OFFERING slick, grunge-tinged surf pop, Glasgow-based foursome The Van T’s are set to be a highlight of TRNSMT festival next weekend. Fishing out the blades of grass from her hair, frontwoman Hannah Thompson recounts last weekend, when they played both Solas and Northern Roots festivals within a matter of hours.
I woke up in a Travelodge full of band members in Perth on Saturday morning.
A weekend of playing music festivals tends to mean a weekend of camping but the lure of low-priced accommodation, matched with our collective fear of having to get our pop-up tents back down on more than one occasion, was enough to win us over.
The day before, we’d arrived at Solas festival and were greeted by chickens who probably weren’t quite as happy to see us as we were to see and photograph them! After getting settled in, Chloe and I went off to do a quick acoustic set and interview for a local radio station, leaving Shaun and Joanne to kick around a giant inflatable ball and admire all the quaint designs and features around the festival.
After we played our set we loaded the equipment back into the van, saw some other acts and enjoyed what was left of the sun. Just as we were putting our seat belts on to head off, Shaun came to the startling realisation that he had left all of his drum equipment behind the stage, so after a quick dash back we were on our way in search of some golden arches that conveniently neighboured our accommodation for the night.
After checking out on Saturday morning, we stopped by the local supermarket in search of portable barbecues and last-minute camping supplies. The van ended up being loaded with almost as much shopping as musical equipment but we managed to make it all fit and off we went to the infamous Bogbain Farm in Inverness for Northern Roots, our second festival of the weekend.
We arrived around 4pm and were greeted by our friends, who seemed a lot happier to see us than the chickens had been. We engineered a windbreaker “V” shape with the vans and pitched our tents in the middle.
Getting to play a set on the Barn stage (quite literally a Barn) was truly an experience that I don’t think any of us will forget. We packed up as quickly as we could – and double-checked that Shaun had bothered to pack at all – before enjoying what was left of our festival weekend. The official festivities finished at a reasonable hour but we hosted the unofficial after party at the vans, and the barbecuing lasted well into Sunday morning.
On the way home we climbed the Old Packhorse Bridge in Carrbridge, which is celebrating its 200th birthday this year, a postcard was purchased and our weekend concluded with a little bit of history. The festivals have really gotten us excited for the rest of the dates we’re lucky enough to be performing at over the summer.
The Van T’s play TRNSMT festival, which comes to Glasgow Green on July 7 to 9. Day tickets are £59.50 standard, £99 VIP, two-day tickets £110 standard, £185 VIP and three-day tickets are £155 standard, £235 VIP. All prices subject to booking fee. Trnsmtfest.com
They headline Grinduro Sports Festival, Arran on July 15. Grinduro.com/scotland
They also play Carnival 56, Dundee, which takes place on August 12 and 13, and Stowed Out, in Stow, near Galashiels, being staged on August 25 and 26.
www.carnivalfiftysix.co.uk, stowedoutfestival.org.uk
The Van T’s new single Fresh Meat is out now on LAB Records.
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