Oxegen 2010 - Panama Kings
Green Spheres Tent, Saturday 10th July, 2.00pm
Describe in a Tweet: Hail to the Kings, baby.
What Happened: Coming on like they owned the place, the streamlined three-peice Panama Kings kicked into a set of stadium sized indie-rock, and didn't let the breaks off at any point. Careering around the stage, Niall Kennedy howled like a man possessed, whilst a whirlwind of scratchy, funky noise rose up behind him. Slashing guitars, dance beats, gothic organ; the Panama Kings have the lot.
By way of comparison, if Two Door Cinema Club are the polite, acceptable face of Northern Irish indie, all sophisticated charm and elan, Panama Kings are the unsavory older brothers - the kind of band you wouldn't neccessarily want to take home to meet your mother. The choruses are anthemic, the melodies direct, but everything has a rough edge and hint of danger that just sets them apart.
The slightly partisan crowd lap it up, and accompanied by Cara Cowan on guest vocals, a statuesque ballad shows the band in full control of what they can do. A closing cover of the Pixies' Where Is My Mind? seals the deal - these guys can have the keys to the kingdom.
After all, what more reward can we give to a man who rocked out like his life depended on it, despite having ruptured the undercarriage of his absurdly skinny jeans?
Evidently nothing can stop him.
Crazy in Love: 'Children' sounds IMMENSE, easily filling out the venue. If several hundred people aren't humming that for the rest of the day, something has gone disasterously wrong.
99 Problems: Niall's on-stage story of his first sight upon arriving at the festival was something nobody really wanted to hear. Thanks for a thought that can't be unthunk...
Oxegen Rating: 8/10
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