Festivals 2007: 1,2,3,4 Festival
When 1,2,3,4 Records decided to host a free festival, in the capital, everyone jumped at the chance to be there.
With the amount of new festivals popping up this year, it's a wonder that anyone can afford to peek into a number of them, let alone travel half way around the country to get there. So when 1,2,3,4 Records decided to host a free festival, in the capital, everyone jumped at the chance to be there.
Backstage, bands lounge around in deck chairs under billowing trees. A cool breeze ripples through the leaves as they sip free cocktails. But in the thick of it all thousands lay around in the scorching sun, keeping a lazy eye open for the bohemian Lightspeed Champion. A huge set of locks sit beneath his woolly hat while he statically sings with a melancholy tinge. A violin adds that extra tear to the stream that's welling up behind the eyes of every member in earshot.
Meanwhile, Lost Penguin thrash around like rabid dogs, tossing out brash riffs. Charleigh Blue sings / yells erratically in turn with Kevin Bassett (vox).
Florence And The Machine flounces around, while her astounding voice takes to the air. An almost operatic quality emanates her as she stretches her voice far further than you'd expect able from her slender form. Lightspeed helps her out on guitar, issuing a more confident air than earlier. Blustering around the stage with a grin spread wide across his face.
Everything is running late and so Flo has to cut her set to four or five songs. And while she may be speeding them up and missing out verses to finish early, Bolt Action Five are still setting up 15 minutes after show time.
No need for a drummer anymore, BAF boasts a simple line-up, replacing those heavy drum beats with keys and synth. They create a robotic sound that Dan (vox) twists and convulses to in fast, slick moves. Their rapid, computer game music gets you dancing like a child again - quick, without rhythm and arms flailing.
On the other side of the park the queues for the toilets, food and drinks are vast and the site is fast running low on cups, mash potato and toilet roll. But none of this fazes Shy Child as they saunter on stage. Pete dons his keytar in style, pulling the most absurd facial expressions that can only make you chuckle. Hurling out funky beats and electronic vocals, they're a less adventurous Kraftwerk that you can dance to.
Finally, what everyone has truly been waiting for - and the wave of screams hide nothing - Har Mar Superstar strides up to the head of the stage and confirms to the crowd how much he loves England. Accompanied by the delectable Fabrizio Moretti (The Strokes) on drums, Har Mar gets cracking on not only entertaining with his voice but his body too. As more layers are peeled from his figure, his comments get lewder. Between slipping on backing tracks he sings out with a smooth, jazzy tone, not dissimilar to American soloist Jason Mraz. He races through 'EZ Pass', the all too sexual 'DUI' and a song written for Britney Spears 'Tall Boy'. As well as stripping down to his briefs, there's a show of nipple sucking, Flash Dance moves and water soaking. Har Mar doesn't just headline a festival, he puts on a show to ensure you go home feeling you've had your moneys worth.
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