Lee Brooks’ ramblings on the rumblings of the island’s music scene. Contact {mailto:lee.brooks@newsiom.co.im|lee.brooks(at)newsiom.co.im} or 695674 with Manx music news, reviews and photos.
Mannifest old friend, welcome back. Line-up announcements may have been last minute, some bands hoping for slots that haven’t happened, and there was flash of controversy over wristband allocations for performers, but let’s not pretend that – going from last year’s experiences – tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday won’t be three of the best days of 2012, come rain or shine.
There’s too many stages, bands, singers and DJs to see it all. So here are a few local sets the Manx Sound Exchange believes will be worth a visit:
Jacoba reunion, 10pm, Friday night, Mannifest Inn. Self explanatory. Also, Saturday night in the Retina tent is Ballagroove Party Night, it’ll all be good but catch the psychedelic Cartesian Jetstream at 7pm, before the first appearance of Dolyn Clucas-Morris and Nell Kneale’s Orgasmagroove DJs at 8pm.
Tiger Years headline the Northern Light’s stage on Friday, but also look out for their manic jazz offshoot, Choy Dragon, at 10pm Saturday, Northern Lights. Nice.
Having heard the EP, Trails on the Soundcheck stage at 9pm on Friday look good, while Mannifest DJ competition winner Fizzy Thomas gets his chance on Saturday night in the Manntronica tent.
I’m also going to be the bigger man and rise above mentioning my own band of brothers Hoodoo Nation at the Mannifest Inn stage at 8.30pm on Saturday night. That would be abuse of power.
• Amid anticipation for the weekend comes the message to appreciate the good times and good people that make the Manx music scene what it is, because it doesn’t last forever. Pigs on the Wing and DC/AC bassist Dick Raine sent in a tribute to friend and drummer Timmy McDowell, who died in July following a long illness.
Dick wrote: ‘Timmy was best known as drummer with 70s classic rock band, Nasty Piece of Work, playing mostly Deep Purple and Free covers.
‘Although his love of cars (and Special Brew) got him into trouble from time to time, he was a brilliant and natural drummer in his day. He was a lovable rogue, with a unique sense of humour, and you couldn’t help but like him. He’d always let you down, but the one and only Timothy Paul McDowell will be sadly missed all the same.’