Sunday 26 July 2009

Poppy and the Jezebels
Lion Club
Wild Palms
Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man
An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump
Hatcham Social
Banjo Or Freakout
KASMs
Polly Scattergood
The Warlocks
Patrick Wolf

The day dawned sunny and bright over Shoreditch Park, although it was a worrying sight when the VIP queue was longer than the ticket holders queue. The organisers seemed to notice this and hastily stuck up signs notifying us that ‘Backstage Guests’ would have to pay a £5 contribution. Cue much rummaging for spare change in impossibly tight jeans. The gates opened 45 minutes late and as a result all the stages were running behind, except the main stage which was inexplicably running an hour early. I think it was because Flashguns and Ipso Facto pulled out, but it took all my concentration to figure out who was playing let alone who wasn’t. Undeterred and armed with the programme (only useful for trying to match the band descriptions to the band you were currently watching) we set off to actually watch some music.

First up were Poppy and the Jezebels, who played a short set on the main stage to a smattering of people. Their music was pleasant and sunny enough to match the weather, but nothing memorable. We stayed at the main stage to watch Lion Club next (who I thought were Flashguns for most of the day) and really enjoyed them. They played nice, edgy indie and had pretty, young faces that will ensure them some decent NME coverage in the future.

The weather took a downward turn and the sky turned grey, so we headed to the larger tent to watch Wild Palms. They were fun, the singer reminded me of a cross between Bez and Ian Curtis, and the drummer had an odd haircut. That’s all I can remember unfortunately.

We went to check out what the rest of the festival had to offer, and were disappointed to find three food stalls (doughnuts, thai and burgers/hotdogs/chips), one bar, a sad looking clothes stall and a duck-hooking funfair game. Oh and a few soggy haybales in the middle of the field. However at this point Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man stalked onto the main stage and distracted me from my gloom with their wonderfully dark music and shrieking vocals. I will definately be checking them out again in the future.

Next it was back to the tent again to watch An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump, who I confess I only wanted to watch because of their curious name. I was pleasantly surprised though when the three female members arrived and played some fantastic grungy rock reminiscent of Sonic Youth. They switched roles on each song and the simple, tribal drums fitted perfectly. Another great find, and I think the rest of the crowd seemed to be enjoying them too.

The tent was where it was at at this point, and it was also raining outside, so we stayed put to watch Banjo Or Freakout. They comprise of one man, Alessio, playing the bulk of the music on a laptop and keyboards, and a manic drummer providing the backing beat. Together they make a great live combination and I’m sure I spotted some Shoreditch hipsters dancing away to the catchy electronic bleeps. KASMs were up next, and they were one of the bands I had been eagerly anticipating. They play punky, angry girl music that is reminiscent of the Riot Grrl movement from the 90s, and their lead singer is known for her onstage antics. They certainly didn’t disappoint as the tiny, screeching girl threw herself about the stage, leaping and dancing in sequinned hotpants. Sadly their set was far too short (most acts had been cut to 15 minutes due to the late start) and I was left wanting more.

We made our final trip to the main stage where the rain was still in full force to watch Polly Scattergood, The Warlocks and Patrick Wolf. I think Polly’s outfit impressed me more than the music, with a silver sequinned dress, lime green beads and pink cowboy boots and feathers making a blinding combination. Still I quite enjoyed the songs, despite the quiet vocals and the static crowd.

The Warlocks started off well with their impressive shoegazy rock, but unfortunately every song started to sound the same and their set just dragged on and on. About 80% of the crowd at the front were clearly only there for Patrick Wolf, so it was a bit of a lost cause really.

Finally the man himself took to the stage, brightening up the rain-soaked festival in a haze of glitter and hairspray. He was everything the bored crowd needed, playing electronic-tinged rock with intricate violin melodies and getting the whole field dancing and singing along. He even insulted a punter who threw a bottle onstage and rode a unicorn, what more could you want?! Unfortunately I was so cold and wet by the time he left the stage, that we opted to give the Rakes a miss and decided to set off home. I think a lot of people had the same idea, judging by the crowd heading towards Old Street Station. I heard afterwards that the Rakes only played for half an hour due to the curfew, so not much missed anyway. In conclusion the 1234 Shoreditch Festival was marred by bad organisation and bleak weather, but some fantastic bands and pretty cheap entry prices managed to save it. If they tighten it up next year and add a few more things to do, they could produce a superb Urban Festival.