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The Irish music rights organisation IMRO is accepting submissions from bands for their annual tour.
The eleven date tour will take in cities and towns across Ireland including Belfast and Derry.
You can send your music to听showcase@imro.ie up to August 10th for a chance to become part of the tour.
Organisers stress that all genres of music听are welcome.
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may be over, but you can now view footage from the main stage and the 主播大秀 Radio 1 Introducing with Rory McConnell acoustic Yurt.
Small But Massive stage...
Mojo Fury - We Should Just Run Away
Axis Of - Port Na Spaniagh
主播大秀 Radio 1 Introducing with Rory McConnell Acoustic Yurt...
The Bonnevilles - Weeping Eye
The Bonnevilles - Good Suits and Fighting Boots
Rainy Boy Sleep - Your Face
Foy Vance - Narrow Road
More videos will be added in the next day or two so keep an eye on ATL's Glasgowbury episode page for more acts! You can also catch up with all of ATL's Glasgowbury reviews, and taken by the fantastic .
The acts for this year's 主播大秀 Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds have been announced!
General Fiasco are back for the "returners slot", having been supported by 主播大秀 Introducing in previous years, while Rainy Boy Sleep will also get a set at the major UK festivals.
From down south Ham Sandwich, , and The Minutes will also appear on the stage.
takes place on the 26th to the 28th of August, and will be headlined by Muse, My Chemical Romance and Pulp.
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have announced details of their forthcoming second album.
The LP, due in early October, is to be called 'Easy Meat' and will weigh in with a stonking 18 tracks.
A new single 'Meat Wagon' will be released in September, with the band also embarking upon a seventeen date UK tour in the Autumn.
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Skrillex has announced a return to Belfast on Saturday, December 3rd, as part of his worldwide 'Mothership' tour.
The US dubstep producer will play live at the Mandela Hall at Queen's University Students' Union, with support on the night from Flux Pavillion.
You can , and don't forget to tune into ATL Dance, Fridays on Radio Ulster at Midnight, then throughout the week on the iPlayer.
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Rockers are planning a fundraiser gig for their forthcoming DVD on August 10th in Auntie Annies.
The four piece hardcore act will also be releasing their new EP 'The Ignorance of Purity' this Autumn.
If you're wondering what's in store for you at a Gacy's gig, you could do worse than check out the ATL review of their set at the Pigstock festival in Killinchy back in May of this year. Louder than a Hawaiin shirt!
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The festival have announced further acts to play at the Strandbally event this Autumn.
Rave legends Underworld will join Foster the People, Bob Geldoff, M. Ward, I Am Kloot, The Black Angels and Republic of Loose.
The festival takes place September 2nd-4th and will be headlined by the likes of Arcade Fire, Chemical Brothers and Pulp.
Catch up with all the ATL content from the Electric Picnic festival in 2010...
After a few weeks inter-railing around Europe the 鈥楴ew Band Smell鈥 prances back to the familiar and safe dwelling of the Across The Line blog. In our time away the 主播大秀 Introducing Uploader has been flooded with quality new tuneage. Here are three of the best picks from the Summer harvest.
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Meat and potatoes guitar indie thats catchier than a cold on a Winter bus trip.
Engaging funky electro from an act so new they barely have had the time to concoct an identifiable smell - check out their听
Third Man Theme are Brian, Matthew and Claire, the male contingent blow in鈥檚 from Scotland and the female a native of our fair isle. They produce angular, edgy post punk that is as compelling as it is mildly disconcerting. The three piece have been in existence for little more than a year and already have managed to amass a deluge of the hipper music fans in Belfast. Their EP 鈥楾ears on Tate鈥 is now available from the Third Man Theme bandcamp.
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An indoor festival vibe for this weeks GOTW, with the bizarrely titled 'Rock the Lough' at The Empire Music Hall, Belfast, this Sunday. Now we're sure there's a very understandable reason as to why it's called what it is, and indeed what lough (metaphorical or otherwise) is being 'rocked', but in order to keep our sanity, lets just worry about the music.
Which is a bit of a treat, frankly, with an ATL playlist of sorts coming to life - Kobi, A Northern Light, Like Statues and Havana House Party are among the bands playing, with headlining. Now we saw Colly Strings open the second stage at Glasgowbury on Saturday and can absolutely guarantee they're a band who've hit real form.
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The 'problem' with (and Northern Irish music generally) is consistency. From top to bottom, side to side, this years bill is nothing but quality. Which is why it's a shame team ATL couldn't clone itself and properly review every single band on the bill.
What we could do, however, is have the occasional jog round the site, taking in snippets of greatness and moments of mayhem. Further adventures in the Sperrin Mountains, then鈥.
It started with noise. provide one hell of a welcome, Christening the Spurs of Rock stage. Featuring members of Acidtone who've somehow found new levels of heaviness, an aggressive performance blasts open our ears for the day.
Small But Massive, 11pm
Describe in a Tweet: Desert island music for the freezing masses.
What Happened: Cashier No.9鈥檚 headliner on the main stage provides a wonderful relief to the biting cold that has descended upon the Glasgowbury revellers. Bathed in light and saturated by the sprawling psychedelic strains of 鈥極h Pity鈥, the upbeat escapism of 鈥楲ost At Sea鈥, or the hand-clapping hoe-down in 鈥42 West Avenue鈥, you could almost believe that you weren鈥檛 even cold anymore.
The awe-inspiring harmonies stretch across the fields and fill every inch of space, while the layered complexity of the Cashier sound hits you in waves, transporting you to the halcyon days of summers past. This is the kind of music you can get lost in: beautifully constructed, interlaced with sleigh bells, washboards, bongos, harmonicas, a different class of music altogether. All that remains is for Cashier No.9 to learn the art of inspiring the crowd in between songs, then they will truly have graduated to a headline act.
Spurs of Rock, 2:35-3:00pm
Describe in a tweet: Smoky, sweaty, loud and proud.
What happened: Featuring a real edge and a mastery of dynamics the Dogs enthral the revellers with a strong set. Admittedly, the Spurs of Rock stage isn't jammed for the performance, but it doesn't affect the atmosphere. 'Hangman' is as gritty and grunge as ever, a riff that bears the hallmarks of early Queens Of The Stone Age material without relying upon simply gunning it time after time. Don't get us wrong, the Dogs are more than willing to lay down a monumental distortion-laden track, but they've got a lot more in their repertoire. With a few releases under their belts, we're looking forward to the future for this lot - it can be difficult to stand out in the genre, but there's real promise here.
Eagle's Rock, 10.45pm
What happened: It's fifteen minutes past showtime and Foy Vance is barely hiding the fact he's beginning to flip out. He's arguing with someone onstage and that soundman at the back is getting daggers. Foy's guitar and vocal are making noise, so the majority are confused as to why he doesn't just perform. But clearly something is up - those thumps on his guitar (that will be looped to make up percussion) just don't sound right. Then, he clicks something and everything falls into place.
As he happily points out, it was entirely his own fault and not that of the no-doubt exasperated sound men. Declaring himself 'a total *' and refusing to start the show until the guy at the back has accepted his apology and made a handshaking gesture over the crowd, Foy has already won us over. A very human (and somewhat inebriated) performer is here tonight, this could be fun...
Goldstar: 'Be With Me Baby' is a wonderful cacophony, a soulful rant, with Foy's voice more gravely than ever. Maybe those ten beers he had before performing (apparently as a bet) are pulling their weight. 'Shed a Little Light' will never, ever sound old or played out. He'll add musicians, a drummer and a guest lead guitarist, before Katie Richardson and two of her carnival contribute backing vocals to 'Guiding Light'. In a set of highlights, this somehow shines through as an appropriately poignant end to one of the sets of the day.
Lost at Sea: The very nature of what Foy does听makes for a pretty unpredictable, occasionally messy show. We enjoy that side of it, for sure. Others may find it indulgent.
Ratings: 9/10
Small But Massive, 9.45pm
Describe in a Tweet: A pure assault on the senses as the sun sets
What Happened: Here's a band that is so slick they look and sound like they could already have made it internationally. There's nothing not to like here, between the instrumentals interwoven into the set, the reverb-laden guitars echoing over the hills as the sun disappears, and the aching, endless waves of frantic sound, highlighted by a voice that is unadulterated vulnerable cracked emotion.
It's not just a rock-splurge either, these guys have mastered the art of performance. They know exactly when to rein themselves in, and when to unleash tortured, unfettered angst-ridden fury on their congregation.
G Sessions, 8:50pm
Describe in a Tweet: Herb's gone, but La Faro are certainly not forgotten.
What happened: It's heavy and fierce and delivered with all the vitality you'd expect from them, welcomed with open arms by a ready crowd soaking up all that hard, slicing rock. Jonny Black鈥檚 charisma on stage and interaction with the crowd is lively and within the festival spirit, being well observed and self-depreciating. It鈥檚 a well-rounded, roaring performance full of churning, thunderous riffs.
Main stage, 8.30pm
Describe in a tweet: Next year's headliners?
What happened: Tipped for greatness by anyone with ears, Rams have been granted a prime-time main stage slot. For a band who haven't settled on a consistent line up and yet to release an official single, they're remarkably confident and immediately justify their place. Fantastic foresight from the Glasgowbury crew who maybe have an eye on nabbing a post-superstardom Peter McCauley in 2012.
Eagle's Rock, 8pm
Describe in a tweet: A proper spectacle, a visual treat. Oh, and the music's great too.
