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After waiting for another long year for the Weest, Bestest, Biggest Festival in Scotland, Audio Soup was ready to open its doors for a eagerly awaiting bunch of Soupers.  After many weeks of preparing and construction of the site, all we could hope for was some great nice warm weather to top it all off.  Unfortunately the weather had other plans, which has been the theme of the summer!  But a downpour & a bit of mud has never stopped the Scots & their affiliates before, so on we partied!

Arriving early on Friday afternoon, the entry to the festival was full of happy helpers and was a welcoming sight to see so many smiley faces. There were rumours flying around about the festival being opened by a Scottish Bagpiper ( Mike the Pipe) and that turned out just o be the case.  With the gates opening and Mike the Pipe leading all the Soupers towards the sites entertainments, it was time for Tinky Disco to open the main stage. Tinky Disco were preforming in the Beetroot Cafe last year , so this is a well-deserved step up for this creative 7 piece funky outfit.  With such classics like, Dynamics, 7.50 and Tinky Disco Show already embedded into the Edinburgh music circuit, it was not long until the crowd were strutting their stuff to the sweet sound of the funk.

The weather had thankfully stabilized and with clear skies above the site filled up quickly. With such a diverse line up over 3 days this was going to be a thrilling and musical masterpiece of a weekend & you could really feel that the numbers had swelled on previous years. It seems, people, the soup is finally coming to the boil, & there’s enough bowls for everyone to have a taste.

With such acts as A Skillz, Hempolics, Slamboree, Bombskare, Cow Cow Boogie,  The Victor Pope Band, Maxiroots in Cumbria (with Tom Spirals), Stig of the Dub, Daniel Allison,  Woves, Electrical Sound, Heist and much more. There was also a great variety of DJs at hand to please the dancing Soupers. With Trendy Wendy and Steve Austin from Mumbo Jumbos, the Neddle Sistas and A Skillz there would be no time for sitting about.  There was one band the Mumble was keen to to catch on Saturday night. Despite the torrential down pour all day Saturday, which at times when sheltering in The Victor Pope Bus it felt like we were going through a continuous car wash.

Braving the rain I tramped through the wet muddy grass and come across some true Soupers bouncing around at the main stage taking in the musical treat that was Cow Cow Boogie. Not allowing the rain to dampen their moment Cow Cow Boogie provided a ray of sunshine through their exhilarating performance.

As the evening approached the clouds moved on and with it the rain. The sky cleared and the arena filled up just in time for Maxiroots in Cumbria to take to the stage.  This reggae dub outfit was a  well deserved treat for the now dry dancing Soupers. With Tom Spirals just doing what he does best, unleashing and covering us in his loving mix of voice and lyrics, the main stage was now a sea of happy revelers.

With a sudden bang Slamboree come on to the stage and it filled up with a cabaret show full of dancers, singers , musicians and DJ.   It was apparent that this was not going to be your average band performance. With a Cabaret Show of dancers with such talents as putting fags out on their tongues to injecting staples from a staple gun into their thighs and legs, this was a first for me. With music that had the feel of The Prodigy and with such military like execursion to their performance this was a well crafted piece of theatre not just a band.  The crowd absolutely loved it.  Great festival act !!!!  By this time the night stars were out in full glow and everyone’s spirits were high, you could feel it.  With A Skillz taking the last slot on the main stage the evening was open to the DJs.

Sunday was my tent to tent day..  Looking to catch some wee acts with big hearts !!!  With the Beetroot Cafe playing host to The Victor Pope Band, this funky punky outfit will have you either go mad with happyness or daft with madness, you pick.  Otherwise they will uplift you, spin you, entertain you with their musical mayhem. Victor Pope you are a genius !!!!

Also Daniel Allison with his captivating Didgeridoo sound put everyone into i nice place. Daniel has a true talent and with that he is able to allow us to share in the same magic with his preformance.  Next to catch up with that night was one of my festival favourites the unique, talented and very individual singer and musician “Sally” , with a voice that could send any hardened Souper to sleep,  Sally is a true gem. Funny, direct, slightly Political and with a splash of wit and humour she always pleases her audience.

With Bombskare skanking the shit out off the main stage and closing this years events at Audio Soup , there was no better way to finish then with a bang.  Bombskare are well established in the festival circuit and therefore the festival goers expect nothing less from them and by god do they deliver . Not a single foot without movement was witnessed. Everyone went bonkers.  A great end to a wet but not dampened Audio Soup 2017.  Let the sunshine shine. It did on Monday morning.  The only negative I would like to add is that, if we camp in field whether at a festival or not, please retain your Rubbish and dispose of it when you leave or at least put in in the bins provided as I witnessed a lot of left luggage and rubbish from some Soupers. Otherwise, Happy Days….