bands overview

Friday

Due to a proliferation of fake tickets and searches on randoms entering the festival we missed most of the acts on Friday. Even so we hear The Feeling well enough to sing along to their hits ‘Fill My Little World’, ‘Never Be Lonely’ and ‘I Love It When You Call’ which all have the queue singing along. We also enjoy a moment of genius when they do a rousing cover of ‘Video Killed The Radio Star.’ Sounds like the band went down rather well. Would’ve liked to have been in the crowd watching.

We hear Groove Armada less clearly as the queue heads away from the arena. However after being penned into a dead end where no one at the front was getting handed wristbands and we weren’t moving, I was incensed. However once we were in the arena, actually watching the lightshow and ‘I See You Baby’ had us dancing, things rapidly improved. Groove Armada were great for reviving flagging spirits and in spite of only seeing half of it, they were the band of the night for me. The crowd were going mental and they were totally on form.

Snow Patrol returned to Isle of Wight this time as headliners, and it lacked the instant appeal of the their last appearances at the festival but they were worthy headliners none the less. The Undertones’ ‘Teenage Kicks’ gets the packed crowd all exuberant. The music seemed more muted and restrained and with new songs being aired the accessibility was less immediate. However, the crowd favourites come thick and fast with the crowd taking on vocal duties on many occasions. ‘Chasing Cars’ not only has a crowd sing along but a changed lyric "the Isle of Wight just burst to life", ahh Snow Patrol you are spoiling us.


There follows a set full of hits ‘Chocolate’, ‘You're All I Have’, ‘Open Your Eyes’ and ‘Signal Fire’. Mary Kaufmann is introduced on stage to replace Martha Wainwright on ‘Set The Fire To The Third Bar’ which is a highlight of the set. Dedications are made to Muse and The Rolling Stones, which kind of reminds us how tonight’s headliner is less impressive beside those two. All the same, the band don’t disappoint, they just seem more polished and less energetic to me. The singalongs were lovely though.

Saturday

After meeting some friends which involved having a few ciders, I headed over to the Bandstand on someone’s recommendation while others headed for Donovan. I was off to watch a local band, however they had been bumped up the bill and so instead we were treated to another one (the Quick 50s), who were great, with a reggae fused bass line and some ska flavoured stylings they were the only bit of reggae I heard all weekend, shame there’s not more of it at festivals.

Next up were Preacher Joe and worth catching despite the attractions of Amy Winehouse, who we could see on the big screen beside us. They play pure rawk and the drummer certainly looks the part with a mullet and shades on, underpinning both guitars and there’s more than a hint of Black Crowes in there. Great stuff!

I’m heading back to the arena, when I hear Shitdisco’s brand of dance punk and I’m hooked. I’m so glad I saw the vibrant sweaty fourpiece who trade instruments and smiles throughout their high tempo set where they blast out tracks from the debut album ‘Kingdom of Fear’. Despite the name, they actually sound pretty damn melodic. The best energetic and vibrant live performance of the weekend for me, yup even better than Muse or The Stones! Not one duff song and an infectious happiness doing what they do. Go seem them as they’re awesome live, they have the place exploding.

The Red Arrows deserve a quick mention, I’ve seen plane displays before and thought it would just be a fly by but no they did the whole thing, upside down cockpit to cockpit flying, star bursts, crossovers, even a heart made from trails – it was actually stunning and impressive.



I get back to the arena in time for Wolfmother who are fresh from the Download festival and doing both festivals in the one weekend. Their brand of bluesy rock is well suited to the Isle of Wight, paying homage to its history of similar acts in the seventies. Despite the lack of kaftans and the overwhelming smell of suntan lotion, I’m able to close my eyes and imagine those much earlier and more crowded festivals thirty years ago.

Local boys The Bees have the place packed out and the music beforehand is oldschool nineties Madchester scene stuff, it’s all a little bit perfect. We sit amongst the tables outside the tent with happy, chatty people around us while the music of The Bees creates an atmosphere darn near perfection. Not surprisingly they are hugely well received and it’s another highlight of the festival this time for creating the perfect festival environment.

