Isle of Wight Festival 2011 Friday Review
Celebrating its tenth Birthday the Isle of Wight Festival 2011 and organiser ‘John Giddings’ couldn’t have asked for much… Four Nights of Mayhem, Three nights of the biggest bands and acts that World music has to offer, coated in sun kissed Caribbean Weather. Okay Maybe not the weather, but a little bit (loads) of rain wasn’t enough to put me or the other 89,000 revellers of what has easily been the best three days of my year so far…
And to think I spent my tenth Birthday at ‘The Wimpy’ don’t worry Childline is on speed dial!!!
Stretching from Thursday 9th June through to Sunday 11th I will now share with you what Isle of Wight and my fellow festival goers shared with me.
Well Thursday is short and sweet, as I received my tickets on this day… Thanks to Love Music News and Pringles Wahooooooooooo!!!! Although this did mean I missed out on a spot of cama’ cama’ cama’ cama’ chameleon with Boy George!
Anyhow being a bloke who thinks Mid-day is early 4.45am set for the Friday morning would usually be a problem! Then again it was set for IOW… in the words of ‘Mann and 50Cent’ I was Buzzin’. So we set off! Due to a mix up in Ferry travel (most notably my friend Andy thinking Lymington was in IOW and Yarmouth on mainland) we didn’t arrive in Newport until around 1ish…
Due to our lateness and the Festival being granted an additional 20,000 capacity on its usual 70,000 boundary… we thought we would struggle to find a decent space to camp! Our worries were short-lived and we were camped by 2ish in the Purple Haze fields, deck-chairs out, Sunnies on and Strongbow’s cracked! Ahhhhhh Yeah!!!! We we’re set for a decent weekend.
After a few tinnies and meeting some of the lovely neighbours (all nutters) especially smelly Beth oh and Alan, who I never bumped into but I heard he was crazy! We went and explored some of the festival… We popped in the Carling Bar momentarily for a bit more fuel for the evening and to cut a few shapes! That place is decent with a double d!
We then looking back, maybe mistakenly decide to go to the Oxfam Shop…. At the time it seemed like a good idea and I quote “In fairness I’d wear that at home” We each decided to spend £10 on one another and purchase 2 items… The result, three dodgy/massive checked shirts and some God awful hats which unless we want to be beaten up, we won’t wear again!
The first band we caught was Manchester four-piece the Courteeners! Rousing the huge crowd into a frenzy with an accomplished set, including sing-along hits ‘Nineteen Forever’ and ‘You Over Did it Doll’ It was clear a band of this stature only being third on the bill IOW is one of the Biggest Festivals in the World. Lead Singer Liam Fray was on top form, could they step up in the slot Oasis left behind… with tracks like ‘Take Over The World’ going down a storm I would definitely say the Good Times are Calling!!!!
Shortly after the crowd was in for another treat, the return of the Kaiser Chiefs. The Leeds boys sampled songs of their new album ‘The Future is Medieval’ with new hits like Little shocks going down a treat and old favourites ‘Modern Way’ and ‘I Predict a Riot’ going down a Storm. A great comeback, a personal highlight for me was definitely the huge sinalong to RUBY, RUBY, RUBY…. Would happily see them again very soon!
Kings of Leon @ Isle of Wight 2011
Then the Headline act… The Kings of Leon! Fans of KOL I know say the Tennessee boys are more suited to intimate gigs and aren’t cut out for huge stadiums and festivals. Note why I said fans and not ‘friends’ how wrong could they be. The three Followill brothers and their cousin really delivered! It was a rapturous display from Caleb and Co, just a mere 21 that’s right 21 set-list was smashed out on Friday Night… This saw them range back from 2003 and ‘Youth & Young Manhood’ all the way through to 2010s ‘Come Around Sundown’. Opening with a stomping performance of ‘Four Kicks’ it was clear they meant business. Caleb was on top form, interacting with the crowd like a real showman! At one point I think he even gave me the come on eyes! Haha! No but seriously he really got everyone going! Needless to say even if he hadn’t, with hits like ‘Be Somebody’, ‘Closer’, ‘Fans’, ‘Charmer’ and ‘Knocked Up’ being doused out he needed had!
They finished with a three song encore, consisting of ‘Use Somebody’, ‘Sex on Fire’ and ‘Black Thumbnail’ AWESOME…. They were so good! Although for me I’d say ‘On Call’ was by far my fave… the intro for that song gives me goosebumps seriously!
We we’re on a massive high thinking our night couldn’t get much better… Just strolling past the Strongbow tent, and who’s performing to a huge crowd, none other than Jaguar Skills! We snuck in the queue (cheeky) and finally got in! It’s funny because I like Strongbow and I like Jaguar Skills… Cutting some rug to some immense dance tunes for the next hour was the perfick’ way to end our first night in IOW!
