CHELMSFORD's V Festival is not exactly notorious for pulling out the best bands of summer, but this time they've managed quite literally a master stroke(sorry).
THE STROKES and THE PIXIES are headlining Sunday on the main stage while Massive attack headline the NME stage and PRIMAL SCREAM headline the JJB Arena.
Tonight we've come to watch the V performance that is part of the mighty Pixies' reunion tour. For many years the Pixies have dismissed the idea of regrouping after the band's 1992 breakup, stating that the only way they would again play together is if they could play on the moon.
Yet, the revival continues and if the T-shirts and live albums that are flying out of the record stores are anything to go by, the Pixies can tour just for the enjoyment and continue to bask in the kudos.
Today sees them in great form, and the good news is that the Pixies are touring without new material, so we are treated to a major blasting out of the greatest package hits including "Where Is My Mind?", "Monkey Gone To Heaven", "Here Comes Your Man", "Debaser" and a whole load more. The classics just keep coming tonight.
The Frank Black diet of indie rock has everyone hooked, Kim Deal looks nervous and takes her time to take everything in around her, while guitarist Joey Santiago throws us a mischievous glance and Dave Lovering simply delivers the rhythm.
As the sun goes down and dusk falls, Frank Black is in stubborn, workaholic mode. In a set that lasts 80 minutes but feels like quarter of an hour, we're blown away with 25 songs, few breaks and, sadly,very little monologue with the crowd.
Despite this, you can't deny his towering vocals, which are highlighted when he starts screaming in Spanish, thrashing his guitar; a wide grin on his face. He's enjoying it, though I suspect not as much as we are, relaxed and vindicated, playing to thousands of delirious fans.
The biggest cheer of the evening is reserved for "Gigantic" then "Tame" ends the set and quite possibly the Pixies' final UK show of 2004 which would be a big, big shame. Right, I'm off to find my live album.
THE STROKES are the headliners, these coolly shy boys have the odious task of following one of the most inspiring band of the last two decades. Can they handle it?
Of course they can. Indeed, recent reports of their crown slipping are irrelevant , because they dominate with this tight, powerful performance tonight.
The luke warm response of the second album, which the press cruelly dubbed "This Is It part 2" - which coupled with the rise of other press grabbing artists, no names, no packdrill (The Libertines) have seen the New York darlings slip down the pecking order.
So tonight The Strokes have to come up with the goods and they oblige with a swagger, as impossibly cool as ever. They're in dangerous, whiplash form, Julian Casablancas appearing on stage sporting his shades, even though the sun went down almost an hour ago.
Casablancas name checks every song before they start with a blistering rendition of "Reptilia", followed by "Someday" and "Automatic Stop", all sounding incredible.
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Earlier this year the Strokes "Live in London" album (recorded last December at the Alexandra Palace) captured the feeling that this is everything the live experience should be. Phenomenally, it's better live!
Swigging beer between songs, with Julian exclaiming the band have "way too much alcohol on stage" Tthe Strokes press on with new single 'The End Has No End', released in September, then "Under Control" the only ballad of sorts, and a nice change of pace.
Albert's using the floor for guitar posing,"Alone, Together" has the decibels cranked up, the pace is set alight again. "I love you guys, take it anyway you want" Casablancas drawls, in his own special tribute to the Pixies.
The Stokes are to return US for the ever so difficult third studio album, which is planned for release in the middle of next year. Will there be any change of direction? Not if this set to go by, though the band flesh things out and we get to hear their cover of The Clash's 'Clampdown' amongst the more familiar first two albums material.
They take us to the tape with "Take It Or Leave It" having readjusted their crown and leave the stage with the assurance they truly are the kings of cool. This is still very much 'it'.
PIXIES SETLIST:
* 'In Heaven'/'Where Is My Mind?'
* 'The Holiday Song'
* 'Nimrod's Son'
* 'Here Comes Your Man'
* 'Vamos'
* 'Dead'
* 'Mr Grieves'
* 'Subbacultcha'-
* 'Cactus'
* 'Hey'
* 'Monkey Gone To Heaven'
* 'No 13 Baby'
* 'Velouria'
* 'Caribou'
* 'Bone Machine'
* 'Ed Is Dead'
* 'Planet Of Sound'
* 'Something Against You'
* 'Crackity Jones'
* 'Isla De Encanta'
* 'Broken Face'
* 'Wave Of Mutilation'
* 'Debaser'
* 'Gigantic'
* 'Tame'
STROKES SETLIST
* 'Reptilia'
* 'Someday'
* 'Automatic Stop'
* 'The Modern Age'
* 'What Ever Happened?'
* 'Trying Your Luck'
* 'New York City Cops'
* 'Is This It'
* 'Last Nite'
* 'Soma'
* 'I Can't Win'
* 'Barely Legal'
* '12:51'
* 'The End Has No End'
* 'Under Control'
* 'Alone, Together'
* 'Hard To Explain'
* 'Clampdown'
* 'Take It Or Leave It'
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