@ EVOLTION

28/05/2007

The only angels of the North we saw during our visit to Newcastle were those wearing skimpy short little skirts and the bare minimum of clothing on top. Not that we are complaining, like. Sorry, having spent a few days in Ant and Dec's neck of the wood we can't help ending some sentences with 'Like'. Don't be surprised if the odd use of 'Canny' pops into our report and 'Mint' both terms of the misused English language refer to something being 'rather good'. Such as, 'The Gate' - one of those Leisure complex's which swallows up restaurants and cinemas inside it's huge gaping mouth and 'The Bigg market' - Think the bussle nightlife streets of Lanzarote without the sunshine. Oh, and the Two massive stages on the Quayside - what the blazes are they doing there?

Just to answer our own question, those Two stages climax the Evolution festival which has been taking place over the past week in toon, sorry - Town. Not the normal festival kind where you pitch tents and stuff, let's face it - in Newcastle they will probably be set alight or stolen - No, this festival is a tad different. Various events have been taken place at bars (The Cluney) and nightclubs (Academy) on a daily basis. Showcasing the best and, it has to be said, worse acts this town has to offer a wide range of musical taste has been dosed up from the extremely helpful organisers.

Today is Bank Holiday Monday and the disappointing prospect returning to a desk after a prolonged weekend is dampened by the fact that the climax of Evolution seems extremely promising. Even though the Tyne separated the two stages relating to a fair wander between them both there wasn't much else complaining about. We had a decent chill out bar in the guest area and the disabled platform was slap bang in the center, giving a perfect view over the Northern heads.

The site was a large slab of concrete with assorted burger vans and various other junk food which one would stumble across on a trip to the funfair. Nothing fancy, but this wasn't a festival as such - just a free open air concert. Yes, FREE! Normally the words Free and 'live music' don't conjure up an appetizing good music bill and often resembles a local music concert put on by your local church or the bill at Guilfest, but we were pleasantry surprised. Although there was one exception Like!

Kano was the first act we were familiar with. Not because we are fans - Oh no, the complete blooming opposite if you want the truth. His rapping is flat and repetitive as a car tyre running over a family of hedgehogs. Unable to find one track to compliment this second rate rapper on we retreated back to the guest bar where we spotted Kano munching on a three course meal after his performance. After giving him a 'compliment' we took our back stabbing reporters heads to the main arena to catch Echo and the Bunnymen.

Depending which side of 30 you are on the name Ian McCulloch will either mean an unshaven guy hiding being dark shades and crying out for a haircut or completely nothing at all. He is also the lead singer who quit the band back in 1988 but reformed again six years later after perusing a solo career. Even if you aren't familiar with any Bunnymen material Ian's unique ruffling voice will hook you in within the first few songs.

Our quartet of bands chosen for review purposes should had included Larikin Love, although a slight obstacle fell on their laurels last month. They split up! This news brings a folky tear to our eyes. Having first raged about this magnificent group of lads last year at Carling 24, T in the Park and even joining them on stage at Reading the news was unbearable, especially as we were gradually becoming mates with Ed from the band. How dare the little ginger yoof just dump us within months, we even danced with him on stage! For goodness sake - With friends like him, who needs enemies? Well, with a clever twist on wordplay Evolution Festival did as that is exactly who replaced them - The Enemy!

The Enemy are our new mates. We have actually seen the band mates around but were oblivious to the fact that they were about to secure a record deal and start corruption the charts. If we had known we'd probably would had paid more attention to those meaningless conversations they tried to start with us last year in various guest areas whilst we were trying to blag production passes. Like a young Kasabain the kids straight out of college formed in their home town of Coventy with the lyrics 'I'm so sick, sick, sick and tired' being blared out of radio stations over the past month or so their live performances keep the audience very much awake.

And so we come to the main headliners, Maximo Park. Newcastle bred and born Paul Smith tells his homecoming crowd how they intend to stay in the city and avoid the temptation of London's bright lights. Maybe it's a clever way of admitting how tight fisted they are! Does it really matter though? As the band were triumphant The best we have ever seen them. You could tell that the extra effort and pressure they employed was secretly stored just for their own resident crowd. To our left the neighbors cascaded on their balconies where private household parties had been taking place throughout the day. Newcastle faces shone across the arena and Geordies stopped fighting for a whole hour. Maximo Park gates had been opened by welcoming hands and firmly locked behind them - Until the next album sells Platinum and they can afford London property prices neighboring Ant & Dec!

Evolution was the ideal start to the festival season and with the whole event being free there's little we can complain about and that really is 'Canny!'

DISABLED ACCESS

The disabled platforms were
ideally situated near the sound
desks. Our only grumble is that
for the main stage a fair walk
was needed where a possible
exit/ entrance for wheelchairs
nearer the stage could had
been added.