Faithless start the party at O2 Wireless

United Kingdom | by Ross Purdie | 15 June 2007

Faithless laid down the gauntlet to the raft of 'new rave' pretenders preparing to play on Saturday, performing a typically raucous dance set on day two of O2 Wireless Festival.

With singer Maxi Jazz celebrating his birthday, Faithless played a blinding set of classics on Friday night, including a smattering of new material, to the delight of thousands of fans in Hyde Park.

Kicking off with rave anthem ‘Insomniac’, the dance collective played a greatest hits set which included ‘Bring My Family Back’, ‘God Is A DJ’ and ‘Mass Destruction’ – the latter complete with flashing images of Tony Blair.

Generating one of the best party atmospheres in the history of O2 Wireless Festival, the crowd sung happy birthday to a humbled Maxi Jazz as the band left the stage, before they returned and closed with ‘Salva Mea’.

Prior to Faithless’ trumphant headline set, Mark Ronson wowed the crowd with cuts from his covers album ‘Version’, including Kaiser Chiefs’ ‘Oh My God’ and The Zutons’ ‘Valerie’.

Phat Planet’s Alex Greenwald lent vocals on Radiohead classic ‘Just’ before singing his own song ‘California’. Ronson’s funk outfit even had time for a cover of ‘Apache’ by The Shadows.

Other highlights from the second day at O2 Wireless Festival included The Gotan Project, Kelis, Pharoah Monch and Just Jack.

Acts taking to the stage on Saturday include ‘new ravers’ Klaxons, CSS and New Young Pony Club, plus the mighty Daft Punk headlining the Main Stage.