What happened: Perfect for festivals, Katie & The Carnival bring a little theatre, a little glamour and a great deal of fun. The carnival is two backing singers (who'll occasionally dance in symmetry like backing singers should) with a four piece band, each dressed for the occasion. Katie looks incredible, every bit the sparkling front woman, armed with a ludicrously sultry voice. Engaging is an understatement.
G Sessions Stage, 7.50pm
Describe in a Tweet: Rock. And. Roll.
What Happened: A good old-fashioned rock-fest is what happened. All the components for an evening's hard rocking were there: people sitting on each other's shoulders, cat fights, a drunk guy who didn't know where he was going, hip flasks of whiskey, a couple of teenagers eating the face off each other while her bored friend stood and waited for them. It's a rock'n'roll dream鈥
Goldstar: Swanee River pull off metal-tinged blues rock with aplomb. Though with a front man with such a great set of pipes and quality riffage, it can't really go wrong.
Lost at Sea: There's cliche abound, with the typical verse-chorus-verse-chorus-GUITAR SOLO-chorus ad infinitem dominating the set.
Rating: 7/10
Eagles Rock Stage, 6.05pm
In a Tweet: What a hat, what a beard, what a set!
What Happened: Pinning down what exactly Pat Dam Smyth and his band do is no easy task. The mix of bluegrass, alt-country, blues(ish) rock with a smattering of Prog sits easily with melodies and movements befitting classic songwriters from back in the day.
Therein lies the beauty of this band, and this performance. You may think you can hear snippets of everyone from The Band to Randy Newman with ELO, Skynard and Duke Special in between, but the live experience is pure original Pat Dam Smyth. It's live musical storytelling at its finest, conducted by the gruff voice and keyboard/piano flourishes from his trusty Korg SV1. Like man like machine, a modern take on music with a vintage feel.
Small But Massive, 7:15pm
Describe in a Tweet: Fun and gritty pop-punk from the North Coast, with an edge.
What Happned: Yes, they may be fast, play furiously, and deliver rough 鈥榥鈥 ready punk with a hint of hardcore, but ultimately they鈥檙e a fun band with an infectious energy performing live. From the catchy hook on 'We Dine On Seeds' to the fist in the air yelps of 'Port Na Spaigna', it鈥檚 admirable how commanding they are of the audience鈥檚 attention for such a young band on the main stage.
Spurs of Rock, 5.50pm
Describe in A Tweet: It鈥檚 a midday cosmic rave-up 鈥 the party starts with Le Galaxie!
What happened: The beginning of the set may have been tempered by technical glitches and a minor debate with the soundguy, but soon those beats start to flow and the rhythm takes everyone by surprise. A half empty tent is soon filled to the brim, and even the lone poi slinger is shoved aside. Drawn in by far-out layers of synths and an energetic, undeniably unique performance, it鈥檚 a space odyssey through dance music with these guys.
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G Sessions Stage, 4pm
Desrcibe in a Tweet: Guest appearance from the Fiasco boys, and they鈥檝e got more surprises in store!
What happened: As ever, General Fiasco deliver everything with a well played, rowdy ragamuffin finesse, and after a paired back acoustic song from Owen and a cover of Weezer鈥檚 'Buddy Holly', they鈥檙e on form with a trail of pop anthems 鈥 'Ever So Shy' and 'Rebel Get By' get the crowd going.
Goldstar: The weezer cover was as enjoyable as surprise as it was to sing a long to. For a song that鈥檚 as old as most of their fan base, 听it was nice to add it in as a homage, with everyone knowing the words as well as the every other Fiasco song.
Lost at Sea: Only the bobbing crowd spilling pints when that catchy hook of 'Ever So Shy' hits in, for obvious reasons.
Rating: 8/10
Main Stage, 4.40pm
In A Tweet: Is this Glasgowbury Main Stage or Morrissey's garage?
What Happened: When Girls Names amble out onto the Main Stage all dressed in Robert Smyth's cast-off wardrobe, the first thing that springs to mind is how roasted they must be in the glorious summer sun. And while they mightn't be chafing in parts they care not to talk about, they certainly sound like they are: an uncomfortable, clunky dirge that's surely supposed to be a faux-disinterested homage to the bands they emulate. If you close your eyes you could be listening to Morrissey one moment, Ian Curtis the next, and to their credit Girls Names pay tribute to their influences pretty well. But as one song runs into the other without any distinctive markings as to the difference, the set gets lost in its own indifferent schtick and just wallows in mediocrity.
Small But Massive, 3.50pm
Describe in A Tweet: Mellow indie choir music for the sunbleached masses.
What happened: There aren鈥檛 many standers for Kowalski鈥檚 mid-afternoon set on the sunny main stage. Kowalski鈥檚 combination of gentle, sweet-voiced melody layered over plinky organs and hyperactive drums, meander over Eagle鈥檚 Rock and provide a hazy soundtrack to our lazy afternoon. The band admit themselves to having not played live in a long time, and there鈥檚 a hint of uncertainty to their set and a discernible lack of spark in the performance.
The band betrays a hint of disappointment when they thank the crowd for coming to see them instead of General Fiasco, who can occasionally be heard giving it socks over in the Spurs of Rock tent. Whether or not this performance has gained them any new followers is unlikely, but at least the faithful present, including a couple of fetching fellows in three-piece suits on stilts, will be satisfied with Kowalski鈥檚 offering.
Small But Massive, 3pm
Describe in a Tweet: Indie kids are alright!
What Happened: It can be a confusing experience watching a More Than Conquerors set. Sometimes they鈥檙e rocking a trendster jerky dance-inspiring vibe, then they serve up a standard slice of honest-to-goodness indie rock. Glasgowbury was treated to a wee bit of both today in equal measure, to varying degrees of success.
Small But Massive, 5:30-6:00pm
Describe in a tweet: Good music and ridiculous stage antics.
What happened: With an anthemic songwriting formula that seems to be focused almost exclusively on playing main stages at festivals, this performance has been a long time coming for A Plastic Rose. A small crowd slowly increased bit by bit into a formidable, excitable gathering, singing along to the more well known tracks and respectfully embracing a brand new song in "Lizard Tongue", that doesn't rip up the band's form-book but is enjoyable nonetheless. It's Ian McHugh that steals the show though: his vocal performance in "The Metal Man" manages somehow to be strong enough to silence a crowd, but vulnerable enough to allow a little emotion in when things get a little bit more rock and roll with a dirty guitar riff that harks back to Zeppelin et al.
Eagles Rock, 5.15pm
Describe in a Tweet: One for the ladies?!
What happened: Within seconds of king geek wandering onstage, it's obvious this will be one of the sets of the day. Screaming girls and mild hysteria - just what is going on here? Thankfully, he has the tunes to back it up, that much is clear within moments of the first strum. It's just one guy and a loop pedal, but it works a treat. Even the start of a guitar solo - the START - is greeted with a roar during 'Shopping Centre Song'. Only 'Manchester Post' cries out for a full band, but even then it's nicely frantic.
Eagles Rock, 4.30pm
Describe in a Tweet: Small volume but maximum effect.
What happened: Aaron Shanley (with Allie Bradley) is a gentle sort, quiet and unassuming. Or his music is, at least. Yet he has us mesmerised, drowning out a mess of noise and mayhem elsewhere onsite.
Goldstar: 'I Think I love You' stands out, but generally this is a set that encourages us to go off and listen to Aaron Shanley's entire back catalogue, on our own terms. 'Oh God Why Aren't You Here', another wonderfully simple song, ends a set and leaving us desperately hungry for more.
Lost at Sea: Aaron apologises for his, 听"[insert expletive]听miserable songs'", possibly unaware that sometimes, it's good to be sad.
Rating: 7/10
Eagle's Rock, 3.35pm
In A Tweet: A foot stamping folk frenzy.
What Happened:It sounds freshfaced and innocent, and certainly lives up to their throwaway folk premise. Still, the duo get feet stamping and toes-a-tappin' in their upbeat hoedown with catchy short, songs which are brought tougher with the addition of a bassist to their stripped back acoustic guitar, bouncing melodies and lovely harmonies.
Eagles Rock, 2.45pm
Describe in a Tweet: Laid back, melodies with a 90s college rock vibe.
What Happened: It's a pity the turnout is so poor for Elspeth, as their mildy scuzzy guitars paired with big mournful melodies and beautifully vocal harmonies is golden and intriguing.
Goldstar: That big epic sound. "This is a slow one,鈥 states the singer, but in reality they鈥檙e all slow moving. But that鈥檚 just more music to mull over.
Lost at Sea: Poor turnout . Maybe they鈥檙e not 听well known yet, who knows, but hopefully at least those who went will be looking to hear more.
Ratings: 7/10
Main stage, 2.20pm
Describe in a Tweet: The brightest silhouette you'll ever see!
What happened: Shauna Tohill brought the party, chatting as much as she sang, climbing on the bass drum, handing out gifts and getting carried away with that guitar. Proper festival antics, basically. We're totally won over.
Eagles Of Rock Stage, 1.55pm
Describe in a Tweet: How can people who write such sad songs be so happy?
What Happened: As Phoenix Fire kick off their set, they draw in a swathe of sun-worshippers from outside, and by the time front man David Jackson introduces the band it's with a puzzled expression and a "Hey we're Phoenix Fire, [expletive] there's loads of ye!". The band launches straight into 'Elevator', a sweeping juxtaposition of melancholic harmonies, penetrating drums and staccato guitars. And that's the tone that's set for the rest of the performance, with a bit of audience participation thrown in for good measure. Jackson spurs on the crowd, telling them that "No one's really drunk yet but we'll do it anyway. And since it's bright in here i can see if you're not doing it and i'll embarrass you." The crowd gladly oblige and singalong with "Delicate Man", which is followed by "Don't Let Me", a track that showcases the vulnerable tones of singer Fiona O'Kane beautifully. It's a pity that the quieter parts of this and other songs are drowned out by the blasts of RAWK coming from the tent next door, but Phoenix Fire are subscribers to the school of quiet-then-loud so it's never a problem for long.
