Get Loaded In The Park

Clapham Common,

London

24/08/08

After a damp start, The Fly eagerly sheds brolly and mac to join the crowd at the main stage for 

Philadelphia‘s party-rap crew, Plastic Little, who manage to rev up a soggy crowd despite bearing absolutely no resemblance to the busty anime girls of the same name. More’s the pity. Meanwhile, over at the XFM stage, Ispo Facto - pale white faces peering out from a sea of black – belatedly, thanks to sound issues, deliver a psychedelic set infused with 60s-inspired garage.

Back at the main stage the sun welcomes the The Holloways as they open with ‘Generator’ and crowd-pleasingly catchy riffs. London folk rockers Noah And The Whale follow, the likes of ‘Shape Of My Heart’ and ‘5 Years Time’ notable for an over-zealous roadie manning the smoke machine and drowning vocalist Charlie Fink in dense acrid smog, ‘til he gets the offending equipment mercifully turned off. With a line-up as densely packed as the fog on stage, The Fly hot-foots it back to the XFM tent for Kid Harpoon, who kicks things off with a knee-slapping acoustic solo - nimbly strumming away with the guitar up under his chin. The Hives’ kinetic main stage set comes complete with requisite flying bottles. Still, the Swedes power through ‘Walk Idiot Walk’ and ‘Hate to Say I Told You So’ - Pelle Almqvist holding court from atop the speaker bank before jumping his way back down. Next up are gypsy punk rockers Gogol Bordello. As vocalist Eugene Hutz leaps on stage with signature bottle of red wine, the photographers cower – but are spared a soaking as he chooses to drink rather than spray his favourite tipple. Accordion, violin and the occasional red bucket cook up a carnival of rhythmic numbers like ‘Wonderlust King’ and ‘Start Wearing Purple’ as Hutz mock-strangles cheerleaders to a crowd triumphantly waving their purplest threads.

 
More sound problems back at XFM mean Reverend And The Makers appear 25 minutes late with vocalist Jon McClure none-too-pleased at having to cut their set short for Kate Nash. With an aggressive Indie-electro mix, RATM (not that one) get the crowd jumping to ‘The State of Things’ and ‘Heavyweight Champion of The World’. No doubt this will be the first and last time that a band like RATM support a quiet cockney act like Ms Nash – an unusual line up to say the least. Poor Kate also falls prey to the curse of the soundsystem, appearing a whole hour late and bravely geeing up the tired masses with the help of a backing troupe of dancing skeletons… 

Inevitably, it’s Iggy Pop and his company of Stooges who truly win the day. Despite having just turned 61 the week before, bare-chested Iggy is on top form, wildly humping a speaker stack before awkwardly clambering down and injuring his leg. He really should slow down a bit at his age. Undeterred, he roars through a ferocious set, belting out ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ and ‘Search And Destroy’ before inviting the crowd to join him on stage during ‘No Fun’. The security guards frantically yelp their disapproval, but they’re powerless… what Iggy wants, he gets.

Michy
Brooks & Taya Uddin