Rally report
Weston on Trent – Stan’s wet WOT rally report.
The directions I’d been given to the rally’s unlikely but perfect venue, the Ukrainian Youth Camp, were: “Just when you think you’re in the middle of nowhere keep going, you’re almost there”. Situated far enough away from anyone who may get annoyed by noisy two-stroke and alcohol-fuelled fun but close enough for a trip to the shops, the camp site has permanent washrooms and large enough halls to host entertainment. Organised by Nottinghamshire-based Gatecrashers and Skegby Scooter Clubs, this back to basics rally seems to grow in popularity. Although Saturday numbers were down due to the weather the rally still attracted 1100.
With two halls providing variety, Friday afternoon opened with Rallyoake in the Small Hall before Nev Shooter took over with a Northern Soul selection that lasted into the early hours. In the main hall, Heavy Sol had made the short journey from Leicester to provide their ever popular mixture of 60s, new wave and indie covers before handing over to Okasis, Friday’s headline act. Not content with being soundalikes, this Oasis tribute band put on a good performance, with the ‘Gallagher brothers’ displaying plenty of attitude.
Although the previous week had been nice and dry the heavens opened on Friday night, with several tents turning into paddling pools. A constant topic of conversation at most rallies
is the number of camper vans in attendance. Away from the scooters-only camping area, WOT may have resembled a VW camper van gathering, but given the weather even avid campers were eyeing their dry occupants enviously.
On the up side, this downpour added to the usual topic of jet sizes – giving everyone the opportunity to either brag or complain about the quality of their tents. Luckily, the number of permanent buildings at the camp meant that not only was shelter available but also the music could be enjoyed out of the elements. On the topic of weather, a special mention must go to Maria Davilla of Gravesend Sentinels who shamed many autophobes by braving the elements to win furthest travelled – 243 miles on an AJS Modena. Well done Maria!
Although WOT favourites tug-of-war and human table football were cancelled for safety reasons, it takes more than rain to dampen scooterist spirits. Saturday found the usual pastimes of hanging around, eating bacon sarnies and talking nonsense taking place among a surprisingly large traders fair. One of the site’s great advantages is that there’s no restriction on ‘bring your own’ alcohol, making a trip to the supermarket a very affordable way to spend the afternoon. Musically, Saturday kicked off with more rallyoke before Nev’s well-chosen northern soul sets continued to pack the floor (there must have been some very sore middle aged knees at several workplaces on Monday morning). Hung Like Hanratty opened Saturday evening with a lively punk set, at one point recruiting a very young new band member from the audience. Headlining on Saturday were Cambridge Ska band Big 10, providing a set that proved popular even with non ska lovers. As is always the case Sunday morning dawned clear and warm, just in time to head back to reality.
Widely regarded as one of the best club rallies in the calendar, WOT illustrates perfectly how diverse a scene we currently benefit from. Held within two weeks of the largest (and arguably most commercial) scooter rally in the world, WOT proves without a doubt that with determination, hard work, a good venue and some well-chosen bands, club rallies can more than hold their own – even if the weather doesn’t cooperate. Words: Stan Photographs: Stan & Gary