The ISLE OF WIGHT festival isn't as big, or as well known as other
festivals. With only one stage (and two tiny DJ tents) there isn't much choice for which bands to see. It's not like Glastonbury where you can wander around all day and not see any bands at all if you so whish, or like Leeds, where you can dip in and out of tents depending on what you fancy, but, as new festivals go its not that bad!
Admittedly the line up was a bit mainstream, with the likes of SUPERGRASS, RAZORLIGHT, EMBRACE, and TRAVIS
performing, so there were plenty of mums and dads (and little kids) in the audience, but this helped make the festival seem more laid back and relaxed, and it also meant that it was ridiculously easy to get to the front if you wanted to!
BABYSHAMBLES were probably the most depressing band there. Not because of their music, but because of the fact that it was clear to see that the majority of the audience were only there to see Pete Doherty, notorious former front man to the Libertines, and fiancée to Kate Moss. The band seemed totally out of it- stumbling around stage like drunken 13 year olds, and when Doherty removed his jacket, part way through the set, the camera
zoomed in on the track marks covering his arms. It was a bit like going to see a circus freak show, and their music wasn't even that brilliant and had it not been for drummer Adam Ficek frantically keeping time, the whole band would have just fallen apart.
For the older generations in the audience, ROXY MUSIC, CARAVAN and RAY DAVIES (former lead singer for The Kinks) all played, and for the dance music fans, FAITHLESS headlined on Friday night. They are a terrific group, the lead singer Maxi Jazz, has a voice like honey and they got the crowd dancing madly along to former hits such as 'Can't Get No Sleep' and 'Become One.'
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There was also JACQUES LU CONT a.k.a. Les Rhythmes Digitales who did a DJ set in one of the smaller tents mixing together techno beats with more popular tunes, such as the one from the Citroen advert, 'Sweet Dreams' by the Eurythmics and 'Comfortably Numb' by the Scissor Sisters to name but a few.
The highlight of the festival was REM who headlined on Sunday night. Everybody turned out to see them, and the crowd of fans- everyone screaming at the top of their lungs, stretched back as far as the eye could see. The MAGIC NUMBERS were also surprisingly good. They seemed to be overawed by the size of the audience, admitting that it was the largest group of people they'd ever played to, and got the mid-afternoon crowd singing and dancing along to their simple yet catchy melodies and note perfect harmonies.
It was a brilliant festival made all the better by the glorious sunshine which was present all weekend and the general feeling of goodwill that hung around the air, and my only wish would be that it had carried on for longer!
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