Following a seemingly never-ending journey to the Best Kept Secret site (just over 20 mile west from Eindhoven in case you were wondering), Gigwise arrived early afternoon on the Friday to find Californian upstarts Fidlar destroying Stage Two.
Recalling the caustic bedlam for fellow Americans Black Lips, Fidlar took great pride in spelling out exactly who they were to the packed tent. “We’re Fidlar- that’s F-I-D-L-A-R”, frontman literally explained. At one point the band insisted that the whole tent sits down before leaping to their feet in one show of euphoria in unison. You’ll have to go a long way this weekend to find a more enthusiastically received set from a band which is clearly moving onto more anarchic things to come.
Perhaps the “hidden highlight” award for day one would go to singer songwriter Daniel Norgren who played Stage Three. Norgren’s soaring melodies, unique voice (thing a less reverb-drench Jim James from My Morning Jacket) and mercurial guitar skills showcased a performer at the top of his game. The only the disappointment may have been that Best Kept Secret couldn’t accommodate a longer set for the man from Sweden. The subtle bluesyness of the set closer that saw Norgren crooning over moonshine and demonstrating is idiosyncratic guitar skills will go down as a highlight of the weekend, not least because the extended jam passes the 10 minute mark.
Despite a drop in temperature and the worrying spectre of rain hanging over Circa Waves who played the early evening slot on the main stage, the atmosphere remained electric throughout. Anyone who has tracked this band meteoric rise to prominence will vouch for the fact the frontman Kieran Shudall is developing into a performer of rare charisma as he fronts band capable of crafting some of the most infectious guitar pop this side of Jack Steadman (an equally rare ability). You’d be hard pressed to pick highlights, however, 'Get Away' and 'Fossils' from debut album Young Chasers are up there.
Tallest Man on Earth aka Kristian Matsson, who, in case you weren’t aware is only of average height bounded on the Stage One with schools-out exuberance. And the enthusiasm of the 32 year old doesn’t relent throughout his hour long set as he skates and shuffles back and forth across the stage, with moves not too similar to a young Chuck Berry. Informing the sizeable crowd that this is the first European show as a full band (today Matsson is backed, at various times, by fiddle, guitar, bass, drums, keys and peddle steel, collectively introduced as “the Americans”), you’d be forgiven for thinking that quintet had been playing together for years given the effortless lucidity of the performance which picked liberally from Matsson’s recent Dark Bird is Home record.
A quick dash to Stage Two followed to see indie survivors The Jesus and Mary Chain perform in all their shoegaze glory. There was dry ice in abundance, combined with ethereal lighting, creating a gothic atmosphere as the Creation Records legends played their full Psycho Candy set. The brooding, abrasive musical back drop providing a striking juxtaposition when placed in front of a rabid audience. Set highlights included 'Just Like Honey' and 'Taste the Floor' both which proved sometimes as an artist the most profound performance is one in which the band remains almost statuesque with the music, and fanatical crowd, taking the event to the next level.
Despite the Libertines’ reputation of anarchy and unpredictability anyone who has seen them live, whether it be in during the first incarnation, or most recent, will know that their gigs actually follow a remarkable pattern of uniformity. Doherty will kicks over a mike stand, guitars will be thrown at roadies, Barat chain smokes throughout, kids in the crowd lose their shit, vocals will be barely comprehensible and each song of the set will be played at break neck speed.
Tonight’s Best Kept Secret headline slot was therefore the type of wonderfully ramshackle, shambolic affair that made the Libertines’ name. 'Time for Heroes' still conveys the same rebellion and filthy street swagger that it did when it appeared on the up the bracket 13 years ago, 'Don’t Look Back into the Sun' is without doubt the most accomplished pop song the band has ever created and 'Can’t Stand Me Know' retains it’s fractious element of danger, especially as Barat and Doherty peer directly into each other’s eyes as they sing it.
But perhaps the reason this set was so captivating is because it remind us all of the other knock-out numbers the band has in its arsenal. If we’re being honest we’d probably all forgotten how great 'The Delaney', 'Horrorshow' and 'Death on the Stair's sounded live. And to give messrs Doherty and Barat credit though there was also one new song played tonight, despite Barat’s protestation that it “wasn’t ready yet”, the ska-tinged 'Ganga Gin' which will feature on their upcoming new record. The bar had been set for day two.
