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John Knox enjoys good-time summer sounds and earworms aplenty at The Fire Station’s Parade Ground
Image: Vandebilt
If you haven’t heard yet, The Fire Station is fast becoming to Sunderland what The Glasshouse is for Tyneside, and this summer they’ve showcased their unique outdoor space – The Parade Ground – in all of its faux-festival glory with a party programme featuring everything from Trevor Nelson to Maxïmo Park. Tonight’s headliners Vandebilt spearheaded a line-up that celebrates some of the best bands Sunderland has to offer.
Openers bigfatbig set the bar high, no easy feat at 3pm on a Sunday, with high energy, original pop-punk earworms. Front woman Robyn’s “would have fun in an empty house” charm is effortless and authentic. Their cover of Alanis Morrissette’s You Oughta Know was the highpoint of the entire day.
Next on the agenda, Pretty Velvet deliver a super furry 70’s inspired set that is as visually captivating as it is aurally. Dual lead vocalists Leah and Daniel give off such Led Zeppelin meets Fleetwood Mac vibes that you know what is coming before they play a note – it just works. Promising stuff from a group with an average age of about 19. Ones to watch!
Shout out to DJ Darrell from Sunderland collective Loud Not Loud Music Club who kept the transitions smooth all night with leftfield bangers from the likes of Prince and The Talking Heads. We appreciate you.
When alt. rockers noyou arrive onstage the heavens had opened. Undeterred, the hardcore audience of fans donned their complementary Fire Station branded pink plastic pac-a-macs. Fashionable and synthy-centric, noyou competently lay the path towards the stylistically similar headline act, but their laid back approach to cool is aloof and I personally struggled to connect with them. The ladies in the audience however… that’s a totally different story.
The affection for Vandebilt amongst the audience, now dry and de-cloaked, is palpable. They’ve built their almost cult following through supporting top acts like Smoove and Turrell, releasing a sonically immaculate album full of French-house inspired bops, and their cheeky chappy Mackem craic (See the instagram post of synth wizard Jordan Miller announcing an upcoming gig whilst shaving in the bath). Masters of stagecraft, they flawlessly deliver on every promise of a funky good time summer party, making the hour pass as though it were ten minutes. When the final notes of crowd pleaser Diana Ross fade the spell is broken and we all float back to reality smiling together, having collectively participated in something special. Mon the ‘Bilt.
