What could be better than sitting in the sunshine, decent drinks available at excellent prices, decent food available at decent prices all whilst listening to quality live music? Personally I can’t think of much that would top that. Add in a venue out in the Yorkshire countryside that’s run by a small team of creative people who all have a real passion for music and the arts, who are friendly and accomodating, who support local businesses and things just get better. Not only that, when you come to a gig at Pealie’s Barn, not too far from Northallerton, you can bring your tent or your campervan and stay in an adjoining field for no extra cost. Seriously, what’s not to like?
Two stages, one in the open courtyard, one behind this in what was a barn, a couple of bars, accessible facilities and spotlessly clean toilets Pealie’s Barn is a unique gem amongst many North East Venues.
Butterfly Effect records – “always looking for the undiscovered and unconventional”- release limited edition vinyl records that are often packaged with unique little extras by artists predominantly from the North East of England.
So when Butterfly Effect’s main man, Stephen Gill, teamed up with Pealie’s Barn and announced the one day Butterfly Effect Festival the ripples of excitement soon started to spread. Twelve bands/artists, short, sharp 30 minute sets from each (50 minutes from the headliners), no clashes, no mad dashes from one space to the next, time to grab a drink and/or a bite to eat between each set, this really was a superb day of varying musical genres from bands who could steal our hearts, raise our anger levels with tales of the sometimes harsh world we live in, make us laugh, make us cry, make us dance like crazy and who, most importantly, brought a few hundred people together with a real sense of unity and a focus on simply having a great day.
Scruffy Bear opened procedings with their hard hitting blend of rock, psyche and soul. Huge riffs and incredibly powerful vocals. A perfect wake up call for the day ahead.
Moving next door to the Barn and the realisation that it’s stage is on a platform at least eight feet above the floor with a set of sturdy wooden steps leading up to it. What this means is that whoever is performing can literally see out across the tops of everyone’s heads but it also means that every person watching can actually see whoever is performing. It’s here that Darlington’s Robyn Errico delivers a glorious 30 minute set of synth based, ethereal, otherworldy songs packed full of atmosphere. Completely mesmorising, conjuring up feelings of being alone with just your own thoughts in a vast open landscape. Look her up, have a listen to ‘Illusion’, ‘Lightless the Stars’ or ‘Deep Sea Diving’ to start with. You can thank me later.
Back on the Courtyard stage Last Of The Fallen Angels are one of this reviewer’s favourites of the day. They won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but their sometimes darkly ominous, sometimes trippy, arty, cinematic soundscapes and emotion packed vocals suck you in, demand your attention, make you really want to listen, to absorb the music and take you on a journey to another place.
Midnight Library fill the raised Barn Stage to the rafters both physically and metaphorically with their lush, soulful, jazz and blues tinged sounds. The Frozen Low, latest project of Mark Whiteside (he of Evil Blizzard, One Sided Horse, Desks) are superb despite being two members down. Delicate, melancholic, thoughtful. Faithful Johannes brings something completely different to the Barn Stage – softer, low key, hip-hop full of nostalgia and cynical humour.
A 45 minute break allows time for drink top-ups, food, a trip back to the campervan and a look at the merch before we launch into the second half of what will, hopefully, become an annual fixture of the North East music scene.
Elaine Palmer opens the ‘second half’ with a simply brilliant 30 minutes of country/Americana with hints of folk. Songs that have the ability to really stir the emotions. It’s heartfelt, honest and she seems to completely lose herself when delivering them. Gorgeous voice, sublime guitar playing. Everyone watching just swaying along, tapping their feet, grins on faces and, in the case of one person, struggling to keep back the tears.
What to say about Ceiling Demons except quite simply, “Wow”. Powerful, raw, alternative rap. Twin brothers Psy and Dan put absolutely everything they have into their show. They’re all over the stage, faces screwed up with feeling as they vocalise every human emotion possible. Backed by a superb live band the guitar, drums, electronics add a powerful, sonically charged edge to procedings. To the side of the stage Art Demon masterfully creates a painting, to be sold at the end, from scratch all the while as emotionally involved in the gig as the two frontmen. Indeed by the end Art Demon can do nothing more than collapse to his knees, completely drained.
Back on the high-rise stage Melanie Baker‘s songs are honest, direct, sometimes self-deprecating, sometimes amusing. Self reflection, the ups and downs of modern life,mental health, the perils of keeping houseplants alive. All are dealt with and underpinned by a soundtrack of guitar driven music that one moment might sound light, whimsical and the next grungy and in your face. Another quality performance.
Dossers never disappoint. Hard edged, slicing guitars, rumbling bass riffs, thumping drums and, in Matthew Baxter, a vocalist who says it exactly how it is whilst pounding round the stage. Non-stop energy, non-stop noise, politically and socially bang on point Dossers set is full of anger at today’s injustices and the small mindedness of a minority. Brilliant.
Mouse’s Steven Bardgett is fantastic hammering out a solo set full of fuzzed up guitar noise topped with his unique voice. Mouses songs, his own songs, covers. He’s having fun, we’re having fun. The icing on this exceptionally entertaining set coming when he’s joined by Psy & Dan from Ceiling Demons to add an even bigger spark to an already electrifying set.
You couldn’t have asked for better headliners than Analogue Blood who tore the place apart with their incendiary blend of industrial, electronic dance beats. Gritty, hypnotic, euphoric and layered with ghostly vocals Analogue Blood raise the temperature of a night that was getting chilly and have the place absolutely bouncing within seconds of them walking on stage. A perfect end to a brilliant day.
The first Butterfly Effect Festival – packed full of brilliant music from brilliant artists. Surrounded by chilled out, easy going people. An amazing venue run by amazing people whose heart firmly believes in supporting local artists, promoters and businesses. A fantastic day that opened my ears and mind to some genres of music I’d never really have considered listening to whilst at the same time delivering genres that are right up my street.
Take a bow Stephen Gill, Butterfly Effect, Pealie’s Barn, the bands and everyone else involved. Lets hope Butterfly Effect part 2 gets booked in for 2026.
Photos/words: steve white
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