Friday 18/07/08 My Bloody Valentine, Hot Chip, Babyshambles @ Benicassim, Spain

Friday saw the Sun break onto the distance horizon, evaporating the last of the clouds that loitered in the morning sky; its effects were similarly seen and felt by many of those still in fiesta mode stumbling across the site and surrounding area from the night previous. Bodies rose in broken harmony, strenuously appearing from heat absorbed tents that accommodated them. Many spilled out into the town in search of solitude and shade in order to repent and revive what was left of their battered souls; some of us lusted for strong coffee in hope of a sense of sobriety.

Vincent Vincent and The Villains opened the day’s entertainment to a humble gathering under the FiberFIB.com tent of those that struggled through the day/previous night’s partying – myself being one of them. Vincent et al. croon through the pickings of their recently released rockabilly debut, Gospel Bombs, before ex-member Charlie Waller and The Rumble Strips follow with a more crowd engaging set including ‘Motorcycle’, ‘Girls And Boys In Love’, and ‘Time’.

Scores of electro deviants gathered excitedly as Metronomy’s computer formatted beats jaunted the wide-eyed and dribbling crowd. ‘My Heart Rate Rapid’ and ‘Holiday’ helped swoon a crowd with their tight compugeek gyrations.

Such was the anticipation of his presence, an assembly of youthful fans gathered at the main stage’s temporarily gated entrance awaiting Pete Doherty’s vacillating performance four hours before they he was billed to appear. Babyshambles split the crowd into those who were drunk and disillusioned by obsessive love and luster, and those whom watched on with sobering cynicism. Tracks were strung out awkwardly with Pete often forget his lines as the rest of the “‘Shambles” on display appear tactless and timeless. In all, ‘Killamangiro’, ‘Albion’, ‘Delivery’, ‘Beg, Steal or Borrow’ and their surprisingly punctual stage entrance play well to the lovers and believers; but it was a performance that lacked substance, abusing and disheartening hopeful onlookers which laboriously played up to their idiosyncrasies that have become far too common place.

New York Dolls followed, with David Johansen showing Pete Doherty what is meant by rock and roll durability and longevity. Comprising of two original members (the other being Sylvian Sylvian), they returned wrinkled and eroded after almost 30 years to play their unabashed brand of glam-punk rock that gained them notoriety in the Seventies. ‘Personality Crisis', ‘Trash’ and ‘We’re All In Love’ echo reminiscently amongst fan.

Hot Chip’s occupancy of the 11pm slot in the dance tent drew a crowd of epic proportion. Bodies pressed uncomfortably up against one another, the hot, mephitic atmosphere ensued for a riotous reception for the Londoners. Festival witnesses threw conventional thinking and individuality to one side as they bounced in unison to the modulated beats and rhythms of ‘Boy From School’, ‘Ready For The Floor’ and set accolade ‘Over And Over’. In all it was a sterling performance only to be left tainted and absorbed of its party antics by an unnecessary and inert cover of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, killing what would have been rapturous plaudits.

Almost a decade and a half had passed since My Blood Valentine stood on stage together in order to purvey their cult “shoe gazing” wall of sound. They pay little attention to one and others’ presence as their overwhelming symphonies of tumultuously distorted sounds echo arduously in the form of fan favourites ‘Soon’ and ‘Only Shallow’. Stunning.

Click here to see the highlights of Benicassim 2008 in pictures!