Saturday 19/07/08 The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, The Kills @ Benicassim, Spain

By Saturday, everyone looked to be suffering. Festival proponents slump in the heat, force-feeding themselves with a variety of provisions that are on offer around the area. Communication is sparse; wasted breath on palavered conversation only hinders the physical renaissance that is needed to continue. We all march on, albeit automaton and devoid of any emotion.

The Ting Tings, however, drew a huge crowd to the dance tent early on into the afternoon. Their two dimensional repertoire exhilarates those in attendance with a display of simple, penetrating pop rhythms. ‘That’s Not My Name’ and ‘Great DJ’ spark exultant revellers into movement, even if what they had to offer is a little insipid in dexterity.

Swedish singer-songwriter José González played to a packed audience in the FIB Club tent. Mouths opened and eyes welled throughout at the sheer aural beauty that exuded from the stage. A pool of tears would have gushed from its parameters had it not been for the inhibiting factor of the insatiable heat. Seldom words are spoken amongst those who are there; the silence only broken by appreciative applause after the likes of ‘Slow Moves’, ‘Crosses’, ‘In Our Nature’ and his deft cover of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’ to close.

Upon their return to Benicàssim, the main stage played host to the ever increasing popularity of The Kills and their emancipated maelstrom of contorted musical composition. Opener ‘U.R.A. Fever’ was one of the many tracks on display from their new album Midnight Boom. ‘Last Day Of Magic’, ‘Cheap And Cheerful’, ‘No Wow’ and ‘Fried My Little Brains’ pour from the battered amp. Hotel and VV often face one and other in a platonically introverted harmony throughout the set, yet they still remain thoroughly engaging.

The night, however, was to be stolen by The Raconteurs’ opulent performance. Jack White genuinely appears happy and at home with Benson and company for musical comrades. Intuitive improvisations of ‘Rich Kid Blues’ and ‘Blue Veins’ with moments of sheer impudent talent only lay way to the ecstasy inducing ‘Steady As She Goes’, ‘Broken Boy Soldier’ and ‘Salute Your Solution’. Omnipotence was grasped as they gathered at the front of the stage, embracing not only each other, but a crowd enraptured as they took a bow to the ecstatic appreciation that exuded.

Gnarls Barkley concluded the main stage’s celebrations, however, failed to invigorate onlookers. The hits (‘Crazy’, ‘Smiley Faces’ and ‘Who’s Gonna Save My Soul’) hit accord as Cee-Lo’s soulful vocal ascend beautifully. But it is the lack of full orchestration that is missed from the performance until they cover Radiohead’s spellbinding ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’.

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