Madness play 'surprise' show at Bestival

United Kingdom | | 10 September 2007

Madness went 'One Step Beyond' at this weekend's Bestival by playing a surprise Saturday show following the now legendary annual dressing up parade.

Singer Suggs got into trouble with the Bestival powers that be, after giving the game away during an interview with Virtual Festivals earlier this year (read here).

But we promised to keep relatively quiet, allowing the band to thrill the 30,000 crowd with a greatest hits set that included ‘It Must Be Love’ and Our House’.

Unlike thousands of fans however, Madness refused to get dressed up as pirates in keeping with the dressing up theme, instead emerging in their trademark tailored suits.

And the performance wasn’t completely plain sailing with a loud explosion, thought to be a blown fuse, delaying their 6.30pm scheduled set.

Other festival highlights included Saturday night headliners Beastie Boys, who emerged dressed as policemen, with Mike D addressing the crowd "Pirate Motherfuckers" as the Brooklyn trio took to the stage.

The Chemical Brother topped the bill on Friday with a thrilling light show, while Primal Scream brought the heaviest dose of rock’n’roll that Bestival has witnessed in its four year history, closing the festival in style on Sunday night.

Other musical highs included The Gossip, Robyn, The Orb, Billy Bragg and The Maccabees but, as ever, Bestival was about much more than the music.

The start of the weekend was marked by a charity fundraising swim across the Solent and there was also a moustache-growing competition, plus an inflatable church on the festival site.

Stay posted for full reviews, interviews, photos and videos just as soon as we can track down our team!