21 August 2023 , 20:48
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Hardwick Festival provided a weekend of entertainment which had something for everyone before the legendary Noel Gallagher brought the curtain down with a typically epic performance.
From fairground attractions to forest parties and A-list headliners, Hardwick Festival left no stone unturned to bring in its latest celebration as the North East's answer to Glastonbury. Friday night saw Haçienda Classical, a nod to the iconic Manchester club, grace the main stage, while Saturday saw the likes of Melanie C, The Kooks and The Vaccines entertain the bumper crowd.
But for me, it was all about the Sunday and the stellar line-up from start to finish on the main stage, culminating in a fantastic few hours of new tunes and throwbacks from legends Johnny Marr and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. While there was plenty of talent across the board throughout the day, from the DJs in the woods to the rising talent on the breakout stages, the calibre of the main arena was enough to make me find my spot and keep it for the duration.
Noel Gallagher belted out a number of his classic tunes for the adoring crowd (Terry Blackburn)It began by watching Liam Fender warm up the seasoned viewers in the glorious sunshine (with muddy festival vibes nonetheless) with his articulate alternative indie tunes. He was quickly followed by Megan McKenna - yes that Megan, formerly of TOWIE fame - who impressed with her brilliant country vibes. Wearing double denim, the Essex native was joined in the stands by her footballer fiance Ollie Burke and listeners could have shut their eyes and imagined being in the heart of Nashville such was her commanding vocal ability.
She belted out a number of original tunes with the typical country vibes of love and heartbreak before she labelled herself the good, the bad and the b**ch. However, she also showcased her impressive range in its entirety by adding her own twist to better known hits from the likes of Britney Spears and Neil Diamond, proving she is more than ready to shake the reality TV star title and standout as a successful musician in its own right.
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What followed next was a simple masterclass in stage presence. If you haven't yet heard of The Lottery Winners, you're missing out. They've already collaborated with a number of big-name stars such as Shaun Ryder and Boy George. Oh, and as they quite rightly pointed out, they've recently bagged a number one album. But it's their live performance that really ticks all the boxes - helped of course by catchy tunes such as Worry and Burning House.
Thom Rylance of The Lottery Winners was a huge hit with the crowd (Terry Blackburn)
Johnny Marr rolled back the years with endless classics (Terry Blackburn)Frontman Thom Rylance possesses a charismatic charm and cheeky banter that can leave the crowd eating out the palm of his hand, while also bouncing off bandmates Robert Lally and Katie Lloyd. And that's exactly what was on offer as the evening began to set in.
Next up was the superb rising star Andrew Cushin. Back in his native North East after a successful stateside tour with Louis Tomlinson, the Geordie chanter admitted he and his band had only slept for about 90 minutes after a whistle-stop trip to perform in Italy. But despite the lack of downtime, the vocals and energy levels were flawless once again as he treated the ever-growing crowd to an explosive set featuring hits like It's Gonna Get Better and You'll Be Free. His latest release titled Wor Flags which is from his upcoming debut album, also get the gripped fans singing along.
Andrew Cushin was back in the North East with an impressive selection of sure-to-be hits (Terry Blackburn)As the evening, and the weekend as a whole, moved towards the business end of proceedings, The Cribs, who had also flown in from Italy, rolled back the years to get the crowd jumping to their big hitters such as Hey Scenesters and Men’s Needs. They then made way for the penultimate performance of the weekend from Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths, who also shared the stage as part of The Cribs between 2008 and 2011.
He made sure those staying until the bitter end got their money's worth and more. Rocking out in a purple shirt and black waistcoat combo, he would've made a lot of fans very happy with his renditions of many timeless anthems, including Hang The DJ, This Charming Man and How Soon Is Now.
But of course, what followed next was part of 'The Masterplan' from the Hardwick Festival organisers. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds simply stunned the thousands who had gathered for this epic climax. A perfect mix of the band's new and older tunes were well received, but the Oasis numbers on offer led to an explosive atmosphere.
Fans sang along to every word while Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds performed their set (Terry Blackburn)The likes of Little By Little and Half the World Away rolled back the years and had the crowd almost drowning out the Mancunian, who couldn't help himself but to take a jibe at Newcastle United fans in the audience following Manchester City's victory over the Magpies the night before.
And, in a rather fitting end to the evening after the legend left the stage to rapturous applause, fireworks were set off into the dark Stockton skies.
It's safe to say that those in attendance, including the lucky few to have blagged a Noel Gallagher plectrum after a sarcastic earful from the main man, would have went home extremely happy. Let's just hope he doesn't see one of his pluckers on eBay! They've been warned.
Hats off to Hardwick Festival for continuing to grow the event year on year. It'll be interesting to see how they top this line up.
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