After it’s humble beginnings in Portsmouth’s historic dockyard, Victorious Festival returned to take over Southsea seafront for the third year running. Last year saw headliners Flaming Lips and Basement Jaxx take the festival by storm, whereas this year Manic Street Preachers and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds were to close the main stage.
The festival isn’t all about big names though and with so much local talent available Victorious prides itself on supporting the underground scene and independent traders. With over a dozen stages to choose from there’s almost something for everyone… however needless to say, seeing it all is somewhat a challenge!
It was also the first year that Baby Teeth embraced the Kids Arena. Cook and Line from Swashbuckle on CBeebies entertained the little people and it has to be said that the organisers have done a great job in making the festival family friendly, there’s plenty included in the price of your ticket outside of the music.
Other commitments meant a slightly later start for the Mr Teeth household, but having seen Portsmouth based Crown of Thieves on the Real Ale stage whilst grabbing a beer, it was off to the main stage and the slightly surreal moment of catching the last track by the Boomtown Rats – with Bob Geldof doing his best to create some sort of dance anthem.
When the Selecter came on our festival really started, the Avengers theme tune soon blending into one of several hit singles in “Three Minute Hero”. Lead singer Pauline Black is now into her 60’s and looking great, her voice as good as ever and with Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson keeping the crowd skanking this was the perfect way to get things going.
Ending on another two classics in “On my Radio” and “Too Much Pressure” ska legends the Selecter became an early contender for one of the weekends many highlights.
DMA’s up next and whilst I’m still undecided when listening to them on record, the Australian indie band were great to check out in the afternoon sun, highly influenced by the following nights headliners DMA’s will certainly have gone down well among the 90’s indie lovers.
It was then time for Levellers, favorites on the festival scene and a band that certainly didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t long until “What a Beautiful Day” and the dedicated followers were soon in sing-a-long mode. Bass player Jez Cunningham as always pogoing to every song and Steve Boakes making a welcome appearance on didgeridoo, it may have been a short set but this was classic Levellers through to the end.
First trip of the weekend to the World Stage and gypsy punk and rock n roll of the Urban Voodoo Machine, a band who haven’t been without trouble over recent years with the passing of two former members, so the somber funeral march seemed a fitting way to take to the stage.
Despite taking a while to finish sound-checking, the Urban Voodoo Machine are certainly an entertaining group of individuals. Frontman Paul-Ronny Angel plays the role of ringmaster, conducting the audience and his band of merry-men through a set that pulled heavily from new album “Hellbound Hymns”, whilst the duel drummers feature a disturbing looking zombie and there’s a vicar on double bass just for good measure.
Castle Field hosted acts to compete with the Common Stage and the Editors certainly played to one of the larger audiences of the day, bringing with them a show featuring plenty of flames firing up in front of the band. Whilst musically Editors have cheered up a little since their moody beginnings it was “Munich” from their 2005 debut that was met with the biggest reaction, although last years “In Dream” isn’t necessarily full of joy either making Editors the perfect band as the night sky started to draw in.
With Annie Mac about to encourage the dance crowd to wave their glow sticks it was off for a bit of nostalgia and the anticipated headliners of Manic Street Preachers, currently touring in celebration of the 20 year anniversary of “Everything Must Go”.
Opening with old school Manics in “Motorcycle Emptiness” followed by the aforementioned album’s title track the set was off to a winning start, although when it came to “Walk me to the Bridge” from more recent years it was soon apparent that the Manic Street Preachers were to divide opinions.
It would be the likes of “Kevin Carter” and “You Stole the Sun from my Heart” that would bring them back on track, as if the Manics were playing songs you knew then they were awesome, but when it came to lesser known tunes attention span would wander.
With us all becoming that little bit older “If you Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next” was all the more poignant and meaningful, whilst the acoustic interlude could easily have passed you by… but ultimately when it came to “You Love Us”, Manic Street Preachers – after all these years do we still love you? Despite being a bit of a mixed bag, yes… indeed we do.
So as James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire brought day one to a close, Victorious Festival had already proved to be another success and with day two featuring Public Service Broadcasting, Wolfmother and Noel Gallagher, doing it all again was just another sleep away.
