Portsmouth, England, UK and it is a sunny day, but that isn’t the only reason why today is a special day in England, today is the first large scale music festival of the year, and what a day for it!
Laney legends Skindred, Jamie Lenman and Saint Agnes are on the bill, alongside a whole host of rock, punk and alternative favourites.
Saint Agnes kick things off, a full backline of Laney signifies they are here to make some loud sounds, business is in full swing. Ironheart IRT120H’s for Kitty Austen and Jon Tuffnel respectively and a DB500H and DBV410 for Ryan Brown who is laying down the bass sounds for Saint Agnes. Kitty prowls stage, commanding every audience member to get moving to their sounds. Their latest release ‘Bloodsucker’ hits the crowd right in the face, pounding lyrics and forceful riffs and beats keep everyone on their tones. It is late afternoon, and the festival knows what has hit it!
Roaring guitar tones from Jon on lead guitar through his Ironheart rig on stage right, stage left is being shaken by Ryan’s Digbeth rig. Powerful bands need powerful rigs and Saint Agnes chose powerfully!
Laney legend and all rounder Jamie Lenman is up next, inside the Guildhall, a set that started with recent release Crazy Horse, ramping up the energy from all sides of the stage. The people cheer Jamie, the man who has been an integral part and a backbone to the British alternative rock scene for over 20 years now spanning his previous project Reuben and now to his solo material.
A set blending lots of music from that career with a high push on newer material, all of which gives the crowd all manner of reasons to go wild for the man himself. Jen Hingley is on guitar, usually fronting her own project ‘False Advertising’ (where she plays a Lionheart L20T-212) she is on stage with Jamie providing the solos and accoutrements to his songs through a Laney GHR and LT212 cab. Jamie of course has his trusted TF300 head, Lionheart Cab and a new addition to the setup, a Digbeth head and 4×10 cab!
The set sees the return to Lenman classic ‘Hardbeat’ and rounds off with an old Reuben favourite ‘Tonight My Wife Is Your Wife’ before heading off to soak up the rest of the festival.
Sun has set, it is getting colder but that means only one thing, it is time for tonight’s headline act, and it comes in the form of dub-metal kings Skindred. A thoroughly perfected live show is something we have come to know and love from Skindred and tonight in Portsmouth they do not disappoint. Classics like Ninja, Kill The Power are blended with new favourites like L-O-V-E (love), if this is a sign for the future of Skindred’s new music, we are in for a treat!
The stage is rumbling, the lower bass tones of Laney artist Dan Pugsley’s Digbeth rig (2 x DB500H, 2 x DBV810) is making the crowd on stage left feel every note. It is a high octane set, and it can end in only one way we know how…. The Newport Helicopter.
The fabled song Warning starts, the crowd all know what they have to do, they prepare their garment of choice, they hold it aloft, as high as their arms will stretch and await for the signal from frontman Benji Webb. With a 1, 2, 3, 4 it kicks off! If you have never seen or experienced a Skindred live show, then I implore you to do so. It is a sight to behold and you will walk away with a beaming smile from ear to ear and an earworm between both!
And before we know it, that is it, Takedown Festival 2023 is complete. A great way to start the UK festival season, the bar has truly been set high!
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