Summer Sundae Weekender 2009

14^th-16^th August 2009

(De Montfort Hall and Victoria Park, Leicester)

A shaky, rather nervous looking compere arrives on stage not far into Friday afternoon to announce that the night's headliner, The Streets (aka Mike Skinner) has been forced to pull out due to swine flu. At any other festival, a full scale riot would surely ensue. But not here. So relaxed and laid back are the several thousand festival goers who have poured into DeMontfort Hall and grounds to enjoy a weekend of musical treats and delights, that despite a chorus of moans, groans and boos, they are willing to put their annoyance aside and enjoy the delightful, sun-drenched weekend that is about to unfold before them.

Friday sees the likes of Filthy Dukes (think shaky, electronica synth-pop with nice big light displays) entertaining crowds indoors, whilst beat-boxing legend Beardyman takes to the outdoor stage. A personal highlight of the afternoon is Kid British, who's honest, ska-infused, indie-garage tunes, anti-BNP chants and friendly banter get the Leicester crowd into the festival spirit, ready to enjoy an evening of impressive sets from London indie-kids Mystery Jets (who wow the lively audience with an eccentric, well-executed set of old classics and new material), The Beat (who headline the indoor stage with their 2-tone, Specials-esque set of classics) and replacement headliners for the outdoor stage, Idlewild.

Interview with Kid British: http://www.thejitty.com/articles/kidbritishinterview

Interview with Mystery Jets: http://www.thejitty.com/articles/mysteryjetsinterview

Saturday and the sun is out again. With a record number of festival-goers filing their way into the site, it's clear that today is perhaps the best music-wise, with astounding performances by established bands and newcomers alike. Energetic, pop-indie group The Kabeedies go down a storm at the Rising Stage, drawing big crowds with their infectious tunes. Local indie-punk favourites The Heroes seem to have their fanbase in tow, as they pack out the Musician Stage tent for their afternoon slot as winners of the local Original Bands Showcase, where they wow crowds with their unfailingly tight set of Libertines and Arctics-inspired hits.

The indoor stage is graced by recent pop sensation and prodigy to none other than Kanye West, Mr Hudson, followed by the unbelievably talented rapper Chipmunk, who at the tender age of eighteen is wowing crowds with his well known hits, giving the younger festival-goers a decent alternative to the headliners over at the outdoor stage: the legendary Charlatans, who deliver a diverse and exciting set to a high-spirited crowd. The outdoor stage throughout the day has also played host to the likes of The Joy Formidable (with too-cool-for-words leading lady Ritzy Bryan), Saint Etienne (whose indie dance anthems ring out across the site in Creamfields fashion) and rising stars Bombay Bicycle Club, who entertain their sunglasses- donned, NME reading, teenage crowd with hits from their recently released debut album.

Interview with The Kabeedies: http://www.thejitty.com/articles/kabeediesinterview

Interview with Bombay Bicycle Club: http://www.thejitty.com/articles/bombaybicycleclubinterview

The weekend isn't just a musical affair either, with a whole plethora of stalls, food kiosks and other forms of entertainment (spoken word in the Phrased and Confused tent, comedy in the eFestivals tent, film screenings and a silent disco every night) to keep everyone happy. Summer Sundae is a festival that appeals to old and young alike, and is the perfect place for festival virgins, with it's manageable size and layout, reasonable ticket price and plush facilities (clean indoor toilets for one!)

And so Sunday rolls around, bringing with it performances from the likes of The Dykeenies (yet more infectious indie pop), Baddies (aggressive indie rockers with a hint of something that's quite tempting to dance to), The Lightning Seeds (yes, the blokes who teamed up with Baddiel and Skinner to write "that" football song), Monotonix (Israeli-rockers with a fondness for diving off balconies), Easy Star All-Stars (reggae band with a fondness for covering Beatles songs) and Bon Iver (wildnerness-inspired indie-folkster). But it is The Zutons that really steal the show (no surprises there), with a simply amazing set of well-performed songs from their back catalogue. Seeing a whole audience crying out the words to "Zuton Fever" and commercial favourite "Valerie" makes for pretty spectacular viewing, and the band's clear enjoyment of what they are doing, culminating in a heart-pounding, solo-fuelled finale, is a delight to see. Has Saturday been pipped to the post? I think so.

Interview with Baddies: http://www.thejitty.com/articles/baddiesinterview

The weekend draws to a close. Monday morning and the campsite empties of it's many campers, the traders pack away and that's it for another year. Rated one of the ten best festivals by The Independant, yet again Leicester's Summer Sundae Weekender hasn't failed to disappoint. Only another 12 months to wait, and it will be back for it's 10th birthday. Roll on next August.

Thanks very much to Rob Sonic, Gabrielle Miller and all of the press team at DMH.

By Rosanna Pound-Woods