G Sessions Stage, 12.50pm
In a Tweet: If a band was made entirely of sherbet it would be these guys!
What happened: Between the infectiousness of their cutesy-synth-pop sound, American teenybop twang vocals, and banter that occasionally borders on inane (at one point we鈥檙e treated to a lament about the decline of Peter from the TV show Heroes), Wonder Villains provide great entertainment for the Glasgowbury early crowd. The set is a 30-minute nugget of cheerfully noisy, infinitely dance-friendly tunes, with more teeth than their recorded work would suggest.
It鈥檚 insanely melodic, with just enough edge to take the saccharine sting out of the synths. Songs like 鈥極h Peter鈥, 鈥楽pace Jam鈥 and 鈥榋ola鈥 get the crowd dancing happily, while final track 鈥楩errari鈥 leaves everyone bouncing up and down in the Draperstown听sunshine, ready to tackle the rest of the day. Awesome hi!
Small But Massive, 1:20pm
Describe in A Tweet: Melodic indie pop ideal for a little lie-down in the sunshine
What Happened: Seven Summits鈥 make nice, pleasant songs with an honest, well meaning touch about them. Dominos is a perfect example 鈥 catchy and well played to get the toes tapping. Where they sparkle is the more melodic, better known singles, even if at times the rest pales and seems a little unmemorable in comparison. But still, the tunes are well crafted and mostly delivered with a smile and an earnest attempt to get the crowd going.
G Sessions, 12.05pm
Describe in a Tweet: Small stage, massive sound.
What happened: And we're off! For a band only invented a short time ago, Colly Strings have a remarkable amount of familiar moments. 'Built to Break' shakes off a few onstage gremlins in time for 'Gold', a track that belongs in arenas.
The Attendance
Was almost scandalously quiet on Friday, with a handful of people watching Sven Vath and Leftfield while mediocre crowds witnessed big turns from Swedish House Mafia and The Strokes. Even Black Eyed Peas struggled a bit on the main stage. It's clearly less about camping and all about the day tickets though, with the crowd picking up a fair bit on Saturday, doubly so come Sunday.
The Crowd
听What that meant for us was more space and less melters - victory for the average punter going about his/her business. If you're talking good behaviour and nice vibes, this was possibly the best Oxegen ever.
Sunday, Main stage, 10.25pm
Describe in a Tweet: Show stolen.
What Happened: A near perfect festival set - thoughtful setlist, incredible lighting, affable singer and a load of fireworks. They may not be the coolest act on the bill, but they're definitely the most tuned in when it comes to knowing what works.
Sunday, Vodafone, 20:40
In a Tweet: Beyonce who?
What Happened: The odds were certainly against The National. With a sound that's more suited to a more intimate venue instead of an open air stage and competition from a former Destiny's Child on the main stage, it was questionable as to whether the band could pull their performance off, but they allayed any fears within 10 minutes of their set.
Sunday, Vodafone, 17:50
In a Tweet: Sweaty, manic, haphazard- and that's just the frontman.
What Happened: The crowd watching Friendly Fires is pitiful. Absolutely pitiful. It's a real shame as well: they thrive on the energy of a dancing crowd and disco shouldn't be embraced with crossed arms and light applause, but that's a running theme this weekend.
Sunday, Hotpress, 19:25
In a Tweet: Middle of the road rock with a intriguing conclusion.
What Happened: With the greatest of respect, Bipolar Empire were mediocre for about 80% of their set. They're more than competent musicians but it's just a bit dull - it's hard to get passionate about music that doesn't bring anything new to the table whatsoever. Tracks from their debut album go down well with the crowd and there's clearly quite a few hardcore fans.听"It's Only Darkness" shows a somewhat murkier side to the band pop rock sound, but there's a very forgettable 20 minutes of music on show in the Hotpress stage.
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Sunday, Green Spheres, 9.10pm
Describe in a Tweet: Top corner into an open goal.
What Happened: The best atmosphere of the weekend, by a country mile. When you've live drums, enourmo-visuals, noisy drum n' bass, rock and approachable dubstep, all tied together by a cracker MC - well, you're on to a winner, big time.
Academy Tent - Bright Eyes, 10:50pm
In a Tweet: ATL is on our fourth wind with spitting Oberst.
What Happened: Coldplay have enticed 99.99% of Oxegen patrons to their Sunday evening headline slot at the main stage, leaving the lucky 0.1% to enjoy an intimate performance from Bright Eyes. Oberst, clad in a cream donkey jacket, is aggressive tonight, in a belligerently endearing way. The mere mention of Chris Martin has Oberst literally spitting his name just as he did the previous night at T in the Park.
Vodafone Stage, Sunday 7.10pm
Describe in a Tweet: Not so great in 鈥楾he Middle鈥 but brilliant at both ends.
What happened: Jim Adkins arrival on stage coincided with the first downpour of the day, and what a downpour it was. Through the torrential blast Jimmy Eat World gets everyone in the mood by tearing through 鈥楤leed American鈥, and in the ten years since it was first released it has remained as vital as it ever was. It鈥檚 an ambitious song to start with and would be hard for any band to maintain that drive and momentum but they manage it to a degree with 鈥楢 Praise Chorus鈥.
Main Stage Stage, Sunday, 3.05pm
Describe in a Tweet: He'll put a smile on your face, but you'll forget it by tomorrow.
What happened: It's a big stage for just two folk, the Monaghan man being accompanied by percussionist Artur Graczyk who's tucked away to the side of the stage on his cajon box drum. But the sound they create is strangely full, Sheridan using his powerful (but somewhat indistinct) vocal to fill the space. The album title track 'The Day You Live Forever' is followed by his new single, 'The Dreamer' which has a distinct American twang to it with the chugging rhythmic guitar, but it's all very MOR. Still it strikes a chord with the crowd and heavy daytime radio plays could propel him beyond his very obvious busking roots, which starts to grate somewhat after a while.
Green Spheres, Sunday, 6.10pm
Describe in a Tweet: It kicked off. Not always a good thing.
What happened: Within literally five seconds of leaping onstage, Frank Ocean is half way up the scaffolding, kickstarting the chaos. Tyler The Creator (a frontman of sorts) is last onstage, hobbling towards a stool having broken his foot. He'll occasionally make it to front of stage but is generally curtailed, unlike every other manic member of the controversy-courting hip hop collective. The music is relentlessly dark, with barely any colour or deviation. Transylvania and Sandwitches are nasty and aggressive, such is their M.O.
But let's not get carried away. It's exciting, yes, but it's nothing new. This is proper old-skool hip hop, they just do it very well and with distinction. The hype, however, has been a little much.
Green Spheres, Sunday, 2pm
Describe in a Tweet: They've got the persona, but the music is missing in action.
What happened: Opening the Green Spheres tent on Sunday was always going to be a bit of a difficult job, but Neon Trees are wide awake and trying to get the party started. Their brand of teenage orientated new wave pop has a melody or two in there but to be honest, it's all just a bit dull. They've got a fairly polished formulaic approach to their music and there's some nice rhythms in there due to the able drumming of Elaine Bradley but nothing particularly stands out.
The track In The Next Room delivers one gem from the show, with a bassline that sounds like it's been ripped from Soft Cell's version of Tainted Love (no bad thing in this reviewer's book) but in reality the main attraction for Neon Trees seems to be the crazy Tyler Green making the stage his own. He dances like a madman, he runs to the crowd and every track seems to have 30 seconds dedicated for a dance solo. In all honesty it's a bit ridiculous.
Main Stage, Sunday, 5.35pm
Describe in a Tweet: Afternoon Emptiness.
What happened: Let's face it the Manic Street Preachers have been about for a while, and by now they know how to appease a festival crowd. The Welsh trio take to a curiously designed stage, a huge velvet backdrop draping from the rafters as silver sequence mannequins and panthers are dotted about the place, making this afternoon's aesthetic look like something from an adult film set in the future.
Their setlist reads like the back of the greatest hits album Forever Delayed. 'Motorcycle Emptiness' is a stand out while show opener 'You Love Us' is played with the same energy as it was all those years ago. It's just a pity that the crowd don't really take the bait, the atmosphere is dull and sedated as the weekends frolicking catches up with the crowd. Their performance is pitch perfect and the energy levels are high but nobody is taking the bait tonight.
2fm/Hotpress Stage, Saturday, 10.40pm
Describe in a Tweet: Gorgeous folk, gritty rock, great performance.
What happened: Dallas Green, take a bow. We've witnessed performances this weekend bordering on the ridiculous in terms of complexity, but Green's decision to just strip things back down to an acoustic guitar and solo vocals provides the most breathtaking moment of this weekend in Body In A Box. It's a gutsy decision but the execution is outstanding. A shiver runs down our spines as he effortlessly reaches the height of his vocal register, resonating in the night air with real grace.
While City and Colour have soundtracked countless American teen dramas it would be a mistake to pigeonhole them as simple acoustic raconteurs - when there's a full band performing there's shades of Americana and Idlewild creeping into proceedings, providing one hell of a kick. The drumming is at times a little bit lazy but it's a confident performance all things considered, almost seamlessly fluttering between the band's back catalogue and their most recently released album. A top, top set.
Main Stage, Sunday, 6.55pm
Describe in a Tweet: Fergie's banished to the stands.
