GuilFest's resurrection is a rip-roaring success

GuilFest 2014

Friday 18th to Sunday 20th July 2014
Stoke Park, Guildford, Surrey, England MAP
£120 weekend with camping, child 12-17 £85, u12s free

Daily capacity: 25,000

Sunday came round with the sky noticably more overcast however this was oblivious to Norman Jay, continually referencing the good-weather. Despite this pre-meditated dialogue, the legendary DJ was keen to bring the 'good times' to the Main Stage. Versions of Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual Healing' and Surrey's most famous sons, The Jam's 'Going Underground' brought about a slightly more acceptable party atmosphere than the likes of Blobby Williams and that bloke from the Daz adverts before.

In years gone by GuilFest has seemed to book a small act that has exploded to either mainstream success or critical acclaim such as The Darkness and The Hold Steady. This year Ward Thomas could well have been that act. Fronted by twin-sisters, Ward Thomas have joined the new-folk revolution with their brand of alt-country. Catherine and Lizzy Ward-Thomas have spent considerable time in Nashville writing songs and the American influence was evident in their Dixie Chicks style of singing, masking their eloquent Hampshire accents. Lyrics about turning down friend-requests and 'children under 3 with limited opportunity' highlighted the problems in the minds of young-adults in 2014 and this honesty has led to substantial airplay on BBC Radio 2 already. Fresh-faced, smiling faces that radiated to the onlookers and an assured stage-persona well-beyond their years, GuilFest was undoubtedly an opportunity to see these future stars on the cusp of mainstream success.

Another band making headway, albeit in the alternative scene, are Gnarwolves. The Brighton-based pop-punkers are playing the Main Stage at Reading and Leeds Festivals this year, so the tiny Big Cheese Cave was an initmate chance to see the band. Playing tracks from their brilliantly named debut album 'Chronicles of Gnarnia' including the gruff and pounding 'Melody Has Big Plans', hosting such cheery lyrics as "I'm wearing my fears on a line and why? I'm losing time, brain dead by 25." Back on The Good Time Guide Stage, Dreadzone, were showing why local venue The Boileroom ask them to perform so often. MC Spee waved his wand-like cane over the crowd and the revellers responded on their own reggae/techo inspired acid trip to classics such 'Little Britain' and 'Zion Youth'.

GuilFest was drawing to an end and as Boney M, headlined The Good Time Guide Stage, Gallows frontman Wade MacNeil was in the Big Cheese Cave circle pit splashing his sweaty mane to the anthemic crescendos of 'Outsider Art'. After returning to the stage MacNeil led tribal chants of "Hey, say fuck the world" from 'Mondo Chaos' and flagship hit 'In The Belly Of A Shark'. As the festival approached its last 20 minutes there was sufficient time to catch Main Stage headliners The Human League close the festival with 'All I Ever Wanted' and the synth-classic 'Don't You Want Me'.

The hitlist of festivals is lengthening all the time and very few are given a second-chance so the GuilFest organisers would understandably have been nervous about its resurrection. However everything was a rip-roaring success. GuilFest does get abuse for continually booking past-it Main Stage headliners, but this is a family-festival with a hugely diverse range of stages that appeals to all ages and genres. Complete with a hometown feel and a pinch of character that only a small-medium sized festival can muster it always will be a mainstay in the summer calendar. Lets hope 2013 was merely a blip and Stoke Park will be hosting many more GuilFest events for years to come.

review by: Neil Manrai