Sunday 28/05/06 Day 2 @ Hi: Fi South, Matterley Bowl, Hampshire

Day Two and Gigwise is glad that it slept in a nice comfy bed rather than a soggy tent, where your knee accidentally touches the wall in the night and you wake up thinking you've whizzed in your sleeping bag. Still today is much sunnier and drier and sees us positively skipping around the deliciously petite site.

First up in the live tent for Gigwise is the Brakes, who alternate between you wanting to love them for their wanton approach to not caring, and hate them for their occasional arrogance. For example their guitarist stalks on with a cigarette dangling out the side of his mouth in what can only be described as rock star bravado, and yet the simplicity of his guitar chords and riffs overtakes the tracks. Little snippets of musical comedy such as a quick rendition of the dreaded fast food chain's Timberlake ditty, "I'm Lovin It" endears you to them. However the gig is off to a shaky start, with the gaps between songs becoming positively annoying to the audience. Lead vocalist Eamon Hamilton looks like Stressed Eric sometimes in his anger over some tracks - and British Sea Power always seemed like such a calm band. The set improves vastly throughout, with the country-twanging track of 'Jacksonville' starting to win the audience over, despite the mouse-like squeaks of a guest female vocalist (blatantly someone's wife). One audience member enjoys 'All Night Disco Party' so much that they continue to yell it between songs. The rest of the set is punctuated by a blend of rock 'n' roll and country back to basics three minute tracks featuring lyrics like "God came down and said I'm ****ing bored" and "Porcupine and Pineapple". 'Do the Spring Chicken' is also a funky little number with a simple approach. While their seeming nonchalance to the audience on occasions is annoying, the fact that there seems at times, to be thousands of children (the band's) scattered across the stage, makes you consider that the band are old enough to be more introverted than to look for outside approval.

Before going to have a few too many with the photographers, Gigwise even manages to catch the beginning of The Bees, who gratifyingly play the scrumptiously bouncy ‘Wash in the Rain’ and ‘A Minha Menina’ in the first ten minutes leaving Gigwise to skip round the tent like a looney. And then skip to the bar.

Kosheen open with the classic 'Hide You', and its gratifying to look over your shoulder and see people pouring in from outside to hear such an excellent track. Vocalist Sian, who looks oddly like she's heading to a job interview afterwards in her black suit, whips her hair out of its ponytail and struts around the stage leering like a more potent cousin of the Wicked Witch of the West. Their new material (they play the title track from the new album, 'Damage'), features the clanging deep bass that has become so typical of their work. They finish with "All in my Head", and Sian looks more like a Corr who was just spent a weekend with Paul Gascoigne, such is the energy she puts into getting the audience involved with the set. Lets face it, she must be pushing forty and still jumps round with the passion of a Goth-electro Britney half that age. Can't wait for the new album.

Meanwhile, the dance tents are just as pumping as yesterday with highlights including Lisa Pin Up, Paul Oakenfold and Layo & Bushwacka!. Nick Warren delivers his brand of smudgy electro in a progressive set, while Sander Kleinenberg has more dropped beats. Erick Morillo's tent is packed as the night rolls on, with a great beaty set with tons of variety while Lisa Lashes brand of hard house pulls in all the fluro-clad hardcore fans, while still featuring renowned tracks like "We Come One".

Gigwise is now in the dance zone, but still politely pops its head into Ian Brown's tent. It seems to be populated by football fans chanting 'Ian Brown'to the tune of 'Here we go'. You suddenly realise that despite the popper-littered dance tents around you, if anything's going to kick off, it'll kick off here. Brown is on stage in the same Adidas white tracksuit he was wondering round in earlier, and starts with 'Adored'. Brown seems not to sing but sort of moan into the air, and yet he still has this iconic status due to his involvement with Stone Roses. How a band so scruffy with a front man who looks like an albino monkey and can't sing can turn the tide of British music is a great mystery, but one the audience are lapping up. He certainly demands your attention, and has a great band behind him doing work on bongos and all sorts of percussion. With the beats of so much quality dance around you, its impossible for me to stay with Ian for too long, and Gigwise wanders off into the night to await Sasha and Carl Cox with baited breath. Today’s indie headliner may not be stomping, but the DJs are what this field was made for.

Photos by: DJ Webb http://photography-of-rock.com
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