Photo:
From our tent, Gigwise is pondering what the credentials are to be able to come to the Isle Of Wight Festival – which is now in its sixth year after its 2002 reincarnation. We’re surrounded by all walks of life. There are people who have surpassed middle age credentials; those who go menopausal at the thought of what middle age might bring and those who are still not quite sure what the twenties – contrary to what their fake id’s might say – actually feel like. In short, there’s the young, there’s the older and there’s Mick Jagger.
We should ponder the longer really; the answer has been on the line-up all along. The appearance of The Rolling Stones at this year’s festival – in what will be their first UK festival appearance for thirty one years – has brought just about every walk of life out of the woodwork – and that’s not even including the healthy attendance of people who saw them when they played their last UK Festival at Knebworth Fair.
Day one is not about The Rolling Stones, however, contrary to the already swelling buzz of anticipation around this coming Sunday’s closing spectacle. Day one’s first task is about actually getting to the festival site successfully! The Isle Of Wight, you see, is like a leach that’s trying (and failing) to cling on to the bottom of England. Gigwise’s journey to the festival alone, includes, a seagull attack on the 8am ferry crossing (how were we to know that fish from the ocean isn’t even this bird’s first choice of nutrition these days?), being stopped and praised about our pop-up tent almost every five minutes (these things really are the real deal by the way!) and then a ten minute bus journey from port to festival site. It’s not surprising that day one of this festival begins at the rather commuter friendly hour of 5pm because you need the best part of the day to get there. Heck, at least we made it though, which is more than Mutya Buena, who failed to make her ferry crossing from Portsmouth ahead of her appearance with Groove Armada.
We must not complain, however, we are here, the sun is shining (it’s already ninety-five degrees on our in tent thermometer) and we have Koopa – yes, the band who became the first unsigned band to enter the UK charts on downloads earlier this year - to look forward to. OK, so that’s Koopa dealt with.
This year’s festival gets underway more officially for Gigwise with an appearance by Echo And The Bunnymen on the main stage. We say main stage; there is actually only one at this festival. While the temperature might be high, the Bunnymen are not warm enough to slip out of their dark and heavy attire as they deliver a performance which goes from the cool vibes of ‘Dancing Horses' to the stunning sounds of 'The Cutter.'
“Who were they mummy?” asks a youngster near Gigwise. Before the child’s mum, who looks puzzled herself, can answer she’s saved by the arrival of The Feeling – the same child is now going mad and she’s not the only one. While The Feeling might serve up a pop sound which doesn’t satisfy everyone’s palette they’ve got more radio savvy songs than a lot of artists on this weekend’s bill. It’s no surprise then that the band – who are currently in the studio working on their second album – stick to the song’s that the audience know. ‘Fill My Little World,’ is as catchy as ever; ‘Rose’ – after a false start – just as contagious and they even include a cover of Buggles' 'Video Killed The Radio Star' to add to the crowds already vibrant vocal participation. Surprisingly, the band also air, ‘Join With Us,’ which is produce from their recent studio sessions. For Gigwise, though, the line, “The world isn’t in your hands,” is unnervingly contrived and, to add to the song’s detriment, its melody sounds eerily familiar to every other record The Feeling have ever produced.
Now, you wouldn’t normally expect a band like Groove Armada – who play quintessential dance beats – to follow a band like The Feeling, but hey, this is the Isle Of Wight Festival. While The Feeling engaged the chart lovers, Groove Armada engage, well, everyone right from the outset. In a set which borrows strongly from their new album, ‘Soundboy Rock,’ it’s the bands more established songs – from the chilled beats of ‘At The River,’ that – for five minutes make the Isle of Wight feel like the white isle of Ibiza and, ‘Superstylin’ which bring urban London to the beach lined shores of southern England. We needn’t discuss what body part reaction the bands infamous, ‘I See You Baby’ triggers, but put it this way, a 55-year old woman almost knocks Gigwise to the floor with hers! While Mutya Buena may have failed to reach the island for her scheduled performance of ‘Song 4 Mutya’ with the band, Groove Armada don’t seem to have missed her. Their set is well timed, well received and well what we needed man – after The Feeling at least!
It’s not even the end of day one of the Isle of Wight festival and Gigwise has already learnt a new trick. If you want to come to the festival to listen to the music then paying is not necessary. Just ask Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody. It’s barely ten minutes into his bands headlining slot when he thanks the pesky viewers who are enjoying the sound of ‘Spitting Games’ from over the other side of the river opposite the Seaclose Park site. Understandably, the paying audience are not amused and quite frankly Gigwise is worried that the ugly scenes that dogged this festival when it first took place in the 1970’s may arise again – and the Stones aren’t even on the island yet! Thankfully though, after a chorus of boos from the crowd and smug-with-themselves cheers from the unpaid onlookers, Snow Patrol burst into song again with ‘Signal Fire’ to disperse any possible friction.
Snow Patrol may come across as a rather tedious band on the radio, or at least they do because they’re rotated more times than a wind turbine, but live, they’re a far more ferocious animal, and, tonight, the Isle of Wight is their prey. Songs are played with a combination of meaning, power and precision. ‘Chasing Cars' is dogged tough; ‘You’re All I Have’ is like a wild beast bursttng to get free and, ‘Set The Fire To The Third Bar,’ which features an appearnace from vocalist Miriam Kaufman, is a truly moving moment.
In fact, for an already visibly overcome looking Gary Lightbody, it all gets a bit too much as the band play ‘Run.’ “You’ve done it again,” he proclaims, in reference to the bands previous two appearances at the festival where the crowds gave him vocal help he’d obviously thought couldn’t be surpassed.
Tonight, unlike those previous appearances, however, Snow Patrol are headlining. That means, in musical might at least, they’ve made it. While they might not be returning to the Isle of Wight anytime soon, a summer of headline slots is still ahead. It’s safe to say the same impression will probably be left on those festival crowds as well.
.jpg)
