It might share its name with the influential LP from The Grateful Dead, evoking the vivid dreams of heady days gone by, but this Terrapin Station is looking always ahead, nurturing the talents of new artists and musicians of the UK and beyond and trying to steal us all a mouthful of whatever our utopia tastes like. The origins of Terrapin Station go back to 2010 when creative impresario Leeland Cr
ane was entrusted with the role of conceiving a new music arena for the New Forest's glorious Festibelly festival. He christened the stage 'Terrapin Station' and along with Festival director, Andy Bell, carefully handpicked a line-up for the stage's inaugural launch in August later that year. When the time came, Leeland, along with his creative compadre Luke E Bonanza and a posse of willing helpers, rigged up an impossible amount of bunting in the eves of a small but perfectly formed tent, the sun shone, the first band played and everything clicked into place. Heartening live performances have since steeped the Terrapin Station in glory, from the likes of This is the Kit, She Keeps Bees, Lulu and the Lampshades, Dimbleby and Capper, Holly Cook, Marmaduke Dando, Rose Madder, Skinny Lister and Chancery Blame & the Gadjo Club. So much so has the Terrapin Station enchanted the minds of Festibelly-goers, it has naturally since evolved into a wandering event, seeking to bring that warm, sun-bleached chromatic magic on tour, anywhere in the UK, whenever the fancy takes it. The wonderful Rozi Plain, Magic Lantern, Goodbye Leopold and Rose Madder graced the stage at Terrapin Station's first London event in late 2011 at Festibelly's favourite boozer, The Lock Tavern; between the acts, DJs Terrapin, Mojo Filter and Fear of Theydon saw that no moment went unaccompanied by lush tunes, until eventually Terrapin was forcibly extracted from the DJ booth for playing Bronski Beat 'Smalltown Boy' after the noise curfew…
There's plenty more where that came from, so keep an eye on this here page for new Terrapin Station news, Festibelly and events in 2012…
www.festibelly.com