What happened: Essentially this is a Guns N' Roses tribute act, as ATL's favourite top hat fret fondler shamelessly panders to the masses in impressive style. We don't feel that a legacy has been ravished however, for that see Peter Hook and The Light's set from Friday afternoon. Instead we toe the party line and whip out our fake plectrums for the air guitar show. Slash's lead singer could pass for Axl Rose's younger, better singing brother and brings justice to a set bloated with rock and roll classics.
Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas then joins the band on stage for two pointlessly meandering songs. She sang well, she danced well but the two tracks, originals co-written with Slash, were painfully rubbish. Slash is here to save the day though, by blasting 'Sweet Child Of Mine' and 'Paradise City' into the swelling frontal lobes of the Oxegen Masses. It's brainless nostalgic rock and roll and we love it.
2FM/Hotpress Stage, Saturday, 9.30pm
Describe in a Tweet: Swagger might just get you somewhere...
What happened:听The Tennessee band arrive on stage and start out like a more gutsy and brash General Fiasco, but the comparisons to King Of Leon soon bear true. The guitar slide intro to 'Listen To Your Love' triggers cheers from the small but dedicated crowd, who front man Nick Brown later thanks for missing "a lot of good bands" to watch Mona. Brown has the swagger of somebody who wants/needs a stadium gig, giving a speech about all good things starting small but in a couple of year's he'll be on the main stage. And some how you think it could be possible as Mona play solid rock anthems with the confidence that carries. But it's been done before, and the set begins to meld together but for the massive 'Shooting the Moon' which should be on a Michael Bay blockbuster soundtrack (heavily borrowed from U2's 'Bullet The Blue Sky') and is in contrast to the rest of their set.
Vodaphone stage, Sunday, 4.30pm
Describe in a Tweet: Too much of a very good thing.
What happened: Turns out ATL has sickened itself of Fight Like Apes, albeit temporarily. Don't get us wrong, we still love them (this reviewer had the first album on just last week), but we've seen them so many times in the last year that it's starting to rot our teeth.
The Electric Ballroom, All weekend
Describe in a Tweet: Mutton dressed as a beautiful show-lamb.
What happened: A transformation. If you've never been to Oxegen, the 'dance tent' is actually an enormous yellow hanger in the corner of the site. An 'all or nothing' type of place, you were either in or out, clinging onto your mates for dear life, covered in sweat and gradually sans-mind or...vaguely intimidated and looking for the exit.
This year, it's literally unrecognizable, with the sponsors doing an incredible job of branding the entire building. 听A quarter of a million (or so rumour has it) was spent on an enormous canvas that suddenly gave us a wonderfully gothic, greying ballroom. It looked real. Inside is full of chandeliers, a cocktail bar and a huge visual frame for the DJ.
2fm/Hotpress, Saturday, 7.20pm
Describe in a Tweet: A surprisingly fun performance that would put a smile on anyone's face.
What happened: Ms Doolittle's irritatingly infectious brand of pop may make many see red but her set in the Hotpress tent would have changed the mind of many detractors. With a merry live band accompanying her brilliantly (including possibly the most jovial double bass player to grace a stage) Doolittle managed to captivate a sizeable crowd with lush harmonies and soul infused folk pop. We've got ukuleles, pianos, gospel singers and guitars providing a delightful backing to the numerous hooks encapsulated in each track: Skinny Genes is a real treat, a cheerful lo-fi pop number that overpowers the tongue in cheek lyrics. In such a short set it's a surprise she covers Bruno Mars, turning "Grenade" into a sultry chilled out ballad but on the whole it's a remarkably fun experience for all. Pitchfork will not praise her album any time soon, but even the most committed hipsters will find themselves singing along after the Doolittle sugar coated charm offensive.
Vodafone Stage, Sunday, 3.15pm
Describe in a Tweet: They're big in Germany.
What happened: If you can imagine My Chemical Romance, minus the angst and good artwork, plus add in a dose of the Script you'd have Royseven. They appear to have been forged in a petri dish from the dna of some leftover bands from 5 years ago. There are a few rawk shapes but the music is ultimately a little too MOR to suit the effort. New album title track 'You Say We Say' and tunes such as 'We March On' are attempts at bombast, and contain all the constituent parts but fall short of the elusive formula that bonds audience and artist.
Don't get us wrong, the band are incredibly well rehearsed and they have attracted a die hard audience but at no time is there an element of anything meaningful, dangerous or even passionate here. Maybe we're still feeling the afterglow of the Foo Fighters lesson in how to put on a rock show. Just pressing the distortion pedal or carrying a flag does not automatically release the spirit of rock. It seems that Royseven have sacrificed edge for polish which is, if you pardon the pun a 'Killer'.
2fm/Hotpress Stage, Saturday, Midnight
Describe in a Tweet: More hairy than slippy.
What happened: Eels like to mix it up. The last time they played Belfast, it was a stipped down, quiet affair in The Mandela Hall. Here at Oxegen, it's all about the rock n' roll, as E is joined by what looks like five of his drinking buddies, old-skool musicians, each hairier than the next.
They've quite a big back catalogue to draw from, but only a handful of the well known tracks are played tonight as only a handful would work.
'Flyswatter' and 'Souljacker Pt 1' being the best examples, both sounding even scrappier than on record, drenched in whiskey and good times.
Vodafone Stage, Sunday, 2pm
Describe in a Tweet: Galway boys on the up.
What happened: Day three bands lower down the pecking order have a nightmare on their hands. By this stage heads are frazzled and the will to drag tired bodies from under the tarpaulin is severely tested. West coast newbies (to us anyways) Kanyu Tree definitely suffer initially, but some hardy revellers have made the trip out and are richly rewarded. Four part harmonies are underpinned by a driving mix of soul and indie (yeah, thats right), and songs such as 'Radio' and 'People Street' display a radio-friendly ability that will see the band are very much heading for a larger stage in the future.
2fm/Hotpress Stage, Saturday, 6.20pm
Describe in a Tweet: A performance reminiscent of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party and just as enjoyable to boot.
What happened: It's very, very difficult to pigeonhole Kitty, Daisy & Lewis: to be honest, that's most of the fun. The band switch from swing jazz to blues Buddy Holly would be proud of and even dip their toes in the reggae pool and while it makes for a slightly disjointed performance, it keeps things fresh and intriguing. There's a strong feeling that we're witnessing a performance of three different songwriters helping each other out when it's their time in the spotlight as the drummer becomes the lead guitarist then sings backing vocals while accompanying on the piano.
The tracks they perform are fantastic, though. The swing tracks such as Goin' Back (To The Land of Make Believe) benefit a great deal from delightful walking basslines and the crowd are waltzing in a carefree manner in the mud, with harmonies flooding in beautifully. The addition of a trumpeter to proceedings takes things up a notch: with warm guitars and some great melodies Kitty Daisy & Lewis could slot perfectly into the soundtrack of the Jungle Book or feature at a 1960s dance. All in all, it's a great show and may well be one of the best sets we'll see this weekend.
Main Stage, Sunday, 2pm
Describe in a Tweet: Bags of fun.
What happened: Mass. The DJ's on an alter and Blindboy Boat Club and Mr.听Chrome are lead onstage by half a dozen alter-boys. Never been to a mass that opened with a 'hymn' about the alleged drug intake of a one time head of state, though.
It's daft theatre from start to finish. The alter-boys strip down to bright red y-fronts and transform into a homoerotic dance troupe, with our MC's reading slightly inappropriate 'prayers' about promiscuous ladies from Sligo and men from Cork with daft accents and chips on their shoulder. Some of the actual tracks are pretty forgettable ('Too听Many...') while others are properly great ('Fight Your Father') but it's hardly relevant.
Main Stage, Saturday, 6.25pm
Describe in a Tweet: Rock, pop, rap, dubstep, soul, nu metal, funk....
What happened: This reviewer makes their way through the growing festival crowd to the sound of the brass refrain from Plan B's 'She Said'. We're a bit late to this party, but it's certainly kicking off. But it's a bit confusing - Plan B's latest concept album has born his soul singing alter ego Strickland Banks, which means he's playing two characters tonight. It leaves for an odd mishmash of musical stylings for the last twenty minutes or so. A medley of covers includes Ben E. King's 'Stand By Me', Seal's 'Kiss From a Rose' and Dr. Dre's 'Forgot about Dre' , but delivered as soul (Strickland Banks), then rap (Plan B) and with Faith SFX (beatboxer) on hand to create a dubstep backing - it's a bit bizarre.听 A nu metal rendition of his Chase & Status collaborative song 'Pieces', see's Plan B mosh into his own band members, and things get pretty ruckus on and off stage. 'Stay Too Long' finishes his set and adds one more notch on Plan B's genre hopping belt. It's boggling but damn entertaining, and pretty much got something for everybody in this field.
Main Stage, Saturday, 11.25pm
Describe in a Tweet: It's time's like these you learn to live again.
What happened: Over the last two decades Foo Fighters have built a reputation as one of the best live acts in the world, so naturally enough we have quite high expectations. Fortunately for us, our ridiculously high expectations are met and perhaps even exceeded.
Dave Grohl's appetite for rock and roll is insatiable and often hard to keep up with. He runs from side to side of the stage like a rock and roll triple jumper only stopping to acknowledge and encourage his band mates.
It's clear the Foo's are in this for the long haul this evening, with Dave Grohl exclaiming that he wont stop until they 'pull the plug'. As Spinal Tap would put it 'tonight they're gonna gonna rock us, tonight'.
The two hour set see's new material, old classics, Taylor Hawking singing solo, a Queen cover, a guitar riff-off and a sea of sweat. The main stage is completely rammed and ATL's excursion into the pit leaves us totally exhilarated by the punters energy and also scared for our lives at getting caught in the screaming fans pushing to the front.
