Bestival is one of the UK’s biggest festivals. It’s dearly loved, particularly by university students, for its party atmosphere and attention to detail as well as the terrific acts on offer during the 3-day weekend. My music experience was limited due to a mate’s sickness this year; however, here are comments on a couple of bands we saw:
THE ANTLERS: A 40 minute set was enough time for the crowd to trickle away from The Antlers. There’s no doubt that Hospice was a very successful and well-received record, but translating it to the stage proved difficult. The band didn’t replicate its intimacy and warmth, nor did they attempt a noticeable alternative to rock up the live show. Towards the end during ‘Bear’, lead singer Peter Silberman finally sang the excellent high-pitched vocals of which he is so capable, and overcame what appeared to be bad nerves. Overall though, the set was aimless and often filled with chatter from the crowd.
FEVER RAY: Karin Dreijer Andersson’s (right) solo project Fever Ray was an unqualified success during its brief two years. She sang her self-titled album accompanied by a simple but effective light show. 1970s-style floor lamps resembling jellyfish gently dimmed in time to the music, creating an outline of Karin behind the smoke, and the figures of her band. As one would expect from the serious, political and creative Swedish star, her show was scary and detached. Conversely however, that relentless bleakness- achieved with uber-bass, visual menace and Karin’s distorted vocals, added the arresting ingredient that won The Knife their plaudits. It’s rare that a crowd can look so in awe as if they have never seen a gig before. I was also engrossed in Fever Ray’s dark world, and one fan, driven mad by comparatively catchy number ‘When I Grow Up’ went high up the 30-ft rigging, dancing tentatively above the Big Top.
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