Exeter Respect 2007
Sunday 1st to Sunday 8th July 2007Exeter, Devon, England MAP
various. Many free events. Phoenix World Music Extravaganza - Tickets £11/£12.50
The marquee is still in the same place with its Otter Breweries bar and stage, the auditorium just a corridor walk away is yet to open but will play host shortly to Chartwell Durtiro, Molara and Mad Professor.
Out passed the bar is the Latin Terrace where DJs will be spinning tunes on decks all night and beside it the Sri Lanka Chill Bar, with its projections and sofas.
Up the stairs beside the entrance is the Voodoo Lounge where we find Claude Bourbon giving a master class in acoustic guitar, the sun is just setting over the rooftops and shines in through the door as he sings Summertime (obviously the song of the festival this is the third time it has been played) and its a wonderful moment, his playing is extraordinarily good.
The auditorium is alive with anticipation as the ex-Zion Train vocalist Molara and her nine piece band warm things up with some thumpin reggae. Combining both her own tunes and Powersteppers (her band) songs and before long were all dancing and hot and sweaty.
In need of a cooling beer, we head for the marquee to find Kampec Delores, an upbeat Hungarian folk/rock band who are great, they sound terrific, are good to watch or dance along to and generate a lovely atmosphere within the marquee and outside it too. I liked the line up so far, all the acts had been incredibly good and the outdoor screen had pyrotechnic flames shooting into the night sky, awesome!
Panacea are another great find, the Voodoo Lounge was baking and its a bit of a shame there are so many tables in there as sitting all you could see was the crowd squished at the front dancing. Far better to increase the dancing room.
The five piece band play a host of wonderful instruments from bagpipes, harmonium, bouzouki, to the more usual bass guitar and a range of drums instruments with sequencers and more drum loops woven in through the sound. The sound is classic festival fayre with influences around the globe and energising rhythms, despite the heat the crowd are gyrating as layered harmonies build up. Sounding at times Asian, at times Eastern European and with a Mediterranean flavour, its very pleasant to listen to, Ive never heard of them before but remain hopeful Ill see them again at festivals, they certainly appeal to the likes of WOMAD, Wychwood or Glastonburys Jazzworld or Avalon stages.
As would the next band Dragonsfly, masters of Celtic fusion and with another collection of traditional instruments they continue to keep the temperature in the Lounge at fever pitch. Time to put into practices the Breton dance classes learnt earlier in the day, but for this reviewer the heat is too much (I have flu!) so with the whirling rhythms still ringing in my ears I head down to see Mad Professor in the auditorium.
With the Ariwa soundsystem Prof has the place in the palm of his hands, I thought it was hot upstairs but in here its a cauldron! Still not able to handle the pace I retreat to the marquee and Zambula.
Theyve been going for 25 years now and the six accomplished Congalese musicians based in Cornwall are here to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band's formation with tunes to make us feel good. Its no wonder theyre often one of the highlights when they play at festivals they have such a full, rich sound.
The night is not over yet however, on the terrace we find a table to sit down and enjoy tunes from different eras ska and punk to house to indie and pop with Worldbeats DJ Ricardo. An excellent conclusion to a great day with the crowd calling for more come the end and a sea of hands in the air for the encore.
review by: Scott Williams
photos by: Karen Williams