Dave Grohl decides to forego the encore formalities instead choosing to keep the hit conveyor belt flowing. During 'Wheels' Grohl ditches the band and makes a very impassioned speech to the Oxegen punters, declaring them to be 'Foo Fighters people'. To be honest we thought he was going to cry at one point during his state of the festival speech, and had he ATL would have been frost in line with the hankies.
Vodaphone Stage, Saturday, 11.10pm
Describe in a Tweet: The reward is some incredibly good looking cheese.
What happened: Like Swedish House Mafia 24 hours previous, Deadmau5 is under pressure to deliver a show. From the second we see our Canadian chum in a ghost costume, flanked by Deadmau5 does Marioworld on his visual cube, we know we're in for a treat. Visually, at least - the first half hour of music is a little stale, as Mr. Zimmerman delivers the more miniminal of his releases while road testing some ideas. It's a fair enough deal - the stage looks incredible, with that famous mau5-head working alongside the cube and a bank of screens for something of a visual orgy... so, we happily tolerate the less poppy moments of his output.
Main Stage, Saturday, 9.40pm
Describe in a Tweet: I bet they look good on the main stage.
What happened: The Arctic Monkeys certainly aren't a band renowned for their hilarious stage banter or their mind melting showmanship and why need they be? They have a back catalogue that speaks confidently for itself. Various tracks are peppered throughout the hour long set compromising all four albums.
It's really positive to see the crowd react extremely positively to the Monkeys' new album. It would have been extremely difficult for any fans who were sitting on the fence when it comes to the previous two albums to not get wrapped up in the sheer ferocity of the new material.
The Monkeys revamp some of their earlier material to suit their growing maturity. Mardy Bum is stripped back from its usual indie nuances and delivered with a soft delicate croon. They are continually evolving, albeit slowly and methodically and are very cleverly moulding themselves into a band for the long run.
Green Spheres, Saturday, 8.45pm
Describe in a Tweet: We'll never get sick again.
What happened: A couple of years ago we'd have struggled to get near the tent hosting the biggest new band of the weekend. Today, we dander right up to the second barrier, for a nice close look. Which, as it turns out, is a big old slice of win - The Vaccines are on form. With more big tunes than makes sense for a band one album in.
Main stage, Saturday, 8.05pm
Describe in a Tweet: We really want to like Beady Eye, but....
What happened: Look, we tried. It always bugged this reviewer how trendy it was to slag Oasis - doubly so, Beady Eye. How we'd have loved to proudly declare Liam's new band are, in fact, awesome. If not the future of music, at least solid. But, about two thirds the way through their set, we start to lose focus. Momentarily we forget we're alive, let alone watching a band. Forced into indifference, ATL heads off to watch the Vaccines.
Green Spheres, Saturday, 7.20pm
Describe in a Tweet: Top of the class.
What happened: The cockney professor's DJ may well be charged with inciting a riot after his floor-filling warm-up set. Classic hip hop and fresh floor fillers get the late afternoon limbs loose and nicely warmed up for what proves to be an intense set of modern pop classics.
This is the first time in this weekend's festival that we see the Green Spheres tent packed and ready to party. Professor Green is all rock and roll, drinking and swearing and maintaing a breathtaking pogo/cow milking dance throughout. His backing band seem to be having the time of their lives laughing, smiling and climbing on each other from start to finish. It often gets difficult to differentiate who is having more fun, the punters or the band. I Need You Tonight is easily the highlight sending the tent into raptures. A+ Prof!
Main Stage, Saturday, 5pm
Describe in a Tweet: A solid performance that makes us yearn for the next record.
What happened: Team ATL live and breathe Two Door Cinema Club, and we've watched, interviewed and generally enjoyed the band for what could only be described as "a brave while". Indeed, the Bangor band's debut album has been used to soundtrack what feels like almost every ad and TV show over the course of the past year. So it's no surprise that the crowd听is belting out nearly every album track that TDCC play: from Cigarettes In The Theatre to I Can Talk, the three-piece have the benefit of a few thousand revellers providing backing vocals. There are no surprises and there are no real shocks: Alex Trimble's vocals are as flawless as ever while Sam Halliday's clean and mazy guitar riffs soar into the brightening sky. It genuinely feels as if the band are bringing the sun back from what essentially amounts to a world tour. We're treated to a new track that may or may not make their upcoming sophomore album, which follows the typical Two Door formula of jangly guitars, a few hooks and a nice synth bassline that Passion Pit would be proud of.
With Ben Thompson filling in on the drums instead of relying solely on drum machines TDCC have much more energy and are more dynamic to watch. Halliday and his bandmates have a penchant for constantly varying rhythms but Thompson performs brilliantly, and it will be difficult to find a man working harder on the kit over the course of this weekend.
Green Spheres, Saturday, 3.55pm
Describe in a Tweet: They've only gone and nailed it.
What happened: It's really disappointing that Cashier No.9 are the only Northern Irish band here this weekend (other than Two Door, but they almost don't count anymore). So, as far as we're concerned, they've an entire nation's renaissance to represent in half an hour. GO!
Vodafone Stage, Saturday,听 5.15pm
Describe in a Tweet: An afternoon at the opera.
What happened: Hurts know how to enter a stage. A swirling electro track booms while the backing band stand motionless looking like the Kraftwerk lads on a jolly to the Proms. Their grandiose pop is effortlessly entertaining, their suits indicate a trip to Saville row and in Theo Hutchcraft they have probably the most striking vocal performance of the weekend. Unfortunately the atmosphere is affected with a poor turn out to the Vodafone stage. Nonetheless 80鈥檚 synth-pop tinged melancholia is the order of the day with tracks such as 鈥榃onderful Life鈥, 鈥楤lood Tears and Gold鈥 and especially 鈥楤etter Than Love鈥 mean a lot to those who have made the effort.
Puzzlingly the Mancunian鈥檚 reference themselves as a band from Germany, when it鈥檚 very clear from their thick Northern brogue that they have more in common with Coronation Street than they do the Autobhan. Great show, poor crowd.
Vodafone Stage, Saturday, 4pm
Describe in a Tweet: Flags not quite half mast.
What happened: A disappointing crowd has gathered by the stage for BSP, but if it has disheartened the band, they haven't let it effect their performance. 'Who's In Control' kicks of a set of solid indie song-writing, showing that the craft of lyric writing hasn't been lost in the festival need for the quick fix. The sound is a bit mixed, as the wall of guitars hide the violin and backing vocals, but it's nothing disastrous. Bass player Neil Hamilton takes the lead role for a couple of tunes, before Yan returns with the soaring guitars of 'Waving Flags'. An anthemic and uplifting end to the set, finishing in 'We Close Our Eyes', will surely convince any passer by.
Saturday, Vodafone Stage, 2.55pm
Describe in a Tweet: The spirit of rawk is alive and well in The Minutes.
What happened: It's amazing that three lads can make the amount of noise that the Minutes do. From the first track it's all guns blazing from the Dublin band, absorbing the energy of the crowd and making a huge stage their own. For those unfamiliar with the Minutes, they're a cross between Thin Lizzy and Tom Petty: bringing an almost rockabilly sound to the Vodafone Stage. Regular listeners to Across The Line will know Black Keys, a raucous anthem with guitar tones as filthy as the floor of the moshpit at the main stage. It's quite a good set from the band that remains fairly consistent in terms of quality, but without doubt the showmanship of the band helps spur things along. Frontman Mark Austin revels in the limelight and the attention, interacting with the crowd well with ridiculously inappropriate banter and the vocabulary of a pirate, swanning around the stage and at one point lying down on the floor to the delight of the sizeable crowd. A fairly stunning finale with Austin screaming in his unique manner "Jesus, don't wake up" while Shane Kinsella pounds his drumkit with ridiculous vigour.
2FM/Hotpress Stage, Saturday, 3.30pm
Describe in a Tweet: Hazy rock swaggers against the odds...
What happened: It's always a bit tentative when a band take to the stage to just a couple of people slouched over the barrier and a splattering of bodies strewn across a vast emptiness. And it's a casual beginning for Sweet Jane, as they power up their hazy sleaze rock machine over the sounds that continue to play on the PA system for some reason. Bluesy distorted riffs, and some mighty rock posturing soon pull the crowd in from outside, and the band get into their stride. It's predictable stuff, with an obvious influence from the Velvet Underground (Sweet Jane being the name of a Velvet Underground song), and it all begins to meld together after a while. But it's well played, with Danda Paxton's guitar lines taking as much of the lime light as Lydia Des Dolles strutting and swaggering.
Green Spheres, Saturday, 1.55pm
Describe in a Tweet: And the award for best new band goes to....
What happened: A relatively new (to us, anyway) six-piece from Dublin open the second stage and instantly impress.
Vodaphone stage, Saturday, 2.20pm
Describe in a Tweet: Impressive levels of embarrassment.
What happened: Amanda Brunker is a well known socialite in the south. Imagine a slightly refined (but almost as pointless) Jordan. Apparently she fancies herself as a singer these days, but is yet to release anything and (before today) hadn't done a single gig. But, with Jessie J pulling out, she was booked seemingly as a cheap publicity stunt, with column inches and a twitter trending guaranteed.
Green Spheres Stage, Friday, 8pm
Describe in a Tweet: Example of how to please Oxegen punters.
