Being
a city park do, the police presence was a considerable one, and that’s
all well and good as long as it keeps me safe. But frankly there were
moments during the weekend that it became annoying, obtrusive and bordering
on the oppressive, particularly in the dance arena that housed the brilliant
Trojan Sound System on the Sunday… Oh yes! “If a songs that
nice, you GOT to play it twice!” but do we really need lines of
coppers swooping through the crowd nudging revellers out of their way
every thirty minutes in the hope that they’ll catch someone with
a spliff on the go? They wouldn’t dare at Notting Hill Carnival
– why so heavy handed here?
Man
Like Me
Mad-cap electronic wide-boys Man Like Me built up quite an atmosphere
in the Clash Club tent, raising the roof with trotting anthemic stompers
like Single Dad. Despite the inclement weather I’m not sure that
it was the best day to be wearing an Eskimo coat (that would be the
kind of coat an Eskimo would wear rather than a coat made of Eskimos!)
but with their audacious cheery dancing and crowd pleasing routines
they were a definite highlight to the weekend. They also win the prize
for most creative use of a silk hanky.
Vincent
Vincent and the Villains
The elaborately sulky 50’s throwbacks came suitably wardrobed
ready to waggle their guitars and sneer at the crowd for all they were
worth. It’s a classic rock ‘n’ roll sound with a fresh
modern twist that they purvey. Brooding, bouncy foot-tapping stuff lovingly
sprinkled with a delicate topping of mild pretension.
Soothsayers
Even the sun turned up for a bit to enjoy Soothsayers’ fusion
of nu Afrobeat and dub funking up the crowd at the Time Out Stage. Smooth
velvety brass melodies and spanking rhythms enveloped the stage much
to the delight of the swaying bouncing hoards before them. A great big
grinning pint-spiller of a band.
The
Chipolatas
There were so many things I was pleased to see in The Chipolatas performance;
accordion, juggling, drumming, acrobatics, stripy trousers – a
splendid recipe for joy as far as I’m concerned and the modest
audience that gathered certainly seemed to agree. We were also treated
to one of the most extraordinary tufts of escaping ginger chest hair
I’ve ever had the honour to witness.
Soul
II Soul
Perfect sounds for a summer evening floated across the park as the grooves
and steady rhythms of Soul II Soul brought just what the doctor ordered
on the main stage. They treated everyone to their monster hits ‘Keep
On Moving’ and ‘Back To Life’ and as well they should!
You can’t go wrong with these guys frankly, particularly when
grass and sunshine is involved!!
Blondie
Debbie Harry’s still got it. She lurches and pouts about the stage
giving the crowd just what they want from this seminal act. Hit after
hit got us jigging about like crazies. Blondie can teach plenty of much
younger bands a thing or two about crowd pleasing, filling the stage
with a relentless attitude and energy. My festival companion confirmed
during their set that despite Debbie Harry’s bus-pass status…
he still would.
Sly
& The Family Stone
The Family Stone were great and proper pros knocking out a great line-up
of classics that were a real joy to behold. But you couldn’t help
but feel sorry for them as they made the best of a bad situation in
Sly’s conspicuous absence. For the crowd had settled into the
assumption that Sly Stone just wouldn’t be making an appearance,
but then eventually after about half an hour, the legendary casualty
shuffled onto the stage to a rapturous welcome. That welcome didn’t
take long to turn into booing however as after struggling through two
songs in his haggard drug-addled state he exclaimed “I’m
gonna take a piss” and shuffled off again into the wings. Clearly
a common occurrence for the band, they soldiered on as best they could
through the rest of the disappointingly short set, with Sly making only
one further appearance that was way too brief. Once again the short-changed
crowd booed as they left the stage without so much as an encore. It
was amazing to have seen them perform, a great memory to have, although
a somewhat tarnished one. Sly Stone is a legend who’s given so
much to musical culture, but these days, he pretty damn funked up!
by Keith
Tulip
