DAY 2 at Millport Country Music
Festival
The whole site was buzzing
for the big headliner over on the main stage, but over at cactus Jacks we
started as we meant to go on. The sun was promising to put in an appearance and
the island was filling up. It felt like a day of two halves – to steal a football
expression. Award winning and award nominated
Laura Oakes
Laura opened the day for us,
her set including an interesting and very Country version of the 90s dance hit
“Groove Is In The Heart”. It was unusual
to see Laura with a band but she kept the story telling style and catchy
melodies she is known for.
Luke Thomas featured on lead
guitar for Laura, not the last time we would see him on Cactus Jacks stage!
Anton & the Colts
Anton found time between
touring Europe and touring America to come closer to home (Glasgow) to
Millport, and his voice, his style is pure Americana. Joined by session musicians,
he added guitar, bass guitar and drums to create a bigger sound. A real mix of Rock,
blues and Americana.
All music was suspended to
allow all visitors to watch the grand parade down the main high street, past
the festival site. Fancy dress costumes, American cars, vintage trucks, Harley
Davidsons and dancers delighted the onlookers.
Izzie Walsh
A rain shower at five to
four filled the marquee, but the quite unique sound of Izzie with her
band certainly kept them in. Accompanied
by banjo, stand up bass, drums and Johnny Fingers on Dobro, Izzie combines the
traditional sounds of Country with her own vocal style, singing her own
material and covers, but making them very much her own.
Have Mercy Las Vegas
The last of the afternoon
bands were the interestingly named Have Mercy Las Vegas. They assembled the
largest collection of instruments on stage out of the entire festival and as
true professionals lined up perfectly. Francesca was worried about her
positioning for the intro. They are a band with deep Scottish roots but deliver
razor sharp Americana. They are also a close knit group and had been quiet
recently, waiting on the arrival on a wee bairn.
Sarah Jory
Having headlined the stage
on Friday night, and accompanied Gasoline & Matches on the Maverick
Acoustic Stage, Sarah returned to
Cactus Jacks for a set that overlapped with Cam’s headline main stage set.
Fighting a cold Sarah took to the stage with her band, and despite having some
competition from across the festival still gathered a big crowd for another
storming set. There seemed to be no lack of energy and as ever Sarah took the
whole tent to a new level, clearly starting the evening’s party early.
Hotel Caledonia
Saturday evening was without doubt party night
in Cactus Jacks, and next on the line up were the Scottish based and wittily
named Eagles Tribute Band Hotel Caledonia. As Francesca said in
her introduction, if you have never seen the Eagles live, here is your
chance! The tent was full from the back
to the very edge of the stage, and everyone in there was singing along to
absolute classics of Country/Rock crossover.
The Scoundrels
Our headline band had big
shoes to fill, we asked them to make a big entrance- they rose to the challenge
with ease! We had met The Scoundrels earlier in the day at sound check,
and they impressed us with their friendliness and absolute professionalism. A Glasgow
based function band they took the already excitable crowd to a whole new level
with their blend of Country, Rock Classics, party favourites and Scottish
standards. The crowd rightly called for an encore which the boys delivered.
How on earth was the after
party going to please this crowd? Silverball Country delivered a short set, set
to Francesca’s theme of Country Drinking Songs that kept the dancefloor and the
bar happy.
There may have been big
names elsewhere at the festival, but in Cactus Jacks there was big crowds, big
songs and big fun all evening!
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