Oxfordshire has once again been graced by the return of Truck Festival, which has certainly made a name for itself over previous years.
The four-day event plays host to a dazzling lineup spanning the breadth of the indie rock, pop, and alternative rock music-spheres for crowds to get stuck into. This year’s Truckers once again made their way to Hill Farm for an unforgettable weekend amidst the everchanging British weather.
There’s always a real sense of optimism and excitement when attendees initially begin their venture into the campsites. It was clear this year’s crowd would be up for it, filing through the gates with their bags of snacks and crates of booze. Despite a light drizzle dampening the Truck Festival air, there was still a certain buzz as the arena opened and festivalgoers first interacted with the stalls, bars, and food vendors. The coveted ‘Truck’ sign was always going to be a popular photo opportunity too.
The Truck Stage soon became the centre of the action as the opening acts of the weekend began sharing the enthusiasm the early birds bought with them. Minds Idle kicked off the entertainment at half-past 4 to a sizable crowd, and proved why they won the ‘Truck Festival Fan Vote’.
The arena was filling as the drizzle slowly intensified, but it wasn’t a deterrent for these festivalgoers. After grabbing a drink from the adjacent bar, Balancing Act were the next band to catch at half past 5. Despite a dampened atmosphere, the Manchester quartet brought a real warmth to the Truck stage as it was pumped back to life. They’re one of the best upcoming live acts out there, and their ‘indie meets electro’ outfit was a perfect advert for their work. Their latest single ‘AWOL’ was received with vast reception and surely had fans noting down their new favourite band. I managed to catch the back end of the set from Ditz, who not only had the first mosh pits of the weekend circling but were scrambling all over the stage to the amusement of spectators, who also seemed to begin indulging in the variety of food choices spread across the site. Truck Festival was well and truly rolling for the year.
Following the incredible string of emerging talent, Thursday’s big hitters would have a lot of shoes to fill. The Mysterines and Idles would provide the entertainment for the early-entry attendees.
The rain had picked up and was now starting to drench the arena; no problem for The Mysterines however, who re-ignited the dampish attendance. A combination of shiny vocals and distinct punk-rock energy radiated as they played their way through an impressive set filled with their best numbers, including ‘Goodbye Sunshine‘ (fitting for the dreadful weather) and ‘Begin Again‘. Their set would also prove to be pivotal for the remainder of the evening, as the rain passed to reveal a pleasant sunset from behind the clouds. Attendees soon emerged from their hoods and ponchos, still full of life.
Idles emerged onto to the Truck Stage and their fans were thrown into a longed delirium. From the very first guitar riff, it was clear the punk-rock outfit would be on fine form; mosh pits were spawning, and cups began to fly. Their commanding stage presence reflected well down in the pits, who were arduously loud in response to bangers old and new, especially Never Fight a Man with a Perm. The quintet are known for a certain rage-inducing charge behind their politically motivated lyrics, so their Truck performance quickly became a brute force of advocacy, or just a total anti-fascist frenzy. Guitarists Lee & Bobo threw themselves about the stage without fail, while crowd surfers rose from the depths of those mosh pits; it was everything! Their opening night set left the Thursday Truckers out of breath but with adrenaline pumping for more.
Campers would awake on Friday morning to near-perfect weather conditions, ahead of another day rammed with talent and great music.
Yuke kicked off the Truck Stage before Pennine Suite capitalised upon the near-perfect conditions and had spectators on their feet in no time. Fantastic music, pristine conditions, and a buzzing crowd; there’s not much more you could ask for on a Friday afternoon! Nieve Ella is one of the most encouraging live acts in the music scene at the moment, and crowds flocked in their masses to the Market Stage. Her onstage energy radiated through every creak and corner of the tent, and it was clear she was living through every lyric. Upon laying eyes on the stage splits myself, I’d certainly had expected Nieve to be given a slightly bigger slot, but nonetheless she crammed her set with the best of her material, including Carpark and latest single Sugarcoated. She seems set for the big stage in no time.
After a quick dash across the arena, the sheer might of Carsick was felt within an instant. Fans descended on the Truck Stage and immediately kicked into gear; it may have been early in the afternoon, but boy was their energy at boiling point! The quartet controlled the crowd with ease, amazing us with their fired-up rock & roll music and taunting the crowd with a signed copy of the Twilight DVD before Anaconda Frank. It was already one of the sets of the weekend, and concluding with It Is What It Is rocked the crowd; there’s no doubt these boys will soon hit the big time as well.
Friday’s atmosphere was all-too perfect, with bars, food vendors and clothing stalls all bursting with life in the sunshine. I caught a couple of tracks from Lexie Caroll at the Market Stage, playing her twinkly tracks to an adoring crowd. Just after mid-afternoon, Truckers once again assembled at the Truck Stage for Overpass, another promising band establishing themselves in the indie-sphere. They played their way through their uplifting yet animating material, including Beautiful and personal favourite Like the World. If you thought the list of upcoming talent ended there, you’d be wrong! Solo artist Harvey Jay-Dodgson blew the roof off the ‘This Feeling’ tent to immense reception. Dodgson won the Road to Victorious competition earlier this year and is one of the promising artists playing across multiple festival stages this summer.
