Venturing out after nearly having malaria (OK, tonsilitus but a night in hospital) me and Debs intrepidly approach Clapham Common in the rain for the revived GET LOADED if a little early in the year and on a Saturday. Gnashing our teeth at missing Darwin Deez we wander in and past a damp Los Campesinos to catch the end of SPECTOR under canvas. Sounds like good ole clean cut indie and impressive enough for us to rue being late. Back to LOS CAMPESINOS who cheer the crowd up with happy festival good time beats. Rain holding off we head off for THE JOKER AND THE THIEF. In fact 3 of them with various dodgy haircuts from past decades – 60’s long & beardie, 70’s afro, 80’s near mullet. Great music tho – down n dirty singing hitting the living daylights out of cymbols, drums & acoustic guitar with grungy sax and squeezebox. Great like romanys lost in the swamps. Back to main stage for PATRICK WOLF who we didn’t know. Weird green suit, playing harp, histrionic vocals. Not looking good. But really took off and grew on us as he raised the temperature and regaled us of tales of Clapham (a homecoming for him). A highlight and we knew it!
Catch the end of SIXNATIONSTATE rowdy intense indie but not startling. Now for my highly anticipated BRITISH SEA POWER… not seen for a while and looking forward to something left field but seem to have dropped into an indie rock arena band without the tripping out and heavy guitars. Or even Scottish sea shanties. Shame! On to someone a little more understated christened BEANS ON TOAST (or maybe not a given name). Think Chas or Dave fathering Scroobius Pip and taking liquid acid – add small guitar and shambolically sung lyrics about everyday issues such as trainers and meeting girls at festivals. Classic british rhymes ensue… Brilliant. Having caught a bit of NOISETTES when at bar singing move up to the bumper cabaret style we check the rest of the set out – still cabaret but entertaining enough and braved the rain and wind in skimpy outfits and boas. Next to SOUND OF RUM which I read were good but free form jazz and shrieky rapping (the former the best bit). Scoot off quickly toward the strains of euro rave coming from t’other tent… YELLE are on and great. Slim singer in hoody cat suit shouting against big drums and eurobeat – really energetic and got my feet moving like a dad when listening to Ministry mix CDs (I should know). Not big hands in the air love in euphoria but given another time and place? Another gilt edged find.
CRIBS up on main stage disappointed missed the Smith and to be honest they could’ve done with something to break up the brotherly love. Great tunes but after a few thinking deja vu. Last saw them at this event years ago and first in mates Ramsey & Jo’s garden for their wedding party where they played naked (the Cribs, not the newly weds). Wandered off before the end and they only had about 30 minutes! SLOW CLUB were slow and RIFLES too laid back for their own good (much tighter when supporting Godlike Weller a while back). Then all shut except for RAZORLIGHT. Not a great fan but good reviews from Camden Crawl and very (OK, fairly) enjoyable for 30 minutes then the wind and rain defeated us and we wander off into the night. Along with the throng – surely only about 13 people left to cheer for Razorlight’s encore?
All in all an enjoyable start to the outdoor festival season if a little damp. The headliners all disappointed and highlights were Patrick Wolf, Yelle, The Joker and the Thief and Beans on Toast. All first viewings for me and as that’s what festivals are all about better than seeing lots of crap new bands and enjoying the obvious ones. Raise a plastic bottle of perry (that’s pear cider to you kids) for all the new bands! Yayyy!
(or at least new for me – having done a bit of Googling some have been around for a while)
