On the hottest day of the year (so far), those who came to the Southampton Summer Sessions to witness two of the best live bands around were in for an incredible night.
This was the final night of their joint tour – and my god, we hope they team up again soon as this was such an epic partnership.
Both bands were on fire!
After Du Blonde warmed up the crowd even more, the mighty Garbage took to the stage with the appropriately epic theme from Twin Peaks playing over the sound system.
Shirley Manson, striking in red boots, strode onto the stage to a huge cheer and wearing a t-shirt of her idol, Madonna.
Garbage began with the bittersweet ‘There’s No Future In Optimism‘, with the repeated opening line ‘if you’re ready for love, if you’re ready for love‘.
The crowd certainly were. This was the most electrifying performance of the Southampton Summer Sessions, so far.
It’s incredible to think that Garbage have been together for over 30 years, with the line-up remaining constant since their inception in 1993. The energy and passion is still as fresh as ever.
The biggest cheers come from songs from their self-titled eponymous album from ’95, with all the hits played, including ‘I Think I’m Paranoid‘, ‘Stupid Girl’ and ‘Vow‘.
Shortly after, Shirley dedicates a song to Robert Smith, stating she grew up a young goth girl and without The Cure, they wouldn’t be here tonight – another big thing to thank Mr Smith for.
Their cover of ‘Lovesong‘ is strikingly beautiful – with it reimagined from a female perspective, the hauntingly simple lyrics took on deeper meaning:
Demonstrating the sheer love between the two bands co-headlining tonight, during an appropriate performance of ‘Only Happy When It Rains‘, Skin and her fellow Skunk Anansie band-mates Ace, Cass and Mark crash the stage and serenade with rainbow umbrellas to shield their friends from Garbage against the suns rays.
It was clearly a surprise to Shirley, who in hysterics, allowed Skin to join her on main vocals while she regained her composure.
Garbage were such a tough act to follow and there are very few musicians who would even come close to comparing to this stunning opening.
But Skunk Anansie may just have managed it somehow…
The mighty Cass and Ace take to the stage first for Skunk Anansie.
It’s no wonder Skin is covered in muscle repair K-tape under her long pink socks when she bounds on stage to huge applause. She is the ultimate front-woman and energetic throughout the whole set. Like a dynamo, it’s the most athletic performance.
Beginning with the bombastic ‘This Means War” – it’s clear she’s not here to take any prisoners tonight. Spitting out lyrics fighting against fascism is what we love best, especially in these difficult times. Sometimes we all need a wake-up call.
Skin gives the crowd no time to catch a breath, launching into ‘Charlie Big Potato‘ before ‘Because of You‘ gets the crowd clapping, despite the heartbreaking lyrics sung in her vibrato voice ‘Because of love, I feel nothing‘.
After ‘Yes It’s F’ing Political‘ the band keep their fight against far right extremism front and centre. Skin introduces the next song stating that as a four year old, she saw a little nazi symbol scrawled on a wall. She later wrote her song ‘Little Baby Swastikka‘ about the harrowing experience.
Never one to shy away from her fans, Skin jumped into the crowd and got very close with some of the audience. Displayed on the special ‘Skin-Cam’ she now wears, this is a highlight of all their shows – no matter how big the venue, Skin will always head in and loves a mosh.
The biggest cheer of the evening goes to their epic timeless classic ‘Hedonism‘ or ‘Just Because It Feels Good’, as it’s more commonly known.
Phones are held in the air as the crowd sing along to the lyrics:
Just because you feel good Doesn't make you right Just because you feel good Still want you here tonight I wonder what you're doing now I hope you're feeling happy now
Skunk Anansie refuse to stay quiet for long and burst into an incredible cover of ‘Highway to Hell’ by AC/DC – somehow Skin’s vocal range and Ace’s guitar hero skills make this sound even more insane live.
If you ever get the chance to see Skunk Anansie or Garbage, don’t think twice!
Both were absolutely incredible at the Southampton Summer Sessions.
Even in the blistering heat, this is a show which will live long in the memories of everyone who came.
Next at the Southampton Summer Sessions on Friday is Bowling For Soup – supported by local legend Mr Frank Turner.
Definitely another not to miss – click the link below to get your tickets:
Paul Weller takes to the stage with a cheery ‘Alright Southampton‘ – and yes, we’re more than OK after being suitably warmed up by Miles Kane and the glorious summer sun.
On the longest day of the year, Paul Weller plays an incredible set lasting over two and a quarter hours. As well as his solo material, he is no longer afraid of playing timeless classics from both of his former bands – The Jam and The Style Council.
Beginning with a relatively new song, ‘Rip the Pages Up‘, he quickly moves onto The Jam b-side ‘Precious‘, before seamlessly mixing into a cover of ‘Move On Up‘, made famous by Curtis Mayfield.
Dressed in double-denim initially, he promptly tosses away his jacket – Paul Weller is aptly known as The Modfather, as looking sharp and well-dressed remains important to him.
Steve Cradock, of Ocean Colour Scene, ably supports Weller on guitar and Paul introduces song ‘The Weaver‘ as the first the two wrote together, establishing a long-term partnership which has reaped great rewards over 30 years.
A selection of Style Council hits follows, demonstrating the singer now enjoys playing his incredible back catalogue of music. Prior to ‘My Ever Changing Mood’ he gives a rallying speech calling for the end to senseless murder of innocent women and children around the world.
