Saturday at The Hop Farm is a step back to the 1970s
The Hop Farm Festival 2011 review
Tuesday 12th July 2011
The previous day crowds had watched a line-up topped by Eagles, and Bryan Ferry with tomorrow seeing The hop Farm play host to Prince for his two and a half hour set.
Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Morrissey grace the fields of east England, at Hop Farm. The fantastic vintage feel to the festival provides the feeling you have stepped into the Hop time machine, back to the 1970s.
With Patti Smith adding to the atmosphere as she speaks of freedom and politics to which was extremely well accepted by the crowd. She performed a verse of Adele's 'Rolling In The Deep', although she may not have known the words, she won the audience from start to finish, dedicating 'Because The Night' to the "man in the red suit" on the assumption she was speaking about Micheal Jackson, she spoke of that great loss.
Lou Reed, began somewhat annoyed with the sound lady, it was quite clear he possibly was reading the words from a television beneath him. However, he wowed the audience with 'Sunday Morning', 'Female Fatale' and 'Sweet Jane'. His energy was clear when he kept shouting at his guitarist to play "HARDER!". Reed also played John Lennon's 'Mother' unfortunately it seemed ill rehearsed, and seemed to drone on for a while. However, a legend like Lou Reed singing a John Lennon number, is special.
And then there was Iggy Pop,... This big kid, stole the show his energy was electric from start to finish, at the grand old age of 64 You can only stand and watch in awe of this great, timeless performer. Each song got better and better, as the crowd grew even more lively, Iggy launched himself into the crowd, pulling people up to dance with him, during 'Shake Appeal'.... Ultimately, he should have headlined the show. Phenomenal.
Morrissey acknowledged he had a hard act to follow as he asked "How the hell do you follow Iggy Pop?". Morrissey seemed to be tired from watching Iggy Pop, he took an acoustic approach to 'Meat Is Murder' unfortunately it maybe didn't go down as well as he had hoped, perhaps Iggy was to big from Morrissey to follow.
Overall another extremely successful year at Hop Farm, just when you think they can't do it any better, they deliver something spectacular. Hopefully Vince Power keeps to the great diversity that he has over the past few years, and doesn't fall into the main stream trap that so many festivals do these days. Summer isn't summer without a Hop Farm festival... Fantastic.
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