Photo: WENN.com
This weekend Gigwise were at V Festival in Chelmsford Essex where headlining acts included megastar Beyoncé and Grammy award winners the Kings of Leon. Also amongst the line-up was an all-star cast of mainstream pop acts with performances from the likes of The Saturdays, Emeli Sande, The Script and many more. Even though the artists were unoffensive in the extreme - the same couldn’t be said for the notoriously rowdy crowds.
With this in mind here’s our list of the 10 best things we saw at V Festival over the weekend...
1. Beyoncé – Debuting her brand new hair do and still managing the infamous hair flip
With cheap fake tans beginning to trickle in the drizzling rain, the Essex crowds were obviously keen for punctuality, as boos erupted when the diva was only 25 minutes late to the stage.
However the delayed arrival meant everyone could partake in the game of ‘which wig will she be wearing?’ as the rumors were that she’d chicken out of performing with her new pixie cut hairstyle. When Queen B finally arrived on stage she looked dazzling in a white one piece and revealing her brand new locks with a compromising short blonde bob. With punchy attitude the first track ‘Run The World (Girls)’ managed to give the crowd a much-needed boost of energy. With her sassy ensemble of backing dancers and band, Beyoncé certainly knows how to put on a performance with no half measures for showmanship. With such a strong start the set unfortunately had too many slow numbers too early on, with the crowds obviously looking for a sing along to one of her many anthems.
‘Naughty Girl’ was given a harmonious twist in sound and giving her the ability to showcase her undeniably strong vocals, leaving the crowds in awe. ‘Crazy in Love’ was the pumping performance of the night even though there was noticeably less singing from the pop diva, but in a way the feisty attitude and hair flicks made up for it. Beyoncé is all about the spectacle and with 7 outfit changes in total this only added to the phenomenon of seeing one of the worlds most influential and marketable females of our time.
An overall pleasing performance but it’s a shame that it couldn’t rival that incredible Glastonbury performance, sorry B.
2. Bum cheeks – obviously the fashion accessory of the summer
It seemed women at V Festival really have no shame, where the whole weekend our eyes were unwillingly violated. The emerging theme this summer is clearly for girls to buy stupidly tight shorts so that half of their buttocks are hanging out – classy. We were also astonished to find when women couldn’t be bothered to queue for the toilet there was a frenzy of bare ass naked squatting, everywhere and anywhere. Overall just way too much bum cheek for anyone to handle, put it away ladies!
3. Paloma Faith – The soulful golden girl who pulled at our heartstrings
Down to earth and charismatic, Paloma Faith manages to win over the crowd on Saturday evening. Bursting into hits such as ‘New York’ the singer totted around in huge heels as she belted out the number with the help from her soulful backing singers.
Never failing to entertain Paloma’s background in burlesque dancing aids her to tease and flirt with the crowd, keeping them enthralled throughout each and every song. ’30 Minute Love Affair’ felt more like a sing-along for the mums and dads of the audience, where the song embraced heartbreak and an upbeat hand clapping tempo that was more of a mid set filler than a highlight.
However almost heart wrenching at times ‘Just Be’ really stood out as an emotionally connecting song, where the crowd were noticeably holding back the tears at points. It’s not often at a festival you receive a feeling of great intimacy, but Paloma manages to pull it off through her emotive pangs in her voice and sensitivities in her facial expressions.
4. Jessie J – proving less hair can mean more attitude
This Essex-born lady was clearly ecstatic to be playing on her home turf as she put her heart and soul into the energetic performance. Not one to shy away from the crowds Jessie managed to look incredible in a tight black and white two-piece, where her toned body and fearless attitude meant that she gave the best performance of Saturday night.
Opening with ‘Price Tag’ she didn’t leave the audience waiting around for her famous hits where she followed shortly after with ‘Do It Like a Dude’. There was no stopping Jessie as she mimicked air guitar moves in an aerobic back bend, showed off her incredible vocal range and revealing her new artwork for the upcoming album entitled ‘Alive’.
