Linlithgow Palace
12th & 13th August

Party in the Palace is located in one of the most eye-catching and beautiful settings in Scotland. Over looking the Linlithgow Loch and Palace, the compound spreads out over 2 fields. Now in its 4th year, and showing no signs of slowing down, PATP has become a popular event with all ages. With the summer weather we have had this year we could only hope and pray that the gods would be good to us and provide us with a pleasant meteorological momentum to furnish the Palace.

Saturday afternoon finally arrives and with partial clouds and blue skies, the sea of camp-chairs are quickly unleashed upon us faster than Usain Bolt from his starting blocks; a co-ordinated system of chair-laying is baffling for some onlookers. With more attractions added to the entertainment, and a few tents and venues relocated, it seemed more spacious this year, allowing for a more fluent and free movement for the party goers. With Glens Vodka being the sponsor this year, Glens provide a huge play ball pit, would appeared at times to have about 1 million balls in it and attracted more adults than kids… Great fun….The K2 climbing wall was very popular with young kids and proved a nice respite for the parents. The food choice as usual was mouth watering, with Jamaican Cuisine, 100% Beef Burgers, Pizza, Sea Food and Vegan/Gluten free food, all tastes were catered for. One of the most popular retailers is the Coffee and Doughnuts stall, with sometimes having a queue as long as the field its self.

Played out over two days and with a Main Stage, Break Out Stage and the Acoustic Stage the variety of bands was exciting. From The Loners to through the Kaiser Chiefs to Lucy Spraggan to Amy Macdonald, there wasnae gonna tbe much off a let up. Colourful people, colourful dress and smiling faces all added to the overall montage of this year’s Party at the Palace.

Catching the four-piece girl band “Teen Canteen” on the main stage with their mix off light rock and glam was an ideal start to proceedings. Then, rocking from tent to tent between acts, I came across the Loners and Scarlett Randie. With a soft and endearing voice Scarlett delivered a touching set of songs and melodies to a packed audience that clearly appreciated her performance. Steve McCrorie reminded me of Runrig with his folk and country style music which warmed the hearts of many a punter. The Noisettes with their funky, soulful and deep bass songs like “Scratch Your Name” filled the field with dancing feet… to see so many kids, young teens , parents and well, a bit of the older generation all jigging away together is heart warming to witness. Fun for all !!!!

The Lighting Seeds crashed onto the stage and crushed us with hits like “Life of Riley”, “Pure and Simple” and “Sugar Coated Iceberg”, which gave many a trip down memory lane. On the Break Out Stage Lucy Spraggan with her witty and humourous songs had the crowd eating out of her hand and enjoyed every minute she played. As the sun started to set and a little chill filled the air, the long wait for Ricky and his Kaiser Chiefs had finally come. Bursting onto the Stage with his yellow jacket like a sunflower in bloom the crowd erupted !!! Thrashing out hits like Ruby, Modern Way, Oh My God, Every Day I Love You Less And Less, Never Miss a Beat and the unforgettable “I Predict a Riot”, there was no place else anyone would rather be than right here & right now. Young kids barely 6 and 7 years old going ballistic like bulls in a sweet shop… what a sight !!!! Kaiser Chiefs are a must-see band that always deliver wit out fail. Powerful & uplifting, they leave you buzzing like a Bee.. Great finale to Saturday night.

As the warm Sunday sun baked the fields and the blue sky looked down upon us we all, we felt blessed with another day of music, fun and games to come. Looking around at all the smily happy faces, one could only feel humbled. The trio “Party Fears 3” soon had everyone on their feet dancing to their mix of 80″s covers such as Aha’s ‘Sun Always Shines on TV’ and Human League’s ‘Don’t You Want Me Baby.’ Rushing over to the Break out Stage to catch a glimpse of a bunch of local lads with full on Tartan dress called “Rollin Drones” I was welcomed by a 100 strong crowd, thinking these guys are very popular are just have big families. Great Celtic tunes fused with modern music and finished off with fine vocals. Look out for these guys in the near future.

“Dodgy” brought their summer anthems Good Enough and Staying Out For The Summer to the now warmed-up crowd to rapturous applause. Catching up with my old friends (from a year ago) they informed me of their new album coming out and their tight touring schedule, which is keeping them on their toes. The 80’s funky pop band “Hipsway” ending their 4 date mini tour here were a also smash with The Palace goers. Tight guitar riffs, clean crisp vocals and funky drum beats all added to the delivery of some great songs like Honeythief… As the evening approaches, so does the time for “Razorlight” to take to the stage, with hits like America and In The Morning, this was sure to be a favourite with the crowd…With no stone left unturned they sailed through the set with ease and grace. So well crafted in their art of playing music they proved that time out doesn’t mean less bang for you buck. Excellent set guys was what I extended to them when meeting them after the gig.

With darkness partly covering the sky the young, talented and self taught singer / song writer Amy Macdonald was welcomed onto the stage with loud cheers of excitment. Amy is a wee Scottish gem. Like a true Scot she charmed us with her lovely Scottish accent and with her well-tuned and tight band showered us in songs such as Poison Prince, Mr. Rock & Roll and the infectious ‘This Is The Life’. Chatting to the audience in between songs, this down to earth lass got you thinking and made me more proud to be Scottish. Dream your dream, wake from your dream but most of all live your dream, a clear message that was evident through her music. Ending with a bang and with an explosion of silver confetti another year at Party at the palace comes to a close. Thanks to all who put in so much time and effort to make a memorable weekend. Bring on next year….

Reviewed by Raymondo
&
Photography by Kasia Czuj.