After a successful debut last year, Arbroath Fest made its return to the festival calendar. With artists such as Fatherson and The Xcerts on the bill along with Idlewild headlining, it quickly became the most exciting lineup of Scotland’s summer.
I was a little bit later down the road than I’d initially planned due to still recovering from my festival frolics the previous week but was chuffed to start my day with Witch Fever. They had a really powerful sound, taking influences from post-punk and heavy rock. You’d have had no trouble locating the festival when they were onstage. The quartet from Manchester were brash and loud, and proudly used their platform to denounce the current state of the world. A hardy cover of Deftone’s My Own Summer (Shove It) was a great entry point for first time listeners.
Next up were PAWS. Having seen them play quite a few times sporadically across Scotland over the years, they’ve become one of my favourite live bands. I was not only pleased to see them on the line up but to also hear they were still playing some of their classic tracks live along with those from self-titled album released in 2023. A lovely burst of nostalgia that’ll keep me going until new music or at least more shows are announced…
The Xcerts are on a roll right now, with the recent release of their greatest record yet and a live show which has never been better. Their set included my first listen of wow live which as expected really suited the live environment and of course Crisis in the Slow Lane was an incredible moment especially in the company of old friends. Technically the best band of the day apart from the headliners. Catch them on tour with Twin Atlantic later in the year!
Pulled Apart By Horses followed this with an enthusiastic and energetic set. The alt-rock group from Leeds treated us to unreleased new music as well as tracks from previous albums. Frontman, Tom Hudson spent a large amount of time with the crowd and getting in amongst it, which went down well with fans, plus it’s always exhilarating seeing High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive live!
Fatherson were up next with a set that tastefully spanned their first 3 albums. I had the best time singing along to all of my favourites as did the audience. They recently celebrated 10 years of their second album ‘Open Book’ and the title track had the crowd enthusiastically screaming back the lyrics. Fatherson prompted some of the biggest singalongs of the day, proving their music stands the test of time. What a band.
Finally it was time for Idlewild. During their set, I came to the conclusion that they may well be the greatest Scottish band of all time. The set was immaculately picked with new tracks fitting in so well with old material I had to remind myself what was old and what was new. I was in amongst the more energetic part of the crowd but the atmosphere was full of love and passion for the band at the centre of it all, with singalongs, pogo-ing and hugs aplenty. Their performance was so outstanding I witnessed my friend purchase a ticket to their Edinburgh show as soon as their set finished.
Overall this was a great day out for all the family and an incredible celebration of Scottish Rock music. I’m already looking forward to seeing the line up for next year!
Enjoy sets from the day in the playlist below!