...
, Black Affair, Miss The Occupier, Only Joe Kane, Saint Jude's Infirmary, Miss King and the Cougars, John Langhan, Ardent John, Taiko Drummers, Andi Neate, Sally Campbell, Jam Squad!, Andy Lang & the Well, The Stompswampers, Sixpeopleaway, Copy Haho, Our Lunar Activities, How to Swim
How to Swim (band)
-Formation and early years :How to Swim were formed at Glasgow School of Art in late 2000 by Ink Wilson , then a 1st year architecture student...
, Frightened Rabbit, Clean George IV, Dance Lazarus Dance!, and Y'all Is Fantasy Island.
Discussing his first ever Wickerman, in 2007, XFM Scotland
Galaxy Scotland
105-106 Capital is a regional radio station broadcasting to Scotland's Central Belt, an area surrounding the two cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the kingdom of Fife...
's Jim Gellatly
Jim Gellatly
Jim Gellatly is a Scottish radio presenter and DJ. He currently presents the New Music show In:Demand Uncut across Scotland, and a weekly showcase on the UK-wide DAB digital radio station Amazing Radio.-Biography:...
said: "The most family friendly festival I've been to, and a brilliant weekend. If you're ever tempted to take kids to Glastonbury, at least try out Wickerman first. A pretty successful jaunt all round, and I'm already looking forward to next year."
In November 2007, Wickerman won the category of 'Best Grass Roots Festival' at the UK Festival Awards. The only other Scottish festival to win was the John Lennon Festival in Durness.
In previous festivals, artists have included:
2006 -
The Alarm
The Alarm
The Alarm are an alternative rock band that emerged from North Wales in the late 1970s. They started as a mod band and stayed together for over ten years. As a rock band, they displayed marked influences from Welsh language and culture...
, New Model Army
New Model Army (band)
New Model Army are an English rock band, who were formed in Bradford, West Yorkshire in 1980. They have been variously classified by Allmusic as post-punk and alternative rock.-Overview:...
, The Aliens
The Aliens
The Aliens are a Scottish band consisting of former Beta Band members Gordon Anderson , John Maclean and Robin Jones...
, Sandi Thom
Sandi Thom
Alexandria "Sandi" Thom is a Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She became widely known in 2006 after a series of webcasts and the success of the single "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker ".-1984–2004: Early life:Thom was born in Banff, Aberdeenshire...
, System 7
System 7
System 7 is the name of a Macintosh operating system introduced in 1991.System 7 may also refer to:* System 7 , a British dance/ambient band* System 7 , 1991 album* IBM System/7, a 1970s computer system...
and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
2005 -
The Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
, Dreadzone
Dreadzone
Dreadzone are a British band whose music is an eclectic fusion of dub, reggae, techno, folk and rock. They have so far produced six studio albums and two live albums.-Career:...
, Alabama 3
Alabama 3
Alabama 3 are a British band mixing rock, dance, blues, country, and gospel styles, founded in Brixton, London, in 1995. In the United States, they are known as A3, allegedly to avoid any possible legal conflict with the country music band Alabama...
, Arthur Brown
Arthur Brown (musician)
Arthur Brown is an English rock and roll musician best known for his flamboyant, theatrical style and significant influence on Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Marilyn Manson, George Clinton, Kiss, King Diamond, and Bruce Dickinson, among others, and for his number one hit in the UK Singles Chart and...
, Neville Staples
Neville Staples
Neville Eugenton Staple is a singer for the two-tone ska band, The Specials as well as his own combo, The Neville Staple Band. Along with Ranking Roger, he also sings in Special Beat.-Early life:...
, and Space Ritual
Space Ritual
The Space Ritual Alive in Liverpool and London is a 1973 live double album recorded in 1972 by UK rock band Hawkwind. It is their fourth album, reached #9 in the UK album charts and briefly dented the Billboard Top 200, peaking at #179....
.
2004 -
Aereogramme
Aereogramme
Aereogramme were a Scottish alternative/post-rock rock band from Glasgow, consisting of Craig B. , Iain Cook , Campbell McNeil and Martin Scott...
, Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
, The Selector
The Selector
The Selector is a weekly two-hour radio show, which is sponsored by the British Council. Originally launched in 2001, The Selector is an international showcase for the best new music the United Kingdom has to offer, covering a variety of genres from indie, dubstep, folk, soul, hip hop and more...
, Spiritualized
Spiritualized
Spiritualized are an English space rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Jason Pierce after the demise of his previous outfit, space-rockers Spacemen 3...
, AntiProduct
AntiProduct
AntiProduct are a UK-based glam punk band, fronted by Alex Kane, formerly of Clam Abuse, Enuff Z'nuff, Holland, and Life, Sex & Death.The band formed in 2000, and have played alongside acts such as Rachel Stamp, The Wildhearts, Ginger, The Quireboys, Enuff Z'Nuff, Electric Eel Shock, Tyla from...
, The Levellers.
The festival climaxes on Saturday at midnight with the burning of a giant 30 ft (9.1 m) Wickerman, built by local craftsmen Trevor Leat and Alex Rigg.
It has been nominated for 2 festival awards:
- Best Cult Following 2005
- Best Grassroots Festival 2006
Its motto is: "The Wickerman Festival - it's better than it needs to be!"
Charities
The Wickerman Festival supports the following charities:- Tusk TrustTusk TrustThe Tusk Trust is an organization set up in 1990 to help to protect African wildlife including African elephants.Tusk Trust was set up by Charles Mayhew, MBE, who is the Chief Executive...
- The First Base Agency
- Crew 2000