soundCHECK 58 – August 5th 2010

Ordinarily, a leap from one of Devon’s tallest piers would be the preserve of the lunatic or the clinically lugubrious. Or myself after any form of sensory exposure to Lady Gaga.

But for one day a year, Ilfracombe Pier hosts what is unreservedly promoted as a “family day out” as folk festooned in all manner of dignity-chafing furbelows form a lemming-like queue to throw themselves into the cold clasp of the Atlantic; their spirits buoyed by the cheer of gathered onlookers who play a kind of ‘emotional-armband’ role.

But rather than some doolally sacrifice to Poseidon, the intention of such tomfoolery is to discover who of the participants can ‘fly’ the furthest before falling, inevitably, from pier to sea. I am, of course, referring to Ilfracombe’s annual Birdman Festival, 2010’s instalment of which unfurls this weekend (Sunday 8th).

The revelry will be soundtracked by a range of musical talent, the most notable belonging to Dave Sharp, responsible for co-founding big-in-the-eighties rock band The Alarm. He’s played gigs with Johnny Cash, you know. And with an admirable determination not to miss the cliché boat, Birdman 2010 will also feature music from The Wurzels, a band whose headline slot could well inspire a few last minute leaps from the pier.

All the money raised from the event goes to charity and local good stuff so go and get involved.

The gig of the week takes place at Boston Tea Party as Kaya cram their flamboyant fusion of jazz, hip-hop, dub, soul and reggae into the nearest travel bag and make the journey from London to Barnstaple. Kaya are fronted by Natty who found minor notoriety with his solo material which led to a performance on Later With Jools Holland a couple of years ago. He is also the founder of Defcon Records. The gig takes place tomorrow night (Friday 6th). Tickets are available on the door at £5 from 8pm.

Elsewhere, you can go and get your dance on to live DJs at The Palladium on Saturday with Wendy May’s Boom Boom Room. It may sound like a pinchbeck reincarnation of a Malibu advert, but I’m assured by reliable external sources that it’s “well good, mate!”

And if you want to catch Dave Sharp’s ‘warm-up’ show for Birdman, you can see him at The Waverly on Saturday evening (7th). Without a Wurzel in sight.