Sunday 06/08/06 Day 3 @ The Big Chill

Sunday and the temperatures are threatening to soar, but at least the programming is more relaxed. Another Fine Day kick start at 12 o'clock on the Castle stage and are not to be missed with jazzy ambient urban-folk flavours derived from percussion and African instruments. Another Fine Day have all the cross-over appeal the Big Chill favours and have rightly held claim to their time slot year after year at the Big Chill. Pitter patter beats and plinky plonky percussion are what we've come for, and things do take a turn into jammy jazzy territory with bodran and electronica amidst the keys and electric violin.

Pan Electric come across as Pink Floyd-alikes with C.S.N & Y. vocal harmonies crossed with 1970's soundtracks. Choice musicians feature the likes of B.J. Cole on steel pedal guitar who graces us with his version of Debussy's 'Clair de Lune'. Oh, what bliss!

Preparations on the Castle stage. But first - feeding the Comedian to the Lions. So painful to watch as he snared himself with his swearing to Mumsie discontent, then the jaws opened and he was taken whole into the giant maw, sweet and sharp amidst the boos and "get offs". The diminutive Lily Allen came with her giggles for her first gig since her album release. The band play accompaniment for this M.C. with the belting voice and sassy street poet songs - and watch out if you cross her path - straight to the studio! Despite the self-copy that surrounds Lily Allen, her performance captures the audience for her poppy dance-slant with old roots/ska rhythms, like on 'Smile', and the songs are good entertainment - 'Friday Night' and "...another drink and I'm ready for action/ don't try to test me/ cos you'll get a reaction...". Could Lily Allen be the next Buster Bloodvessel? Thing is - it's 20 minutes into her set and she's already talking of only having 2 numbers left. She's meant to be on for a good deal longer but is feeling the gravity of the dressing room. 'Alfie' gives the audience what they are calling for and it sounds like the ice-cream pop van doing its rounds, the set finishing 15 minutes early.

The World Music sensation that is Amadou & Mariam are doling out infectious staccato rhythms from the main stage by way of Mali, like a black Talking Heads crossed with Santana. There's shades here of where Jamiroquoi's music has ventured from with it's afro-funk showcasing their latest release with its Manu Chao hooks and showing dexterity with Western funk. For a blind couple, A & M show great presence and relate wholeheartedly to the audience. Their potential is huge. Let's find them a full brass rhythm section and they'll be the funkiest thing on the planet.

Are The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain too much? Or too, too much that you want some more. With a white hipster version of 'Theme From Shaft' - "Yeah! John Shaft" with the Ukulele adding in parentheses like stock market quotes, give us some more. Blondie's 'Picture This' then more fun with Grace Jones's 'Slave To The Rhythm'. The blast - how do they manage to get so much breadth, feeling and bass! from such a wee instrument - it's 'Psycho Killer' delivered with menace - absolutely awesome,  and a male with a Brecht & Weill streak. There's lot of humourous intros that bring to mind a Northern Working Man's Club act by way of Vegas, and we're told this song pays respect to their love of Simon & Garfunkel and Government sterilisation - 'Anarchy In The U.K.' as a country-folk song with chorus in 4-part harmony, "...oh IIIII, want to be - anarchy..." as though inviting the Good Lord into their lives. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' with an angst Kurt Cobain could never strangle, with deep baritone vocals and "Lib-eye-doh" yank style not "Lib-ee-doh", wigouts from the long-haired member, the song bellows with depth, feeling, power and gusto. From angst rock to funk to classical rock with Led Zep's 'Stairway To Heaven' and then "...God gave rock 'n' roll to ya/ put it in the heart of everyone..." the singalong, 'Respect', 'Le Freak' and 'Wild Thing' introduced as 'Tame Thing' - snared by a Uke; and 'Je t'aime' the Serge Gainsbourg number with the female part more like a loved up Marlene Dietrich, the male like a French onion-seller Serge. The class act for the day and possibly the best covers/revisionist band about. Sheer invention!

Nouvelle Vague make it this year to the Castle stage after last years postponement. We've heard the albums and the rub is that there's little difference in performance as they take us back to the 80's with their revisions and a cocktail act for the big stage,  - proof there's only one gig away from the back room to the front. 'Too Drunk To F**k' is raunchy with powerful vocals and soft Camille saying "fa-ck" with lovely French vowels. 'Heart Of Glass' proves the top drawer with a good rendition, "...once you mistrust/ loves gone behind...". At the end it's like the Statler & Waldorf sketch from 'The Muppets' - "that was good, it was marvelous, tremendous, well it was ok, no it was bad, it was poor, boooo...", only they weren't bad, just less than awesome, but still 'Teenage Kicks' proves hard to beat with a bossa shuffle.

Congratulations to the Big Chill for excellent organisation and hospitality with a great crew, no ghastly loo stories to report and hosting a civilised family/party event in beautiful surroundings. Big Pats to your backs for the programming - the music was awesome. Viva the Big Chill! Long live the Big Chill!