PLAYING THE FIELDS
Idlewild are looking forward to thrilling a Scots audience with their crowd favourites as they finally manage to join the line-up at music festival in Dumfriesshire
AS ONE of the best-loved and most consistent Scots bands of the last 20 years, Idlewild’s anthemic music never fails to set a festival stage alight.
Roddy Woomble, Rod Jones, Colin Newton, Andrew Mitchell and Luciano Rossi are guaranteed to be one of the highlights of this weekend’s Electric Fields with their main stage set tomorrow.
It’s a gig that has been a long time coming, as guitarist Rod explained. He said: “We’ve been trying to make it work with our schedule for a couple of years now and I’m glad it’s finally worked out.
“I’m a fan of what they’re trying to do, bringing a festival with this kind of line-up to Scotland. I went last year as a punter to check it out and loved it.
“The bill is great again this year and we’re looking forward to a weekend of good music in a beautiful setting.”
There are a few acts who Rod is keen to see.
The 41-year-old said: “It’s always great to see Teenage Fanclub, who we’ve all been fans of for a long time, so we are going early to see them on Friday along with Young Fathers, who are making really great music at the moment.
“We’re also looking forward to seeing Zoe Graham, an exciting new artist from Scotland.”
Idlewild play all over the world, so it’s always special for them to come back to Scotland. But although they will be in front of a home crowd, they know that there are always new fans to win over at festivals.
Rod said: “Playing festivals, you are more just a soundtrack to a weekend, so if anything I feel it’s less pressurised.
“Of course, playing in Scotland does bring a familiar crowd for us and makes us feel at home. But we are aware that people aren’t here just to see us, so we will play more of the songs that we feel work in that environment, with the emphasis on crowd favourites.”
With so many festivals these
days, Rod has a fair idea of what sets Electric Fields apart.
He said: “The festivals that survive and continue to grow are the ones that engage with their fan base and punters and figure out what they want to see, rather than just booking the stock headliners each year.
“Knowing the organiser well, I know he and the festival team really think about what works with the people who come to the event.”
Idlewild played King Tut’s in Glasgow earlier in the year for industry charity Help Musicians Scotland, who Rod works with as an adviser. And in June, they performed their classic 2002 album, The Remote Part, in full at Summerhall in Edinburgh.
Rod said: “It was a really special show for us, as were the other anniversary shows in Glasgow and London.
“To reconnect with a few old friends and bandmates and celebrate a record we were really proud of, that still stands up 15 years on, is a great feeling.”
The show was part of the events around the Rip It Up exhibition, which celebrates the history of Scottish pop music.
Rod said: “For a small country, Scotland does seem to produce more than its fair amount of great bands and musicians. Part of this is due to the collaborative and supportive nature of the scene in Scotland. “This breeds creativity and, combining that with the strong sense of identity with Scottish artists, makes for distinctive and relevant music emerging all the time.” ● Idlewild play Electric Fields at Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire, tomorrow night. Tickets are available from www.ticketline.co.uk.