Doune The Rabbit Hole,
Old Newton House, Doune
10-12/06/2011

Situated in the rolling Stirlingshire countryside, Doune The Rabbit Hole is a wonderful little festival, laid-back and family-friendly, with a diverse bill of cult heroes and Scottish underground acts.

Backed by Glasgow noise-popsters Fur Hood, post-punk legend Ted Milton of Blurt captivates with his guttural incantations and squalling saxophone. On the electronic side of things, Ben Butler & Mousepad, Dam Mantle and Rudi Zygadlo all play terrific sets, bending club music into strange and playful shapes. An unclassifiable mix of Basque traditions, angular avant-punk, driving fiddles, and world rhythms, Tattie Toes are arguably the most exciting band in Glasgow. Nerea Bello is the focal point, her arresting vocals and theatrical performance style transfixing the crowd. Drummer Shane Connolly and violinist Rafe Fitzpatrick reappear with modern folk troubadour Alasdair Roberts, aided by stand-up bassist Stevie Jones and guitarist Ben Reynolds. This is the best band Roberts has had yet, bringing a piratical rowdiness to his idiosyncratic visions of British landscapes and legends. Connolly racks up a third outstanding performance with Issho Taiko Drummers, whose unlikely soundclash of ritualistic percussion and scratchy post-punk guitar is inspired.

Looking like an extra from O Brother Where Art Thou? Frank Fairfield plays a dazzling set of old timey mountain music on guitar, banjo and violin. From Glasgow via Berlin, Punch & The Apostles astonish with their wild gypsy prog-punk. The band combine ridiculous virtuosity with infectious energy and plaintive Balkan melodies. Next to all this, reformed indie saucepots The Vaselines are a little disappointing. It’s fun to hear songs like ‘Molly’s Lips’ live, but they’re dispatched with efficiency rather than inspiration. Trembling Bells and Mike Heron are deserving Sunday evening headliners, however, with members of the young psych-folk band joining the Incredible String Band legend for a magical version of the classic ‘A Very Celluar Song’. Roll on Rabbit Hole 2012.

Stewart Smith