Round up by Fresh Tracks Stage organiser Ivan Bunner.
Headline act David Sinclair said: “Geoff, Jos, Keir & I all had the best time ever! Chester rocks!”
For those lucky enough to witness his performance it was a treat. Bassist Jos Mendoza and drummer Kier Adamson are as tight as it gets, providing the glue that binds the twin guitars of David Sinclair and Geoff Peel in a powerful frame for David’s clever lyrics. They are born performers David and Geoff weaved along the edge of the stage like lizard men unleashing steely riffs into the Brookstreet atmosphere.
Their set included guest appearances by the enchanting Becci Wallace for the heart wrenching Out of the Rain, the crowd pleasing Neil Bob Herd for Best Song in The World and the whole Fresh Tracks Team for Over You. Even sound manager Charlie Broardhurst got up for an impromptu harmonica solo on the bluesy Eight Rounds Later.
It has to be said the sound quality was excellent, Charlie and Mat from Event Sound ltd did a fantastic job and it prompted Fresh Tracks Star Little Rach to say: “Seriously the best outdoor sound I've heard, I think ever! You guys were incredible.”
Sound engineer Mat said: “I’m loving this, the quality just keeps coming and it’s all original song it’s so refreshing.”
He was talking about all the original songs and eclectic styles of the Fresh Tracks artists. Fresh Tracks is a group of songwriters who met at the UK Songwriting Festival 2013 they all loved the experience so much they decided to keep gigging together. More than a few people commented on how the group supports each other, collaborations were the order of the day with group harmonies and instruments adding depth to the original songs.
Local lads Ivan Bunner, stage organiser, and Nick Buckley opened the Fresh Tracks stage at noon introducing their second song as a prayer for the day it was called Please Stop the Rain and largely it worked, they braved a few light showers but on the whole the weather gods were merciful.
Next up the beautiful Chloe Rose, jaws drop when Chloe sings it would be easy to compare her to Adele but Chloe has her own deeply rich sound and her final song Golden Dreams sounds like it could be straight for the next James Bond movie.
Chances and Glances AKA Catherine Rudie and Sarah Culross showed just what can be achieved a cappella, their blend of traditional Scottish technique, inventive beats and lyrics entranced many audiences members. Their set closed with the very catchy No One to Fly With.
Markus Sturm nearly didn’t arrive but after a hastily re-scheduled flight from Basil in Switzeland he brought his uplifting brand of reggae/salsa rhythms to add warmth and cheer to the Carnival. It’s Up to You being his standout track helping the audience sing away the rain.
Neil Bob Herd is a sharp song-smith and born entertainer, his confident guitar picking and soulful tones prompted the sound crew to say: “This guy knows what he’s doing!” And he sure does; Neil has just finished a National tour with acclaimed bluegrass outfit The Coal Porters. He showed us his versatility switching from his brand of Scottish Americana with Red Eyed and Blue to rocking out with the band for Best Song in The World.
Maaike (pronounced ‘Miker’) Siegerist stunned listeners with her clarity and tonal precision, her voice is of operatic quality and Maaike’s songs combine jazz and R&B with some vivid imagery. If you missed Maaike’s set check out her new single Old Soviet Hotel for a fine example of her talent.
Both Rebeca Wallace and Little Rach swapped vocals, guitar and drum parts effortlessly improvising to bring out the best in each other’s songs. You know these two just love their music and it shows in every performance. Hard to pick any standout tracks because they were all so good and they enlisted the whole team for their final song I Need You. Rachel has just released her debut album If You Go and Rebecca’s album Fragmentality will be released later in the summer.
Last on the bill was extremely talented Jos Mendoza who is the latest enlistment in the Fresh Tracks team, not only is he an excellent bassist he plays the guitar and sings beautifully. Jos only had time for a couple of very passionately delivered original songs but he left the audience wanting more and as Rebecca Wallace pointed out: “He must be the coolest maths teacher in the world!”
The word is Fresh Tracks group and The David Sinclair Trios’ are planning their next show in Glasgow but one thing’s for sure they all loved The Brook Street Carnival and hope to back with some shiny new songs next year.