Kasabian are next up back in the arena and they sure don’t disappoint either. Opening track ‘Shoot The Runner’ has such an amazing reaction from the crowd, I just knew it would be a sparkling performance from then on, the crowd boosting the band. Lead singer Tom, is a nice boy really, he loves his mum, wishing her a happy 51st birthday between songs for the beered up, dancing masses to bounce and yell along to. Hot, sweaty and with ears ringing we sing along to ‘LSF’, ‘Club Foot’, ‘Processed Beats’, ‘Me Plus One’ and ‘Doberman’ and with such a strong performance it’s as though we’ve had the headliner!


But, no, we’re in for a treat, Muse top the bill and despite the energy expelled with Kasabian we’re all still up for a party. And, what a party, a birthday party in fact as lead singer Matt declares he’s 29 today. And he know how to throw on in style, a light show of awesome intensity, digital warping and stars exploding on giant screens with an ear splitting volume and tunes like ‘Supermassive Blackhole’, ‘Feeling Good’, ‘Invincible’, ‘Time Is Running Out’, ‘Plug In Baby’ and ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ that are now modern classics.



Proving why they were given that best live act on the planet award last year the three piece shriek, plunk and wail through from opener ‘Knights Of Cydonia’ to ‘Take A Bow’ blasting out every hit song of theirs along the way. These are today’s headliners, this is today’s music and this is a band at the top of their game. We have rock dinosaurs tomorrow (with The Rolling Stones), but tonight Muse showed us what the men of the moment can achieve and in the process blew half the electricity to the back of the festival. I might not like them, but tonight was awesome from first note to final spark of pyro it was some show, one burnt into the retinas and a memorable spectacle. How did we survive it?

Sunday

The Hedrons are just taking to the stage as we arrive, the all girl band are entertaining high speed punk rock and lead singer Tippi runs down the huge platform erected overnight for the Stones. Playing songs from their debut album, ‘One More Won’t Kill Us’ like ‘Heatseeker’ and the forthcoming single ‘Be My Friend’ they’re actually a good choice of act to roast in the sun in front of.



Country Joe had a full band behind him last week at Wychwood, where I watched him briefly, saving seeing his performance for today and what does he do? Only come on solo and not play a lot of songs, then have a spoon player and a washboard specialist join him. ‘Entertainment is My Business’, ‘Country Ways’ a song damning the US President and ‘Save The Whale’ dedicated to Greenpeace and the lump in the throat moment of ‘Support The Troops’ all pass by far too quickly before we attempt a world record for the most shouts of ‘Fuck’ and the finale of the ‘Feel Like I'm Fixin'-To Die!’ It’s over far too soon and I’d have loved the full band rather than an extended spoon and washboard solo! But still this is the guy who was at the first rock festival at Monterey and his songs still hold true today.

Melanie C sings us chilled Sunday afternoon mellow music. I’m wondering whether the microphone should have stayed off like it did for the first few words, but it’s not actually that bad, it’s easy listening in the main. She said she visited the festival last year and describes it as the best festival she’s been to. Her set ends on a high with the dance beat driven ‘I Turn To You’.



James Morrison was a surprise, his folk driven music was given extra impetus with a passionate performance. The music and the emotion were perfect for this slot opening with ‘Under The Influence’ and by ‘Undiscovered’ he has the crowd singing along happily and ‘Wonderful World’ is an excellent choice of cover. He gives us a rousing performance and it’s by far the best of the day so far.

The ‘Rocky’ soundtrack blares from the speakers as Paolo Nutini takes to the stage. As well as his own tunes like the catchy ‘New Shoes’ he plays two great covers, first up Moby’s ‘Natural Blues’ with a reggae treatment and then a dance-along version of The Jungle Book’s ‘King Of The Swingers’ all the time hunched over and smiling, the singer’s voice is pretty damn incredible. ‘Last Request’ has the crowd singing it back to a smiling Paolo. He may be new to the UK music scene but it’s like he’s a firm festival favourite already. That debut album has an awful lot of good tunes on it. A well balanced set that has everything.


