Isle Of Wight Festival 2013 Review
SUNDAY:
Image: Sarah Lincoln photography
Sunday dawned bright and the ominous winds from Saturday had all but completely died down. We made sure we had a real chance to soak up some of the more theatrical elements of the festival for the early part of the day bantering with the stilt-walkers near the Beach Stage, enjoying speeches from would-be preachers from a pulpit near the Bohemian Woods, and stone sculpting with artist Anthony Lysycia, who had brought several gargantuan blocks of Portland stone to be chiselled on-site by festival goers.
Image: Bobby Mirtalaee photography
After a walk through the festival's fairground we ran to the Main Stage, which was hosting Boomtown Rats' first gig in twenty seven years. Bob Geldof looking every inch the flamboyant frontman in an unrestrained snakeskin suit - was entertaining the crowd with some cheeky Irish banter. Geldofs moody magnetism helped detract from the bands lack of any out-and-out stellar songs; an obvious exception being 1979 hit I Don't Like Mondays, the performance which in itself would have been worth the price of a Sunday day ticket. Las Vegas indie-rock outfit Imagine Dragons a firm favourite of Isle Of Wight festival promoter John Giddings - helped snap the Big Top out of any last-day blues with a varied set brimming with emotive hooks, finishing with an extra long take on the bass heavy dubstep of Radioactive. Lead singer Dan Reynolds looked visibly elated with the hordes of fans who came out in force and, like demented hyper-intelligent parrots, chanted back every word. Their performance of 'It's Time' felt like a real moment of festival gold - with its ruminations on retaining your integrity in the face of escalating fame about to prove rather relevant for the band.
Image: Liz Murray photography
Paloma Faith brought her penchant for theatricality to the Main Stage next, as tuxedo-clad stagehands danced around amidst her super expressive spiralling vocals , a particular poignant moment being the cover of her idol - the Etta James number 'Id Rather Go Blind'. Bon Jovi rocked up twenty-five minutes late for his set, which probably gave the Main Stage crowd some time to come to terms with how excellent the day was turning out to be. Highlights included a deafening cover of The Rolling Stones' Start Me Up, and hearing some fifty thousand provide drunken harmonies to set-closer 'Living On A Prayer'. The Sunday highpoint though was Blondie at the Big Top. After a spectacular fireworks set, seeing Debbie Harry who is pushing nearly 70 showing such a mix of vitality and vivacity was spectacular to behold. They tore through a careers worth of material with blustery abandon, with Atomic and One Way Or Another - and of course 'Heart of Glass' - churning the Big Top into a boozy cathedral of interlocked arms and teary eyes. 
Image: Sarah Lincoln photography
WhatCulture's first experience of the Isle of Wight festival was simply spectacular. As with all great festivals it felt like it transcended the notion of simply watching live music - it felt like being part of a moment.
We went home with a fistful of gorgeous memories, ringing ears and a huge list of new bands and songs to check out.
Amazing.
Click here for the full weekend line-up...
Next up we interview the man behind the curtain, festival promoter John Giddings...