One of the biggest cheers of the evening comes when Weller sits at his piano and plays a beautiful rendition of ‘You Do Something To Me‘. Written about unattainable love, it remains popular at many wedding receptions despite its bitter-sweet tale of unfulfilled passion.
After an impressive 24 songs in the main set, the band depart the stage briefly, only to return for another 7 song encore – and wow, what an encore it is! Arguably the best songs of the night follow in quick succession.
He begins with this reviewers favourite of the evening, the simply beautiful ‘English Rose‘ – stripped down to acoustic guitar, the words and melody seem even more poignant than The Jam original.
Following confident versions of ‘All The Pictures On My Wall’ and foot-stomper ‘Changing Man‘, he spits out how former Prime Minister David Cameron was noted as saying ‘Eton Rifles‘ was his favourite song. Weller exclaims ‘Which part of it didn’t he get – it wasn’t intended as a f’ing drinking song for the cadet corps’.
Clearly not. Anyone listening to the lyrics would appreciate it addresses political and class struggles in the late 70s of Thatcher-era Britain.
Following this, he breaks into his solo classic ‘Wild Wood‘. Although only 33 at the time of release, he’d already recorded so much great music with his former bands that he seemed like a British icon – or Modfather if you like.
Often as is the case, Weller finishes the set with the incredible ‘Town Called Malice‘. What a finale and over the 31 songs in this set, he demonstrates how and why he is defined as one of the finest song writers of all time.
This is going to be an impossible act to follow.
Billy Ocean will be bringing the party vibes on Sunday at Southampton Summer Sessions and we cannot wait to see how he follows this incredible show.
Pete Tong brought his Ibiza Classical experience to Southampton on an appropriately sunny Sunday evening.
The lively crowd may be in for a slow start on Monday morning after a fun-filled weekend at the TK Maxx Summer Sessions.
There was a real mix of ages present with many reliving their youth through the Balearic tunes. There were also many younger fans loving the timeless dance classics.
Pete Tong and the incredibly talented Heritage Orchestra begin the show with ‘Right Here, Right Now’ – made famous by Summer Festival Guide favourite and headliner at many events this year, Fatboy Slim.
There’s something truly special about hearing club classics recreated by so many talented passionate musicians on stage.
Club classic ‘Pjanoo’ follows, with its simple seven note melody.
Following this, the party steps up a few gears, with special guest singer Holly Petrie joining the stage. Holly may not be a household name (yet), but she has written songs for the iconic Anastacia, as well as arranged choir backing for the likes of Ed Sheeran and Quincy Jones.
Holly begins singing ‘Lola’s Theme’ with the haunting lyrics
'I was just a lost soul, I needed a guide And the moment that you came to change my life You fired up my heart and made me smile And you and I know that I'm a different person, yeah Turn my world around.’
Who knew house music could be so poignant?
Many more club classics follow, including covers of Children by Robert Miles, Rhythm of the Night by Corona, and even Cafe del Mar, invoking memories of the classic Ibiza sunset bar with the most incredible sunsets over the balearic seas.
The biggest crowd pleaser comes from Pete Tong’s impressive orchestra reproducing ‘Insomnia‘ live – there’s not many who will get much sleep after this pulsating version.
‘Freed from Desire’ follows shortly after with the crowd bouncing and singing every ‘na na na na na na‘ loudly while holding their phones in the air as the impressive lasers and light show illuminate the Southampton skies after sunset.
Some people in the audience commented that the volume of the music tonight was a little quiet, but the city centre location necessitates that sound levels cannot disturb the local neighbours. It also ensured a strict curfew at 10.30pm.
The orchestra finish with an impressive version of ‘You Got The Love’ – originally recorded by Candi Staton, it was made more famous by Florence and the Machine. With Holly Petrie on vocals here on the south coast, this version is equal.
The following morning after the show, this reviewer couldn’t get the tunes out of his head. It’s always a good sign when the music stays with you and encourages you to revisit timeless classics days after.
Such a great evening and it’s a show everyone young, and well, young at heart, will enjoy.
There are still a few tickets left for the Beach Boys and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark later this week. Links to these shows are below:
Alex James left his country house and Big Festival preparations to tour his Britpop Classical extravaganza.
It was such a feel good concert – especially for those who can remember the iconic tunes from the 90’s.
Three decades later, many of the songs have lost none of their charm.
Beginning with a montage video of artists highlighting their favourite Britpop moments, the full orchestra and Blur bassist took to the Southampton stage in front of the Guildhall and a beautiful solstice sunset.
The Riverboat Song by Ocean Colour Scene, best known as the TFI Friday theme, kicks off proceedings.
Special guest Saffron from Republica joins the party afterwards and by now the crowd are in full nostalgia mode and certainly ‘Ready to Go’, in the words of their biggest hit.
Other indie classics got their time in the sun – from Common People by Pulp, Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve, Alright by Supergrass and even Blur’s old ‘rivals’ Oasis get a nod as Alex confesses the Manchester scene was his favourite from back in the day.
Alex even plays homage to fellow bass player Peter Hook on ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart‘ (who is due to support OMD next week at the Southampton Summer Sessions – LINK HERE FOR TICKETS).
