The Scratch - Endorse IT in Dorset 2011 … Our latest ‘Great Adventure’…
For those who don’t know it, Endorse IT in Dorset, is a GREAT, chilled, family friendly, alternative style festival, in it’s 11th year. Featuring a vast and interesting mix of old, new, famous and infamous, Punk, Ska, Alternative, Crazy and Folk music.
At a time when a lots of smaller fests are loosing money and even getting cancelled, it was great to hear as we left, this year, Endorse IT had made record profits, with over 6,000 paying party goers!
12th August: The convoy of John, Steve, Super, Francis (Bez and photography) and Andy set out on time at 10am. The rest of the gang, detailed on various and PR duties were Lucy (Fakers, bakers, quakers GAT, Davies) and Daina (Lucy’s friend and singer in her own right www.dainashmore.com) who were meeting us in Dorset under their own steam and bringing up the rear were to be Jake (Bootleg recording) and Ed (video), who were alsomeeting us at the fest.
We had been aiming to arrive at 1ish on site, but unlike last year where we hit a huge traffic Jam, we were wrist banded and erect (tents), by around 12.45. We had needed to be on site 3 hours before performance which was 5, so it left us just over an hour to crack open a can or two, before artist check-in!
Our arrival under the obligatory slate grey skies, (or so it seems for Endorse IT), saw us greeted by a small, but growing queue at the box office. A relaxed demenour enabled us to get a bit chatty with the locals and some of the other bands, one particular decent bunch of well groomed cider swigging gents were Portsmouth based ‘Archive 45’ who described their sound as old school punk. We exchanged stage times and went to get prepared.
As we checked in at the hospitality tent, excitement was building for our opening slot on the main stage was, now under 2 hours away, we met the excellent crew, and sound men Matt and Matt, and readied our gear on the large stage. A quick run through of Teen Idol and half of Narcotic Hearts and we were done.
Time began to fly, a couple more cans and we were soon squeezing into the glad rags in the backstage portacabin, as a succession of old, original, new and stand in punks began flowing in and out of view, most notably at the this stage The Vibrators, who were chowing down on their rider.
5pm was soon upon us. As we entered the stage from the backstairs, it was fair to say (unsurprisingly as there had been no live music on site to this point), that there were a few gaps in the crowd… That was soon about to change however as Super and John began to rumble the specially extended festival intro of Teen Idol…
It’s never easy to gauge a set list, especially on a large stage with a longish set, as you need to get the balance right to keep the crowd interested. We have to say, this one wasn’t far from perfect, with each track the atmosphere, crowd and cheers grew.
Gas Taps as ever brought the set to a fine chaotic conclusion, as the stage manager beckoned us that it was last track time, Andy dived into the crowd and lassoed the official photographer with his mic lead and finished the song off with a running, leaping, piked summersault with back landing that probably should have ended in disaster - powerful thing adrenalin! Wow what a roar from the crowd, what a gig.
Drenched in sweat and adrenalin, we stood, beaming back stage, whilst experiencing one of those musketeeresque ‘all for one and one for all moments’ unanimously agreeing that, we had probably just played the best set we’d ever done. A big boast I know, but to turn a near empty tent (on the first chord) the size of the main stage Endorse IT, into a bobbing and whooping throng by the last (chord), with a performance like that, really was something to be proud of. With hardened members… of our entourage barely able contain their excitement… We knew we’d certainly made the desired impact and some.
Full set:
1) Teen Idol
2) Texture to the flava
3) Desire to be thin
4) Out faking the fakers
5) Narcotic hearts
6) Against the grain
7) Commando
8) No two castles are the same
9) WAG potential
10) Weirder than we are
11) 88th Day of rain
12) Critical Mass
13) Dear Maniac
14) Smell the gas taps
Once the euphoria had subsided a little, John was sadly soon to bid the party farewell, as a prior engagement meant he’d have to drive straight home, Ed (video man) had to do the same, leaving the remaining eight to embrace the festival experience in full affect… Which they surely did! Culminating in the trio of Grim, Andy and Francis, re-discovering past and new glories in the ever rammed dance tent, way, way, wahay into the night!
The others had gradually petered off to bed hours before and missed the huge down poor that now soaked the trudging trio as they headed basecampwards singing the Rainbow TV theme tune and giggling girl like! A brilliant and in the end completely unmemorable (brilliantly so!) night, was almost spoilt however as we realised Francis had lost his phone somewhere between the naughty step, the backstage catering era cup of tea stop and home, what a bummer…
This however like everything of a truly great weekend ended with good news the following day, as a kind person had handed said phone into lost and found and texted Lucy to come and pick it up… in a world where people mug the injured, trash and burn hard earned businesses and generally show little respect for their fellow man, it was a heart warming act and really summed up the vibe of this great festival, thanks whoever did that, you made a great weekend, perfect!
The Saturday was generally a quieter affair than the maniac Friday, as our team gradually diminished through other commitments and fatigue. First highlight was when Daina charmed the acoustic Saturday afternoon Tea Stop tent at midday with a great little 30 minute set, leaving all present ‘tingling’ in a good way, (rather than a hungover one).
On that subject, certain people had looked barely human for most of the afternoon, due partly to a lack of sleep… but by the time, the stragglers of the party, by now numbering, Super, Daina, Lucy, Steve and Andy, returned the favour and supported Archive 45 in the bus bar, beer (or cider to be exact) was back on the menu.
A chilled evening, had time to take in more of the interesting array of acts on show, that included Steve and many of the local children climbing (small monkey like), over the impressive array of metal sculptures that littered the festival grounds. Musically, by the end of the night, there were two other bands who had joined the 45’s on our list of ones to mention, first up were the superb Rezillos on the main stage, the other was a new band to our ears, ‘Brass soaked’ Bournemouth based ‘Disco’s out, Murders in!’ on the Wildcat stage, who delivered us a great end to another great day.
Thanks to Lucy, Daina, Francis, Jake and Ed, plus all the others who showed us such great support and enabled us to have such a good laugh. We had heard good things from independent people around the main stage since our performance so hopefully it will percolate up to the organisers :-) We’re really getting a feel for this fest! Special and final thanks goes to Lamma and the stage crew of the Desmond Dekker stage. We’d LOVE to be back again next year.
Pics by Lucy, Daina, Jake and more to come from Francis
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