Boards
just to add to the general deluge of half for.....
opinions, heres what i think i thought of saturday
F4AF: The GnR aping intro was fairly amusing, and an adequate rendering of "this year's most open heartbreak" seem to offer hope that these chappies will live up to the hype (kerrang's "greatest band in the world" or whatever), but after 20 minutes of the concrete jungle's fantastic mosh ambience i'm bored and unimpressed. Sours me against seeing hardcore bands that i dont know for the rest of the weekend. 2/5
The Futureheads (2nd time ive seen them): Just catch the end of a great seeming set, the boys actually looking somewhat rockstar-ish. I feel the suprise of everyone, not least the band for know the words to fisrt day and canibal/carnival/wwhatever kids. 4/5
Cave-In (2nd time): last year's Carling tent performance came nowhere near this titanic mainstage outing. Occassionally sounding like a rockier The Mars Volta as much as the twistier Foo Fighting of Anchor, the highlight has to be the "Heavy Metal" tune the bassist took lead vocals for. Truly rupturing. 4/5
Junior Senior: Much more rock than you'd be forgiven for expecting. The tune "Good Girl, Bad Boy" may or may not have been a highlight.
3/5
The Libertines: Not a fan, but their old cool lay largely in the whole dual-frontmen gurning for your attention thing. Gave them character, which they completely lack today. 1/5
The Rapture: Ridiculously quiet sound levels do nothing to help the booty sway, but help you appreciate the music for what it is more. And what it is, whilst not being fantastic, is a hell of a lot more varied than you'd expect, occasionally sounding like a more ambient The Cure. Much respect to the saxophonist/percussionist and to the bands ability to swap between "real band" set up with live drums and guitars and drum machines and synths in a way much smoother than i've ever seen. And house of jealous lovers completely fucrocks. 4/5
The Streets (2nd): The music's getting old and the man even older. 2/5
Doves: Blahblahsnore. I was hoping to catch there goes the fear, but wass in danger of falling asleep halfway through their cover of "radio gaga". 1/5
Turbonegro: As amusing as they are to look at, it turns out that their not the heavy metal beasts i was expecting to get broken by, but retro rock in gay garb. But funny gay garb. 2/5
Goldchains: after being told by drownedinsound that this was the unmissable set of the weekend, i was pissed off to arrive late, but then happy to be able to dismiss it as absolute shite. Bravado rap withoput the promised quirki/nasti-ness. 1/5
Beck (3rd time): I'd heard that things were going to get raucous again, and upon hearing the Beckster and his new band ripping Novocaine some new breathing holes i found myself delving further into the crowd. What follows is the best set I've seen him play, the only low being a few of the "golden age" songs, although they still contained highlights. The real show stealer was an increible solo voyage through "nobody's fault but my own", stripped to voice and a squeezy organ thing, closely contested by the nelly/beyonce/justin medley. 5/5
The Mars Volta (3rd time): Beck's unexpected greatness makes me miss most of the set by my current favourite band (kinda ironically, given that Justin Mendhal-Johnson left Beck's band recently to do a few trcks on "Deloused..."....ok, not ironic at all...). From what I heard though, it was one of their weaker outings (really they can be THAT good...), indulging in proggy soundscapes, dipping in and out of album tunes. 3/5
Black Rebel (2nd time): They really can be tear inducingly awesome live. Tonight they suck, although the repeated camera trick of "chasing" the drummer between his monitors, "the shining" style amuses greatly. 1/5
Blur: I'm a big fan of Graham Coxon, so to hear his every contribution replaced by a session guitarist and a gospel choir hurt me so very much. However, a rare "The Universal" really did bring up the hairs on the back of my neck and all those cliches. 2/5
F4AF: The GnR aping intro was fairly amusing, and an adequate rendering of "this year's most open heartbreak" seem to offer hope that these chappies will live up to the hype (kerrang's "greatest band in the world" or whatever), but after 20 minutes of the concrete jungle's fantastic mosh ambience i'm bored and unimpressed. Sours me against seeing hardcore bands that i dont know for the rest of the weekend. 2/5
The Futureheads (2nd time ive seen them): Just catch the end of a great seeming set, the boys actually looking somewhat rockstar-ish. I feel the suprise of everyone, not least the band for know the words to fisrt day and canibal/carnival/wwhatever kids. 4/5
Cave-In (2nd time): last year's Carling tent performance came nowhere near this titanic mainstage outing. Occassionally sounding like a rockier The Mars Volta as much as the twistier Foo Fighting of Anchor, the highlight has to be the "Heavy Metal" tune the bassist took lead vocals for. Truly rupturing. 4/5
Junior Senior: Much more rock than you'd be forgiven for expecting. The tune "Good Girl, Bad Boy" may or may not have been a highlight.
3/5
The Libertines: Not a fan, but their old cool lay largely in the whole dual-frontmen gurning for your attention thing. Gave them character, which they completely lack today. 1/5
The Rapture: Ridiculously quiet sound levels do nothing to help the booty sway, but help you appreciate the music for what it is more. And what it is, whilst not being fantastic, is a hell of a lot more varied than you'd expect, occasionally sounding like a more ambient The Cure. Much respect to the saxophonist/percussionist and to the bands ability to swap between "real band" set up with live drums and guitars and drum machines and synths in a way much smoother than i've ever seen. And house of jealous lovers completely fucrocks. 4/5
The Streets (2nd): The music's getting old and the man even older. 2/5
Doves: Blahblahsnore. I was hoping to catch there goes the fear, but wass in danger of falling asleep halfway through their cover of "radio gaga". 1/5
Turbonegro: As amusing as they are to look at, it turns out that their not the heavy metal beasts i was expecting to get broken by, but retro rock in gay garb. But funny gay garb. 2/5
Goldchains: after being told by drownedinsound that this was the unmissable set of the weekend, i was pissed off to arrive late, but then happy to be able to dismiss it as absolute shite. Bravado rap withoput the promised quirki/nasti-ness. 1/5
Beck (3rd time): I'd heard that things were going to get raucous again, and upon hearing the Beckster and his new band ripping Novocaine some new breathing holes i found myself delving further into the crowd. What follows is the best set I've seen him play, the only low being a few of the "golden age" songs, although they still contained highlights. The real show stealer was an increible solo voyage through "nobody's fault but my own", stripped to voice and a squeezy organ thing, closely contested by the nelly/beyonce/justin medley. 5/5
The Mars Volta (3rd time): Beck's unexpected greatness makes me miss most of the set by my current favourite band (kinda ironically, given that Justin Mendhal-Johnson left Beck's band recently to do a few trcks on "Deloused..."....ok, not ironic at all...). From what I heard though, it was one of their weaker outings (really they can be THAT good...), indulging in proggy soundscapes, dipping in and out of album tunes. 3/5
Black Rebel (2nd time): They really can be tear inducingly awesome live. Tonight they suck, although the repeated camera trick of "chasing" the drummer between his monitors, "the shining" style amuses greatly. 1/5
Blur: I'm a big fan of Graham Coxon, so to hear his every contribution replaced by a session guitarist and a gospel choir hurt me so very much. However, a rare "The Universal" really did bring up the hairs on the back of my neck and all those cliches. 2/5