It’s all a bit of a blur by the end – Phil Daniels joins the fun to re-enact his classic cockney monologue from Parklife.
To add to the special guests, Reef singer Gary Stringer comes on board the nostalgia trip for his crowd pleaser ‘Place Your Hands‘.
The combination of Alex James on bass, the guest vocalists and the concert orchestra ensure the songs take on a new dimension.
Alex James recently said: “Somehow all of these songs mean more to people now than they did when they were first released.”
Although we all may not have our same youthful looks and energy from the 90’s glory days, I think he could be right. Nostalgia for days gone by remains special.
Tomorrow, Pete Tong brings his Ibiza Classics to the Southampton Summer Sessions – click the link below to buy your tickets:
There’s a positive Scottish vibe around the music booked for this years’ TK Maxx Summer Sessions in Southampton.
From Deacon Blue to Garbage‘s Shirley Manson, that’s definitely not a bad thing down on the sunny south coast.
It’s emphasised even more by the up-and-coming artist kicking off three weeks of great music – Cammy Barnes.
Proudly taking to the stage with his ‘weapons of mass destruction‘ (or bagpipes as we call them down south), he charmed his way into the hearts of many of the group who arrived early.
It’s little wonder Cammy made it all the way through to the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent in recent years – this man has a fine set of lungs on him.
Next up, taking a slight intermission from the Scottish theme are one of Liverpool’s finest bands The Coral. It’s incredible to think that possibly their biggest song ‘Dreaming of You’ is nearly 25 years old now.
It’s also impressive how many known and loved songs they have in their catalogue – from the opening song ‘Bill McCai‘ to their toe-tapping finale, they are the masters of three minute pop songs.
Possibly one of the most overlooked bands of the century.
Onto the main headline act which fans in the front row have come from all over the country to see – one couple in the front row stating they’ve travelled from her home town of Glasgow – Amy MacDonald.
Dressed in her Scottish football shirt, patriotic Amy begins with songs from her new album ‘Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For‘ – based on the joyous reaction from the crowd, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’ – this clearly is what everyone here has come for.
She charms in between songs with witty jokes about the rivalry between Southampton and nearby Portsmouth.
She finishes the main set with her incredible huge hit ‘This Is The Life‘ – she wrote this song after watching Pete Doherty of The Libertines play his first solo gig.
It’ll be interesting to see if anyone writes a song after witnessing these bands tonight.
End of the Road festival this year was one for the ages.
This year, End of the Road offered exceptional headline performances over the four nights, with many stand-outs destined to be remembered for a long time.
From the remarkable Sharon Van Etten on Thursday night with her first headline performance to Father John Misty closing the show on Sunday night with his eccentric style, there were many truly outstanding moments this year.
Thursday was previously a day for pitching tents and exploring the enchanting Effing Forest, but End of the Road now has a full four day programme at Larmer Tree Gardens.
We began our weekend in The Folly, watching La Sécurité, a French-Canadian dance-punk outfit. It was impossible to stand still to the melodic hooks during their energetic set.
Over at the beautiful Woods Stage, Trevor Powers, better known as Youth Lagoon played a charming set. In advance of attending this year’s EOTR, we had explored many of the artists on Spotify playlists and this was one which particularly stood out.
The beauty of End of the Road festival is discovering exciting music for the first time and falling in love with new artists – and we weren’t disappointed this year.
Incorporating snippets of old home videos into the songs, Youth Lagoon was truly one of the highlights of the weekend.
It was hard to believe Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment Theory have not topped the bill at a festival before, but this will certainly not be the last time we see the collective headline after this stunning performance on Thursday night.
While the group aesthetic sounds different than much of her solo material, performed live it is satisfyingly haunting and visceral. Not since St Vincent has EOTR seen such a strong female front the main stage.
Friday sees the impressive Florist take to the Garden stage – another great discovery for us prior to the festival. With a new band line up, they are a gentle start to the day with their finger-picking folk and psychedelic pop – it’s incredible how much beautiful music there is out there to be heard.
Later, Bombino plays a delightful set, having travelled across from Geneva the previous day and only arriving at the festival with a couple of hours to spare before his set.
It’s always a delight to hear world music at the festival, intertwined with the DJs and indie-guitar rock. Described as the ‘world’s best guitarist’ by Noisey, we could hardly disagree when he plays licks even the late great Prince may have been proud to perform.
We head over to The Boat to catch Jackie O Mother-f*cker but can’t get anywhere near the smaller stage, as it seems to be afloat on a bed of mud.
Talking of world music, returning to the festival this year are GOAT, who must be seen to be believed. Dressed in masks and outlandish costumes, all of the band remain shrouded in mystery. It’s claimed they are just one of many incarnations over the last 30 years of a group from a small, voodoo-worshiping northern town named ‘Korpilombolo‘. Personally, we’ve heard they originate from Gothenburg in Sweden, so possibly, voodoo gives way to Volvo saloons when they’re not performing.
Caribou also return to the festival, this year on the main stage as Friday night headliners. It’s a joyous uplifting set from start to finish. Their live performance of ‘SUN’ does little to change the damp weather, but they try their best to part the clouds.
Saturday begins with a treacherous trip down to the Talking Heads stage to hear Adam Buxton (aka Dr Buckles) record an episode of his popular podcast. The festival has luckily had 8 years of fine weather, but the gods seem to have turned on this festival on the Saturday. Luckily it didn’t dampen spirits or good humour.
