FREEvolution overview

Once again the annual Evolution alldayer rolls around, and this year it promises to be the biggest yet. A chat with security reveals that they are expecting 40,000 to attend the free festival, held on the Newcastle and Gateshead Quayside, and given the numebrs streaming into the valley early in the day, it is clear just how far this festival has come in just a few short years.

Opening proceedings on the Imagination Stage is Indigo Colony. This local act earned a place on the bill after winning a local bands contest, and considering some of the bands they were up against, that was an achievement in itself. Indigo Colony play guitar pop with an edge, and are very reminiscent of Bloc Party. 'Frenzy' and 'Holes' stand out in their short but excellent set, and it seems that there is yet another band to watch on the Newcastle scene.

It would be a shame to move from this stage now that the sun has come out, so we stay for up and coming scandinavian electro-pop outfit Lorraine, and it proves to be an excellent decision. As well as owing much to The Killers and The Pet Shop Boys, Lorraine's synth and guitar combo bears more than a passing resemblance to Mansun, especially in set highlight 'I Feel It'.

Next we take a longer walk than Hannibal over to the Inspiration Stage, to catch a little of Mofro, and their ballsy brand of blues is perfect for a sunny festival afternoon, and well worth the trek. The Floridian four piece get feet tapping and are certainly one the early highlights of what is rapidly turning into a very good day.

And now we come to Sway on the main Innovation Stage. I have heard people describe him as the future of British hip hop, and if that's the case, British hip hop is in a very bad way indeed. Sway resorted to lowest common denominator "I say... You say..." crowd participation tactics early in his set, and never really got any further than that. I get the feeling this was the wrong kind of event for him, and he would be much better suited in a club environment. On the main stage, in front of around ten thousand people, he just seemed lost.

Boy Kill Boy, on the other hand, know just how to work this crowd. Given that they are officially the scenester's band of choice at the moment, it comes as a surprise when they pull off a very good set. Current single 'Suzie' is obviously given an airing, as well as most of the tracks from their debut album, 'Civilian'. It all keeps the crowd bouncing along enthusiastically, and it seems I am not the only one who had unduly dismissed this band as hype over substance, as many people coming away from the stage after their set were remarking on just how good it was.

Jim Noir could certainly not be accused of hype over substance. His mellow, yet moving brand of music is perfectly suited to the warm afternoon by the river, and the few of us that gather in front of the Imagination Stage are treated to a wonderful set from the ever so slightly eccentric Mr Noir. As well as his band, he was joined onstage by a troupe of large garden gnomes, but the absurdity simply added to the joy of the surf pop indie delights which were on offer.

The undoubted highlight of the day, at least for this reviewer, was Graham Coxon on the Innovation Stage. Now firmly established as a solo performer, Coxon showed why he is regarded as one of the best guitarists working in the UK today. His set spanned all of his solo albums, and included the Ramones-esque 'Freaking Out', the fantastic ode to singledom 'What's He Got?', and 'Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery', which may well be the only recorded case of self-plagiarism, as every time I hear the intro, it sounds more and more like Blur's 'Coffee and TV' [which sounds like Eno's 'Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy' - ed]. The set was explosive, with Graham tearing from one post-punk stormer to the next. Coxon has the rare gift of being able to play unknown music accessible and enjoyable to a crowd, even if that crowd had paid little attention to his output previously, and that is a quality to be admired.

After Graham Coxon, it was a mad dash over to the Imagination Stage, to catch the end of The Go! Team's set, and my only regret was that I did not get there sooner. It was clear that they were holding the crowd rapt, and even on the small stage, managed to create their usual high energy show which put a smile on everyone's face. Ending the set with the marvellous 'Ladyflash', Ninja and Co. disappeared offstage all too soon, and left the small but dedicated crowd crying for more, but unfortunately the request went unobliged.

The organisers of Evolution 2006 can be very proud of yet another great free festival. The diversity on show was outstanding, and the quality of the music was, on the whole, excellent.

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