Live Review | Groove Village Festival

Matt Barnes

Passionate Cornish music journalist in Bristol. Often found making notes whilst crowd surfing.

Groove Village brings a day of wild live music to Weston Super Mare, including highlights from Meryl Streek, Bureau De Change and many more

Grove Village became Groove Village as a collection of pubs were transformed into live venues and Weston Super Mare was transformed into a community of live music. All curated meticulously by Andy Wilkinson and run by friends and family on merch, security and every job imaginable, the first ever Groove Village ran without a single hitch! As far as I saw, but maybe I was too immersed in the abundance of incredible music to notice anything else

It all started in the sublime Love’s Cafe on Friday night, where the atmosphere resembled that of a giddy Christmas Eve, eager fans already wearing festival Merch and ready to go. First up was a stripped-down Dirt set, with the husband and wife combo taking the stage – half the band as usual, but enough effects pedals to fill a bike shop. Love’s Cafe is small and perfectly packed.

Dirt unleashed a soundscape of feedback for their space cadet anti-rock. It was all there, the band clearly revelling in their dirty holiday in the coast. With hints of Blockheads/Stranglers underneath a lyrical mastery of one liners “culture cost more than sell over that counter,” the singer grabs our attention, mic in hand, passionately taking our faces of, up close and very personal. Preaching to the converted with their hatred for the BNP and Keir Starmer, they no doubt found some new fans, me included.

There was a quick turnaround from listening to Scott Lavene’s new album, released that day, to seeing him right in front of me with his classic V guitar and keyboard. It was Scott’s wit that sucked me in, and his lyrical intelligence, sometimes ridiculous, sometimes heartbreaking, was always entertaining. ‘A Bus In July‘ is the epitome of this. He makes you smile in one breath, then pickles your heart in the next, as his voice floats and soars towards the end. Thanks to Scott for stopping his set and selling me a t-shirt, so I could get my train. Fun had by all.

With the warm-up over, Groove Village kicked off, delivering inshore musical madness to the people of Weston for the first time. Yet more merch appeared to have been bought with the IDLES AF gang community out in force, armed with hugs, smiles, and excitement for the day ahead.

Bristol Legend Big Jeff was up first as The Stable played host to what might have been their first ever gig. Everyone was there, apart from the bass player. Described by Jeff as being “more autistic than us” they had sadly not made it. The Outlines duo still smashed it, apologising and making light of the situation with humour-laden industrial geek rock, filling the room with smiles to a welcoming crowd, showing all their love.

The Black Cat played host to acoustic sets, where I was lucky enough to catch Harvey Winder with no need for mic; his rich folk tones, singing over Jeff Buckley-esque acoustic guitar, creating a very welcoming sound. With not a seat left in the place, the crowd listened intently, enjoying some of the 200 ciders on sale.

The layout of this festival means you are always only two minutes away from a new musical experience. At the Brit Bar, Mandragora greeted us with killer, heavy riffs, forming a tight and perfectly formed mosh pit with appropriately long haired, head banging fans, getting the sweat flowing, and me surfing.

Emo? I couldn’t resist, I never can. Shout out to the drummer for eating pizza and playing simultaneously. Hero.

Hard as Nails brought the beats, shaking the Stable’s windows, with heavy dance punk testing everyone’s ear defenders. The hectic intensity of the day showed little let-up as the Erotic Secrets of Pompeii gave us a masterclass in dramatically performed melodic indie rock. Thomas Hawtin is an eye-catching frontman, singing wide-eyed, right from his soul, half a foot away from my nose. Bring on their album launch show next week. See you there.

Bureau De Change were up near the top of my must-see bands. They didn’t disappoint. They play loud, direct punk music. Lyrically, they create a wall of punk fuzz, melodic enough to dance to but heavy enough to punch you in the balls. Vocalist Flora twists and snarls to a crowd of appreciative fans. I’m covered in beer, and it’s more than ok.

Meryl Streek completely blew me away. I was expecting greatness, but this performance was something else. Love Cafe was shattered to bits by a politically poetic tirade of heart-on-stage passion. He jumps down your throat, shoving his beliefs deep into your ears whilst yelling “get the fuck up.” He challenges an audience to look in the mirror, be better and try harder.

At one point, he yells at a couple on the balcony “put your fucking red wine down.” The Outlines’ Big Jeff is caught up too in the chaos; he’s handed a chair and sits rocking out as another chair is used as a preaching pulpit and then kicked around the stage as we stage crash during the climactic set ender, ‘If This Is Life.‘

Leaving dazed and sweaty, all I can think is that Groove Village 2 has to happen.