Wireless Festival London - Day Five

United Kingdom | by Amy Hasler | 25 June 2006

Main Stage

From where I’m standing today I can see within my range a dressed down suit in his slacks and boating shoes drinking awkwardly from his plastic pint glass, a collection of skinny indie boys in their tight jeans and neckerchiefs, a mum kitted out in her M&S casuals just about to tuck into her cling-filmed sandwiches and yet another Victoria Beckham wannabe sporting an orange fake tan and three inch wedges. You begin to realise there is no generalised festival goer when it comes to Wireless, it’s a chance for everyone to enjoy the novelty of listening to live music in the great outdoors, with the knowledge they can go home afterwards to the comfort of their own beds.

Today is the fifth and final day of musical revelry and there's a bit be a bit of an electronic take over, with Thomas Dolby, Goldfrapp and Depeche Mode all taking centre stage. But saving all the best synth action 'til last, first up are cooky US rock popsters OK Go. Now, as these guys are well aware, a 3pm billing on a Sunday afternoon does not a thronging crowd promote – especially when a qualifying world cup match is about to kick off across the field. So it is to a rather sparse audience that the band start, but it doesn’t phase them. "Hi we’re Ok Go, we’d like to start by thanking James Blunt for supporting us today," Jagger-esque singer Damien Kulash shouts out with a cheeky smile – James Blunt was indeed the last performer on the stage when he headlined the night before. It is these small witticisms matched with a selection of buzzy tunes that quickly draw a warm reception from the crowd. Not that most of them have a clue who they are, but they like them non the less. The true fans uncover themselves when the band hit their finale. Placing down their guitars, removing their snugly fitted jackets, they get in position ready to, dance. Yes that’s right, dance. To loud screams Ok Go perform a rendition of their video for single ‘A Million Ways’, that rose to cult fame over the net earlier this year for its sheer geek chic hilarity. Wiggling their arses and clapping their hands, the best thing about these boys is that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Which for a bunch of pretty boys in a rock n roll band is highly refreshing.

Next up, Irn Bru Swigging boppers The Fratellis, who have enjoyed recent Radio 1 airplay of their single ‘Henrietta’. Now if you took The Strokes, got rid of a couple of them, transported them to Glasgow, added a dollop of 50’s dance hall swing, a sprinkling of 70’s guitars, mixed in the raspy Scottish tones of singer Jon Fratelli and then seasoned the whole shebang with an ounce of celtic gusto you would get something close to The Fratelli’s. Again, despite a few loving fans, not many of the audience know who these Scottish lads are but by the end of their set they have everybody dancing away as if auditioning as an extra for Grease The Musical. Fun stuff. But even though their choruses sound like rocked up nursery rhymes with song titles like ‘Chelsea Dagger’ you get the sense these guys have a darker side to match.

‘Fun stuff’ however is not a description that would ever fit electro music maestro Thomas Dolby who arrives as the first of today’s electronic offerings. On stage, surrounded by his equipment, Dolby looks like a mad scientist at play in his lab. And although the nice selection of electro funk that he serves up isn’t what I’d call inspiring it is certainly fascinating. Anyone who can build a song from scratch on stage with nothing but some keyboards and a computer to keep him company gets respect in my book. Dolby may just be a computer geek but he’s a damn talented one.

Not as much can be said for Canadian warblers The Dears. To be honest, I can’t be bothered to elaborate, they were that dull! Their lifeless tunes trickle into the ears about as easily as a vat full of maple syrup, slowly and painfully. Not pleasant, thank you very much. “Next!”….

Thank god, a band with a pulse. Mystery Jets come to the stage like a blaze of glorious English sunshine on a day at the Henley Regatta. With a certain kitchen utensil bashing eccentricity they’re quite charming but Hyde Park is a long way from the sepia toned charm of Eel Pie Island. As they confess, this is the biggest audience they’ve ever played to (now that the match is over and crowds are replenished again) Their catchier numbers have clearly filtered into the mainstream with many of the audience able to sing along to the chant like choruses of ‘You Can’t Fool Me Dennis’ and ‘Alas Agnes’. You get the sense that Mystery Jets live in their own little world, slightly detached from time and reality and when they perform you are allowed, just for a moment, to sink into the depths of your childish imagination and join them. It’s a faultless set, my only worry is that with their debut collection of creative ditties, Mystery Jets have set themselves a high benchmark that they may fail to live up to - their new material sounded worryingly familiar.

No more interruptions now though, it’s back to what everyone seems to be here for today, a bit of electro pop pizzazz. Goldfrapp are the supporting act for tonight’s iconic headliners Depeche Mode. With a set not a million miles away from the one they performed at the Isle Of Wight Festival a few weeks before, they certainly get all the electro bods swaying. Alison Goldfrapp this time looking like a warped version of Elton John in the 70’s sporting pink heart shaped specs and ridiculously high glittery platforms, but nevermind, it is the bikini clad dancers most have their eyes on. The predictable hits such as ‘Oh La La’ and ‘Ride A White Horse’ get the biggest receptions but when you do something again and again it loses its spark. The theatre of Goldfrapp seems to be lacking a bit these days because it's been so overexposed. But at least Alison mustered a smile tonight, that’s the spirit girl, enjoy it!

Last and, judging by the ever expanding crowd, certainly not least, Depeche Mode are the closing performers to this year’s Wireless. After 26 years these Essex boys have an adoring fan base that have grown up with the band and their music. They are in that upper echelon of performers who no longer have to worry about album sales and chart positions. These are superfluous because it will never affect their audience figures. Their fans adore them and always will and boy can you feel the love in the air tonight.

Everyone knows the Mode have done their fair share of stadium gigs and they know how to work their image. The stage set tonight wouldn’t have looked out of place on the set of Dr Who with keyboards suspended in two giant flashing donuts - I kid you not – I half expected them to take off at several points in the evening and float out into the night sky. Where other bands are happy to just be filmed this is not enough for the Mode. No, they've become part of some improvised cinematic collage. It’s all very techy and it never ceases to amaze me that for a band bothered about image, how ridiculous Gore’s headgear can be – seriously, ditch the hat with a giant pompom, the Oompa Loompa look isn’t a good one. Personally, I find Sunday evenings, with the prospect of Monday morning looming hard enough, disturbing enough without the words ‘TORMENT’, ‘WOE’ and ‘MALAISE’ brandished in front of my face on two giant screens. But hey who am I to complain, everyone else seems perfectly happy.

Depeche Mode are true performers of the old school variety, they know their fans and they know how to get them going. With Gahan straight away winding up a buzz of energy it takes no time at all before the crowd is jumping and clapping along to the loud rock synth beats. I’d call them pretentious old codgers but I wouldn’t have dared say that in front of tonights crowd for fear of a walloping -  they couldn’t get enough. Pretentious or not Depeche Mode are a fitting end to what is one of the more affected festivals of the summer.

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