V2001 - Hylands Park, Chelmsford - 18-19/8/01
1/5
By: Toby L
Location: Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex.
Date: Saturday18th August - Sunday 19th August 2001.
Time: Music from 12:00pm-11:00pm.
Bands: 47 Live Acts - 16 DJ Sets.
Stages: Five.
Prices: £76 per person (weekend ticket, including camping).
Capacity: 75,000 People - SOLD OUT.
The Festival
The V Festivals have been in existence within the UK since 1996, when the inaugural V96 event took place. However, this was clearly a festival with a difference. Rather than merely taking place on just one site in the country, V96 occurred on two - with one located in both the north and south of England, the line-up swapping venues across the weekend. This gave festival-goers a chance to see their fave artists parading around gigantic stages without having to travel so far to witness it occurring.
The first year boasted a stellar line-up as well; Pulp - fresh from wowing the previous year's Glastonbury Festival audience - performed a dazzling set of classics that many deemed to be their finest show up to the time. In addition, a rich variety of artists such as Elastica, Gary Numan, Paul Weller and Supergrass made a showing, providing a suitable pre-cursor to the superior V97, whose headline slots of Blur, The Prodigy, Beck, Foo Fighters and Ash sparked even more of a reaction, the event going on to sell out faster than the prior year.
Since then, V has been getting bigger and better; two performances from James Brown in two consecutive years cemented its reputation as a festival that could attract the most exclusive of performers, and this year's bill is no exception to V's constant strive for diversity and quality throughout. The sure-fire highlights? Clearly, a headline appearance on the second stage from the vastly-talented Muse, as well as a one-off performance from Red Hot Chili Peppers, not to mention festie-friendly sets from Coldplay, Starsailor, Ed Harcourt, JJ72, Idlewild, Divine Comedy, Avalanches and countless others, will ensure that no one will leave V2001 with a single disappointment, music-wise.
The weather is shockingly good. Birds are perched on the branches of trees, tweeting merrily whilst the slight force of the wind brushes against the lush, green grass, all overseen by a light, blue sky.
So, yes, this just can't be right; we're at a festival for Pete's sake - not some kind of outdoor family reunion where you bump into that great uncle of yours who you haven't seen for years, due to his running off with a Swedish au pair (the scars are still sore). Yet, this is the V Festival in Chelmsford, where life is next to perfect. No, really, in comparison to some worldwide festivals, V really does stand out, what with a sewage team that actually go around cleaning toilets, not to mention a line-up of artists for all the family, as well as a location that doesn't look like some sort of nuclear wasteland. Thus, it's only suitable for this lovely sunshine and - as thousands pour into the festival's open gates at midday - it's clear that the atmosphere will once again be that of enjoyment and mellowness, as opposed to people dangling bananas and apples over their private parts and plentiful supplies of manic moshers.
One of the early bands on the bill are Spooks, who successfully fill the greatness of the gigantic main stage by including about half a dozen rappers and a female vocalist. However, does their music quite match the large number of members in the group? Answer: yes and no. Sure, the satisfying hum-along choruses of top-20 singles 'The Things I've Seen' and 'Karma Hotel' get feet tapping, but the bizarre cover-version of MOP's current UK smash, 'Ante Up', as well as gratuitous swearing doesn't seem to escalate this group to anything other than 'entertaining'. A rather see-through plug for their up-coming London show is slightly uncalled for as well maybe...
A smattering of funk-bass, head-swirling synths and a fair audience turn-out is what greets the curious punter to Stage Two several minutes later, where French act, Phoenix, are walloping out their own stunning material, as well as a stirringly rich cover ('This is from our friends from Air'). The JJB Arena simultaneously hosts two up and coming British soul-rock groups, Relish and Peppercorn, the major difference between the two acts clearly being the fact that the former is fronted by a male, and the latter, a female. Still, there is no underestimating the horrendously catchy hooks and promising choruses, nor the sheer high energy spirit which you can't help picking up from the performers at all times. Definitely worth another look...
