I wake up to the news that the festival start has been delayed from 12:45 until 2 due to problems with the weather that week. I’m assuming that it interfered with their setting up time. Fair enough. But this created two problems: 1) The set running times were messed up. Yes, they put an updated schedule on the internet… but the timetables they handed out upon entry had the original times. Which would have been ok, but the bands weren’t in sync with either of these. 2) MUD. My shoes went from pink/red to brown/black. But I grew to enjoy sloshing through it. At times the ground was fine and grassy, but at points you had no option but to wade through it ankle deep. And wet socks all day is yuck.
BUT I had a great day. So now the negatives are out of the way, let the review begin.
First band I saw was Hot Hot Heat. They came on about forty minutes late, but that was ok as I swiftly found my pal Tamara and settled into one of the few spots with shade. Now I used to love these guys, and Make Up The Breakdown is still a fantastically awesome album. And I enjoy Elevator and the Knock Knock Knock EP also. However, they sorely miss old guitarist and creative talent Dante DeCaro. Who is brilliant. As such, the set varied between the excitement of hearing older songs (“Bandages”, “Talk To Me, Dance With Me”, etc) and teetering on boredom during the less captivating numbers. Now I hate people who do the “this band used to be way better” thing, and their frontman is still really great, but they really miss something these days.
Next up, on the same stage, we saw Modest Mouse. I like this guys on record, but live my verdict is ‘good, but not great’. Definately all very good musicians, and I dig a bit of accordion action. And I love Johnny Marr. I just found the vocals to lack a bit of impact live, when on CD they’re the most noticable and distinctive part. Still, enjoyable set with a nice mix of their stuff. Worst crowd all day, though. I mean, who the fuck crowd surfs to Modest Mouse? The guy who fell on my head, that’s who. And people shouldn’t be completely wacked out drunk that early in the day. Or continuously knock into people with their mid-crowd makeout sessions. But yes.
We wandered over the stage over the hill next. Ex-moloko front woman Roisin Murphy was on. I’ve actually heard good things from a couple of people about her set, but the bit I saw was nothing short of embarrassing. There were gogo dancers. And she had the worst had I’ve seen. And started doing that dance where you lean forward and run on the spot with your arms outstretched. You know the one? Anyway, it was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. This photo is stolen from fasterlouder, but it’s too good not to post.
Back over in time for the Jesus and Mary Chain. They sounded really great, but had very little stage presence. Just old blokes standing their in sunglasses pretty much motionless. Musically very nice, though. And there was this one old guy in a Sonic Youth shirt doing the BEST old man dancing I am yet to witness. Absolutely rocking out. If he was on his back you’d assume he was seizuring. He’s my hero. I hope I never get too old to enjoy music like that.
Left before the end of JAMC to see the much anticipated frenchmen Air. Should have stayed at JAMC. Not because Air were bad, but because they came on fifty minutes later than timetables.. could have seen the rest of the chain. Once Air hit the stage, however… Holy fuck. Amazing. Just amazing. Five piece band recreating their music entirely live. Thick bass, crisp percussion, gorgeous vocals, and fucking brilliant synth work. Oh the synths. I loved every minute. And they finished the set with the Moon Safari triple punch of ‘Kelly Watch The Stars’, ‘Sexy Boy’, and my very favourite ‘La Femme D’argent’ (which is even better live). I love them. I need a vocoder.
Caught they last four songs of Brazilian dance-punkers CSS. Which was a pity, because they too sounded great. “Let’s make love and listen to death from above” and “Alala” were great. The thick thick synth during the later was ace. Very fun band, if only I could have caught it all.
And then over to 80s legends Duran Duran. Oh christ I love them for their pure cheese. Dancing in the mud to ‘Notorious’ and ‘Girls on Film’ was amazingly awesome. In fact, I was very pleased they dug out so many of the old songs that made them so great. And on stage their unashamedly cheesy and camp. So so camp. The frontman has a great pedo-vibe going on. And great 80s dramatic arm motions going on. Aww yeah. Also got songs such as ‘Rio’, ‘Save a Prayer’, ‘Wild Boys’, and the glorious ‘Ordinary World’. A few new ones too, but I can forgive them.
I shake my head at anyone over at The Smashing Pumpkins (AKA the Billy Corgan plus ring-ins show). The man is a cock. I only saw the encore, but it was most embarrassing and perhaps the worst encore I’ve witnessed. Padded out with Billy encouraging to the crowd to bash people at the other stage watching dance music (The terrible Presets, but that’s not the point) before launching into a improvised satirical song poking fun at dance music. For way too long. Then playing one of their own terrible songs. Now don’t get me wrong, there is some good prime-era Pumpkins stuff. But this is not it.
So all in all, great day. My highlights were Air and Duran Duran, but they day was (mostly) filled with great music and good fun. And mud. Good day.
