We arrived in the rain. We watched the bands in the rain. It rained all day…….

First up was TISSUE CULTURE a band we have championed in the past as they were on the Tiny Lights label. Great band. Loud and raw. 5 men in black growling out tunes. Superb.

Who did I come across in the tent whilst they were playing? Martin from The Lake Poets!! Hopefully we will see an album from them before the year is out. Pity we missed them on the Saturday as the line up was good, not as good as the Sunday though!!

Next up in the rain…. FRANKIE & THE HEARTSTRINGS. Superbly dressed in red n white pants. A greatest hits set to warm the wettest of crowds. With Ross from the Futureheads on guitar!! They do all the sing-a-long songs from their debut and the best few from album two. Frankie are a massively under rated band. I’m looking forward to album three and to visiting their shop, which has an alarm did you know?? Best moment was at the end of their set, the drummer pretends to throw his sticks into the crowd as if some kind of rock god but then flicks the Vs at the crowd instead. Genuinely hilarious. The man is my new hero.

We then continue celebrity spotting Sunderland style by seeing Barry from the Futureheads. Another band who should be more popular. Hopefully they will be delivering a new album before long.

Then into a darkened tent to experience the surprise of the day… THE TWILIGHT SAD. Absolutely brilliant!!!!! As the tent empties, as the sound of the Cribs comes in, as the weather improves and those who are left become more and more animated I realise I have stepped into the splendour of fear. Like Mogwai on Methadone. (I know, I don’t even like Mogwai!!!) I missed 15 minutes of the Cribs!!! Like Joy Division. They’re like Joy Division!!!!! This week we have proudly enrolled them into the Sound of Young Scotland. Our new favourite band!!!

Then THE CRIBS. The Ramones from West Yorkshire. Except they really are du brothers. Brilliant. Early stuff, new stuff, stuff, stuff!!!!! They are a punk rock glitter ball of pop delight.

GRUFF RHYS in a tent telling tales of some welsh fella 200 years ago . Looking for a welsh speaking tribe??? Superb !!! His story is as funny as his songs are wonderful. Now after this we decide to go home with fond memories of a wonderful day. Everything had been great even the weather could not dampen our spirits.

Actually we stayed and watched some of Maximo Park but our spirit of positiveness and happy vibes towards Split stop us from writing anything about them…….

Thanks to all the bands who played, all the people who attended and the wonderful people at Split who brought some great bands to your local town. A compact festival in the middle of the city. Great atmosphere. Excellent facilities. Looking forward to next year already.

LINKS:

SPLIT: http://www.splitfestival.com/

By peter on August 13, 2014