Rockness returned to the shores of Loch Ness this year with the presumed promise to brighten up the summer. It’s just a shame that the weather didn’t decide to cooperate...
With the main arena not even open the festival goer’s could barely contain their excitement. So as the clock slowly ticked closer towards 4pm it was obvious that the security guards were going to be no match for the eager crowd waiting just behind the fence. To watch them as they break down their barrier and flood the main arena in a matter of seconds is possibly one of the most fascinating things you will witness at the beginning of a festival.
So once everyone were where they wanted to be it was time to start the party, the Goldenvoice stage was quickly swamped, with the crowd going crazy and Skrillex thoroughly enjoying what he was doing you could see that Friday was going to be buzzing. With other acts such as Nero and Zane Lowe it was certain that there wasn’t to be a down point.
With excitement levels rising in the air as the day went on the sunshine certainly made its well wanted appearance, burning anyone who forgot to put on sun cream. Luckily for those who got burnt the sun didn’t decide to stay around much for the rest of the weekend. However the rain and cold wind didn’t manage to put a damper on anybody’s mood.
If at any point you wanted a break from the music and the dancing there was plenty to keep you entertained, such as taking part in the ‘Highland Games’ or even watching those who did, it’s quite bewitching watching people run around with horse masks on giving their friend a piggy back ride in a race. If that didn’t work for you then there was always the bungee, flinging you up into the air in a cage like ball and bouncing you up and down for a bit. From the look of it however it was those on the ground that enjoyed the bungee most. But if you were looking for a chilled moment in all the excitement then the ferris wheel was a definite, slowly taking you around in a circle you could see right down Loch Ness and everything that was Rockness. Once at the top it certainly brings you a sense of calm.
As Friday wore on the main stage got busier, what with everyone wanting a good spot to stand and dance for the first headliner... Kasabian. The main stage contained so many people that dancing didn’t seem like much of an option, unfortunately for those up front if anyone did decide to dance and you were against the barrier then unless you could manage to move you had no option but to go over the barrier to escape getting crushed. With that one exception Kasabian certainly ended Friday night on a high.
One thing Rockness is very good at is slowly bringing the hype of the day before down. With a few less DJ’s and a few more bands playing, Saturday certainly had a different atmosphere.
While wandering about trying decide what you were going to be having for lunch or dinner that day it was very easy to get distracted by the sounds coming from stages. For instance while walking past the Goldenvoice stage you couldn’t help but notice the crowd slowly growing bigger and the amazing sound coming from inside, upon entry it was obvious that any calm that had descended on the people inside was gone because Sound Of Guns had successfully hyped everybody back up in seconds. With the lead singer jumping off stage and being held up by two security guards in front of the crowd it was no wonder they couldn’t contain themselves. So after being held up by the security guards and helping himself to somebody’s cigarette you’d think that he’d calm it down a little bit. This was not the case, after getting back on stage he was straight up the side of the stages rigging, climbing to the very top. With one foot and one hand keeping him there he definitely got the reaction he was after.
As the day wore on and the wind picked up it became apparent that the stages were too close together and having the ferris wheel playing music as well as the bungee didn’t help. So during Bombay Bicycle Club if you were standing anywhere from the middle back you were going to be hearing a mixture of Example, the ferris wheel and the bungee. These all mixed together really do not go well with Bombay Bicycle Club, luckily those nearer the front didn’t notice the interference and they were certainly enjoying themselves.
With rumours flying about Friday and most of Saturday it was presumed that Frightened Rabbit had pulled out of Rockness last minute. This rumour successfully put a damper on the mood of quite a few folk. Disregarding the rumours people still took a wander to their stage and they were not disappointed, there standing before them was Frightened Rabbit and its safe to say that there was not a still standing person at that stage.
Saturday night’s headliners were sure to bring a large crowd and Chemical Brothers certainly did that. It made Friday night’s turnout look tiny. Who could blame the crowd’s interest though what with the humongous cage dangling above the stage and the graphics that were on display. I doubt a crowd of ravers can avoid all the colours. As it turned out Chemical Brothers didn’t live up to everybody’s expectations. It was said by one crowd member, ‘They were fairly good, I wouldn’t say brilliant, but very good.’ Perhaps it was the graphics that distracted everyone from the music, what with the hands climbing the ladder that seemed to lead to no-where.
As Sunday makes its appearance it is safe to say that there is not only a calmness about Rockness, but also quiet. The ravers that were dancing about on Friday are now sitting on the grass quietly listening to the music.
The noisiest and most hyped up point of the day was possibly when Fake Blood appeared. He easily tore away the calmness of the Sunday. Those that were once chilling on the grass were now raving with an energy that seemed to come from nowhere. He certainly knew how to handle the crowd and to bring everyone out of their Sunday snooze.
Moving onto something completely different the crowd sat around appreciating the softer, more subtle sound that We Are Scientists brought. They were drastically different from bands and acts from the previous nights, bringing a more laid back atmosphere. It was obvious that they were enjoying what they were doing as they worked their audience well.
The Wombats moved in next to brighten up the spirits of those sitting out in the rain. With more than half the crowd sitting on the hill in their waterproofs keeping them nice and dry, all that was really noticeable was a mixture of bobbing ponchos. Although the rain was falling and the wind was rather cold, The Wombats definitely knew how to keep the audiences spirits up, playing a lot of up beat songs and helping keep everybody warm.
So, as the day drew to a close it was time for the headliner that everyone was eager to see. The main stage was full at least half an hour before he was due to start and when Paolo Nutini walked on stage you could barely hear the music playing over the screams and cheers from his audience. Playing a mixture of chilled and upbeat songs Paolo Nutini certainly knew how to control his audience. The moment the crowd got hyped he performed some more relaxing tunes. Then once everyone was calm he’d bring them straight back up again.
The piece de resistance of the night, was not only Paolo Nutini himself, but as soon as he was finished Rockness took the opportunity to wow the crowd even more by setting off their end of festival fireworks, keeping everyone fascinated and making sure that Sunday night ended on a high.
Rockness isn’t for everyone and there’s music their that people won’t like, but the one thing Rockness can guarantee is that you will go away remembering all of the reasons you liked it and none of the reasons you didn’t.
Published on 15 June 2011 by Pauline
