If the Saturday wasn’t enough to get your musical juices flowing then another day of the festivities didn’t disappoint either, carrying on where Saturday had left off today was to be headlined by the blues of Seasick Steve – but before all that there was lots more to see and hear….
With the Nevada Showcase Stage being the closest to the main gate it was a brief listen to local band Revelator before heading for the Underground Pilots at the Seaside Stage. With a local following in attendance the stoner rockers carried on where Tricorn had started the day before, showing it’s not only the sunny shores of California that can supply the fuzz pedals.
As the band started their frontman swaggered on taking to the microphone as if they owned the stage and rightly so for there are some great riffs and vocals similar to that of the more grunge styles of Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, meaning that the Underground Pilots know how to delivery.
On route to the beer tent it was perfect timing to stop off to see Fugitive Orchestra on the Beats and Swings stage, having only caught the tail end of his set the day before James Tattington (the man behind the name) captivates his audience with a solo fusion of singer song-writing and alternative folk amidst an array of loops and effects making for a fun and talented performance.
It was then time for that mid-afternoon beer which coincided with the Silhouettes in the real ale tent and a good bit of ska music to bop along to. It’s always nice to see a crowd moving so with their bass lines having a relaxed reggae feel the saxophone helped the Silhouettes get the front row skanking.
Something a bit more chilled out now and the Cadbury Sisters live on the main stage, their female harmonies and minimal guitars may have been lost a little in the vast setting but up the front there was a nice vibe as the Cadbury Sisters felt at home during their first trip to the city.
The last couple of outdoor events I’ve been at have had the Struts and although this time around they didn’t have the same initial impact frontman Luke Spiller can certainly work a crowd, Spiller runs around looking a cross between Noel Fielding and Marc Bolan as the Struts performed some glam inspired rock n roll whilst playing to the festival crowd with a well-known Rolling Stones cover.
Given there were plenty of bands from across the country playing today the crowd that was to welcome local lads Kassassin Street onto the second stage was incredible, every so often Portsmouth has a band touted to be the next big thing and 2014 has been Kassassin Streets turn and they certainly live up to the hype.
Their stage presence would suit any festival and with the 60’s inspired psychedelic riffs mixed against baggy indie anyone would think Kassassin Street have been doing it for years, latest single “The Royal Hankerchief Ballet” has been getting plenty of radio airplay and with reviews in the national press the next big thing isn’t far off.
So from an up and coming indie band to one from yesteryear, Victorious Festival had several bands from the nineteen nighties and with Menswear taking to the stage there was a sense of nostalgia and memories of Thursday nights in a certain sweaty little club.
They may be a different line-up to the olden days but club favourites such as “Daydreamer” sounded great as the fans sang along down the front, whilst original frontman Johnny Dean happily pointed out anyone under thirty five wouldn’t understand – something that could also have been said when Shed Seven came on shortly after them.
It was then back to the Seaside Stage and something more modern as Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip were ready to entertain, the pair don’t sound like your everyday hip-hop act as David Meads (aka Scroobius Pip) is more of a beat poet than just an MC.
Considering this is a duo, with one half (Dan Le Sac) spending most of the time behind the decks and his mixing desk, the two of them are giving the crowd a party with singles such as the genius “Thou Shalt Always Kill” playing homage to numerous musicians and bands from over the years.
The majority of the crowd seemed to stay in the area ready for British Sea Power who’s name is rather fitting for its surroundings, their a band that when playing “Waving Flags” have a good time festival feel, yet listen closely and you realise the hidden depths to their indie rock sounds making them stand out amongst those around them.
With the festival having provided a vast array of music and attractions, for the likes of the D-Day museum and the aquarium were included in the ticket price, it was Seasick Steve who was to headline the main stage whilst Ocean Colour Scene kept the sea related references going elsewhere.
There weren’t really many acts from overseas, yet the life and times of Seasick Steve have a close link to Portsmouth as the dog fronting the Americans album “You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks” lived in the city and the photo itself taken just along the beach in Eastney.
Whilst the latest album isn’t quite so raw Seasick Steve on stage certainly is, backed with only his drummer (who’s incredible) the blues artist plays his trademark beaten up old guitars, the hand crafted one string Didddley Bo and Moris Minor Hubcap guitars whilst telling stories of a troubled upbringing through to uplifting tales of life on the road.
Despite his success in later life there’s something humbling about Seasick Steve which comes across in his honest playing from the heart, including one lucky member of the audience being invited on stage to be serenaded to the applause of the crowd before ending on the foot stomping “Dog House Boogie” making for a rather special way to end the weekend.
So as the mash-up pioneers of 2 Many DJ’s played out the rest of the night it had been an amazing weekend, hopefully one of many to be held in such a special location by the sea. Victorious had been more than just another festival in a field and with tickets already on sale for next years’ event, it’s only going to get bigger and better – thank you Victorious Festival, you’ve done us proud.
