Psicle: Wide Awake 22

Arriving early afternoon for our local festival Debbie and I park our bikes at the Sainsburys opposite the Hootenanny and wander into the festival. First stop bar then mosey on down to the Brixton Windmill stage which is currently showcasing Fatoumata Diawara playing an African folk blues rock mix which is a great start for a sunny festival afternoon. We go for a wander around to check out the rest of the site and stages stopping off at a couple to listen to bands who I don't know the names of. Back at the Windmill stage to see the end of Fatoumata set so she and the band must have played for quite a while. Next up are Yard Act who are hotly anticipated and don't disappoint with a hard edged rocky, indie at times verging on funky set. The lead singer is chatty, charismatic and very funny. A wry sense of humour amongst which he loves to shout out about the fact that we're all in south London and then says he's not sure whether to be embarrassed or proud to come from Yorkshire. He's a bit Mark E Smith in attitude and looks with a beige raincoat on throughout the set which is not needed. Odd as he jokes that it's nice to be able to look cool by wearing sunglasses outside in the sun instead of inside looking like a twat. All the songs are great with a great cover of the Modern Lovers' Road Runner with two women who I think have toured with them coming on for vocal duties. Great. And much like last year they've put on a cracker early in the day. Next up are Fat White Family who we saw at Wide Awake last year, that was in September, and don't disappoint this year with their own special brew of sleazy rocking south London indie punk at times nodding towards other genres including what I'd think of as folk punk if there is such a thing. Debbie is convinced that the singer is stark naked. Not quite but his only clothing is very tight shorts that are coloured exactly the same as his flesh. Another great set and we meet up with Simon and Jules for it. We all have a bit of chill out time both all together and Debbie and I play spot the combat fatigues (should I take to Glastonbury?) and retro T shirts such as Crass and Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols neither of which you see every day. Next up are, again, hotly anticipated Amyl and the Sniffers who deliver a high energy but to be honest failry straight up rock set. I'm slightly disappointed and so is Debbie so we wander off. Let's see if I'm more interested when I see them on Wednesday again with Simon in Brixton. They're also at Glastonbury in a month. More wandering around and getting fed and watered and seeing a few random chunks of bands that shall remain nameless mainly cos I never knew their name in the first place. It's all part of the fun of the festival. We fail to see Billy Nomates which is a real shame partly cos I've written down the wrong time and then cos her set was moved to a different stage and time anyway. I really should get with the modern times and download apps for things like this. Then it's back to the Windmill to catch the always excellent Primal Scream who are presenting Screamadelica. Again. It's a fantastic uplifting set just right for sliding into the evening and easing into whatever state of loadedness has taken your fancy. I nip to the loo and unfortunately can't find the others and end up dancing next to a group who are distributing glow sticks so I wave a couple of those around for the rest of the set. Great end to the day. Like Amyl Debbie and I are seeing Primal in a month or so at Ally Pally and they are also playing Glastonbury. It sort of seems that we didn't see as many bands as last year but still fun. Only disappointment was that the magnificent chips van wasn't here although the Buddha Bowls were very good. I'm halfway through texting Debbie when she spots me and says that Simon and Jules have already left, the latter with my long sleeved Specials T which luckily I don't need. We walk back with the crowds to our bikes and cycle home. At home I see that our street's WhatsApp group have been complaining about the noise then a voice of reason says to get a grip as this is London. I drafted a robust response but luckily Debbie persuades me that sending social media under the influence is not a good idea and I delete.