What happened: It's the first time ATL has seen a tent bunged today, and the punters are spilling out around the outskirts. This is the Oxegen party we know so well, the metaphoric roof is being raised with Example and his band playing a blinder and throwing the beats and hooks out willy-nilly. 'Won't Go Quietly' blasts throw our rib cages, while the traditional chants of 'Ole Ole' makes Example promise more tunes. Some new material surprisingly goes down a storm, while 'Kickstarts' and 'Changed The Way You Kiss Me' sends the packed crowd bonkers.
2fm/Hotpress Stage, Friday, 9.10pm
Describe in a Tweet: Trudging Kiwi Indie-Emotronica.
What happened: ATL arrive just in time for 'Punching in Dreams', which instantly has the fairly busy crowd dancing and singing along to the ever reliable punter pleasing 'woo woo' lyrics. It's what The Naked and Famous do well (a wall of joyous noise) and it's why the punters are here. But the set soon begins to plod along, with 'No Way' and 'Frayed' lacking the momentum despite the beats and explosive choruses. The crowd beings to thin out, but the heavy rain soon returns and with it, a batch of mildly amused shelter seekers.
Friday, Vodafone Stage, 9.30pm
Describe in a Tweet: A performance worthy of headlining, but where's the crowd?
What happened: The Strokes in 2011 are a finely tuned musical machine. It's scary to believe that Is This It came out 10 years ago: a significant number of this crowd would have been toddlers when the band burst onto our musical radar. Over the course of those 10 years the Strokes have been a mixed bag in terms of their live performances, but no qualms could have been had in regards to their performance on the Vodafone Stage. Julian Casablancas' gruff and occasionally mumbling vocals are on top form while Albert Hammond Jr effortlessly reels off guitar solo after solo, demonstrating an incredible flair while showboating for the masses. There's no messing around when it comes to the setlist either, featuring the hits from their earlier material and (thankfully) not devoting their performance to promoting their new album. Hits like Reptilia, Take It Or Leave It and Hard To Explain were breathlessly fired out with little pause between tracks. Casablancas is possibly one of the most aloof men in the business and the lack of crowd interaction can come across as slightly grating, but the band do seem to be giving it their all in their own brash and loud way. The only sad point to note is the lack of a crowd: the rain is torrential and there serious competition for the Strokes on the other stages (with the Script, Tiga and Calvin Harris performing at the same time) but it does hamper the atmosphere somewhat. With Last Night we get a glimmer of what may have been as a few thousand take over on vocals for one track only, but the empty space at the back of the Vodafone Stage tells its own story.
Vodaphone stage, Friday, 3pm
Describe in a Tweet: Plan C
What happened: Three young bucks plus what looks like their da's take to the stage. Its a mix of pure Dub backstreet charm, urban rhymes and hippy acoustic tunes a la Jack Johnson. Admitting to only having formed a matter of months ago its a noble attempt, and there is a devoted section of fans who have already jumped onto the Rude Boy bus. Tracks like 'In Too Deep' and 'Sunny Days' point towards an interesting, genuine sound of young working class Dublin, but too often the ideas seem confused and unfinished. The choice of covers, while good (Gnarls Barkley and Mumford and Sons) further pointed to a padding of the set, despite going down well with this younger crowd.
Main Stage, Friday, 5.55pm
Describe in a Tweet: Muddy Holly
What happened: Weezer take to the stage with smiles so bright, sunglasses are necessary if retina's are to remain unscorched. The LA power punk forefathers are in great spirits, their energy is infectious and is directly responsible for getting the party started at tonight. Rivers Cuomo flails around the stage like blown spores from a dandelion. His stage banter is funny, off the cuff and effortless while the bands performance is entirely encapsulating, to the point the main stage crowd are awkwardly bouncing like delighted toddlers.
Weezer's setlist choice is a lesson for any band in how to approach a festival. New and old material is briefly aired at the beginning, Wheatus' 'Teenage Dirtbag' and Radiohead's 'Paranoid Android' are covered, much to the delight of the baying masses and the end with three of their biggest hit.
2fm/Hotpress Stage, Friday, 8pm
Describe in a Tweet: British guitar pop merchants bring the sound of the summer to Oxegen.
What happened: Until the release of their 2011 album The English Rivera Metronomy were better known for their remixes than their actual live performances. Things have finally clicked together, however, and on the basis of their most recent release and this live performance they deserve to be the breakthrough band of the summer. With shimmering guitar pop laced with occasionally sinister synth parts worthy of New Order they have a quirky sound that in the right circumstances can provide for a fantastic performance. Tracks such as "Back on The Motorway" and "She Wants" have Motown inspired basslines provided by Gbenga Adelekan, talking of lost loves and travelling while captivating the crowd and providing something to sing and dance to. There's a slightly top heavy setlist selection in regards to the most recent album but we're treated to some reworked material from their first two releases, so it's fun for new listeners and the hardcore fans as well. With delightfully intersecting harmonies, choreographed dancing and some fantastic melodies it's sheer bliss.
Hotpress Stage, Friday, 3.50pm
Describe in a tweet: A set of two halves and a decent amount of promise from the female LA rockers.
What happened: To be perfectly blunt, the first fifteen minutes of Cherri Bomb鈥檚 set were awful. The vocals were almost inaudible at times and the instruments just blended together in a mush that made the band almost impossible to listen to at times. They鈥檙e aiming to replicate the iconic Runaways but in reality they sound more like an All Time Low tribute band that are practising together for the first time. Towards the second half, however, things took a surprising turn. Lead singer Julia Pierce unleashes what could only be described as a cracking guitar solo that grabs our attention, a riff that wouldn鈥檛 be out of place in any classic rock track. From there, Cherri Bomb bring their A game. We get to hear the catchy punk pop that they claim is their aim, and track 鈥淪pin鈥 shows the band in their element: decent bass work, driving guitars and hooks aplenty. They proudly proclaim they鈥檙e the 鈥測oungest band鈥 to play at Oxegen: that inexperience does show from time to time, but there鈥檚 enough promise hear to merit checking out Cherri Bomb at a later stage.
Red Bull Electric Ballroom, Friday, 5pm
Describe in a Tweet: Diplo met disco and spawned Bitches With Wolves.
What happened: The Red Bull Electric Ballroom is the main stage for dance music, providing a strobe light filled extravaganza for the revellers, and this is where Bitches With Wolves steal the show. It鈥檚 questionable quite how much of this performance is 鈥渓ive鈥 but in reality, any qualms in that regard would be categorised at unnecessary nitpicking. The rhythms are perfect, channelling the revitalised spirit of disco while integrating the electro-rave of MSTRKRFT into their sound. James O鈥橬eill is one of those frontmen that you can鈥檛 help but be captivated by: he dances like a madman, working what could have been a difficult crowd well and remaining almost note perfect throughout. Broken Hearts features some chilling yet gorgeous harmonies while Good As Gold rounds off the set brilliantly: the beat drops impeccably and it could be a genuine floorfiller. They may not be everyone鈥檚 cup of tea but Bitches With Wolves have delivered an excellent performance.
Vodaphone stage, Friday, 11.30pm
Describe in a Tweet: Smoke and mirrors save the day.
What happened: A lot of intrigue. Three men sharing one man's job and only a handful of singles? Pulling off a second stage headline would take jiggery pokery...
Vodaphone stage, Friday, 7pm
Describe in a Tweet: Put the effort in, reap the rewards.
What happened: Good to see someone put so much work in. Despite limited resources (in that he's only the one album's worth of tunes) Tinie Tempah is doing everything he can to put on a show. Every festival cliche is rolled out - splitting the crowd, call and response, dubious claims he's Irish (Tinie's real name is Patrick, to be fair)... even the old getting-everyone-to-crouch-down-for-a-bit trick - it's all there. We lap it up.
Some notes:
1. The weather, after threatening to wash us away by teatime, has behaved. A reasonably dry day with occasional showers. We can live with that.
2. People are behaving. We sometimes expect the worse at Oxegen when it gets muddy, but the crowd have been, as far as we can see, loving it. In the best possible way.
Hotpress Stage, Friday, 2.55pm
Describe in a Tweet: Bell X1 may need to watch their back: there鈥檚 a pretender to their throne.
What happened: It was a tough slot, but Reader鈥檚 Wives pulled a great performance out of the bag. Opening with an absolute gem of a track, the band quickly made their mark: there鈥檚 murky, searching basslines and inventive lyrics that keep you hooked on every word spoken by Niall Holohan, while there鈥檚 a strong guitar based melody to keep the masses intrigued and to lull you into a false sense of security. Once they grab our attention, they never really lose it. That lyrical edge of Reader's Wives always remains, even if the melodies may differ in terms of quality, but on the whole it鈥檚 a fascinating performance. Get Laid finds favour with the crowd due a simple yet effective chorus, while Wasted Youth is the lovechild of Springsteen and Neil Young coupled with the wit of Billy Bragg. Yes, they may not be the most cutting edge in terms of sound, but they鈥檙e a damn good band that can make a difficult crowd dance with little coercion.
Green Spheres, Friday, 5pm
Describe in a Tweet: He's lost control.
What happened: Peter Hook wheels out the Joy Division hits to a feebly populated Green Spheres tent. The few punters that litter the tent are a fractious mish mash of punters who may remember Joy Division听 first time round and curious indie kids looking for a lesson in indie history. Unfortunately the only lesson on tonight's class schedule is on how to grow old disgracefully. Hook ambles around stage like a loutish uncle at a wedding proving to be the antithesis of the infectious jagged jackhammer of one of indies seminal untouchables Ian Curtis.
The band are met with affection-less indifference throughout the majority of the set, that is until they wheel out the Joy Division home run catalog. Transmission and Love Will Tear Us Apart inspire the crowd into some nice pogo dancing but even that isn't enough to convince. Essentially this is a Joy Division cover band cashing in at the expense of its legacy.
