Evolution Weekender 2009 - Newcastle

[duncan123]

Have The Big Pink pulled out? Gutted if they have, I was really looking forward to seeing them

[DanielFullard]

Im actually a bit unsure where Spillers Wharf stage is....can anyone help me? Google maps doesnt seem to be showing it

[kev1664]

If anyone fancies something a little bit different on monday afternoon Lloyds Quayside bar , (just off the swing bridge). Has a free to enter festival on with local bands playing starting from 12:00 noon till 5:00 .It should be a good afternoon with cheaper drinks and a whole lot of local bands with a lot of talent.

Specifically a band with my friends in, Mother Firefly who will provide some great heavy rock. They are well worth a see. They start at 3:30.

All in all it should be a good fun afternoon. Come along

[Tommy]

Im actually a bit unsure where Spillers Wharf stage is....can anyone help me? Google maps doesnt seem to be showing it

[DanielFullard]

Thanks

Considering how close I live to Newcastle its bit embarassing I hardly know it at all. Staying at Rooms Inn so its quite a hike (right up past central station).

Really cant wait to see Little Boots, White Lies, Imelda May, VV Brown and Maccabees.

Plus "Bonkers" is gonna be one of THE anthems of the summer so should be fun when he does that although I really am not a Dizee fan

Planning on spending the full two days at Spillers

[alby]

Can you go in and out of the festival site once you have a wristband - heading in early but want to watch the toon game.

Also does anyone know if you can take soft drinks and food into the festival?

Not long to go now

[Tommy]

Aye you can go in and out. Not sure if you get a wristband or just your ticket... would think it will be a wristband.

The only food / drink condition is no alcohol and no glass. Other than that, you're laughing.

[alby]

Top man thanks Tommy - think the festival will be eerliy quiet between 4 and 6 on the Sunday

[lizzyt]

Does anybody know the set times for tomorrow (Monday 25th)??

Mainly just wondered what time Man Like Me are going to be playing. Any ideas?

[DanielFullard]

Spent both days at Spillers Wharf and here is my views

Best Acts

The Puppini Sisters – Front of the arena emptied after Detroit Social Club and the Puppini Sisters came out to a really sparse crowd. Didn’t take long for them to wow the audience. Fantastic, superb singing, great choice of covers to do, really great stage presence and fantastic interaction with audience. One of the most enjoyable live acts Ive seen.

Kid British – The Madness for this generation in the making. Not a fan before the set but am a huge fan now, such a good live act and had whole city jumping. Already ordered tickets to see them again soon. Such energy and just generally a fun band perfect for sunny afternoons at festivals.

Little Boots – Love her music and she really is living up the hype. Such a great retro feel about her and she was fantastic live. Not much more to say.

Imelda May - Superb set. Mixed the old and new songs with a Beatles cover and wowed the audience. Amazing voice, looked stunning, so much passion into the songs and just a storming performance from one of my favourite acts of the current time

The Human League – Not an act I was that keen on seeing but they were brilliant. Great set of classic songs, commanding stage performance as youd expect and just generally good old fashioned performance from a band who know how to work it.

Marina and The Diamonds – Great performance and one of the best vocalists of the weekend. I love her songs and am generally a fan of their music so over the moon it worked live and had a blast with this. Shortest set of the weekend but one of the best

Little Comets – Local band went down like a storm and really wowed the whole place with there jazzy, funky, pop tunes. Really enjoyable and made me wanna dance!

VV Brown – Love her work and she put in a great performance no doubts. Great feel to her music and she really impressed me.

Good Acts

Chapman Family – Pretty damn awesome. Encouraged the crowd to flood the stage with rubbish, cue 30 minutes of a barrage of bottles, shows, coins etc being thrown at the guy. Good energetic side that kicked the festival off the a flying start

Nouvelle Vague – Something a bit different from this classy French outfit and they really were fun to watch. Some excellent covers and a good midpoint of the day

The View – Played a bit too long and some of the material isn’t that strong. Saved the set from a Wombats esque farce by the ending trio of Same Jeans, Superstar Tradesman and Shock Horror though and left me with a smile on my face. Again an act who would have benefited with less time

Dizzee Rascal – Not my cup of tea usually but he has some good tracks. Not the sort of albums I listen to over and over but knew all the songs in the set bar the new ones. Warmed crowd up nicely before exploding into Dance Wiv Me and Bonkers to conclude. Excellent finale to the two days

Disappointing

White Lies – GUTTED. One of my favourite albums of recent years and was so hyped for seeing them but they turned out to be really really dull. 7pm on a Sunny Sunday Night may not be the right setting for them but still they were so boring and am so gutted about not enjoying them.

The Maccabees – Bored me and I do like their albums but really really bored me. Not much more to say as the set was incredibly dull

Detroit Social Club – Not really my thing and a band I haven’t got into yet. The lead is a good singer and it was fun but nothing seemed to really get me going

Twisted Wheel – Love the album but not really much to them live. Sound wasn’t too great with the mic being way too low but the songs themselves mash into one live and a band that did disappoint me.

The Wombats – I do like 4-5 of their songs but they just bored me. Was really sick of the set half way through and then they cut into a boring what seemed liked 20 minute version of “Pipe Dream Fantasy” and just sucked the life of the whole place. Screwed up a few times as well. Crowd in where I was and seemingly most around didn’t take to them at all. Not even a favourite of mine “Backfire at the Disco” saved them. Shouldn’t be headliners at all on a bill where every other act is stronger than the

[Dr Baker]

Came down from Scotland for a couple of days and really enjoyed this. Sunday was a a bit quiet at Spillers due to the football but a good atmosphere nevertheless. Imelda May was a fantastic as ever - going to see her again on Thursday- and it's always good to hear the Human League do the hits every once in a while.

Liked what I heard of VV Brown and Little Boots was fantastic, (met her briefly at HMV earlier in the day). Very much a festival set although I still think she can include slower tempo songs, or the alternative version of Meddle, to good effect.

Personal highlight was Nouvelle Vague, especially with Melanie Pain back on vocals. All the facial expressions and gestures she makes are always entertaining and she has a great voice too - their version of Love Will Tear Us Apart always brings a lump to the throat.

Went along to Baltic Square for Ladyhawke (v. good); Friendly Fires (not bad) and Mystery Jets (not my cup of tea - so too with White Lies and Twisted Wheel on the Sunday).

Being a veteran of T in the Park, I was well prepared with sunscreen and a waterproof jacket!

Would definitely go to future events Newcastle has such a good vibe too, even when their football team doesn't do so well.

[calise]

Took the kids age 5 and 7 against all advice of not to go cos it was badly organised and not having enough security. Found it to be the opposite. Would definitely go again. Thought White Lies and The View were the best bands of the weekend.

[The Modern Leper]

Im training it from aberdeen

1st time here so looking forward too it, itl be my 1st time in england too haha

[sophieebrookss]

Im training it from aberdeen

1st time here so looking forward too it, itl be my 1st time in england too haha