The sun still made its presence felt on the final day of Eden Festival, although not quite as scorching as on the previous day.
The Great Mountain stage was my first stop, arriving just in time for the performance of the Glasgow African Balafon Orchestra (GABO). The sound of two drums signalled the arrival of the rest of the group on stage. Most of the festivalgoers were not up yet and probably hadn’t quite recovered from a (no doubt) long night. A fair few people, however, gathered to watch GABO perform, slowly finding the rhythm of the day to the sound of the GABO drums. Because of the limited shade available, the audience gathered right at the front of the stage, dancing to the infectious beats.
After a break, it was time for Glitch41 on the Great Mountain stage. The group, led by Liam Shortall, Anoushka Nanguy, and Mateusz Sobieski, usually hosts monthly nights of jazzy groove music and jams at the Rumshack. Composed of some fantastic musicians emerging from Glasgow’s diverse music scene, the band members showcased their incredible skills. The sheer amount of talent these people bring to the stage really shone when the band played a song that was improvised completely on the spot.
The day did not go by without squeezing in another short swim in the river, shortly after which I found myself back at the Great Mountain stage, catching the last two songs of State of Satta. Not watching the full set of the reggae band turned out to be the biggest regret of the weekend, as the songs were brilliant, and I would have loved to listen to them for longer. They truly ignited the crowd, prompting everyone to jump to the beat. The trumpeter and trombone player even left the stage and joined the crowd for the final notes of the last song, the perfect finishing touch.
Transitioning from reggae to afro-fusion, Samson Sounds took the stage. Another group of talented musicians from Glasgow who I had seen play before in the Rumshack (if you have not noticed yet, the Rumshack is one of my favourite pubs in Glasgow for great live music), I knew this set was going to be great. The band instantly infused the crowd with energy, playing ‘Urban Flowers’, one of their older songs. The positive emotions created by Samson Sounds translated to the audience, with everyone letting go and just having fun. The guys on stage were clearly having as much of a blast as the crowd, and their dance floor vibrations got everyone up on their feet.
I decided to stay for the next, Henge, which turned out to be unlike anything I had ever witnessed. Arriving on stage in alien costumes, the lead singer resembled something like a spacey druid, wearing a glass ball on his head. Far from simply being a bit whacky, Henge fully delivered on the musical front, with their music incorporating electronic sounds that told the band’s galactic story.
About halfway through their set, I went to check out some of the other stages. Eventually, I settled on the Boardwalk stage. Located between trees this part of the site felt almost enchanted. The stage’s electronics were powered by multiple bikes, with festivalgoers happily pedalling to keep the music going. Meanwhile, the rest of the crowd bounced along to the music of Bee Nixn & Decades of Dub. Getting lost in the dub rhythms and the smooth, enchanting voice of Bee Nixn kept me in place for a bit.
For my final Eden gig, I returned to the Great Mountain stage to see Valtos. Rocking up at Eden with the full band, they brought everything that had been missing from my Eden experience so far. Fiddles, tin whistles, bagpipes, and Gaelic singing; my musical love language. Valtos finished the Eden weekend with a bang, and the crowd went absolutely mad when fiddle player Euan McLaughlin effortlessly serenaded on the fiddle while lying on his back.
As I headed towards the festival gate, I made one last stop at Rabbie’s Tavern to catch a glimpse of James Michael Rodgers. The song playing felt like the perfect way to end the night, with James’ warm voice accompanying me out of the gates of Eden.
- Dallahan / Julie Alapnes - 5 February 2024
- Kinnaris Quintet / Ciaran Ryan Band / Gangar - 4 February 2024
- Eden Festival 2023 (part 2) - 17 June 2023