The raucous Irish rockers, Snow Patrol, seem to turn up at every festival at some point. Thus, their usually fresh and fiery set - today at least - appears to be ever so slightly stale and mechanical. Their sound definitely contains some often faultless dynamics - the key being the frenzied fusion between heavy guitars and hip hop beats - but a new angle may push themselves to a level that possesses more crossover appeal. Following this performance is the ever-sprightly and upbeat Ben Folds, who - now solo - rather than exploring the possibility of an innovative and unexpected new direction, sticks to his already successful and original trademark formula. The truly uplifting bashing he gives to his piano/keyboard remains a permanent fixture throughout his well-suited forty minute show, as well as distinguishable crowd-banter and a few classic oldies from the Ben Folds Five back catalogue; he proves to be a genuinely interesting come-back.
And - speaking of come-backs - none can come more between your eyes than the one that Kermit - formerly of Black Grape, now of Big Dog - has made. The band are an enthusiastic and competent bunch, aware of the strings to pull in order to rope together a fine tune and the scratching and mixing provided at the right of the stage adds an - excuse the pun - appropriate spin to what else is being flaunted in their deeply sexy and body-rocking repertoire. However, if you're looking for something more epic and wholesome, why not check out Embrace, socking it to 'em on the main stage? Treating their set as if they're tonight's headline band, classic and moving anthems such as 'Come Back To What You Know', 'You're Not Alone' as well as 'The Good Will Out' are dispersed in between bursts of cheery and rousing indie-rock such as their slacker-attempt, 'Hooligan' and unexpected flop, 'Save Me'. The grand culmination of the set is far more than fitting, arriving in the shape of new single, 'Wonder'. Sadly, though, the fine climatic conditions once thought of as something that shall stay this weekend disappear, but this didn't stop Embrace's spirit from shining warmly throughout.
Oh dear - here it is: Wheatus onstage. This is either the most exciting thing you'll have heard up 'til now at V2001, or the most disturbing. Luckily, because this is a festival and we're allowed to pogo to daft and light-hearted, US college-rock, we do so fittingly, even despite our laughter at the fact that almost every track sounded like their biggest hit, the irresistable 'Teenage Dirtbag', which was performed with plucked-out members of the audience as well as Spooks (for some unknown reason). The large crowd isn't disappointed by the time they leave, instead most are impressed and cheerful, whilst others simply wonder why they bother juggling onstage.
Faithless are in crowd-pleasing form - as ever - this afternoon, though it takes about quarter of an hour to twenty minutes until this finally presents itself as evidence. Yup, once the opening keyboard-slumber of 'Insomnia' rings out of the speakers, smiles become noticeable on thousands of faces and - on kicking off loudly - the sight of hundreds pogoing and dancing violently is quite special. Despite rampent renditions of 'Muhammed Ali' and 'We Come 1', nothing tops this moment in their entire performance. Whereas - in the JJB Arena - Mercury Music Prize 2001 nominees, Zero 7 sound equally accustomed to the same kind of praise throughout their whole dazzling set, which comprises solely on the debut album. Sia's vocals on first single, 'Destiny', sound far more beautiful and voluptuous in a live setting and the largely tranquil harmony of their output delivered a suitably sassy alternative to many other acts on the bill.
This is when something strange happens during the next band Coldplay's set. No, we're not talking about the intro-tape of an old man mumbling random words and announcing the band's arrival onstage, nor the genius decision to kick off with the chilling, 'Shiver'. Nah - what's weird is that the new material is what stands out: if you thought debut album 'Parachutes' was pretty monumental, then at least wait until you hear the gigantic, guitar-drenched and refreshing splendour of what Chris and co. have come up with. Only a tear-jerkingly, life-affirmingly, hair-stand-on-end, sing-along version of 'Yellow' just beats it, but it's always a close call when you try to compare brilliance to bliss. Gosh, the way this day is turning out, the artists just keep getting better and better...
