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After a few years of rain and a cancellation a couple of years ago, Clarence finally has a glorious weekend, as one of the UK's longest running free festivals is now "officially old enough to drink". There are even some candles down in front of the stage to celebrate, and news of a boy (now eighteen too) who has been to every single Clarence since it began.

Yes the sun is out for the eighteenth birthday of The Music Collective's own free festival, though this year it seems to have shrunk rather than grown with age. There are less stalls; before they lined both sides of the fields, now there are only a handful of crafts stalls (still of high quality) sat snuggled in with the couple of catering vans near the loos, which are pretty clean by the way...



Instead of two stages that alternate as in previous years, there is now the main stage bandstand (some may think it's an eyesore most of the time but for two days in the height of Summer the brick stand covered in graffiti turns into a host for local acts).

There is a bar van attached to a small marquee, and this happens to be a second stage (it took me a while to find this out, the music is incredibly quiet if you are sat up on the hill, in fact it's hard to tell that a band are playing, we just thought that there was some huge gaps in between the main stage bands).

This aside, the festival is well organised, especially as mot of the people involved work for free. Instead of putting a fence up and charging people to get in, we are allowed to bring our own booze and food and enjoy ourselves in the park. The hot and dry weather this weekend has certainly helped out with crowd numbers, and many are not interested at all in the bands and are just lounging in the park, but for some this is a perfect festival.

There is a police presence, as in former years trouble has increased throughout the day, with youngsters destroying tents last year on the Saturday night (camping has never really been allowed previously, though people have pitched tents, but this year they have to be removed). The atmosphere this year is merry, with not a lot of trouble. A lot of the kids are sheltering in the shade up at the top of the hill, and only come out when the suns dies down. Families and a real mixture of people are out enjoying the sun, which has been sorely missed this season...



Band wise there is plenty on, and the bill features a varied mix of genres. The Kolorado Rock Machine kick things off on Saturday morning, and songs like 'Living The Daft Life' and other rock and roll gem are great to wake us up.

Michael Mallinson from Halifax is more a band than one guy, in fact not one of them are called Michael! Their indie sound is good for the young girlies here...

Time for a bit of classic rock with 'Payback' from Nagasaki Symbriots, then it's onto First Degree Burns (travelling a long way, from Bristol!) and their hip hop and reggae, perfect for a sunny day like this.

Cry Girl Cry and their female singer Louise Distras bring a bit of gloom to the stage, but in a good way. Their progressive indie grunge makes a change to the line up so far, but I am struggling to hear the influences they insist they are based on (Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam).

Now the most comical vocals of the weekend come from singer Nathan "Dangerface" Smith of Wakefield's The Bundesrats. The mix of rock, punk and ska with such a melodramatic voice make these ones to remember.

Piston Broke play a really good live show, and they are followed by headliner Stephen Dale Petit's bluesy rock. Songs like 'Crack Whore' and 'Percy's Thumb' give you an idea of where he's heading, and his charismatic style onstage along with some really impressive guitar skills make him a worthy headliner. It’s just a shame that due to arseholes last year wreaking the site that the show has to finish early tonight.



It's ok though, because the sun is out again for the second day of Clarence Park. Many people have returned today, and others are just finding out what it's all about for the first time.

I doubt they would have put Hank Muldoon & the Hangovers anywhere else on the line up other than the first band for the second day, with such a fitting name as theirs. Their hillbilly sound is great as a cure for a hangover, not to induce one! The band features two of The Muldoon Brothers, and this new band seem to be continuing the brother's old tradition...

After a set from John Does in the bar tent it's time for the alluring Rosie Doonan & Band and their acoustic folk. The Lapels are Wakey regulars, and entertain the indie kids present with their dirty sounding guitars.

The Hoover Manoeuvres in the bar tent can hardly be heard over the hum of a crowd that are getting more merry by the minute, sat up on the hill that overlooks the park. They are the first electro band of the weekend (showing that Wakefield is really a rocking city), and their ambient sounds lift the crowd that can hear them.

Geordies The Solicitors have a great sense of humour to throw in with their Motown soul and covers of James Brown and Van Morrison. Inamba wake us all up again, now that the sun is laying off a bit, with some new wave rock. Not as good as The Solicitors, but then again it's in a different vein.

The Deal's power pop is ok, as is Jess Gardham and Band, the headliner for the Sunday. With covers of The Black-Eyed-Peas 'Where Is The Love' and songs about getting 100 guys phone numbers, it's time to call an end to this year's Clarence.



The Music Collective have pulled off anther great event, even if it is smaller, everything you need is here, along with the first weekend of nice weather Wakefield has seen in a long time. My only advice is, although these bands are great, ever year local established acts like Milloy and Monster Killed By Laser who would bring in a large fan base (and empty the bar) are ignored and instead some band of the moment types are added in. For a festival that relies on funding (2006's was cancelled due to a lack of it) get some of these bands in. Otherwise the broad selection of genres is really appealing, though whether many of the sloshed crowd notice it the later in the day it gets I don't know.

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