The evening sun was beginning to settle over the arena, as did Holly Humberstone who settled onto the Truck Stage just after 6 o’clock. It can often be difficult for solo artists to fill the stage, but her onstage presence radiated throughout her intimately sweet performance. The balance between her fragile pieces and more buoyant numbers was executed with sheer professionalism and it was a cutesy way to kick-start Friday night.
The evening’s entertainment would be provided by none other than Declan McKenna and Jamie T, two music monarchs; not bad, eh?
Declan McKenna is quite the summer defining artist by now, and his set enjoyed most of the remaining sunshine. He wasted no time in throwing the crowd right into the thick of his beloved catalogue of hits, stretching from The Key to Life on Earth, to Mezzanine, among others. His set celebrated the upcoming seven-year anniversary of his debut album, ‘What do you think about the car?,’ as rarely played tracks, including Kids Don’t Wanna Go Home, Listen to Your Friends, and Make Me Your Queen, made the cut. Summer would be incomplete without McKenna’s sunny festival anthems, Brazil, and British Bombs, which had everyone in full voice and sent into total hysteria once again. It was the perfect set to precede the headliners.
Jamie T has become a music royal over previous years, and for good reason too. He would be ready to excel once more at Hill Farm after an astounding second day of music. Truckers watched on with suspenseful anticipation as he tossed them into a satisfying performance with all his swagger. It was clear he was revelling throughout, with his set reeling off new numbers including 90s Cars and older favourites such as Sheila and Salvador. Almost anything seemed to be thrown across the crowd, from bucket hats to more bizarrely shaped projectiles, which went unnoticed in the sea of bouncing warm bodies. Ending with Zombie only added to the sheer energy that had already been generated and it left fans longing for more; Jamie’s set was a testament to his continued success and filled Friday night with unpretentious amusement.
Truck awoke on Saturday morning to sunshine and blue skies once more, ready for another day of music to whet the appetite.
“Yeah!” No, that isn’t the sound of festivalgoers expressing their excitement for Sophie Ellis-Bextor, but instead is Mr Motivator guiding the enormous Truck Stage attendance through a moderate Wake & Shake routine. Saturday was well and truly in full flow. The arena filled quickly and while many charged up on food and drink, others kept shaded away from the beaming sun. I began Saturday by catching the beginning of Nightbus at the Market Stage, who had a decent crowd watching their moody take on alternative rock. Been Stellar and Lime Garden alike both continued the afternoons entertainment, before SOFY had the baking audience on their feet for a set packed with hoppy hits around mid-afternoon. Saturday also had Truckers dressed in hilarious fancy dress outfits for the annual competition. Baked Beans, traffic cones, football referees: you name it, this crowd had it all.
Sundara Karma delivered a commanding & confident performance on the Truck Stage late in the afternoon, with their successful crowd work and hit number Flame upping the tempo ahead of the night ahead. It’s not often that a headline-sized crowd gathers for an early-evening set, however The Pigeon Detectives, a band moved to the Truck stage due to overwhelming demand, blew everyone away with arguably the biggest set of the day. It was a monumental performance of their anthemic rock & roll production, with fans giving it their all in response.
World-renowned popstar Sophie Ellis-Bextor opened the doors to her Kitchen Disco and shimmied her way towards ‘that’ song of the year through a celebratory assortment. Hearing her famous tracks live was honourable, as she flattered us with Just Like a Prayer and Crying at the Discotheque on the lead up to fan favourite Murder on the Dancefloor which sent out scintillating shockwaves. Everyone was on their feet and the sheer togetherness generated was surreal. It was truly masterful and one of the sets of the weekend! While many including myself opted to grab food and catch our breath for a bit, news had broken that Frank Turner was the secret guest appearance at the V&V tent; it reached capacity within minutes, and many were unfortunately turned away.
Meanwhile, Soft Play were next to sweep onto the Truck Stage at eight ‘o’clock to commence their hour of pure chaos. The postpunk rock duo caused carnage right through their set, with incessant shouts, chants, and mosh pits generating an unimaginable beastly force. The gorgeous sunset settling over them was quite the contrast for their apparent advocacy for heavy metal. At the same time, Yard Act were taking to the Market Stage for an evening set of their energising material. The crowd were audibly overpowering, especially for The Overload, which was feverish. This Feeling also played host to another thrilling set for Truckers to choose from; ‘No Kairo, No Party’ is their motto, but The Kairos were there, and boy were they having a party! As Soft Play concluded their set, the Truck Stage audience soon found themselves waiting for Saturday’s headliners: Wet Leg.
