Joe Brooke-Smith negotiates the vibes at Apple Cart Festival.
Ominous banks of dark clouds are stalking across the sky as we walk through the gates of Victoria Park into this year’s Apple Cart festival. The festivities are already in full swing – a happy mix of festival revellers, East End types and anoraked families are enjoying the damp afternoon of music, cabaret, comedy, art and kids' activities.
We head straight for the main stage to catch Andy Weatherall spinning a selection of tracks that inspired the seminal album 'Screamadelica'. He casts an unassuming figure behind a set of decks, almost hidden on one side of the stage. Sporting waistcoat, smart black hat and long, thick beard, he spins a selection of bass-heavy dub and rockabilly and a small but loyal crowd boogie away in their wellies and pakamacs. There isn’t an obvious connection between the tunes he plays and the revered Primal Scream album that captured so many hearts back in 1990 but the crowd don’t mind. What they do mind, however, is the fact that the stage crew start sound checking for the next act while he’s still spinning, which they also do later for DJ Giles Peterson. This seems a little disrespectful to be honest and the crowd make their displeasure known with hoots and jeers aimed at the poor roadie who is presumably “just following orders”.
Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) appears on stage and with a modest tip of his hat Weatherall slinks off. Applause and cheers are offered to both men, two very different, but equally massive figures in the British music scene.
Badly Drawn Boy’s set is hard to describe. His moody, self-deprecating repartee between songs has the crowd in stitches (“I’m just going to play covers 'cos all my songs are shite”) and his heart-wrenching songs accompanied only by his strumming on his guitar makes us melt inside. Luckily his promise (or threat) to “only play covers” is all talk and he proceeds to play a mix of his songs from throughout his career. He never strays too far from the thin line that boarders pathos and comedy. His rendition of 'The Shining' from 'The Hour of the Bewilderbeast' actually has me welling up and then shortly after he walks around behind the piano, dedicates the next song to himself and proceeds to sing Madonna’s 'Like a Virgin' over the chords to one of his own tunes. Genius.
Badly Drawn Boy does not miss the opportunity to remember the late, great Amy Winehouse and also DJ Giles Peterson, who comes on next, doesn’t fail to pay his respects to huge applause from the crowd. As Peterson comes on, waiting patiently as BDB plays his final tune, he clearly doesn’t know quite how to play to this crowd. His answer? To ask them what they want! It’s not often you hear a DJ get on the mic and ask “so what do you want to hear then?” He manages to somehow to hit the spot exactly. Big, feelgood tunes like 'Lovely Day' get the punters in the mood, slightly more obscure but epic offerings like the 4 Hero cover of 'Les Flure' get people ready and by the end he’s got everyone rocking to a mix of electro house and cumbia.
We wander aimlessly around the assorted stalls, fairground rides and other attractions. A couple of obligatory photos of our heads through the seaside fat bathers in stripey cossys and we rock up in the cabaret tent in time to see Kevin Roland (frontman of the legendary Dexy’s Midnight Runners) playing a selection of good-time soul hits, rock 'n' roll and generally making a lot of people happy and jump around.
The sun is going down as the Soul 2 Soul live PA is kicking off. The cabaret tent fills up and they raise the roof with a mix of old classics and recent tracks more in tune with the sounds of modern urban music.
This is ringing in our ears as we make for the gate and head home. Apple Cart seems to have got the atmosphere just right – family-friendly but also spot on for revellers. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, but please, save the sound check for between acts!
Joe Brooke-Smith
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