The Main Stage, Friday, 5.15pm
Describe in a Tweet: One of the twins from Jedward meets Lostprophets. Confusing...
What happened: There's a man who's bombed on stage with a blonde quiff and jumping around with the energy of a five year old. We're looking for a matching twin but surprisingly, this isn't Jedward, but instead Welsh 'post-hardcore' (questionable genre tag) band The Blackout. It's a strange mix, with duel vocalists Sean Smith (aforementioned Jedward look alike) and Gavin Butler commanding the stage with more cliched rock (and sometimes pop) posturing than a Def Leppard gig, but the crowd are loving it.
Children Of The Night gets people singing along and they dedicate the ballad, It's High Tide Baby to all the Irish personalities they know, aka. Father Ted and Dougal, and John and Edward. It's a strange pop, rock, emo, metal mashup, and we're a little confused by it all, but pay credit where credit is due, they're a good band making a high octane racket.
2fm/Hotpress stage, Friday, 5.50pm
Describe in a Tweet:听 A wave of psychedelic rock almost bringing us to another world.
What happened: Surprisingly young, this band look like they belong in the school assembly hall but play some fantastic psychedelic rock with roots well beyond their years. It's a decent crowd for a band that most people here, blatantly, have never heard of before. But people hang on, being entranced by Tame Impala's hypnotising phased out guitars and tumbling drums. The songs roll into each other, and the sound washes around the tent, soothing those willing to take it down a notch. 'Desire Be, Desire Go' gets people dancing and proves this band, while not laden with pop vocal hooks, can still get a festival crowd (albeit not a massive crowd) going.
Vodaphone stage, Friday, 5pm
Describe in a Tweet: Passed the time well before Jump Around.
What happened: Proper old-skool hip hop, the likes of which we'd nearly forgotten about. Granted they've a four-piece up there backing them up, but at the end of the day it's really just about two guys running about a stage shouting at people. Don't get us wrong - that's no bad thing. We're even willing to overlook the fact Everlast looks every one of his 41 years.
Hotpress Stage, Friday, 2pm
Describe in a Tweet: A good effort but not quite good enough to kick Oxegen off with a bang.
What happened: Madisun were never going to be mindblowing, but they gave it their all to no avail. Rock and Roll Swing was an intriguing start, with a nice bit of sax thrown into the heavy on the pop, little of the rock mix, but despite firing on all cylinders they failed to really make their mark. They never really put a foot wrong, in fairness (the only complaint that could be made would be that the frontman's falsetto was less than graceful at the best of times) but for a middle of the road band at such a big festival they needed to do something big and they failed to do that.
On the positive side, there's some genuinely nice slide guitar work and the band can certainly find their way round a melody: if they weren't the opening band to the festival, their decision to take things a little slower in Mystery Train could have worked very well but they simply didn't have the crowd on their side. Fans of the Kooks and the later work of the Shins may find favour with Madisun but they were destined to open with a whimper instead of a bang.
Vodaphone Stage, Friday, 2.45pm
Describe in a Tweet: Channeling the spirit of Bono.
What happened: There has been a lot of talk about The Plea, given their seemingly meteoric rise from nowhere to the second stage of Ireland's largest festival. Given that they also appeared on the bill for the recent Ash Irish tour its clear that someone 'up there' likes them. To a large extent, we can see why. They're a solid, driven band with a knack for big melody. 'The Miracle' proves why its been bothering playlists of Irish radio of late, while later on 'Staggerers Anthem' is exactly that. a good old fashioned closer, rising from acoustic to epic over the course of six minutes or so.
Green Spheres, Friday, 3pm
Describe in a Tweet: Meat and two veg.
What happened: Most of the south's musical output these days seems to be 'intelligent' guitar rock or quirky folk. So it's strangely refreshing to watch a band play bog-standard festival rock n' roll that you could set your watch to. For a while, anyway.
Main stage, Friday, 2pm
Describe in a Tweet: Oldies look/sound young.
What happened: Given the last time they had a 'hit' Oxegen didn't even exist, this wasn't necessarily the best way to open the festival. But it works an absolute treat, from the very moment we see fashionable gangsta' Huey Morgan's cream suit and enormous purple shirt collar. Those songs, while a little dusty, still work a crowd - 'Love Unlimited' (the tribute to Barry White) is as daft as it is lush, 'Big Night Out' as sleazy as it was back in the day.
We're onsite now. A few things we noticed while tramping our way over to the media area:
1. The dance tent aka The Banger Hanger aka 'The Electric Ballroom' looks amazing. The entire front wall (and it's massive) is wearing an enormous sheet that makes it look like it's been painted all sorts of whacky colours. There's no a mammoth porch bit at the front, presumably an area where one can reflect on the carnage they're about to witness. Fair play to the sponsors of this particular arena, they've really gone to town.
So it's just gone 11am.
Before we leave our digs and get stuck into the small matter of reviewing and photographing a load of bands to within an inch of their lives (and whacking up a load of video stuff too, all being well) we thought it worth sharing something with you guys back home.
Way-hey! It's the return of Rigsy's Oxegen Runners & Riders!
Who to see, who to avoid, who to pretend you saw鈥 well, you'll catch on quick enough.
***THE MUST SEES***
Arctic Monkeys
Main stage, Saturday, 9.40pm
It took as a while to warm to the Arctic Monkeys 'live' experience, as youthful naivety and a stubborn approach to playing the 'hits' made past experiences a little hit and miss. But under the watchful eye of Josh Homme, they've a beast of a new record to be proud of, four solid albums worth of material under their belt and endless reams of deserved confidence. Now is their time.
Beyonce
Main stage, Sunday, 10.25pm
Just for the first ten minutes which, if she performs the same set as we saw at Glasto, will be two of the finest pop songs of the last ten years back to back. To be fair, it was kinda downhill from there but nevermind that, what an ENTRANCE!
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Main Stage,听10pm Saturday
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Tweet: Man + Mic + Box of Tricks = Fun
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What happened?: A storming, at times funny, set of beat-boxing tricks from the World Loop-Station Champion.听 This one man band toys with us, engages with us, and generally shows us a damn good time, building up tracks we know (鈥楩ix Up, Look Sharp鈥, 鈥3 Is A Magic Number鈥, 鈥楥an I Kick It鈥), and those of his own, incorporating storytelling, p-taking, and his family in a show that鈥檚 nearer stand-up than straight musical performance.听 His ability to produce and control sounds, and mastery of microphones and loops goes far beyond what someone in the crowd dismissed as 鈥渨hat you do when you can鈥檛 afford equipment鈥.听 His ten minute set of loops and beats would shame quite a few DJs, and it鈥檚 no surprise when he gets called on to do an encore.
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Shining Light:听 Managing to get us all singing along to 鈥楶ut Your Hands Up For Detroit鈥, somehow redeeming that song, albeit only temporarily.
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Meltdown:听 I need a shower now after that.听 Possibly in bleach.听 And we have to wait until October to see him again.
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Rating: 9/10
Main Stage 3.15pm 听 Tweet: G-whiz it鈥檚 Robyn, Shielding his eyes from the sun. 听 What happened?: 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to play some nice songs for you.鈥听 And so they did.听 In what is a slightly strange setting for the often maudlin and melancholy tones of Mr Shiels, today accompanied by a band.听 It鈥檚 so gentle, unhurried and unassuming that it can seem a bit thrown together, which distracts from the quality of song-writing.听 The changing delicacy and quiet power recalls the likes of Bon Iver or quieter Devendra Banhart, in spirit, if not in practice, sparse, delicate song-writing brought to focus by the lack of accoutrements.听 鈥淲here Has All The Love Gone鈥 is carried by piano, a late night whiskey song if ever there was one, and seemingly the place has got colder as a result.听 Even the relatively up-tempo 鈥楢ll Hope Lay Dying鈥 isn鈥檛 exactly a happy song, and so the crowd are a bit nonplussed. 听 Shining Light: 鈥榃here Has All The Love Gone鈥 鈥 hurry up and record this please, so we can enjoy it more. 听 Meltdown: Probably Robyn himself.听 He鈥檚 bound to be suffering away from the dark, dank bars that are his spiritual home.听 If he melted, we wouldn鈥檛 be surprised. 听 Rating: 7/10 听 听
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Main Stage, 11:30pm Saturday
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Tweet: Do be a Not Square Maaaan.
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What happened?:听 Given the unenviable task of following on from Shlomo, the headliners hurriedly assemble their gear to try and retain the dwindling crowd鈥檚 attention.听 Opening with 鈥楻elease The Bees鈥, they grab the attention of the hard-core party animals at the front, and the couple of wee lads who get on-stage with them (this is becoming the theme of festivals this summer 鈥 none is complete without some wee lads sneaking on stage attempting to steal the show), followed later on by as many of the rest of us as fancy it as they invite the crowd to join them. We鈥檙e even treated to what might be a couple of new tracks, ending their normal set with 鈥楢sylum鈥 before doing a well-needed encore as the stage-times go to hell.
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Shining Light: They do have some absolutely cracking tunes (the aforementioned 鈥楻elease The Bees鈥 and 鈥楢sylum鈥 in particular) and a curiously compelling stage presence for being 3 relatively static blokes who don鈥檛 do much in the way of banter.
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Meltdown: It鈥檚 a small crowd, and the outdoor setting doesn鈥檛 help for an act probably best suited to dark, sweaty, enclosed spaces, and who are probably a little too niche to headline a festival, certainly at this stage.
