dance music.
Kasabian, Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds & Avicii lead T in the Park 2015 lineup
dance music.
As the weekend starts to shape up as my favourite year at T in the Park the sun makes a re-appearance with 23 degree heat and the line up continues to impress. Starting off my day with Sam Smith, singing the song that he credits for him being signed “Lay Me Down” left me with chills and an uncompromising appreciation for Sam Smith. Not only does that man have a beautiful voice he has such a genuine honesty to him and his song lyrics that make him undeniably likeable.
Jess Glynne who you might know from the Clean Bandit song “Rather Be” performed on the T Break stage, having only ever heard her before I was surprised to see she has an edgier, darker look than I expected. Already having huge success with Clean Bandit and Route 94 she’s starting to propel with her own work which has strong similarities to Katy B’s music, so if you’re a fan of Katy you should definitely look further in to Jess.
Bastille, introduced by the charismatic Greg James from Radio1 were some what of a personal disappointment. Technically they were solid and unblemished but there was a sense of forced enthusiasm from the band which set the foundation for an unatmospheric and dreary set.
Feeling my day was lacking a bit of crazy I went to see King Charles and he didn’t disappoint. Rocking dreadlocks, a thin (verging on creepy) moustache and an all white jumpsuit (Yes girls, the same kind of jumpsuit you where on a night out, get drunk and end up wrestling with when you need to pee) he graced the stage and lifted up the atmosphere in the tent dramatically. King Charles is an upbeat, pop-folk singer/song writer/guitarist/cellist and general mad man who won the International song writing Competition in 2009, who has since released and album and toured with Mumford and Sons. Obviously still enjoying what he’s doing, King Charles is an absolute joy to watch.
After yesterday’s praise of Dundee band Copper Lungs I decided to go see another Scottish band starting to make a name for themselves, Vigo Thieves a band from Wishaw just outside Glasgow are a 5 piece who, last year became the first unsigned band to sell out King Tut’s two nights in a row. Carrying on from this success and supporting The Fratellis earlier this year, Vigo Thieves have a kind of 90’s feel to them with band member Chrus Gorman providing compelling synth/piano hooks and vocalist Stevie Dukes holding on to note after note. With up and coming dates over the UK you don’t have an excuse not to go see them for yourself.
Now a T in the Park favourite, Tinie Tempah, blew up the Radio1 Stage, able to hear the crowd from his set all the way from the main stage I went to take a look closer. I’m sure I lost 3 pounds and gained 4 bruises in that crowd. There is honestly nothing I can say to do his set any justice so here’s a mere 3 minute clip to give you an idea.
I’ve said it time and time again but the atmosphere at T in the Park is nothing but contagious and it has to be one of the best festival crowd experiences in the world.
With Tinie Tempah leaving such an amazing vibe buzzing around the Radio1 stage I decided to stay for Disclosure and if you’ve ever thought they’re “just” DJ’s you should go see them play at one of their 39 festival slots this year. Between them, brothers Guy and Howard can sing, play the drums, guitar, bass and piano, if it’s something these boys are lacking, it definitely isn’t talent. With a stage set up unlike most DJ’s where you can only see their head bopping about, Disclosure had a more casual and intimate set up. Opposite one another and set up with their own decks and chosen instruments, the crowd were able to see everything the boys were doing. Bringing on guest vocalists Eliza Doolittle for “You &Me”, Aluna from AlunaGeorge for “White Noise” and closing the show with Sam Smith and “Latch” Disclosure brought their A-game to T in the Park and gave Balado the best possible send of it could have asked for.
In my opinion T in the Park just keeps getting better and this year especially, had one of the best line ups it’s ever had. With organisers not only securing some of the biggest names in music they also took in to consideration the best of UK’s up and coming acts and it’s this consistency that gives people the confidence to buy early bird tickets for the following year without knowing the line-up. With next year being the first ever year at the new picturesque site of Strathallan Castle everyone’s curiosity is sure to get the better of them and I imagine tickets will go even faster than usual. Loyal to T in the Park or even just curious to see what all the fuss is about, make sure you secure your ticket for next year here. http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/
So, I’m not taking the blame for jinxing the weather because I’m sure a few people are grateful for the rain to cool down their sunburn from yesterday but armed with a waterproof jacket down to my knees with rain inconveniently dripping in to my wellies, it wasn’t the best atmosphere to start the day off.
So setting the scene of thousands of grumpy, hung-over festival goers Clean Bandit definitely had their work cut out for them which made their set that much more impressive. Made up of Jack Patterson on bass guitar/keyboard, Luke Patterson on drums, Grace Chatto on Cello and Milan Neil Amin-Smith on Violin, Clean Bandit are the new twist on Pop/Dance music. I’ve never thought their songs have been breath taking but seeing them live has put me in a completely different prospective. Mixing classical instruments with deep dance beats should be a recipe for disaster but each members input merges perfectly with the next and creates an impressive basis for all their guest vocalists. Don’t just take my word for it, they have several tour dates over the UK this year. Their fearless take on dance music means they are definitely a live act you have to see this year!