Indie royalty Kristin Hersh followed for an Uncut Q&A interview, prior to her set with Throwing Muses later. She is one of the most influential figures on the scene and talked about how she discovered Pixies, who headlined EOTR a couple of years prior. She also reminisced about lost friends including the incredible Vic Chesnutt, and another collaborator, Michael Stipe.
Kristin did not disappoint later in the day when she played the majority of songs from the new Throwing Muses album ‘Moonlight Concessions‘.
As with all great festivals, there was an almighty clash on Saturday night (…well ok Friday night also between Caribou and The National frontman Matt Berninger.)
We opted for Self Esteem on the main Woods stage, although it was tough to leave behind Viagra Boys on The Garden Stage.
Singer Rebecca Lucy Taylor presented a unique theatrical performance of her album ‘A Complicated Woman‘. initially dressed in nun’s outfit, (think The Handmaid’s Tale), she switched into a more provocative sports outfit, for her song ‘69‘, while calling out other favoured sexual positions. It was another incredibly powerful performance and although more choreographed and mainstream than your usual EOTR set, it was an emotional and inspired booking.
While it was a difficult decision to miss those Viagra Boys, Self Esteem offered us enough stimulants.
Sunday was possibly the most eclectic day and a true reflection of the magic and variety on offer at End of the Road.
It began with comedy from the unmistakeable Stewart Lee. There was quirky, if slightly irksome folk from Shovel Dance Collective, followed by incredible soulful Malian music from Vieux Farka Toure (son of legendary Ali Farka Toure) – one of the most acclaimed international musicians.
Blawan was another highlight, offering some good techno beats for the hardcore few who had any energy left to dance, while Squid celebrated singer Ollie Judge’s birthday, by beginning their set with the menacing ‘Crispy Skin‘, howling ‘Am I The Bad One, Yes, Yes I Am.’
In true crooner style and a fitting end to our festival season, Father John Misty came onstage with a red curtain backdrop. With passion, fire, and strength in his voice, Josh Tillman played his set as though it was a charismatic sermon, prowling the stage in his own inimitable style.
It was a fitting end to another incredible weekend for End of the Road at Larmer Tree Gardens.
Next year, the festival celebrates its 20 year anniversary. It will surely be another magical mix of musical discoveries…so don’t miss out on early-bird tickets when they go on sale shortly.
Victorious Festival remains an impressive inclusive music festival by the beautiful south coast.
The Southsea event offered the strongest headliners of the summer, with Queens of the Stone Age on the main stage on Friday, with the nutty boys, Madness, on the Castle Stage at the same time. Saturday offered man-eater Nelly Furtado and Vampire Weekend, while Sunday was a spicy choice between Melanie C and Kings of Leon.
It’s such a shame we can’t be in two places at once, as each of those artists deserves to be seen.
The beauty of Victorious Festival is that they always book an impressive headline-worthy artist to begin proceedings each day and this year was no exception.
On Friday, The Charlatans kicked off the main stage. Singer and frontman Tim Burgess does not appear to have aged a day since they first arrived on the indie scene in 1990 with ‘The Only One I Know‘. Playing a crowd-pleasing greatest hits set at 1pm definitely got everyone in the mood for the entertainment ahead.
In a positive change this year, the comedy performers took to the main stage, rather than a small big-top. This was a relief for many who in previous years have struggled to get into the crowded performance tent.
Comedian and Masked Singer presenter Joel Dommett followed The Charlatans on the main stage and stated he was slightly daunted at the size of the huge crowd who had come to see him in the Southsea sun. Mixing tales of his innuendo filled intros from the Masked Singer, to his own self- deprecation of playing his early rap-tape, it was an inspired decision moving the comedy so more people could enjoy it.
Following this great start to the family event, much has been written in the news about the silencing of a certain Irish band. The festival has already issued a statement and an apology for the way events transpired. At Summer Festival Guide, we are here to review events and festivals across UK and Europe and look to ensure the crowd are having a great time – they certainly were all weekend and Victorious have stated they will be making a generous donation to humanitarian efforts.
Elsewhere over on Castle Stage at the same time, many were enjoying Daniel Beddingfield who is embarking on something of a comeback, playing a mix of garage music, before finishing with his hits ‘If You’re Not The One‘ and ‘Gotta Get Through This.’
Victorious has so many stages on offer, and the Seaside Stage is one of the most beautiful locations overlooking the coastline. Following in the footsteps of Barrioke in 2024, this year was Massaoke – humurous rock legend wannabes, with leotards and gold spandex on offer. The colourful band played the music and backing tracks, while the crowd were encouraged to sing all the words displayed on the screen to classic 70s and 80s power ballads and cheesy rock classics. Modern karaoke never sounded so good (or so bad when we joined in for ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ briefly…)
Before the Friday-night headliners, party starters Kaiser Chiefs bound on stage, with arguably the biggest crowd of the day. Reminiscing how its been 20 years since their debut seminal album ‘Employment’ was released, Ricky Wilson still has bundles of energy, scaling the stage scaffolding while entertaining, with hits including ‘I Predict A Riot‘ and ‘Ruby‘.