5. High heels in the mud, yes really
There were some interesting outfit choices over the weekend to say the least. High heels, fake eyelashes and long peroxided hair extensions were not uncommon in the land of Essex, oh and fake tan was just a given. The champagne bar and VIP lounge were the favourite hangout spots of the weekend where the Essex elite were able to flaunt their designer goods and have fake tan offs. Ok so the latter may be an exaggeration but sadly not too far from the truth.
6. Two Door Cinema Club – bringing happy go lucky indie dance anthems
V Festival isn't just about pop however, with Two Door Cinema Club giving the males in the audience an opportunity to work their testosterone, even if some of the boisterous nature of the crowd is irritating to the rest of us. Two Door Cinema Club bring indie sounds to Essex, with upbeat guitar sounds infused with catchy sing-along choruses. Opening number ‘Sleep Alone’ manages to put a smile on everyone’s face where the easy listening and harmless beats are an instant crowd pleaser.
The finale ‘What You Know’ allows everyone to chant along to the lyrics and have a little dance. Two Door Cinema Club prove tonight that they’re just a generally likeable band, where they are a pleasing break from some of the cheesier pop acts of the day.
7. Tom Odell – proving he’s more than just a pretty-faced pianist
Odell has a lot to live up to with his live performances, having already settled a No.1 album at the tender age of 22 it’s important he establishes himself as a great live act instead of just another studio enhanced pop act.
Introducing the set with the new single ‘Grow Old With Me’ the crowd are instantly blown away by his musicianship, where it’s notably rare to see a pianist become so popular with younger fans. Perhaps it’s the smile on his face when he looks up from his piano that gives it away but Tom is obviously overwhelmed by his overnight success and it looks like he loves every minute of it.
Seasick Steve, the guitarist with more strings than teeth, joins Odell on stage for a quick accompaniment, which allows for some lighthearted crowd participation. ‘Can’t Pretend’ and ‘Another Love’ are where Odell shines through, with his emotive lyrics connecting the masses and his impressive piano solos proving he’s not just another one hit wonder.
8. The Skints – Sunday night stoner-reggae
After a long weekend of cheesy pop and indie tempos it was The Skints who brought something a little different to the festival and gave the crowd an excuse to have a little skank.
Letting off some steam the female fronted Ska band from London described how they usually tour with sweaty punks, so it was a surprise to see such an interactive crowd at V festival genuinely enjoying the band. Whether it was just an excuse to light up a joint or not it was the syncopated guitar twangs and light percussion which allowed the crowds to really let loose. Stoner Ska at it’s best.
9. Stereophonics – still banging out the rough and ready rock and roll hits
A little more rough and ready than some of the other acts on the bill, Stereophonics have done their time and earned their place at the top of the charts over the years. The Welsh rockers looked quite at home playing the main stage before Kings Of Leon, where remarkably Kelly Jones looked like he hasn’t aged since the early 90s. What’s his secret?
As the sun was setting down over Chelmsford the pink clouds were the perfect backdrop for mellower hits like ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ allowing for a bonding session of united hand swaying and singing in unison. Their set is tight and polished with seamless guitar changes and Kelly’s daughter even making an appearance to warm the hearts of the crowd. They literally have everyone eating out of the palms of their hands and reminding us that they really are one of Britain’s finest exports.
The night draws in as the band up the ante with fast paced rock songs such as ‘Dakota’ where fireworks and flamethrowers add to the epic proportions of a faultless set.
10. Kings of Leon – Shaking off the moody façade and returning to top form
Kings of Leon fused together their southern twang and chart topping numbers to win over the Chelmsford crowd for the Sunday night finale.
KOL have arguably left behind some of their older and more devoted fans in recent years having stood by them before their mainstream success of ‘Sex On Fire’ dominated our radio stations and every club in the country. However tonight’s opener ‘The Bucket’ managed to reunite old flames as the song drove recognition that when on form KOL really are a force to be reckoned with. Still holding a unique and genuine southern sound that separates them from their younger indie counterparts, making them something a little more special.
‘Supersoaker’ is the only new song to have it’s premier within the headliners performance, where the punchy little number fits nicely in between classics like ‘Molly’s Chamber’ and more recent accolade ‘Crawl’. It’s a relief to see the KOL boys have got their act together and shaken off their usual moody facade, where tonight they’re looking relaxed and on top form.
