Day One
Arctic Monkeys - if you have a favourite Arctic Monkeys song then they performed it (all my favourites at any rate). A fantastic mix of their rough and ready early work and their refined, menacing more recent songs.
Alternative: YouTube
The Vaccines - this was an hour of nonstop bounce and sing-along-able choruses. The Vaccines are a grower, at first they sound a little too rough but the more you listen the more you find yourself singing along to their thumping indie anthems. Total summer music!
Alternative: YouTube
Portishead - triphop at its most haunting. Sit back and let the music swell over you. Also I love that they chose waterproof coats over catching hypothermia!
Alternative: YouTube
Alt-J - this was my first proper experience to this new indie rock band and I very much enjoyed it. I will definitely be investing some money into them. Their music is thoughtful without being heavy or pretentious. They are both edgy and relaxing. Also I'm very pleased to see so many glasses in one band. Yay for glasses!
Alternative: YouTube
Bastille - yet another band I had not had much contact with before this year's Glastonbury and yet another I was happily surprised by (I really need to get out more). Very easy to listen to, very emotive indie pop.
Day Two
Two Door Cinema Club - more flowing, sing-along-able indie pop that is perfect for a summer night.
Alternative: YouTube
Noah and the Whale - masters of emotion whether it be songs about falling out of love or the power of hope...many a sad day has been changed or cemented thanks to the power of this indie pop band. I love them!
Calexico - these guys are the musical equivalent of going out for a Tex-Mex. Mariachi band meets indie rock meets Americana. Delicious!
Ed Harcourt - sometimes it just doesn't get better than a guy and a piano / guitar. Melancholy and beautiful. (Guest starring a human beat box XD)
Hurts - these guys always remind me of Herr Flick from 'Allo 'Allo and though their synthpop is just as regimented it also captures human emotion in a masterful way. Not sure on the strippergram though.
Alternative: YouTube
Day Three
Vampire Weekend - no way near as scary as they sound, these guys have matured into an ironically youthful sounding indie band. More summer tunes I think!
Alternative: YouTube
The Editors - haunting, menacing and endearing in equal measures. Indie rock made unique by Tom Smith's deep, soulful voice. Need I say more?
Of Monsters and Men - sunny, dreamy indie folk pop with the magic and majesty of mysterious Iceland.
Other sets I enjoyed were:
- Flower shirt wearing noisters Palma Violets
- R&B soul sister and incredibly beautiful Solange
- The criminally underexposed and wonderfully intimidating The Courteeners
- Scottish indie rockers Frightened Rabbit
- Funky funkster of funk Toro y Moi
- Indie balladeer Ben Howard
- Indie rockers Everything Everything
- The haunting folk of Daughter
- The folk who made folk cool, Mumford and Sons
- King of Country Kenny Rogers
- Breathy, chillaxed The xx
- The gentler side of Charlatans with front man Tim Burgess
- Fun French rockers Phoenix
- Rising indie singer / songwriter star Tom Odell
- Softly sung Villagers
Other great acts such as Amanda Palmer*, Kodaline, Swim Deep, Dry the River, MS MR and First Aid Kit also performed but there are no videos of them which deserves a big boo. Boo.
Who were your favourite performers?
* One of Amanda's breasts did make it into The Daily Mail though (it was a dumb article...I thought they were peed off she'd shown it on purpose or something...instead it was calling up a fashion faux pas! Slow news day, huh?)