Making their UK festival headline debut were the Isle of Wight’s most precious musical export, and they did not disappoint. Questions were asked after the lineup’s unveiling about Wet Leg’s ability to fill a headline slot, but it’s the only way for upcoming headliners to break out from the shadows. Their set was comprised of cuts predominantly from their eponymous 2022 debut album which went down a treat for the thousands who flocked to see them. Onstage, Rhian and Hester were playful yet coordinated and they squeezed every ounce of enjoyment out of their time onstage. In addition to a ‘brat summer’ cover of 360 by CharliXCX, their preceded viral hits, including Wet Dream and Ur Mum, were sung with authority. The Chaise Longue finale made the occasion all-too magical, as confetti cannons erupted down the front. Their set was spot on from start to finish, and surely paves the way for more headline billings to come. A second album that lurks somewhere in the future would surely throw them to further heights. Truckers departed into the night to the softening sounds of Careless Whisper.
All too soon did the sun rise over Hill Farm for Sunday, and festivalgoers’ final chance to enjoy Truck for 2024.
Temperatures rapidly rose as we approached noon, however it didn’t deter an enormous turnout at the Truck Stage for the yearly Oxford Symphony Orchestra performance. Spectators loved every minute of their stunning pieces, including covers of Celine Dion and Abba; Frozens’ Let It Go called upon mosh pits in the middle, quite amusing to say the least. It was an ideal beginning to the final day.
Whilst the other stages hosted an abundance of upcoming talents, including Lock-In at the Market Stage and The Manatees over at The Nest, most of the afternoon was spent at the Truck Stage due to the almost unbearable heat. Luna Lake played a jazzy set just after 1pm, to which many were sat watching from afar or in the shade. After Coach Party gripped Truckers with their seamlessly connected rhythmic indie numbers, CVC were next to satisfy the near-boiling crowd, who now couldn’t escape the sun. Their set was soulfully brilliant, and many of their tracks, including Good Morning Vietnam, were easy on the ear and enjoyable. Black Honey took to the Truck Stage just after four ‘o’clock to a crowd now full of life; a combination of silky vocals from lead singer Izzy Phillips paired with some grungy guitar pieces garnered feverish responses, and before long the moshes were spawning again. They continued to circle too, as The Amazons produced a hair-raising set piled high with headbangers as the afternoon ebbed away. Their performance gave us a flavour of their tidy indie outfit upon a style like that of Nothing but Thieves or Royal Blood.
Whilst Corella took over the Market Stage before six, Sea Girls were ready to give us more at half-past-six (and as their song suggests, we were all Ready for More!). They’ve made quite the name for themself on the festival scene, and the sheer euphoria generated from their sunlit set was nothing short of extraordinary. Off the back of their third studio album and self-proclaimed Midnight Butterflies UK & Ireland tour later this year, the group used their Truck Festival slot as the perfect promotion of their material. Henry Camamile was on top form with the lead vocals, though you could hardly hear him through the deafening wall of noise produced by those below. Do You Really Wanna Know, Call Me Out, All I Wanna Here You Say; their set was full of chances for Truckers to dance along and live in the moment. Confetti firing into the evening air during Midnight Butterflies only added to their breathtakingly brilliant 45 minutes onstage.
Festivalgoers couldn’t have asked for better weather this weekend, and the final evening was drawing in over Hill Farm. The music was far from over though, as the Wrexham boys, A.K.A The Royston Club, delivered a beyond-satisfying display to the Market Stage. The Kooks were next in line to take over the Truck Stage, and boy was it special! A colossal crowd, a glimmering sunset, and an hour of sandy songs as Truckers were taken down to the beach; sounds like the dream getaway, right? The Brighton band curated a set full of ‘pinch me’ moments and blended their more recent work in with older classics. Loaded with decades of experience onstage, the quartet know how to rock the crowd; lead singer Luke Pritchard excelled onstage, even if he was put off by a huge inflatable banana thrown onstage. She Moves in Her Own Way, Seaside, and those infamous riffs of closer Naive had mustered a powerhouse of feel-good energy under the lambent, orange sky.
As The Snuts brought the Market Stage to life one last time (Before the Sunday DJ sets), Truckers gathered in their masses for The Streets. Ringmaster Mike Skinner walked out to applause and a congregation of phones held aloft for opening number Who’s Got the Bag. His set was a real highlight of the weekend, as his relatable connection with the audience, or the “Nuclear energy core and parents stood at the back” as he often referred to us as, was spontaneous yet at times hilarious. As for the music, it exemplified how his Skinners’ straight-talking and interactions weaved mid-lyric make him the genius he is; alternative electro-hip-hop shone through, whilst on other occasions it was a borderline garage rap battle. Onlookers turned up the tempo during Fit But You Know It, and in a similar fashion to his Glastonbury performance last month, Skinner waded through the crowd aloft the shoulders of a fan during Blinded by the Lights. After wrapping up his 75 minutes with DnB classic Take Me as I Am, the weekend reached an emotional yet celebratory conclusion with a pulsating firework display.
Truck Festival was over for another year. The festival offers a thrilling weekend absolutely stuffed with outstanding music and live talent alike, as well as cheerful activities to suit everyone year on year; I can only see it growing bigger in the future. See you down the front next year, yeah?