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Rating: 7/10
Main Stage 5:30pm, Saturday
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Tweet: definitely not a Minute wasted
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What happened?: For the first time today, we seem to have a crowd.听 Its good old fashioned rock and roll, and we like it.听 Taking their cue from the likes of Zeppelin, MC5 and AC/DC, they claim to have brought the sunshine with them.听 The stompy blues rock of 鈥楪old鈥 is much to the approval of the burlesque stilt-walkers, while 鈥楳onster鈥 (鈥渋t鈥檚 not a QOTSA cover鈥) meets with standing approval from the judging panel sitting in camping chairs in front of the stage.听
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Shining Light: The sun鈥檚 beaming down, it鈥檚 old-fashioned fun rock and rock.听 Even the oldies approve.
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Meltdown: As good as they鈥檝e been, they would鈥檝e destroyed last year when The Answer headlined.
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Rating: 8/10
Main Stage, 8:50pm Saturday
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Tweet: Ska.听 Party.听 Animal.
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What happened?:听 If it isn鈥檛 a rule that a festival must have some ska, then there should be.听 You may not listen to it any of the other 364 days of the year, but for getting a smile on your face, and a dance in your shoes, there鈥檚 nothing finer.听 Taking to the stage at sun-set, or at least as the area becomes bathed in shadow, there鈥檚 a few people waiting upfront for them to begin.听 These are joined by others as we quickly realise there鈥檚 some obligatory partying to be done.听 鈥楧irty Money鈥 is exactly what we need 鈥 shouty, catchy, poppy fun to make us forget it鈥檚 suddenly got a little colder.听 鈥楾etrasaurus Rex鈥 prompts some of the band to ditch their instruments and dive into the crowd while closer 鈥楤elfast Town鈥 is the place is musical form 鈥 humorous, shouty, sweary, fun, cheeky and a bit riotous.
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Shining Light: It has to be 鈥楤elfast Town鈥 鈥 the campaign to get this made into an official song starts here.
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Meltdown: Ok, who turned off the lights?听 And the heating?听 Now we鈥檝e stopped dancing, I鈥檝e just realised it鈥檚 got a little nippy.
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Rating: 8/10
Main Stage 7:45pm, Saturday
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Tweet: Val-ium
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What happened?: After the crowd-pleasers of the Choir, we鈥檙e continuing the safety.听 The shadows are lengthening, but these lads aren鈥檛 likely to scare us.听 It鈥檚 very pleasant guitar music.听 鈥業 Don鈥檛 Wanna Love鈥 is jaunty enough with a bit of brass, reminiscent of The Zutons in places, and 鈥楬olding On To What You鈥檝e Got鈥 is bouncy with a bit of Hammond organ in there, with hints of鈥ctually it鈥檚 bland, boring, and unlikely to be remembered by the time our next act gets onstage, and the scattered polite applause shows that I鈥檓 not the only one to feel this way.听
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Shining Light: I鈥檝e got a chance to go and get some food.
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Meltdown: The burger was nice.
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Rating: 5/10
Main Stage, 6:40pm, Saturday
Tweet: preaching to the chorus 听 What happened?: Some things are compulsory for festivals 鈥 and a gospel choir doing covers seems to be one of them.听 It鈥檚 safe, entertains without threatening us, and may be doing us some good spiritually (not guaranteed).听 Indeed, anyone who was on the campsite last night is probably morally saved for the next year or so as they performed a more traditional gospel set by the standing stone.听 Taking their cue from the more soulful end of popular music, we鈥檝e got 鈥楽weet Dreams Are Made Of This鈥, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e Got The Love鈥 and 鈥楳oving On Up鈥. 听 Shining Light: I may be a sucker for the Scream, but 鈥楳oving On Up鈥 is always a winner. 听 Meltdown: This is all very bland, good songs, but nothing startling original in terms of interpretation or choice, and they could probably do with larger numbers and stronger soloists to do some of the songs justice.听 It鈥檚 a notch above a covers band. 听 Rating: 6/10 听
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Main Stage, 2:45pm Saturday
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Tweet: Came.听 Saw. Didn鈥檛 Get Defeated.
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What happened?:听 It鈥檚 immediately apparent these guys are a bit further down the line than our openers, more polished, more rehearsed and more confident.听 They鈥檙e a more intelligent twist on the contemporary indie, a little bit heavier and rockier, espresso rather than filter.听 They鈥檙e nice guys though, inquiring about out health and advising us not to get sunburnt as we listen to their powerful mix of jerk and melody (and the occasional cowbell).听 The subtleties of their song-writing are a bit lost in this space, meaning that the nuances in there don鈥檛 come through as on previous occasions.听 It鈥檚 a shame that there鈥檚 such a small crowd for them, meaning they鈥檙e unlikely to conquer the world on the back of this performance.
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Shining Light: Their song-writing ability.听 They鈥檙e a notch above the usual, even if they鈥檙e not displaying it to its best here.
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Meltdown: They seem strangely placed at such a family oriented festival.听 There aren鈥檛 too many local music scene followers around, and this isn鈥檛 exactly generic all-ages material.
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Rating: 7/10
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Main Stage,听2pm Saturday
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Tweet: AC but not DC.
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What happened?: Kicking off day 2, and the main stage, these lads are contemporary punk-funk-indie-schmindie with the time-changes beloved of so many.听 They share musical space with the likes of Key Of Atlas, Colly Strings, ASIWYFA and a host of other local acts, but given a slight twist by a bit of a drawled out vocal, rather than the usual yelps that accompany this style of music.听 Being on first, they suffer from a small, suffering, docile crowd, who fail to charge the stage in appreciation.听 Still, I doubt if it鈥檒l be their (Custer鈥檚) Last Stand, although they will need to improve and develop to find their own distinct identity locally.
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Shining Light: We all like a bit of showmanship, and one of the lads takes it upon himself to spin the guitar around his body mid-song.听 What exactly this accomplished musically, we don鈥檛 know, but it looked good.
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Meltdown:听 They鈥檙e in a competitive market, and being able to identify so many other bands locally doing similar sorts of things means they may find it hard to stand out.
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Rating: 6/10
Main Stage 4:30pm, Saturday
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Tweet: Good God Pat Dam and other such phrases
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What happened?: Perhaps a little later than scheduled, seemingly having swapped with Robyn G Shiels in the running order, a rag-tag man, and his rag-tag band took the stage, and the music was anything but.听 From 鈥楽lip John鈥 onwards, it鈥檚 rollicking good fun 鈥 folksy, bouncy, with a hoedown feel in places.听 It recalls Bowie, The Beatles and The Kinks, seemingly simple and classic, that it feels strange that we鈥檝e not heard these songs before.听 鈥楻ags to Riches鈥 has to have been stolen from some Abbey Road archive, with a ragtime good-time vibe.听 You can almost see the bar-room dancing as the beer gets spilled by revellers.听 All from a man with a most impressive beard.
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Shining Light:听 That we鈥檝e got them here was one bright spot.听 That then they produced such good time music is even better.听
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Meltdown: Beard jealousy.听 I want a beard like that.听 Now.
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Rating: 8/10
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This week's 'Gig of the Week' is indeed a little bit special. Welcome to the battle! Before Machines and EatenByBears will fight it out (through the medium sound of course) at Aunt Annies tomorrow, in a unique 'battle of the bands'.
So the plan for the operation is for both bands to set up on the floor of the venue, face each other and have the audience disperse around them. Then they'll exchange song per song and the audience will decide the victor, just like in Gladiator. DRAMATIC!
So who's gonna win? We'll let's take a sneak peek at the bands preperations to give us a clue!
Acoustic Stage, 11:20pm Friday
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Tweet: Emm.听 A Wheely Great Tim(e)
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What happened?: 听Following possibly the most bizarre support act in their careers (improvised puppetry involving talking badgers pretending to re-create blockbuster films), local lad Tim and (adopted local) Emmy take to the stage for a relaxed, friendly acoustic set by the side of the campsite.听 The informal atmosphere feels like a house-party with chatting, drinks being passed about, kids running around, although unlike most house-parties, the people who are performing actually know what they鈥檙e doing.听 It鈥檚 a varied set including songs from The Strokes and The Pixies (a gorgeous rendition of 鈥榃here Is My Mind鈥) as well as material from Emmy herself, and Ash.
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Shining Light: 鈥楽hining Light鈥 obviously, prompting a bit of singing from the crowd, although as a duo 鈥榃here Is My Mind鈥 is the highlight.听 The extra couple of Ash tracks as Emmy heads off to find a drink is just a happy bonus from a man enjoying being surrounded by family and friends.
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Meltdown: It鈥檚 nearly too informal a setting, and it shows in the performance which is so relaxed that it feels like they鈥檝e been press-ganged into playing and have nothing planned.
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Rating: 7/10
Tonight's very special guest ATL 'house band' are The Minutes from Dublin听which got our little minds working overtime about the fleeting nature of time.听Time is everywhere. If we arent spending it, we're wasting it and there are a shedload of awesome songs written about it. Let us know your pick by shouting us here, on the or and we will give y'all a shout on the show tonight...
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Paul McClean (ATL Producer)
Back before Bono began to look like a drunk old Uncle at a wedding dance,听U2 were an angular, spikey young bunch of Dublin art punks. As they geared up for world domination they release some fine albums and the best of them arguably was听War way back in 1981. As well as tracks like 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and 'New Year's day', 'Seconds' was always a stand-out, coming across like a DublinTalking Heads. The drums sound like they're nearly catching up with the bassline which anchors the whole track, while the breakdown in the middle seemed very avant-garde at the time with it's film sample. The entire album reminds us why in the first instance the biggest band in the world were once also one of the best.
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