The Cranes

Within minutes of arriving back for a second helping of performances, I was back down to the stage to watch a band that was totally unknown to me. I was met by the most delicate looking, pale skinned female vocalist who was standing inactive by her mic while other band members wove intricate instrumental patterns. When fragile-voiced Alison Shaw finally did sing, it was in short bursts effectively punctuating longer instrumental passages.

I later discovered that the ethereal rock/pop music I had been listening to started way back in 1988 when Shaw and her brother originally formed the band. It turned out to be an unexpected, interesting performance by an underground band with sufficient following to survive the turbulence of the modern music scene.

Longview

I have seen Rob McVey (vocals and guitar), Aidan Banks (bass), Doug Morch (guitar) and Marti Dabbs (drums) perform on several occasions over the last couple of years. Few new bands around at the moment have toured as extensively as Longview and I believe this invaluable experience is beginning to pay dividends.

The band’s emotional, mid-paced indie rock is performed with minimum animation as a towering McVey sings intensely into his mic. It’s a style that underlines the carefully crafted messages conveyed to a building audience getting primed for The Cure’s introspective vibe later in the day. Longview’s confidence is growing with each live performance and backed by a well-received debut album, the band deserves to succeed - as I am sure it will.

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Keane

This is undoubtedly a festival segment for lovers of musical introspection and the organisers have ensured that the day’s line-up is designed to deliver just that. This was the third time I have seen the hugely successful Keane perform live, and the band appear to improve with each show.

Having just wowed the crowds at Glastonbury and with a number one album already under their belts, Tom Chaplin, Tim Oxley-Rice and Richard Hughes are rising faster than my overdraft. And I can understand why. The band’s songs are strongly melodic and heartfelt, and with delivery via Chaplin’s expressive voice and Oxley-Rice’s sympathetic keyboard playing, the songs resonate with many music-lovers.

It’s usual for me to not recognise song titles performed by many acts but so familiar is the set-list that songs like This Is The Last Time, Everybody’s Changing, This Is The Last Time, Bend And Break, She Has No Time and Bedshaped are ensconced in my memory. Also familiar is the fact that the band usually takes a couple of songs to get the old vocal chords and stage vibe really working, and this performance is no exception. My only negative observation is that the band’s repertoire is a tad repetitive but, like Coldplay, I’m sure that diversity and a harder edge will begin to emerge.

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Elbow

And the band that Keane should look at and listen intently to was the next on the bill, Elbow. I cannot hide the fact that I regard this band and its music as far superior to that of most other UK Bands which have emerged in recent years. I first caught Elbow performing live in Dublin two or three years ago and was blown away by the intensity and diversity of its music.

In Guy Garvey the band possesses one of the best frontmen and song writers around at the moment. The band’s first album ASLEEP IN THE BACK should have walked away with the Mercury Music Prize when short-listed, but then neither did Radiohead’s classic OK Computer some years earlier…

The show got under way but was then halted due to lead guitar amp problems. Garvey handled the delay with finesse and humour, and took the opportunity to explain what the massive banner behind him (a land mine charity). Eventually the superb set started with a couple of great songs from the aforementioned album. The band performed with two backing singers, and a horn player for a song from the band’s latest album CAST OF THOUSANDS.

This turned out to be one of those very rare, very special performances full of musical adventure, passion and skill. The final epic, dramatic song blew me and just about every body else away. I don’t know the title but suspect it too was from the band’s latest album. The two backing singers took on the role of fiddle players while two brass musicians arrived on stage. The song was thankfully a long one and at its conclusion the whole place erupted in clapping and cheers for a home grown North West band that should have the world at its feet. Inspiring, entertaining, intelligent, moving – what more can I say about this supreme band and its players?

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The Cure

Cure fans had been gathering all day for the show with many dressed for the occasion. I had never been a fan until I heard the band’s last album BLOODFLOWERS released around four years ago, and it was the raw emotion combined with accessibility that ‘done it’ for me.

This was also to be my first experience of a live performance by the band who looked the part as they trooped onto the stage and then waited for Mr R Smith to appear. Then on he came walking deliberately and slowly with hands clasped, and a rather shy look on his lip-glossed, pale face. He looked rather humble and surprised too as he wandered from one side of the stage to the other standing still for a minute at each point in his journey to survey the large crowd below him. All band members wore black clothing, and while Smith wandered the stage, the remaining members stood absolutely still. It was quite a sight.

Finally Smith reached the mic and the performance commenced, and what a performance. I couldn’t tell you what the songs were accept that old favourites were mixed in with material I recognised from BLOODFLOWERS and the recently released new CD/DVD entitled THE CURE.

A couple of songs in and Smith was passed a guitar which he played with both skill and gusto. Thompson, also on guitar, gave thrilling and decorative support while O’Donnell on keys helped cement that characteristic Cure sound. It was a fabulous set and a fine performance to end day two of a festival which was proving to be bloody marvellous.

If I had to choose an act of the day it would be a toss-up between The Cure and Elbow, with the latter just a shortest of noses ahead.