Friday 08/06/07 Day One @ Isle of Wight Festival, Newport

From our tent, Gigwise is pondering what the credentials are to be able to come to the Isle Of Wight Festival – which is now in its sixth year after its 2002 reincarnation. We’re surrounded by all walks of life. There are people who have surpassed middle age credentials; those who go menopausal at the thought of what middle age might bring and those who are still not quite sure what the twenties – contrary to what their fake id’s might say – actually feel like. In short, there’s the young, there’s the older and there’s Mick Jagger.

We should ponder the longer really; the answer has been on the line-up all along. The appearance of The Rolling Stones at this year’s festival – in what will be their first UK festival appearance for thirty one years – has brought just about every walk of life out of the woodwork – and that’s not even including the healthy attendance of people who saw them when they played their last UK Festival at Knebworth Fair.

Day one is not about The Rolling Stones, however, contrary to the already swelling buzz of anticipation around this coming Sunday’s closing spectacle. Day one’s first task is about actually getting to the festival site successfully! The Isle Of Wight, you see, is like a leach that’s trying (and failing) to cling on to the bottom of England. Gigwise’s journey to the festival alone, includes, a seagull attack on the 8am ferry crossing (how were we to know that fish from the ocean isn’t even this bird’s first choice of nutrition these days?), being stopped and praised about our pop-up tent almost every five minutes (these things really are the real deal by the way!) and then a ten minute bus journey from port to festival site. It’s not surprising that day one of this festival begins at the rather commuter friendly hour of 5pm because you need the best part of the day to get there. Heck, at least we made it though, which is more than Mutya Buena, who failed to make her ferry crossing from Portsmouth ahead of her appearance with Groove Armada.

We must not complain, however, we are here, the sun is shining (it’s already ninety-five degrees on our in tent thermometer) and we have Koopa – yes, the band who became the first unsigned band to enter the UK charts on downloads earlier this year - to look forward to. OK, so that’s Koopa dealt with.

This year’s festival gets underway more officially for Gigwise with an appearance by Echo And The Bunnymen on the main stage. We say main stage; there is actually only one at this festival. While the temperature might be high, the Bunnymen are not warm enough to slip out of their dark and heavy attire as they deliver a performance which goes from the cool vibes of ‘Dancing Horses' to the stunning sounds of 'The Cutter.'

“Who were they mummy?” asks a youngster near Gigwise. Before the child’s mum, who looks puzzled herself, can answer she’s saved by the arrival of The Feeling – the same child is now going mad and she’s not the only one. While The Feeling might serve up a pop sound which doesn’t satisfy everyone’s palette they’ve got more radio savvy songs than a lot of artists on this weekend’s bill. It’s no surprise then that the band – who are currently in the studio working on their second album – stick to the song’s that the audience know. ‘Fill My Little World,’ is as catchy as ever; ‘Rose’ – after a false start – just as contagious and they even include a cover of Buggles' 'Video Killed The Radio Star' to add to the crowds already vibrant vocal participation. Surprisingly, the band also air, ‘Join With Us,’ which is produce from their recent studio sessions. For Gigwise, though, the line, “The world isn’t in your hands,” is unnervingly contrived and, to add to the song’s detriment, its melody sounds eerily familiar to every other record The Feeling have ever produced.