Earthly delights

OKAY so there is no Vale Earth Fair this year, and while this is disappointing to many, a little boutique alternative took place last weekend instead.

The Ivy Earth Fair at Chateau des Marais was literally a miniature Vale Earth Fair. It was as if someone had accidentally shrunk it, like in the movie Honey I Shrunk the Kids.

Let's be honest, it didn't really get off to the best of starts: Friday's headlining act, Introducing, missed their boat and it rained.

However, knowing the guys always put on a good show I still went to the event in good spirits.

Taking to the stage in the evening were Funk Andrew (who I missed as I working late), Asylum Seekas and replacing Introducing were DJs Pressure and Killa.

I have to admit I always prefer the Asylum Seekas in an intimate, inside venue – I don't think playing outside does the guys justice. Perhaps it was the drizzle, but I couldn't involve myself with the performance – I had seen them do better.

But they always impress me with their own material, cleverly written lyrics over contagious beats, but one member seemed to be lost on stage most of the time and I wondered why he was there. Plus it was raining.

I decided to let go of my preconceived notions and looked forward to their performance at the after party at Fusion the following night.

Pressure and Killa took to the decks, throwing in deep leftfield DnB at the start and moving onto bigger rollers and a heavier set towards the end.

By the following day the rain had disappeared, and the sun was out. Introducing had made it. Unfortunately however, after an hour's-worth of rejigging the line-up times, the band was on at one in the afternoon – a shame because there were not enough people at that point to create a busy vibe.

Introducing are a talented nine-piece from Oxford with a very specific goal. Every show they perform is essentially the same.

With the exception of slight variations in their encores, the set never changes. Their mission?

To perform DJ Shadow's first LP Endtroducing in its entirety, from start to finish.

Released 14 years ago, Endtroducing was created almost entirely from samples. It is melancholy, dark, funky and jazzy, and it shifts – sometimes smoothly, sometimes not – from hip hop to electro to jungle to breakbeat.

Their live interpretation comes dangerously close to stripping the album of its darkness, its weirdness and its coolness.

Halfway through the set I started wondering why everyone was so excited to listen to a simulacrum of the real thing (which itself was an amalgam of discovered sounds).

I half expected the band to go down the karaoke route and invite members of the audience up to sing along to the vocals (they didn't). Their set is dedicated to nostalgia, savouring a moment that was very inspiring for music.

Don't get me wrong. You cannot knock Introducing for the fact that it's a tight band, but doesn't playing the same set every gig get old?

Why not try playing DJ Shadow's Hyphy album live? Better yet, pack your set with songs from all his albums.

Tantale, a new local band, were on the main stage later. Considering this was their second gig, their first being at Rocquaine Regatta, I was impressed.

The singer's voice reminded me of Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Other tracks were laced with reggae guitar licks and grungy overtones.

Two bass players and one drummer that works every time? Yep, that'll be Toupe.

I have lost count of how many times the band has been to Guernsey, but I never get bored with them: think heavy, funky, way-out Zappa. Slow jazz breaks and story-telling also typify them.

Grant Sharkey and Karl Evans play bass guitars like men possessed, Grant slapping like mad, and drummer Jay Havelock has always been simply incredible behind a kit.

Then 8.20pm came, and so did my highlight of the day, Guernsey's Teaspponriverneck.

I'll admit it had been a while since I last saw the 'spoons, but boy, they always blow it out of the water.

One thing that has always impressed me about them is how they manage to create such a big sound for a three-piece.

The addition of former Schema member John Sealey on keyboard added another dimension to the sound and also showed how the band is progressing.

After a programme full of indie, funky, hip-hoppy, DnB breaks and a flashback to the 80s, the Funk Da Rock stage had it all.

Heading over there after the 'spoons, I found Jungle Drummer on stage with Source.

The place was going off – tons of people throwing their bodies around to the music.

The guys were throwing out DnB classics. For me this was a trip down memory lane.

I was left a little disappointed that Jungle Drummer himself only seemed to drum to a few of his tracks. Last year he was all over the kit like a man possessed – this year he didn't seem to hold the same fire for me.

Yet, he and the rest of the guys were a huge crowd-pleaser.

Later at Fusion, the after party continued 'til the early hours, with the Asylum Seekas, Jungle Drummer (finally making it to the stage) and Parallel all taking their turn.

9MM owned Fusion, however: he joined the Asylum Seekas MCing, but the multi-talented chap also treated us to his beatboxing for the first time in two years.

Had he got rusty?

No – your boy was five big beats and instruments rolled into one just by usage of his mouth – a one-man band to the fullest degree.

Very impressive.

All in all, Ivy Castle has gone some way towards filling the void the Vale Earth Fair has left this year.

Although it is not quite as established as the latter, it offered the same diverse and eclectic line-up of bands and DJs, and raised money for charity – all of which are good things.

But with all that work, why not the Vale Earth Fair proper? – which is what a lot of people said. Never mind.

This year, Ivy came into her own.