A weekend of no rain, blissful sunshine and live music of the highest quality, Truck Festival 2024 had it all. The weather gods smiled down on Hill Farm this year and the festival repaid them no end. We were there to take it all in and recount one of our favourite weekends of the year.
Whilst we were up at the crack of dawn, bright eyed and bushy tailed to head to the Oxfordshire countryside Friday morning, some early arrivals were able to enter through the Truck gates on Thursday to see Idles headline night one of the festival.
With the tent semi-successfully erected and a celebratory beer opened, we looked around at the smiling faces doing the same and it’s a wonderful sight to behold. Truck has the ability to attract people from all walks of life, young and old, first time goers and 10 year plus veterans of the festival.
Wet Leg on the Truck Stage
Cucamaras were our first port of call for the day, adding ringing ears to my burning skin as we headed to the Market Stage for a half hour filled with the Nottingham four-pieces brand of post-punk.
The Irish scene is bursting with talent currently and NewDad are up there with those shining brightest. As the sun shone so did the Galway shoegazers, showcasing this year’s debut album ‘Madra’ over on the Truck main stage, even making time for a ‘Just Like Heaven’ cover to the crowds’ pleasure.
For some it was time to take a trip down memory lane as the sun kissed Truck Festival welcomed B-Town favourites Peace back with open arms. Ripping through old favourites like ‘1998’ and ‘Wraith’, the now three-piece felt like they’d never been away.
English Teacher at The Nest
From indie pop classics on the Main Stage, we moved to the depths of The Nest where The Wytches were causing chaos. Their dark surf rock doing its best to pull the tent out of the ground but just about remaining in tact for headliners, English Teacher. Unfortunately the band were marred by some niggly tech issues causing the set to be shortened but still managed to have the packed out Nest in awe of their Mercury nominated debut album ‘This Could Be Texas’. As the sun settled and Jamie T drew the day to a close, the Truck crowds dispersed into the night’s late offerings, the indie disco or the bottle of after-sun before recharging for day 2.
Ebbb at The Market Stage
Lime Garden on the Truck Stage
Saturday was full to the brim of new talent with the Market Stage being the place to be. Ebbb brought their Portishead tinged sound early on with the crowd slowly building throughout with the enticing vocals drawing them in as they entered the arena. Nightbus stepped up next and did not disappoint. Their atmospheric elctronica-infused shoegaze engrossed the dazzled afternoon crowd.
Lime Garden were due on the Main Stage, but due to a scheduling change were cut short and moved to The Nest later on in the day but were still able to get the feet moving to their infectious riffs. The band were shifted to a smaller stage at late notice due to ‘unprecedented demand’ for The Pigeon Detectives. Short, sweet but a shame.
Nightbus on the Market Stage
Been Stellar on the Market Stage
Hotly tipped and rightly so, Been Stellar returned to Truck (their first ever festival back in 2022) to grace us with their presence and while the obvious comparisons to a certain other New York 5 piece will be made, our Issue forty-nine cover stars had a vast crowd in the palm of their hands. Folly Group followed to more admiration as another band showcased their debut album at this year’s festival.
As we headed over to The Nest so did a sea of others who were desperate to catch a glimpse of the live juggernaut of Fat Dog. Their live reputation is one many bands would be envious of, and as the sweat drenched crowd emerged from the tent after the bands final notes rang out, the smiles on their faces said it all.
Folly Group on the Market Stage
The Magic Gang on the Market Stage
While some were seeing Fat Dog for the first time, the Market Stage was bidding farewell to The Magic Gang. The Brighton band were playing their penultimate show of a farewell run, playing a set full of singalongs. We love The Magic Gang and this was the perfect send off with the band visibly emotional as they said their own goodbyes.
The Market Stage Saturday headliners arrived with the intention of taking the mantle for the set of the weekend and boy did they. Yard Act have returned like a new band with a polished live set up that included choreography, backing singers and the songs to back it all up with. To finish, Wet Leg brought a pleasing headline show to the main stage ensuring the crowd were living their best brat girl summer with a charli xcx cover.
Yard Act on the Market Stage
Vlure on The Nest stage
mary in the junkyard on The Nest stage
Red skin and sore heads were not to stop the party train as the final day arrived. It seems a midday mosh pit to the Disney classic ‘Let it Go’ played by the Oxford Symphony Orchestra can fix any hurting body or mind. The Nest was calling our name today (only in part due to the promise of shade) as its line up included the likes of mary in the junkyard and Vlure. The former captivated the crowd as their dark atmospheric songs felt like a sirens call with all eyes fixated. The latter brought the bedlam, if you thought the crowd might be feeling tired from a long weekend you’d be wrong.
Heartworms soon followed, the gothic post punk rock is abrasive and compelling. Dressed head to toe in black it’s style over comfort and you’d be hard pressed to make an argument against them. The Streets brought the Main Stage and thus the weekend to a close with a party for all ages.
As the fireworks lit the sky, thus signalling the end of Truck festival for another year, we wish the weekend hadn’t gone by in what felt like an instant. Same time next year yeah?
Photos by Cameron JL West
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