Soggy yet cheerful I went to watch John Newman’s set. The only word I can use to describe that man is sass. So much sass. I don’t know if my eyes were more drawn to his fancy footwork or his jazzy jacket but it’s safe to say his voice stole the show. John Newman is the full package and watching him, with a smile on his face, enjoying every minute makes him that much more enjoyable to watch.
Now forget about the stigma The View left for Dundonian bands, with harmonised, vocally driven rock pop Copper Lungs have the perfect formula for amazing music. Now you may have never heard of them before but a packed tent full of festival goers chose to watch these four guys over the likes of Nina Nesbit and John Newman which says a lot. Comparable with the likes of Twin Atlantic, Don Broco and Biffy Clyro, Copper Lungs are setting the standard high for under the radar, undiscovered bands, so if you haven’t yet, take two minutes out of your day to listen to a few tracks on their SoundCloud and if you like what you hear, there’s a link to their Big Cartel page where you can buy their self titled EP. https://soundcloud.com/
Elliphant is a Swedish pop artist with a twist, I’m so thankful for the organisers of T in the Park for bringing her to Scotland as I’ve been a crazy fan girl of hers for a few months and having been touring around Europe recently and soon to be supporting Charlie XCX on her North America tour this Autumn she’s a busy girl. Elliphant is fearless and bold with her music, rapping over Dubstep it’s not hard to see why she caught Skrillex’s attention. Having worked with him on “Only getting younger” off her Look At Me Now EP it won’t be long until she’s a name on everybody’s lips.
Any N.E.R.D fans out there? Still patiently waiting on that N.E.R.D album Pharrell promised us in 2013? Me too. It was an issue I was going to raise with him but after his unbelievable set on Saturday night, I’m going to let it slide for now. Joined on stage with a group of dancers, Pharrell put on an unforgettable show, performing a selection of songs off his current album G I R L and a few N.E.R.D songs including “Lapdance” and “She wants to move”. Pharrell also did a few covers including Snoop Dogg’s “Drop it like it’s hot” and Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback girl”. Pharrell is the perfect choice for a big festival like T in the Park, even if you have never heard of him, he has been such a consistent and constant talent over the years that everyone will know some of his work which ensured some of the most impressive sing alongs of this weekend.
Continuing on with the Scottish theme, an act everyone will know, Calvin Harris.
Not only did Will Smith introduce him but he absolutely nailed his closing slot on the main stage on Saturday night. With an extended license for a longer set, Calvin Harris put on an unforgettable set. Now Scottish crowds have been praised every year from some of the biggest acts and I urge you to take a look at this clip from Calvin Harris’ set to see why. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Photo courtesy of T in the Park
If you would like to be part of one of the best crowds in the world early bird tickets are already for sale for T in the Park 2015, but get them quick, because next year T in the Park is moving site to Strathallan Castle and with everyone’s curiosity for the new site, tickets are bound to go fast!http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/
There’s very few things I expected to happen in my lifetime; meet the queen, find the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow and for Scotland to be so hot my eyelashes are even sweating (they pay be pity tears for my poor ginger skin). If only the free tap water was free factor 50 and we would all be sorted, unfortunately the only thing someone has thrown my way is a cup of warm pee.
A woman who won’t need to worry about looking like a juicy, home grown tomato by the end of the day is Foxes. The dark haired, golden skinned beauty graced the main stage with her soft voice teamed with a bubbly, flirtatious stage presence made for an enjoyable watch. Going from one extreme to the other I then found myself in front of possibly the three fiercest women I have ever seen. Haim are made up of three sisters from LA with enough attitudes to put any old Rock and Roll band to shame. They’re absolutely and utterly off their rocket. The energy they put in to their live performance means that if you’re going to see them live, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth.
Imagine Dragons aren’t a band I would have paid money to see but after watching them today I’m willing to admit I’m an idiot. Every member is a completely different character, all full of confidence and grabbing your attention, with that much stage presence there’s always something to watch whether it be Daniel’s envy worthy hair, his golden guitar or lead singer Dan Reynolds strong strides across the stage. They played King Tut’s Wah Wah tent last year and this year, rightly so, were promoted to the main stage.
So since Rihanna deleted her Instagram, we’ve all been creeping on Ellie Goulding’s right? (If you’re answer is no, you’re doing Instagram wrong). Seeing her a few years ago, she was a quirky wee blonde; she has now taken on a completely different stage persona on and is now an uncompromising sex symbol, this teamed with her angelic voice makes her an unstoppable force.
Now I’m not going to lie to you, I did do a skip, a hop and an unintentional slip on the way to Ed Sheeran. My excitement was not without reason. Alone on the stage with nothing but a guitar and a loop pedal this man managed to get the crowd pumped up more than all other acts put together. Playing a few new songs from his breathtaking new album “X” Ed is one of the most genuine talents in the music industry today and with quick witted banter with the crowd in between songs this man could also possibly be one of the most likable guys in music.
I ended off the night with Steve Angello and if my sun burn wasn’t keeping me warm, his flame cannons definitely did. Proving he doesn’t need fellow Swedish House Mafia DJ’s he had the sun stroked crowd going crazy.
If you’ve not already got a ticket there are still some left on Ticketmaster http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/
T in the Park organisers DF Concerts and founding partner Tennent’s Lager have added yet more hotly tipped acts to the bill.
Check out the talent coming to Thursday night at this years T in the Park.