Day 1
Saturday's festivities kicked off in typically relaxed fashion, given that the majority of the crowd hadn't yet ambled their way across the field. Nevertheless,
The Proclaimers' lunch time appearance on the Virgin Media Stage was a rousing way to get the admittedly minimal crowd into the festival spirit, enthusiastically ploughing through a riveting half-hour set, and of course, belting out the two songs of theirs that just about everyone knows - "Letter to America" and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". Still, one can't help but think they might have benefited from a slightly later billing, giving everyone ample time to consume a few more beverages for a boozy sing-along of the latter tune in particular. Next up was Mexican duo
Rodrigo y Gabriela, who played a rousing set of duelling guitar riffs, though evidently some of the crowd's younger contingent became impatient with the instrumental nature of their music, as I heard from a few sun-kissed Essex girls standing in my vicinity. It was a wonderfully atmospheric set albeit perhaps one that if not well-selected for a more populist festival like V, might have also served better as a late-day set right before the headliners, helping to build some suspense for the impending acts. Better picked for an early stage placement, however, were
The Charlatans, replacing Dappy who it turns out cancelled because he was behind schedule on his upcoming album. It was a relief for all, though, and The Charlatans played a cracking set, with the crowd particularly getting into "The Only One I Know". For those wanting the dose of rap that Dappy didn't provide,
Maverick Sabre was a diverting presence over at the 4Music Stage, while
Keane were a surprisingly chilled out affair back on the main stage, even if they served to keep people cool while we waited for the more intense headlining acts. Following this, I decided to check out a comedy offering, with
Tim Minchin down at the Undercover stage. The irreverent comic delivered a storming set, combining his offbeat musical compositions with some excellent observations on the idiosyncrasies of life and of course, cheese. Perhaps most notable of all was his shout-out to beleaguered Russian punk-rock band Pussy Riot, marking the first of several political sentiments by artists throughout the weekend. The evening began to wind down with the first of two headliners on the Virgin Media stage;
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Gallagher and co. rocked their way through a good amount of their album as the sun began to go down, and of course, they ultimately couldn't resist playing a couple of classic
Oasis tunes either, namely a rousing take on "Don't Look Back in Anger". It all ended with what easily the best performance of the weekend,
The Stone Roses, whose first Southern gig in their reunion tour proved hugely successful, ripping through classics like "I Am The Resurrection" before playing a barnstorming 15-minute extended version of their brilliant "Fool's Gold". Also of note, they mocked the media's incessant overuse of
Spandau Ballet's "Gold" during the Olympics, by playing their own spirited rendition of it. All in all, The Stone Roses still seemed at the top of their game, and though singer Ian Brown's vocals are often brought into question, he seemed on top form at Hylands Park on Saturday.