The crowd knew and sung every word. They are about to tour the UK in the coming months and based on the audience reaction, many tickets would have been sold after this electrifying performance.
Queens of the Stone Age (QoTSA) followed and Josh Homme certainly knows how to begin in style. Some bands save their biggest songs for the end of their sets, but QoTSA went straight into ‘You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, but I Feel Like a Millionaire‘, ‘No One Knows‘, ‘Burn the Witch‘, then ‘My God Is the Sun‘ – arguably four of their biggest songs.
Halfway through the set, Josh Homme stated they’d come across the Atlantic to play for their fans and asked the audience what they wanted to hear. At request they played, “Little Sister‘, before a young audience member displayed a sign asking to join the band on-stage. Ironically the singer stated they weren’t the Foo Fighters, although Dave Grohl was previously this bands drummer…
As well as the music, as stated earlier, Victorious Festival prides itself on being a family orientated festival. The kids area this year offered a number of highlights, from meet’and’greets with Sonic the Hedgehog and Peppa Pig, through to impressive old-school British Empire Wrestling, and the famous ‘World’s Biggest Bouncy Castle’ which we’ve tried at many other events across the UK – well worth a mega-bounce if you see it.
Saturday began with the impressive Rizzle Kicks – who truly kicked things off in style. The crowd (and band) were jumping and the duo certainly don’t take themselves too seriously, with huge flowers in pots on stage.
Not to be outdone, Scouting for Girls followed, with their James Bond theme. Singer Roy Stride previously played the smaller acoustic stage here a couple of years ago, but now won the crowd over on the main Common Stage. With his selfie-stick, he filmed the audience while proclaiming everybody wants to be on tv.
Victorious also offers many slots for local bands, from the impressive Southsea Alternative Choir over on the aforementioned Seaside Stage, to breakthrough opportunities on the main stage.
Crystal Tides, an energetic Portsmouth indie-band played in the afternoon before local singer songwriter Marley Blandford had the opportunity of a lifetime to play before his biggest crowd to date – in the style of Ed Sheeran, he mixed acoustic guitar with looping pedals to create an impressive collection of tracks – one to watch in the future, especially with his cover of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody‘ to close the set.
Shed Seven returned to the festival in their usual cheeky style, with singer Rick Witter reading out many fan messages he’d received from fans young and old. Chucking his maraca to a young 9 year old in the crowd, he asked if anyone remembered the 90s, before playing their crowd pleasers ‘Going for Gold’, ‘Chasing Rainbows‘ and even a cover of The Smiths ‘There Is A Light Which Never Goes Out‘ with it’s darkly comic lyric
‘…And if a double-decker bus, crashes into us To die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die…’
Quite!
Scottish legends Travis followed, and Fran Healy sung ‘Why Does It Alway’s Rain On Me‘, although based on the dust around the site, it was clear Portsmouth and Southsea were basking in some particularly fine summer sun.
Back over on the Seaside Stage, 90s pin-up Betty Boo dazzled crowds with her old hits ‘Where Are You Baby’ and ‘Doin’ the Do‘, before concluding with ‘Pure and Simple‘ made famous by Hear’Say on the first series of Pop Idol. Utah Saints followed with an impressive DJ set, mixing classics from The Prodigy and New Order (both of whom have headlined Victorious in previous headliners.)
Talking of headliners, we chose to see Nelly Furtado over at the Castle Stage. It was surprising how many hits she’s had, from ‘I’m Like A Bird’ to ‘Promiscuous‘. She also played a couple of covers including ‘Get Ur Freak On‘ and James Morrison’s ‘Broken Strings,’ before sending the huge crowd away happy with ‘Man-eater.‘
Food-wise, a special shout out must go to Lidl and their Bubbles and Bangers stall. They offered a substantial hot-dog, and a glass of chilled lemonade for £7.50, or even better, a hot-dog with prosecco for £9.50. Considering many bars were charging the same for a can of gin’n’tonic this summer for the same price, this was the best deal of the summer. All profits went to the NSPCC charity also, so a big shout out must go to everyone’s favourite low cost supermarket for saving pennies. There was also the chance to win some merch or a bucket hat to keep cool.
Sunday, with everyone feeling slightly jaded from two days partying, there needed to be a big act to get everyone moving. Wow, and what an act to start the day.
Craig David brought his TS5 show to Southsea and had everyone singing all the words to his hits, from ‘Re-rewind (Bo-Selecta)‘, to ‘Fill Me In‘, ‘Walking Away‘, and finishing of course with ‘7-Days‘. It must be said this was a tough act to follow, and possibly based on the immense size of the crowd, Craig could have been headlining any of the nights.
Bradley Simpson, singer of The Vamps followed. Many of the audience had clearly come to see him, with banners held aloft and screams from his adoring fans. He certainly worked the stage, climbing over the speakers and strutting the stage like a true boy-band professional.
Jasper Carrott provided the comedy of the day and defied his 80 years with good humour, although some of the material regarding fax machines and prostate examinations left the younger audience members baffled. Definitely one for the older audience.
The Zutons followed, with a cover of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black‘, before performing their own ‘Valerie’ made famous by the late-great singer.
The Reytons followed and it was a surprise to hear they’re one of the biggest unsigned bands in the UK.
Frontman Jonny Yerrell proclaimed “This is the best festival in the UK…full of so much love and energy“. Who are we to disagree.
