Review: Eclectica free festival at St Helens

This time last year Victoria Square basked in sunshine as 14,000 fans thronged to see Little Man Tate, John Power and Echo and the Bunnymen.
This year the rain poured. Admittedly, there were gaps in the downpours, but the sunshine seemed a long way.
Nevertheless, the crowd made the most of every second, a sea of arms reaching to the heavens as the bands came on, clapping, hugging and raising camera phones in the air. Families danced together in the rain, celebrating the one of the best music festivals on Merseyside.
Hosted by XFM's Clint Boon, the afternoon began with some of the best up-and-coming bands from the town, with sets from Chilli Con Carnival, The Little Hydes, Ariel Chambers, Beaker Folk of the Bronze Age, Silent Thunder and Red Orchestra, before performances from Ghengis Grimes, Hang Project and Mama Beani.
Then came a great set from quirky indie kids The Cubical, and as their sunny retro vibe blasted out the rain began to die down.
Scouse favourites The Maybes? shone with their psychedelic charms and tight melodies. The lads have been playing festivals up and down the country this summer, and they get better every time I see them.

Fellow darlings of the Liverpool scene Amsterdam brought the weather, and an army of fans with them. The rain stopped completely, and as Arm in Arm and Raid the Palace rang out across the town square it was hard to hear the soaring vocals over the crowd singing along with every line.
Festival favourites The Levellers also had everyone up at the front and dancing, delighting the crowd with One Way of Life, What a Beautiful Day, 15 Years and Just The One.
Headliners Shed Seven performed a packed set of hits, with Going for Gold, Getting Better, Chasing Rainbows and Speakeasy, perfectly rounding off nine hours of top-class music.
Eclectica certainly lived up to its name, with something for everyone.
They may not have had the weather, but everything else was there. And as always, the local bands stole the show, showing just how bright Merseyside's musical future promises to be.