The Wickerman Festival

Aug 1 2008 by Michael Pringle

IT WAS burning times indeed as hundreds of Ayrshire music lovers made their annual pilgrimage to the Wickerman Festival.

The sun shone brightly at East Kirkcarswell in Kirkcudbrightshire as artists including KT Tunstall, Gary Numan, Alabama 3 and the Dub Pistols set the place alight.

The glorious weather was threatened for only a short time on Friday evening, but a downpour failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds. The clouds cleared again just in time for Alabama 3 to play a blinding set for another Scottish festival crowd. Following on from their recent set at T in the Park they will be back in Scotland again next weekend to play at Loch Lomond.

Another band that seems to be playing every festival going just now is Parka. Fronted by Prestwick man Matt Thomson, the band had played the former Camden Palace in London on Thursday night before making their way north for their appearance at the Wickerman.

Another London appearance at Clapham Common on Saturday meant they had to leave soon after their set.

The band is almost certainly destined for big things with a major record deal on the horizon.

Although numbers were slightly down on last year, there's no doubt the Wickerman is here to stay. Entry for kids is free with paying adults.

Kids were there in large numbers and the event provides a welcome alternative to the other festivals in Scotland which have a more commercial edge. A 12-year-old boy summed up the mood by saying that he enjoyed Wickerman more than his birthday and Christmas put together.

The ritual of burning the giant Wickerman was shrouded in mystery – or more accurately was clouded in thick fog. Mist crept eerily onto the site for hours before the torching at the witching hour of midnight. Thousands gathered opposite the hillside to watch pyrotechnics experts dance across the landscape before igniting the giant effigy to light up the fog and send a glow across the festival site that warmed the hearts of those in attendance.

With such a laid-back atmosphere it's easy to understand why people think so highly of the festival.

Laila K, singer with Manchester band Sonic Boom 6, who played the main stage on Friday, was amazed at how friendly everyone was: "This must be the friendliest festival in the UK. It's great to smile at strangers and they smile right back at you."

For anyone that missed out on a great weekend it's just over another 360 days before the pilgrimage from Ayrshire begins again.