Bands: Sign & Teenage Casket Company  
Venue: Trashstock Festival @ Junction 7, Nottingham
Date: 18 August 2007   

To end one of the best weekends of rock I have had in such a long time, we came straight out of The Rescue Rooms after seeing Norway’s Wig Wam perform then headed straight onto Junction 7 for the final two bands of this years Trashstock Festival. However, due to a mix up with the taxi service (which was poor beyond belief), by the time we arrived at the venue it was bursting at the seems with The Teenage Casket Company already midway through their set. 

Again for the second time in a week I failed to catch their entire set (arrgghhh!), but what I did catch I liked very much, as did the huge crowds of people who were almost falling out the venue it was so packed tight.  It came as little surprise to hear Jamie of TCC announced that this event was indeed sold out, which only goes to show that if you put the right bands on and have a venue that doesn’t exceed your limitations, you can have a successful festival.

With the no smoking ban coming into force being a non smoker has its plus sign when it comes to music venues, because in between bands the smokers leave the venue on mass, allowing us non smokers room to surge to the front for a better view, or even god forbid a seat (!) before the next band comes on, so that’s exactly what we did. 

Now to the main event of the weekend Iceland’s Sign.  This is the third time I’ve caught the band in eight days, such has been their excellent live performances I just had to catch them one more time before they returned home.

The band opened up their set in quite some fashion firstly with ‘Lift It Up’ and then the heavy tones of ‘What You Don’t Know’, which certainly had the smokers rushing back up from downstairs as the venue was now at bursting point once more.  With the band performing as tight as fishes what's it's we knew we were in for one hell of show.

The tenacious style of the band was a joy to watch as each band member really seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely as they ripped through the set with ‘Thank God For Silence’, which came complete with the Sign Army choir down the front who sang out every word.  The more relaxed ‘Breathe’, which was dedicated to the lovely Michelle, promoter James Riot's wife.  I noticed she even got a kiss from Zolberg at the end, which made her the envy of all the other females and I suspect a few of the males in the crowd, and one of my favourites ‘Dancin In, Dancin Out’, all corking good stuff.

Even Mike the bus driver who has been with the band since the beginning of the tour was dragged up on stage so the band could thank him for his sterling efforts on the tour.

It was back to the music for the stomping ‘Love To Be Loved’ and the bands own rendition of the Skid Row classic ‘Youth Gone Wild’. The set was brought to a close with the stupendous ‘When Demons Win’, which invoked an impromptu crowd surf by Zolberg which ended yet another fantastic Sign show and the end of this years Trashstock Festival.  Next year I will be there again for both days in their entirety in whatever form the festival decides to take, whether it be two days, or one longer all day event, long may it rein.

I'd just like to add our thanks to all the bands who performed over the two days and put on such breathtaking performances that really pumped the crowds up.  And of course, last but not least, we must all thank the mighty man himself Mr James Riot of Riot Promotions for once again putting together an unforgettable Festival line-up and for truly giving it his all and then some.  Mr Riot we salute you Sir!

 

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