Bloc Party played a greatest hits set list, with singer Kele proclaiming this was a great place to perform the final night of their tour. Many of the audience may not have heard them before but recognised a couple of their songs used recently in adverts.
Headline wise, Sunday was the biggest possibly seen by Victorious and the biggest of any festival this summer. American superstars Kings of Leon took to the main stage and brought an incredible close to the weekend. Normally singer Caleb doesn’t say a word to the crowd between songs, but he stopped many times to thank the huge crowd. He even spotted a Tennessee flag in the audience from his home state and seemed in good spirits throughout.
It was an absolutely flawless performance from KoL, with songs played from their 25-year career. The biggest cheers went out for ‘Use Somebody‘ and ‘Molly’s Chambers‘, but of course, the crowd sung every word when they finished with ‘Sex On Fire’. They certainly did not disappoint.
There were so many other impressive acts we saw which we haven’t had time to cover. From Everything Everything with their indie-dance music to Public Service Broadcasting with their conceptual approach of using archival footage from old films and documentaries – there really was something for everyone at Victorious.
We can’t wait to return next year – this was a memorable year, but for all the right, positive reasons we keep coming back. The festival keeps on expanding and you can see why. Kings of Leon are going to be a difficult act for Victorious to beat next year, but we are excited to find out who they book.
We Out Here is a beautiful melting pot of a festival – embracing so many genres, from rap, reggae, funk, disco and jazz – there truly is something for everyone with a passion for great music.
Curated by legendary DJ Gilles Peterson, it should come as no surprise that the music on offer each year is truly special.
Looking through the line-up, there are few artists which may be household names…yet. But that does not mean it is not one of the strongest selection of music found at any festival this year. With WOMAD festival taking a hiatus in 2025, this is the true kaleidoscope of the year and offered the best discoveries of 2025.
There are too many highlights to list – record stores selling incredible signed vinyl, talks from inspirational writers, or even the chance for a wild dip or paddle-board in the surrounding rivers or relax in the Sanctuary. You can take part in art therapy or yoga classes…or even the simple glory of finding some shade from the Dorset sun next to the rollerblade disco.
As previously mentioned, with over 100 artists across the weekend, there is something for all lovers of good music. There were so many discoveries which have been added to heavy rotation on Spotify playlists once returning home.
The appropriately named Lush Life stage offered artists – from the lesser known Fulu Muziki (an Afro-futurist music ensemble from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with an incredible rhythm section), to the well known A Guy Called Gerald. Hearing him on vinyl or in a bar is enjoyable, but seeing him live is truly where the magic happens and the only way to fully appreciate the man’s work.
Rhythm Corner is a mix of hay-bales and superstar DJ’s including Carl Craig, Josey Rebelle, Ben UFO and one of jungle scene’s most respected names, Roni Size.
Over on the main stage, there truly were some inspirational acts to discover. One highlight included Jalen Ngonda, who is such an incredible talent. Wearing flares and an incredible smile, Jalen will surely be a future headliner, not only at We Out Here but possibly Glastonbury – he’s that good. With an incredible soulful voice on par with John Legend, with touches of Marvin Gaye’s falsetto, it truly was a stunning performance.
On Sunday, the main stage opened with Kahil El Zabar – possibly the best jazz multi-instrumentalist you’ll see this year. At 70 years young, he’s a 5-time recipient of the Jazz Journalist Association’s Percussionist of the Year award and no wonder. Sublime. In the eloquent words displayed on stage during the set ‘we need to release the spirit within both as an act of resistance but more importantly as an act of love.’
The headliners this year certainly did not disappoint either, with such a diverse mix. Thursday offered the beautiful Noname, a Chicago rapper with boundless energy and charisma. Friday offered a treat with MJ Cole performing his album ‘Sincere’ in its entirety. Live it still sounds as good today as it did when it was released, the true test of a timeless classic.
In the words of Gilles Peterson ‘the Saturday headline felt like a perfect embodiment of everything I ever hoped WOH could stand for.’
The Rotary Collection 222 was truly mindblowing and such a privilege to experience. Celebrating the life work of Charles Stepney, who I’m ashamed to admit I was not familiar with before this festival, it was dazzling how many people have recorded his songs, or sampled his creative genius. From working with the beautiful Minnie Ripperton to Earth, Wind and Fire, he has also been sampled by the mighty Jay-Z and Kanye West.
No-one can sum up their performance better than Gilles himself – ‘Bringing together tradition, family, energy and a large community of musicians from disparate provenances to express the beauty of Charles’ compositions and arrangements with a packed field singing and swaying in the light of the moon was beyond anything I could have imagined. The goosebumps and tears were real – a true expression of what music can make us feel.’
It was incredible to see, and be part of the crowd – the musicians truly appreciated the adulation from the audience also and responded to the love they richly deserved.
Unfortunately, Michael Kiwanuka had to cancel his remaining summer shows due to an ongoing illness, so we didn’t get to see him at We Out Here, or the upcoming Victorious festival over the bank holiday weekend.
But what a replacement the festival managed to secure at the last minute. Loyle Carner, having headlined The Other Stage at Glastonbury drew in the biggest crowd of the weekend. Such a young talent, it’s no wonder he won the Mercury Music Prize and will shortly embark on an arena tour throughout the UK. Clearly he loved the festival, saying simply : “This is the best festival I’ve ever been to in my entire life”.
