The first band I caught were Of Montreal on the main stage on the Thursday evening – one of those bands that delight when they randomly play on your iPod but when you actually stop to think about them you realise, there isn’t that much too them musically.
Their set was a hive of activity, with Kevin Barnes in a purple blazer and his band in lycra and tie dye. It was a colour explosion of balloons, Mexican fighters and props, which only served as a light distraction from the fact that these guys may just be coasting on a couple of quirky but memorable songs.
Big Boi (the second piece of the Outkast puzzle) alongside Andre 3000 surprisingly brought out the love for hip hop which seems to reside somewhere deep in my soul.
His set was amazing, and packed with recognisable tunes. If you weren’t feeling the tunes, there were the scantily dressed girls at the end, flown directly from Big Boi’s hometown of Atlanta, feather boas and hot pants in tow.
The Walkmen played the Pitchfork stage and as usual they didn’t disappoint. They’re one of those bands that are old hat, professional. Front man Hamilton Leithauser’s distinctive vocals remind me why I love indie bands like this and The Rat, their token hit, rallied the crowd.
Speaking of distinctive vocals, Grinderman clashed with The Walkmen, so I missed out on what would definitely have been a memorable performance from Nick Cave.
Girl Talk finished the opening night in the wee hours of Friday morning on the Llevant Stage, this guy doesn’t just delight with the best mash up albums of the last five years but he always delivers with his live shows.
Gregg Gillis aka Girl Talk has an amazing talent for mashing the best of the best of tracks, from 80’s hip hop to current chart toppers, indie and rock. It’s natural effortlessness and if you haven’t heard his albums or seen his shows then ditch this review and hop to it, until you’ve experienced The Jackson 5, John Lennon and The Rolling Stones in a mash up extravaganza then you simply haven’t lived.