The Fratellis' bassist proudly sports a “Who the f*ck is Mick Jagger?” T-shirt and the band seem intent on putting the Stones down with lines like "She was into The Stones when I was into The Roses." But truth be told this is an indie band who on the day lacked the verve and energy of some gigs I’ve seen them at. Their set drags slightly, fifty minutes to play a debut album, leaves them punctuating to many songs with guitar and horn section.

However ‘Baby Fratelli’, ‘Henrietta’ and final song and crowd pleaser ‘Chelsea Dagger’ are highlights and the Scottish band have attitude in bucketloads. Makes me realise how few indie bands there are on the bill.

Next up Keane, who have a nicely decorated stage of what appear to be giant white magic mushrooms. No doubt they delight their fans, but I’m afraid they leave me totally cold, so I head back to Strawberry Fields for a rave in the sun, cider in hand to Krafty Kuts! Superb, sing and dance along, chat to a few complete strangers and generally have a great time. I return to Keane just as they are finishing and the crowd seems a little more subdued compared to the hands in the air, bikini waving mentalness in the Ciderhouse! But they’ve clearly enjoyed Tom and co. none the less.


And so it comes to the headliners, if Muse are pretenders to the throne then The Rolling Stones are their royal majesties. The atmosphere as we wait for the band to appear at a festival for the first time in thirty years is electric. As the band emerge running onto the stage to ‘Start Me Up’ the crowd around me go bonkers mental.

Despite their age, the band all look incredibly athletic and Mick bounds about the stage. ‘You Got Me Rocking’ and new single ‘Rough Justice’ show even their newer stuff has quality. They may be larger than life caricatures of themselves but we can’t take our eyes off them. Ronnie Wood and Charlie looking relaxed as they go through all the numbers.



Mick tells us how much he’s enjoyed the earlier bands, name checking Keane and The Fratellis, and mentioning Paolo Nutini’s on the ferry home, but then we realise he’s kidding as Nutini clearly star struck joins them for a wonderful rendition of ‘Love In Vain’.

Not long after Amy Winehouse joins the ravaged Keith and co. for another cover this time The Temptations’ ‘Ain't Too Proud To Beg’ which has Amy on her knees before the spritely looking Mick and it’s a festie moment!

Keith slows things down singing a couple of numbers ‘Tumbling Dice’ and ‘Slipping Away’ and although they aren’t classics Keith’s clearly enjoying the moment, and we’re all thinking of pirates I guarantee you.

Suddenly Charlie Watts’ drum kit starts moving and rotates, turns out it’s on a big moving stage and the rest of the band jump aboard as it sets off down the 80ft walkway dividing the crowd. We go even more mental to ‘Miss You’ and ‘(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction’ and ‘Honky Tonk Women’ has the whole crowd dancing as Mick continues to strut and groove, he’s 63 you know!

The walkway vessel returns to the shore of the main stage as we sing along. We catch our breaths and there’s calls of ‘Woo Woo’ slowly building in the crowd and then the screens explode in crimson and flames shoot into the night sky from atop the gargantuan stage as ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ is unleashed upon us. It’s glorious and the band’s crowning moment.


‘Brown Sugar’ and an amazingly energetic blast of ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ close the set and despite them all being so old, it’s been effortless and up there with the best gigs I’ve ever seen! Monumental in their stage presence, they still hold firmly to the crown of the biggest band in the world live, well perhaps Mick wears it at a cocky angle. What a triumphant end to a festival! The huge tongue logo leers out into the night as the band take their plaudits. It’s a ‘Bigger Bang’ tour alright, the explosions from the festival finale fireworks are so loud they set off every car alarm in the area, awesome!

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