James prompt a great singalong and Foals fail to capture on day two
T in the Park 2009 review
Wednesday 15th July 2009
Outside, under a cloudless blue sky, Manchester veterans James prompt one of the great singalongs of the weekend with the indie classic 'Sit Down'.
Tim Booth's freshly-shaved dome glints in the afternoon sun as a wonderful nostalgic moment unfolds and the chorus seems to sweep around the entire site as thousands of gleeful voices volley back the words to the anthem, first recorded in 1986, with joyous abandon.
Darting back inside the King Tut's tent in time to see Foals, it's notable that the raucous party atmosphere that characterised Friendly Fires' set has dulled a little.
Urgent, tumbling opener 'The French Open', with its choppy, angular guitars and incessant snare, powers along at quite a rate and 'Olympic Airways' builds its way to prominence on ringing guitar harmonics, slowly rising into a shimmering majesty with a probing bass groove.
The chorus to the darker, atmospheric 'Balloons' has Foals' devout following chanting back "We fly balloons on a fuel called love" with gusto and new song 'Total Life Forever' is powered through furiously, but despite the undoubted vigour and wealth of ideas on display Foals' set doesn't really capture the same heights as Friendly Fires before them.
review by Gary Walker photos by Louise Henderson / Steve Palmer
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