ArcTanGent festival round-up

Gigs

26 Aug

We’re still reeling a week later from a beautiful three days in Somerset at ArcTanGent festival. Known for being probably the most popular festival for math rock, post rock, progressive metal and experimental music, we had high hopes for seeing some legendary acts and finding some new-to-us music. And ATG did not disappoint!

Across five tightly packed stages, we had the opportunity to run between tents and sets to see a lot of pretty incredible music.

So here’s a little look at what we got up to at ArcTanGent .

Day 1

We didn’t have the earliest start to the day, but rocked up in time to see Cave In pulling a very full crowd. Actually a bit concerned that if every band was this popular, we wouldn’t get in a tent, let alone a view! But this was a perfectly aggressive opener to our weekend ahead.

Belgium art rock band, The Guru Guru, was up next. With the new single off their upcoming album released only two days prior, it was thrilling to see the band perform this new song to a crowd already jamming and singing along. We got to speak to the group later in the evening, and somehow forgot to ask their frontman about performing in his very cute galaxy themed jammies. But the sound from this group has our interests piqued and ears hooked; we cannot wait for the album out later this fall.

Over on the main stage, Empire State Bastard - comprised of Biffy Clyro’s frontman Simon Neil and touring guitarist Mike Vennart - brought their heaviest selves to the stage. After, ESB we shuffled quickly with the many over to Yohkai stage. We love a singing drummer and Stefanie Mannaerts of Belgian group Brutus is a powerhouse on both marks. Promising to be a big crowd-pleaser for the weekend, we craned our necks in a sardine-packed and overflowing tent for a slew of gutturally strong tracks.

Other Half was another band on our must see list for this festival. Not only because we were chatting with them the next day, but because the surge of great music coming from Norfolk right now has everyone turning their head. Fuelled by that punk energy we love, the trio was clearly having as good a time on stage as the spirited crowd screaming along to every word.

We closed the night with a bit of Russian Circles. While we’re not overly familiar with their earlier work, we can wholeheartedly say their most 2022 record is a technical masterpiece. Our resident drummer was in awe.

Day 2

Our shortest day at the festival was also our busiest workday, which meant very little time to see whatever we could get our ears into. We caught a bit of British black metal band Dawn Ray'd for a commanding set that hits just the right balance between light and dark, empowering and aggressive. After that we travelled to the full other end of the musical spectrum for just a taste of Jaga Jazzist.

The jazzer in me was gutted to be so short in both stature and time because this one was mesmerising. With horns in the back and a vibraphone in the front (we love to see it) there was an abundance of talent on that stage and affection for this group in that tent.

Alas, interviews called us elsewhere and we weren’t back at a stage until And So I Watch You From Afar. A must see for our resident drummer, this was another technically brilliant and utterly mesmerising set.

*And So I Watch You From Afar by* *Jonathan Dadds*

Day 3

Last day of the festival and looking back, I’m quite surprised we did it so much.

A beautiful discovery to kick off our final day came in the form of Lawi Anywar on the Elephant in the Bar Room stage. The funky jams emanating from that tent were just too intriguing to pass up. With only a handful of self-released EPs out so far, there’s something extra special in this music that we look forward to seeing progress.

Cultdreams was another happy surprise, added by that beautiful luck of right place right time. Their shoegaze set had an obvious 90s influence that the Elephant tent crowd was loving. We only caught a few songs before dashing back into interviews and then only catching the end of GGGOLDDD for possibly the most vulnerable closing number of any set this weekend. To a suddenly silent sea of listeners, vocalist Milena Eva shared her personal story of sexual assault and its lingering impact.

The rest of the afternoon was a strategic run from set to set, taking in as much as possible. Fakeyourdeath lived up to the theatrical presence they promised when we chatted together earlier in the day. While the lyrical and musical content was heavy and aggressive, it was possibly the most polite circle pit I’ve ever seen. Following them, a mad dash to the main stage for a glimpse of Rolo Tomassi, a clear crowd favourite and super energetic set.

What we thought would be our closer for the weekend, The World is a Beautiful Place was a must see on Thoms list. What started with a few technical gremlins morphed into a highlight set featuring dual vocalists, jingling guitars and atmospheric backing. A passionate crowd crooned along to every word and it was clear that emotional connection was in the air.

But what actually became our ATG weekend closer, and my personal highlight, was Aiming for Enrike back at PX3 stage. We’d had the opportunity to speak with the Norwegian duo earlier in the day, so as much as we needed to leave early to get back to the homestead, I was just too interested by our chat to miss their set.

And what they’re up to is next level. If you were walking by, you’d never know that the full and cohesive sounds emanating from PX3 tent came from one drummer and one guitarist. Their multi-layered tracks were simultaneously ambient and energetic. You never knew what was coming next, but once it happened, it made total sense. For as much as I don’t want to admit to enjoying something so heavily electronically influenced, I’m officially a fan, and the song “Feel No Threat/Absent Lovers” has been a hyper-fixation since.

All in all

All in all, ArcTanGent was an excellently chill weekend, clearly attended by fellow-music enthusiasts ready to get lost in their favourite vibes. Wonderfully orchestrated from end-to-end, we’d recommend this festival to anyone and whole-heartedly look forward to being back next year.

Stay tuned next for our interviews with Aiming for Enrike, The Guru Guru, Other Half, fakeyourdeath and Naut.