Move Festival - Old Trafford Cricket Ground - 10.7.04
Stereophonics / The Pixies / Goldfrapp plus support
After what could only be described as one of the most depressing gigs
ever the day previous at Move we needed some bands that were more uplifting
that The Cure, Elbow et all. Despite its position as an Urban Festival
we were desperately in need of some comedy hats, drunken louts and a bit
of debauchery and although the Stereophonics crowd are unlikely to wear
anything but denim, faux designer labels and the odd Welsh flag at least
the place was alive rather than the living dead.
The 22/20s offer an energetic if instantly forgettable opener to
the proceedings. Unashamedly retro blues that make Gomez sound like the
least derivative band that walked the planet. Condensed to just 2 or 3
songs its inspiring, but when stretched out for a half hour set each song
blends into another and the earplugs are duly placed firmly in ears. Enough
is enough. The Stands on the other hand surely deserve more of an
intro than being Noel Gallaghers favourite band. From start to finish Howie
Payne had the crowd in the palm of his hands with a mix of 3 minute classics
sidled next to freestyle wigouts. "I Need You" and "When The River Rolls
Over You" have become modern classics in just under 12 months and while
last time they appeared in Manchester supporting Jet they tried to rock
things up, this time they truly played to their strengths - lightly picked
melodies, lush harmonies and bouncy bass lines. One of the true highlights
of the festival so far.
Looking like a friendlier airbrushed version of Ming The Merciless from
Flash Gordon flashdancing his tantric shapes with the sort of assured
cockiness you wouldn't expect for someone playing their 8th ever gig with
the band of "individuals" as he so warmly describes them. It was either
going to be love or hate for Tim Booth in Manchester and thankfully
it was the former. James were such an institution in the city and their
last ever gig at the arena saw grown men cry, so it was with great anticipation
that Booth released his solo collaborative album "Bone". Immediately what
was in truth a disappointing album is transformed into his best work live.
"Wave Hello", a song about commitment phobia, sits next to a song about
sexual desire and wanting to f*ck everybody. Booth has had almost a Moby
styled make over from serious artist to dick swinging party central, but
his former life survives in "Five" and "Sometimes". Two classic James songs
for the fans with the latter simply featuring Booth accompanied by a piano
in a beautiful ballad arrangement. Ending on "Down To The Sea" Booth had
turned around a disappointing album into a fantastic live shows and here's
hoping that he could release a live album or maybe give away MP3s on the
website cos live its a far better representation of the songs which seem
half-baked in their existing recordings.
The downpour of torrential rain as Goldfrapp hit the stage seems
to perfectly suit the dramatic nature of the music. James Bond symphonies
meet the modern age while Alison Goldfrapp plays a schizophrenic maiden
who swings from the right side of evil to the dark side. A band seemingly
out of step with the rest of not only today's line-up, but the whole festival,
they can't help but bring a welcome relief from the overload of guitars.
Their biggest hit to date, "Strict Machine", a track which many have tried
to emulate ala Rachel Stephens, but their versions just sound anaemic and
inoffensive. Goldfrapp deliver a synth and bass heavy beast of a song which
threatens to blow the speaker stack throughout. On the other side it's
Alisons operatic vocals on their earlier material which threatens to break
glass. As the band leave the stage the rain subdues to a light shower as
if Alison had planned it all so meticulously.
Why the Stereophonics are headlining over the Pixies has been
one of the questioned asked by seemingly everyone, irrespective of age,
since the line-up was announced a few months ago. In these times where
image is everything, sadly even in "alternative" circles, the fact that
a fat bald man can still have such an overbearing impact and create such
a reaction is a revelation. From the moment they hit the stage there is
a genuine feeling that the band are in it for the right reasons and strangely
enough it doesn't feel like a reunion or a comeback, it just feels right
and just that a band who had such an impact on the likes of Nirvana, Radiohead
and countless others should come back and have their time again. "Monkey
Gone To Heaven", "Debaser", "Here Comes Your Man" - if the night would
have ended there and then it would have been perfect, but that just brings
us to the....
....The Stereophonics. Throughout the day rumours were abound that
there was to be a mass boycott of the cricket ground after the Pixies had
played and for a while it looked like the rumours had come to fruition.
The masses were leaving and the front of the stage was filled with the
capacity of a venue where Michelle McManus had just announced she was going
to stage dive. The headlines were running through the press room: "The
Stereophonics are over", "Who The F*ck is Kelly Jones?" - but then a strange
thing happened. As soon as the Stereophonics hit the stage, the arena started
to fill up slowly and surely and Kelly Jones was saved at the last minute.
Where it was truly worth it is up for debate because while the band deliver
what they've always done - just straight up lowest common denominator rock
n roll - you can't help but being underwhelmed after the Pixies. Kelly
has the confidence by the bucket load, they play as well as they've ever
played and this show is up there with the mind-blowing arena shows they
played last year. But ultimately its just not enough tonight and in truth
if the band had just played the best show of their lifes it was going to
disappoint. It's one of those facts of life i'm afraid.
Alex McCann
Photo's by Karen McBride - www.karenmcbride.com
**********
Post
your Move Festival 2004 reviews / comments on the Message Board
**********
Move Festival 2004
Photo Galleries
Thursday - Madness / Ocean Colour Scene / Jimmy Cliff / The Strangler
- Click Here
Friday - The Cure / Elbow / Keane / Longview / The Cranes- Click
Here
Saturday - The Pixies / Stereophonics / Goldfrapp / Tim Booth / The
Stand / 2220s - Click Here
Sunday - Morrissey / New York Dolls / Beta Band / Ordinary Boys / James
Maker - Click Here