We couldn’t argue with that. We Out Here truly was special.
Gilles Peterson brought proceedings to a fitting close in The Bowl with a celebratory, genre-spanning set. He finished an incredible weekend by summing it all up so well “I want to say thank you to everyone who’s come this weekend. Honestly, last night with Rotary Connection and bringing over Shirly Wahls was unbelievable. For me it was a career highlight. When I was there listening to 10,000 people singing the words to ‘Les Fleurs’ in a field in Dorset, in England, I couldn’t believe it. Thank you so much ‘cos that’s what it’s all about. The way we can mix the heritage music, the forward-thinking music, the UK DJ culture; there’s nothing like it anywhere in the world.”
We Out Here truly is a joyous festival and we can’t wait for it to return to Dorset next year.
This truly is one of the, if not THE best festival for discovering exciting new music in the UK.
We’ve been coming to Camp Bestival for over ten years – and it remains, without a doubt, the best family festival in the UK.
The slogan of the festival is ‘We Are Family’ and it couldn’t be more appropriate. Rob Da Bank and his wife Josie host the ultimate holiday event with something for everyone, young and, well, young-at-heart.
Whether it’s top CBeebies entertainment from Mr Tumble with his confetti canons, Mister Maker and his shapes, or even the meet-and-greet with Bluey (and based on the queues, the Australian dog remains as popular as ever) – the young children were very well catered for.
Every year Camp Bestival has a theme and this year was a giant pyjama party. Joining in with the PJ fun was rugby legend Joe Marler, shortly to appear on BBC’s Celebrity Traitors.
Music wise, the festival maintains an eclectic mix, ensuring that no matter what genre you love, there is something for you. Whether its Eurovision pop from Remember Monday with their feel-good hit of the summer ‘What The Hell Just Happened‘ , or Miss Americana and her stunning tribute to Taylor Swift – for those who missed out on her ERAS Tour, there were so many delights for those who wanted to Shake It Off in the sunshine.
For those slightly older, Lightning Seeds displayed how many hits they have in their catalogue. Finishing with their anthem Three Lions, it did beg the question whether it needs to be reworded to celebrate the success of the England Women’s football team, rather than commiserate the men’s continued years of hurt (Ian Broudie now even changes the lyrics from ‘…40 years of hurt…’ in the original song, as it’s now closer to 60 since any success…)
Elsewhere The Zutons played their hit ‘Valerie’ made famous by the late great Amy Winehouse, before covering her song Back to Black.
Party starters Dub Pistols know how to celebrate and reminisced that they have been playing the festival since the early days when the festival started 17 years ago. Summer Festival Guide favourites The Cuban Brothers followed, with singer Miguelito Cubano seranading the crowd with ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, before starting a giant conga in the crowd, while wearing a pair of motorcycle pants (…believe me they need to be seen to be believed, but then maybe, it’s best left to the imagination…)
This year, the headliners were the big draw and the best the festival has seen in many years. Friday night offered Sugababes. It was mesmerising how many pop hits they played, beginning with Overload, and finishing with their classic About You Now.
Saturday was arguably the best headliner the festival has offered in many years, with Basement Jaxx bringing their full band live extravaganza to Dorset. With a mix of laser bras, inflatable stars, and best of all, an invasion of gorillas during ‘Where’s Your Head At‘, this was a fantastic audio & visual experience for all ages.
The only debate as to whether Basement Jaxx was the best headliner the festival has hosted came on Sunday. Sir Tom Jones, at 85 years young, still knows how to put on a great show. It was reassuring to hear that his voice remains as powerful as ever with his Welsh baritone timbre beginning with a moving cover of ‘I’m Growing Old’.
Playing a mix of covers from his heroes including Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Dusty Springfield and The Waterboys, it was his own hits which received the biggest sing-alongs of the weekend. ‘Delilah‘ still sounds superb, ‘It’s Not Unusual‘ was given a samba twist, while ‘Sexbomb’ sounded slightly more uncomfortable in this day-and-age. Never one to leave fans disappointed, he also played his covers of ‘Kiss‘ by Prince and ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On‘, made timeless by the movie The Full Monty.
A special shout out must also go out to the incredible accessibility team at Camp Bestival. Unlike many festivals we cover, they clearly know that not every disability needs to be clearly visible. Many people live with conditions that are not immediately apparent to others and the festival understands the importance of understanding and accommodating the diverse needs of individuals.
One of the highlights of Camp Bestival is how it is welcoming and open, accessible, welcoming, and most of all, fun for all.
‘We Are Family’ has never been truer. We can’t wait to keep returning.
With legends such as Neil Young, Cat Stevens and Van Morrison all playing on the same day, it’s difficult to say which should be headlining.
At any other event, each would deserve the top-billing. That’s the power of the BST Hyde Park line-up. It’s like a whole festival of headliners – in one day.
On Friday at BST Hyde Park, on possibly the hottest day of the year, Neil Young was chosen to conclude the day on an impressive bill at the mighty Oak stage.
But that doesn’t take away from the incredible line up this day offered in the sweltering city.
