Stereophonics play new songs at V Festival

United Kingdom | | 17 August 2008

Stereophonics used their second headlining slot to air new tracks, while Pigeon Detectives, The Hoosiers and Newton Faulkner performed stand out sets for a variety of reasons.

Stereophonics drew a massive crowd to the V Stage at Chelmsford on Saturday evening as they signalled their festival comeback with new tracks.

‘You’re My Star’ continued in the band’s signature stadium style but when tracks are as rapturously received as theirs a departure is never likely.

Songs from classic album Performance And Cocktails were peppered throughout and could always be relied on to raise flagging spirits at the business end of the opening day.

‘Just Looking’ in particular sparked a singalong which almost drowned out Kelly Jones. Later, the singer found time to poke fun at the press introducing ‘Mr Writer’ with a drawled: “Here’s a song that took 10 minutes to write and 10 years to explain”.

The likes of closer ‘Dakota’ garnered energetic reactions as the crowd geared up for headliners Muse, but it was perhaps the mellower moments, including a faultless rendition of ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ which proved the highlights, the band showing range in their career spanning set.

Meanwhile, Pigeon Detectives walked on the 4Music Stage to The Who’s ‘Teenage Wasteland’ before thrilling the crowd with openers ‘Going Out With’ and ‘Take Her Back’. Singer Matt Bowman then set about pours around ten bottles of water all of him, making his leaps off the drum kit looking more dangerous than ever. The Leeds rockers finished on ‘I’m Not Sorry’, with Bowman saluting the crowd, saying: “Thanks you very much, have a great fucking weekend”.

Beforehand, country blues singer Newton Faulkner played a cover heavy set, including versions of ‘You Spin Me’ by Dead Or Alive, ‘Teardrop’ by Massive Attack and Queen's ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. The biggest cheers though came for his smash hits ‘Don’t Catch Me’, which sparked singing and dancing in the crowd.

The Hoosiers caused even more of a reaction earlier in the afternoon, opening with their smash hit ‘Mr A’ complete with a reggae infused dance intro and dancers dressed as Cat Woman and Super Woman battling it out on stage. Singer Irwin Sparkes told the crowd: "We Are electric, we are eels. Let’s do something about that", before a horn section burst out of cupboard dressed as skeletons, while the band's keyboard player tinkered his ivories dressed in spiderman outfit. ‘Cops And Robbers’ sparked a mass singalong but a cover OF Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ was the standout moment with dancers pretending to be fire rushing the stage.