(label)
09 June 2012 (released)
18 June 2012
Rockness proved this year, that putting a big summer festival on the map is not just about booking the best bands and rockstars. Of course, Rockness played host to the biggest names in music – Biffy Clyro, Deadmau5 and Mumford and Sons, but also made a name for itself with an impressive line up in comedy. Hosted by Billy Kirkwood and Scott Agnew, the comedy tent was packed every day, and even spilled over in to the Big Top for the headliners. This is the Music-News.com round up of all the highlights in comedy from Rockness 2012.
Hosting the comedy tent are Billy Kirkwood and Scott Agnew, both putting forward a very different style of comedy, but both very daring and uniquely funny. Billy Kirkwood entertains and warms up the crowd with a game of ‘suck my balls’, whilst incorporating a giraffe -giving-birth impersonation in to his set. Billy Kirkwood is one of the most naturally funny people to grace the stage, perhaps the reason he is MC and compere for the second year running. Scott Agnew on the other hand, is outrageous: sitting on the young boys in the crowd, jesting with creepy stalking threats and sexual harassment on the cards throughout the set, yet absolutely hilarious and willing to do anything for a cheeky laugh.
Performing numerous times over the weekend are Kai Humphries and Neil ‘The Wee Man’ Bratchpiece. Before his Rockness debut, the Wee Man promised an act that incorporates a little bit of song, and the vest wearing, skyward-facing-cap man did not disappoint. Pulling a beat-boxer out the audience to help with his comedy rap, The Wee Man opens up the festival with a hilarious burst of fresh Scottish talent. Kai Humphries has the audience on their toes as he completes a rubix cube whilst telling Granddad jokes. With such a lovely face and a quick take on comedy, it’s a will-he won’t-he intense 5 minutes of Kai twisting the cube and rapidly thinking up more jokes to buy some time. But Kai does complete the cube and his set goes down with a rapture of applause.
As a Scottish Festival, Rockness shows off its very best in local comedians. Scott Gibson portrays a hilariously low point in his life, when he craps in a bag and throws it in to a primary school, unravelling the accidental story line bit by funny little bit. Ray Bradshaw is the coolest, most laid back Scotsman to play over the weekend, with a malicious family anecdote we all wish we’d pulled off as kids. Intelligent and witty, Ray Bradshaw is a name to keep in your head when looking for a future frivolous night of jokes.
Filling the Golden Voice Big Top are comic headliners Daniel Sloss and Tim Minchin. Sitting in the comedy tent with a beer feels natural, but standing in a tightly packed crowd for a glimpse of our big comedians feels a bit weird. It’s obvious Daniel Sloss feels the same. While the 20 year old new face of comedy proves he’s got the talent and the charming young-man wit to wow the crowd, he’s not shy in admitting the pleasure of performing like a rockstar. Tim Minchin is the musical man of comedy, a fitting guest to the Rockness stage. He’s a much better musician than people give him credit for – belting out big tunes on the piano and hitting the high notes as well as being a quirky, oddball comedian guaranteed to bring the laughs. At the moment, Tim Minchin is a superstar, and is a massive booking for Rockness; despite being on at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, Tim Minchin’s set is for sure the biggest comedy highlight of the weekend.