Van Morrison was on first and the Northern Irishman appeared in good spirits. Wearing an impressive fedora, he began with the classic song ‘Into the Mystic.’ A man of few words, he was clearly impressed with the size of the crowd for his late-afternoon set. Playing a mix of jazz tunes in amongst his classics, including ‘If I Ever Needed Someone’, made famous by Mavis Staples, of The Staple Singers.
As is now customary, Van finished with his 1964 classic ‘Gloria’, spelling out the name repeatedly with the crowd echoing in unison. With no drama, he disappeared from the stage silently, leaving his impressive band to continue. Many people wanted more, but the best was yet to come.
@jrcmccord
Yusuf (Cat Stevens) followed, and what a privilege to see him perform on the Oak Stage. In recent years, he’s performed at Glastonbury in their now regular Sunday ‘legends’ slot, and he did not disappoint here. Many fans were clearly here just to see Yusuf alone, despite the mighty Neil Young yet to appear.
Launching into ‘Tea for the Tillerman‘, with animation and words appearing on the backdrop of the stage, it’s incredible to think this tune was allowed to be used on Ricky Gervais’ hilarious Extras tv programme as a theme song.
Following this timeless classic, Yusuf played the beautiful ‘The Wind‘ – if only there was a stronger breeze in Hyde Park! Shortly after, he announced that the crowd should know the next tune – the classic ‘The First Cut is The Deepest‘ – arguably made more famous when covered by another legend at this years Glastonbury, Mr Rod Stewart.
The setlist just showed how many beautiful songs Yusuf has written over his career, with ‘Father and Son‘ bringing possibly the largest sing-along of the day with its timeless words
It’s not time to make a change, Just sit down, take it slowly You’re still young, that’s your fault, There’s so much you have to go through Find a girl, settle down, If you want you can marry Look at me, I am old but I am happy
He may now be older, but he did truly look happy up on stage.
@jrcmccord
In a moment on poignancy and reflecting in the 30 year anniversary of the dreadful Srebrenica Massacre, Yusuf played the incredibly moving song ‘Little Ones‘ he wrote. Hauntingly, he told the story of how young children were killed mercilessly, while still having smiles on their innocent faces. Despite the 30 year gap between Srebrenica and the Ukraine senseless killings, it made an impact on the huge crowd. Many in the crowd also voiced concerns about the slaughter of innocent civilians also taking place in Gaza.
On a more hopeful note, Yusuf cheekily said he would overrun slightly after asking the crowd if they wanted one song or two songs to be played. Of course the answer was two. After all, people had travelled far-and-wide to see his performance. He delighted with his classic ‘Wild World‘, before finishing with his magical timeless ‘Peace Train‘.
Not many people would dare follow such an incredible set. Arguably Yusuf / Cat Stevens could have been the headliner based on the size of the crowd and the vast amount of people singing along.
But arguably the best was saved for last – having seen the likes of other rock gods including Bruce Springsteen delight crowds at Hyde Park, Neil Young’s set was possibly the most impressive this stage has seen.
Despite the huge Oak Stage on offer, Neil Young condensed the stage down to somehow make it appear that he was playing a small gig at a local venue. The singer, bass and guitar mics were all positioned in close proximity, with the sound mixer moved extremely close – the backdrop echoed the sentiment of the times, with ‘Love Earth‘ emblazoned across.
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It’s no wonder Neil Young is known as the Godfather of Grunge, as without this legend, it’s debatable whether we would have seen the likes of Nirvana. More on that a little later…
Beginning in his classic inimitable style, Neil Young emerged on the magically shrunken stage with a battered acoustic guitar and a harmonica and performed his classic ‘Ambulance Blues’.
After watching his headline performance on Saturday night at Glastonbury which felt a little flat, this was much more impressive, as clearly the crowd were full of fans who loved this man’s vast catalogue of work, unlike the huge Somerset festival which attracts audiences before the headliners are known.
He was clearly enjoying himself more here and that energy came across, particularly when Neil stated ‘Thank you, folks, I really appreciate you being here’
He demonstrated from one song to another all the different musical styles he has mastered. From the rocking ‘Be The Rain’ to the solo performance of ‘The Needle And The Damage Done‘.
There was some confusion when he began ‘Hey Hey, My My’ as it appeared the rest of the band thought he was going to play Like A Hurricane.
The line “it’s better to burn out than to fade away” was included in Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain‘s suicide note in 1994. After Cobain’s death, Young vowed never to perform the song again, but reversed his stance at the request of the surviving members of Nirvana. It’s great we are still able to hear it despite the tragic connotations.
As if planned (or by magic again), when the sun began to set, Neil Young played arguably his greatest, most beautiful classic ‘Harvest Moon‘.
After a short encore, he returned with his Chrome Hearts bandmates for his classic ‘Rocking In The Free World.’
Cheekily, his band conducted a few sneaky false-finishes and continued the song for over ten minutes. Each time they appeared to wind the track to a conclusion, they began playing in-earnest again, clearly showing how much fun and enjoyment they were all having. It appeared as if it was a jam session – rather than a concert in the city centre to 60,000 lucky fans.
Due to the prime city centre location, and strict 10.30pm curfew, as happened with Bruce Springsteen a few years earlier, the plug was pulled – no one was surprised as the band were teasing for this to happen.
We cannot wait to see what legends BST Hyde Park books for 2026.
Without doubt this was one of the best, most diverse set of artists this year to grace to various stages.
