The French Quarter
T Break Stage, Saturday 11 July, 1:40pm
With rumours that the band had broken up floating about Balado earlier in the day, it was both a pleasure and a relief to see Stirling’s The French Quarter take to the stage on Saturday afternoon. Awash in swathes of blue light and shimmering guitars, the band played a sublime set, taking the emergent song structures of post-rock and adding melancholic vocals and elaborate layers of instrumentation, from keyboards to xylophones. The brave decision to play new material, recorded with members of Mogwai, whetted appetites for what will surely be great things to come from the band in future. The majestic ‘Time to Leave’ closed the set, its ethereal keyboard and slide guitar intro gradually giving way to a steady, pulsating rhythm and leaving no doubt as to why The French Quarter are regarded as one of Scotland’s premier unsigned acts.
Sucioperro
T Break Stage, Saturday 11 July, 2:30pm
Having secured a timeslot clashing with Lady Gaga on the main stage, Sucioperro were always going to prove a draw for punters hungry for substance over spectacle but the Ayrshire alt rock outfit surpassed all expectations by packing the T Break tent to capacity on Saturday afternoon. The band’s enthusiasm was somehow surpassed by the crowd’s, with a circle pit forming within seconds of the first chord of opener ‘Tem V Com’ ringing out, in spite of the baking heat. Though somewhat hampered by muddy sound, Sucioperro’s eight song set delivered choice cuts from new album recent album Pain Agency as well as a sprinkling of older material, with penultimate song ‘The Final Confessions of Mabel Stark’ a particular highlight.
Bronto Skylift
T Break Stage, Saturday 11 July, 8.20pm
Confounding all logic, Glasgow two-piece noise rockers Bronto Skylift somehow managed to be the loudest band to grace the T Break tent all weekend. On stage, the secrets behind Bronto’s massive wall of sound were revealed quickly enough, with frontman Niall Strachan jacking into no less than four amps at the same time and wielding an impressive array of pedals. It was all too much for some people to take, with a few casualties staggering out clutching their ears, as Iain Stewart’s snare drum hits reached ear-splitting levels. Those who did stay, however, were rewarded with a breathtaking set and an impromptu jam session with the band, as Strachan took his guitar into the crowd to close the show, paying no heed to minor details like instrument cables and panicking stewards.
Barn Owl
T Break Stage, Sunday 12 July, 12:50pm
Barn Owl’s shimmering, melancholic indie rock is the perfect accompaniment to a dreary and hungover Sunday afternoon at T in the Park. That said, with the heavens pouring down outside, it’s not entirely clear which is the bigger draw: the band themselves or the sheltered confines of the T Break Tent. Either way, Barn Owl take it in their stride, delivering a dreamy and gentle set to a chilled out crowd. Occasionally, the Glasgow five-piece meander into a soaring chorus, slightly reminiscent of later-day Idlewild, but calm is soon restored and we return to emotive minor chord progressions, accompanied by rich and resonant percussion. Indeed, Barn Owl’s elaborate percussion ensemble is one the more intriguing aspects of the performance, a collection of bells, chimes and xylophones adding a wistful, ethereal dimension to their sound. As the set draws to a close, the clouds outside finally break, revealing a thin crack of blue sky. But, even as the sun makes a fleeting appearance, still the punters try to push their way inside the packed tent.
It seems Barn Owl don’t need the Scottish weather’s help to fill the canvas arena after all.
