Sunday - Big Top Stage 12.15
Savages, the band of 2012 for many, many people. Everything they've done has found plaudits glaore and they've been called the saviours of post-punk / guitar bands ever since the rumbling "City's Full" hit early this year, the single Husbands / Flying to Berlin did little to settle the hype.
With it's ferocious, blistering intensity the four piece are the very definition of entrancement, with dark rumbling bass lines, menacing drum rhythms and Jehn's venomous vocals which hit you like a ton of bricks, Savages music makes you want to play it louder and louder, again and again.
Saturday - Garden Stage 15.00
Dark Dark Dark haven't been featured here for a while, since 2010's Wild Go came to my attention through its luscious pinnacle, "Daydreaming", a real treat of a track, where vivid landscapes created by the beautifully complex yet delicate and well-crafted instrumentation, soulful vocals and soaring melodies sooth your mind and transport you to a beautiful place, somewhere like a field in Dorset towards the end of the summer....
The band have a new album Who Needs Who due in October and I'm interested to hear that in a live arena beforehand.
Saturday - Garden Stage 16.45
Another festival and another recommendation to see the wonderful Perfume Genius, his recent show at St Pancras Old Church an indication of his talents, simply sublime, it managed to leave the entire crowd in utter awe, bruised, plaintive and compellingly beautiful, just like his two albums so far. Those wanting an intimate, captivating experience to light up their Saturday afternoon / early evening should look no further.
Sunday - Garden Stage 16.45
As with Perfume Genius, First Aid Kit and I seem to be sharing festivals this year, that's no bad thing at all as far as I'm concerned. I wrote a preview for the band about five weeks ago, so I apologise in advance for this mainly regurgitated post.
Another of the year's finest records so far is First Aid Kit's second full-length The Lion's Roar. The Swedish sisters have long been a favourite folk-leaning act of mine, since I first saw them at back at Glastonbury 2010. They've grown since and now backed by a full band have a full, deep sound that perfectly suits their breathtaking harmonies and (cliché time) mature-beyond-their-years lyrics. Sincere and heart-felt, latest single "Blue" the perfect insight to their beguiling balance of sweet voices and rich production.
Guaranteed to leave those in attendance spellbound.
Saturday - Big Top Stage 13.00
Welsh noise-makers Islet treated us to an early year album highlight with their debut Illuminated People, single "This Fortune" is everything I've come to expect from the Cardiff experimental act, unconventional and shambolic (in a good way) melodies, propulsive rhythms and clattering drums.
The drums really are amazing, for the all the chaos the band bring to their records (and even more so their live show) they are incredibly tight musicians, I love the vocals here too, trademark yelps a plenty. This set is a must-see, Islet really do live up to their live show reputation, with totally bonkers on-stage antics, exuberant energy and also more importantly, some bloody brilliant tracks. It'll be sweaty, hypnotic and lots and lots of fun.
Saturday - Big Top Stage 15.30
I've not got too much to add to what I've said a couple of times about Toy in the month or so, displaying almost as much hair as talent, the London five piece summed up the buzz with "Left Myself Behind", an eight minute runaway rollercoaster that combines the best bits of psyche, krautrock and shoegaze in one glorious track, gorgeous shimmering guitars duel with the korg keys and consistent drum beats, to keep it simple, it's one of the essential tracks of the last six months from one of the UK's hottest new properties. Truly superb, hard, dense, melodic, brilliant, just like latest single "Dead & Gone".
The album is due in September and promises to be one of the year's essential purchases.
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