The Colony 2023: rocking the rain away
What a phenomenal day yet again for the Colony Festival 2023 sponsored by Castle North. Due to not booking Crowded House, they refused to take the weather with them and left behind rain showers not seen since Noah popped up the Coquet to get a pair of Adders.
The day started with some wind and combined with DJ Jamie Mac, the cobwebs were well and truly blown away and the music started as the final stage preparation to “Shakey’s Stage” was completed.
Cue the May, Jonathan May was ready, but the may that arrived was mayhem… The first of the heavy showers flooded the stage and the sound crew started negotiations with the committee. Just as the soundman was ready to pull the plug the Amble spirit hit him like a truck, and he uttered the words “They are still coming and its getting WORSE”. He’d never encountered the good folk of Amble who treat weather like a salad that comes with a steak, push it to the side and crack on… As the rain subsided, and the crowd still swelling to capacity there was a frantic dry up job and the stage was ready AGAIN.
Jonathan May wasted no time and burst into his repertoire of acoustic classics. This allowed the crowd to rock the rain off their waterproofs to Dakota and finally dance the last drips off to Drops of Jupiter.
The rain clouds appeared but passed over without any drama as they left that to Rick and Yiota. With a blend of country soul and powerful vocals they blew the crowd away just like they did on their debut last year. The perfect apéritif for the music that followed.
The crowd now at full capacity and full swing ready to rock the night away until the skies heard that Prism – a Pink Floyd tribute act were limbering up to play and decided to try and create its own rainbow spectrum. The band setup undeterred, as the rain tried to beat them back at every angle, but the diligent Colony Committee manned the towels and brooms and fought back the deluge mightier than the super soaker on display at the cricket that very day. As the weather relented Prism kicked into action and the crowd burst back into life singing along to Money and Another Brick in the Wall.
From the vintage to the voguish brought Bear Park to the stage for what would be a momentous day for the young band. They attacked the stage with their originals set list and took onboard many a new fan to their voyage into the music business which ended with them signing their first record deal later that evening. Who are we to say that the Colony stage is a lucky omen to catapult stars of the future, but… possibly not a coincidence….
Fuelled by the fresh new music that preceded them The Range gathered up the crowd and propelled them into the early evening with their addictive rocking sound which culminated in their adoring public joining them in one of the finest renditions of Nellie the Elephant that has ever graced a festival.
Six Card Trick bounded onto the stage fired up from their last Colony Festival outing at the 80’s night when they turned the Radcliffe Club, a proud supporter of the festival, into a time machine and took Amble back in time. This time round they were back to their usual collection of modern rock classics played at a ferocious tempo that kept the dancefloor pumping.
To close out the festival it was left to the one and only Britpop Union. Playing banger after banger from the 90’s they added some from other eras, from Love Will Tear Us Apart to Not 19 Forever. The weather held off and their kit survived the night better than when it was hit by a tornado at the Bede.
The festival finished and the committee set about the clear up, but, Amble did what Amble does best and left very little to clear up. Once again, the people looked after their own and cleared most the site of which the committee can only offer their highest gratitude. The committee’s thanks also go out to all the sponsors who without their help could not put on this magnificent festival, Castle North plumbing and heating, The Amble Inn, Coquet Island Shellfish Ltd., Amble Town Council and Warkworth Harbour. Finally, a special mention to The Radcliffe Club and Amble Masons Pub for supplying the bands with much needed refreshments to keep their vocal cords in perfect order.
Until next year Amble, See you at the Shore!
Aaron Armstrong
All images Wobbly Fingers
