25/26/27 August 2023 at Southsea Common, Portsmouth
My blog has been quiet for a while. No lack of gigs, almost the opposite and OK enjoying covering some old ground, such as The UK Subs and The Undertones. Given up work and started a new job part-time and amid some summer travel just a bit of blog downtime. There are a few special ones to revisit sometime soon, such at Siouxsie Sioux, Devo and The Beat tour with Bow Wow Wow.
But the return to posting starts with a pictorial wander through the Victorious Festival that rounds off the summer: now an annual pleasure that I have survived for the last 10 years.
Every festival wander must be unique. The friends I was with all take their own carefully selected or rather more random routes through the three-day musical feast. I wonder if anyone went the same route as me – impossible surely.
Friday
The first ever full Friday line-up using all the stages. I made straight to the second of the main stages, the Castle Stage, for Crystal Tides, local indie rock and very guitary outfit. The revelation of the weekend, playing three sets and I went back for another later. Here they are doing Courtney Love.(My YouTube channel)
Back over to the Common Stage, the main arena, for wife Sally’s favourites: Blossoms doing a lunchtime special guest slot to get everyone in early. Top pop rock as ever and frontman Tom Ogden looking as rock star as ever.
Then on my way over to the Castle Stage I found The Bottom Line. I hadn’t seen they were playing but saw them at Teddy Rocks Festival earlier this year, with Tom Newton, one of that festival’s organisers on guitar. Power punk pop. Excellent.
The Charlatans next up on The Common Stage. Tim Burgess loving the afternoon slot in the sun – one of my favourites and a very good wide-ranging set. I really like their more recent albums as well as the early stuff.
Bit of meandering and some expensive fish and chips from a wagon. Then it was Jake Bugg on the Castle Stage. I saw him also at Teddy Rocks Festival earlier in the year and his rockier more mature stance got me over to see him and he didn’t disappoint.
Dark by the time he finished and weather coming in. We stopped at the small and homely, Portsmouth Creates Stage and watched RU40, a tribute act for you know who.
It’s pissing down now – a mist of rain gradually soaking in. We thought we’d try Newton Faulkner but we couldn’t see him due to the crowd and decided to call it a day after a bit. Two more days to go after all.
The heavens opened and we trudged passed the depleting crowd watching Jamiroquai.
Saturday
I thought I’d check on McFly first. Sneaked over to the Castle Stage and everyone was over there. It was rammed. Bit of nostalgic fun. Not too much screaming, not from me anyway.
I was spotted by friends leaving and I had to confess. I grabbed a distant video of All About You.
I headed back for another bite of Crystal Tides. Another cracker in the car park that was the Beats and Swing Stage.
One of the weekend’s highlights, Pale Waves next. A mid-afternoon rock star performance.
Getting the steps in today – back to The Castle Stage for the wonderful Hammond organ sounds of The Inspiral Carpets. Love it. Second Carpets gig of the year for me. Clint Boon on the organ is the main man. His son is in the band as well now. The frontman Stephen Holt is the original, pre-dating Tom Hingley who is the lead singer most will be familiar with.
Back once again to The Common Stage for Belle and Sebastian. Interesting. Bit surprised as I thought I’d like them but totally lost on me I’m afraid.
Next, I nip back as crowds gather for my festival highlight: from Oz, it’s Amyl and the Sniffers.
I place myself just behind the moshpit when they come on. This is like the early days waiting for The Undertones or The Ramones. On come the band, then Amy Taylor. It goes wild. A fantastic set. Hot air pumping from the ground as the mosh pit leaps. Gotta see them again on their tour. That’s two brilliant festival performances to go with the classic last album: Comfort to Me.
I took a video to capture the moment – Security (links to my YouTube channel).
That’s enough excitement for me for the Saturday. My legs are buggered. Rest needed.
Sunday
The main stage is opened by Courting. I’d been listening since some guys recommended them in a pub before a Future Island gig in Southampton. Enjoyable start to Sunday and here is a link to my video of them playing Famous.
The ‘Staines massive’ gravitate to the front of the Common Stage for Hard-Fi. Been wanting to see them again since they announced their re-emergence. A wonderful set with tracks plucked across their three albums (2005-2011).
After revelling in a bit of my Staines history it was over to the Castle Stage to have some of my Coventry years – ‘ave it indeed. Tom Clarke spits out the songs with anger and passion. A lovely, contained riot of a set. Another weekend highlight.
Several options now. Plenty of well-known bands I just didn’t want to see. I decided I would have a look at some of the smaller stages, demolish some unhealthy food, have a few beers and tactical wines and watch The Vaccines. Good move.
I hung around, determined to get a good spot for Johnny F Marr and that paid off. Central, relatively close position for a selection of Marr solo material and some beautiful Smiths songs. Choruses from teary-eyed grey and no haired gig-goers. Marr is the light that never goes out.
Top finish to another great festival….and I dodged Mumford and Sons.
All done. Booked for next year already and looking forward to it.
Rock on.
Gigs with Ivan 