Yes - that's certainly true once you see the swagger of The Charlatans on to the stage, who open with the absolute belter, 'The Only One I Know' and follow it immediately with 'North Country Boy' before a word is even uttered. Frontman Tim Burgess - clad in dark attire and donning black shades - may resemble a slightly shorter Liam Gallagher, but remember who was making such sweet music first and you'll stop comparisions right away between this legendary UK group and other people: the point is that when the Charlies are playing live, they're the only band in the world that need to matter.
This is further confirmed by the dynamite blast of even more hits: newie, 'Love Is The Key', 'Impossible', 'Tellin' Stories', 'One To Another', 'Weirdo', 'Just Looking', 'How High' and the explosive finale of 'Sproston Green'. Despite all this aired in an hour's show, this was pure proof that quality doesn't have to exist within a certain time-span, but there's no doubt that the longer you can see this band perform, the better: grab as much of them as you can because it's rare that you can feed off bands which possess so much talent.
A trot over to the smaller WTV Stage sees JJ72 giving it all they've got, namely in the epic 'Oxygen', where frontman Mark Greaney sings with such passion and ferocity that the 'You and I are going so high' line within the sublime chorus transcends into the heavens above and ensures that anything else they perform doesn't quite meet to such a standard. Which means the follow-up prog-rock confusion of noise - although a perplexing pleasure to view - seems tame in comparison. However, something that is very obvious regarding the live shows of JJ72 in 2001 and 2000 is the progression - they are really improving, and that second album of theirs is looking seriously more and more relevant.
Well, well, well, what do we have here? Actually, God knows; anything goes when The Avalanches play shows. Aside from antics which saw members of the band whacking their instruments against each other, a bright and bassy performance was enough to yield a packed tent, leaving hundreds turned away once full up. A prior DJ Set provided a nice contrast to the live effort, with 'Since I Left You' sounding more defined when cranked up and the rest of the material played coming across as diverse, intricate, yet still utterly danceable. Seemingly - once again for this year, as with The Strokes and Starsailor - the hype surrounding The Avalanches is justified.
This now leaves three headliners for all to see on this cold and damp evening: Texas on the V Stage, Muse on the WTV Stage and the hot pants queen herself, Kylie Minogue, shaking it in the JJB Arena. Clearly, the only option for any self-respecting rock fan is Texas... Ah - gotcha there - of course, it's the increasingly awesome Muse, whose performance was surely one of the finest V Festival moments yet. Lead-singer, Matt Bellamy, brandishing yet another a new hair-colour - this time a delicious tomato-red - came onstage looking to conquer the sheer mass of thousands before him - and that he achieved. The opening may have comprised of as yet non-familiar new material from current album, 'Origin Of Symmetry', but - before long - the ripe and overpowering sensation of 'Newborn' soon exploded from the speakers, igniting that much sought-after pogo-pit, which had little time to rest once follow-up track, the epic and most classic Muse single yet, 'Muscle Museum', was exerted out in its full, finest and jagged, tortured glory. From then on in, it was pretty much business as usual - a greatest hits set, with the contrasts between the ever-beautiful 'Unintended' and show-closing 'Bliss' definitely converting yet more normal music-fans into Muse-obsessives. It's always a pleasure to watch a band rising higher and further such as how this three-piece are doing, as it is also enriching to see a spectacular closure to something very dramatic - and this comes in the form of over twenty, huge, rubber balloons being bounced on to the crowd, as well as a blinding set of pyrotechnics exploding in front of our very eyes. It may all seem a bit much, but it'll never be enough to match the complexity and brilliance of this group, who manage to be today's undoubtable highlight. Give them two years and they'll be topping this triumph once again in a headline slot - only this time it will occur on festival main stages.
Photo-Credit: James Faherty / Embrace Photo-Credit: Virtual Festivals
Following yesterday's mixed bag of festival frolics, top artists and spiffing weather (for the majority of the time anyway) must be a tough, old chore. It can be supposed that due to the more than intermittent rain that Day Two of V2001 could have been a literal and metaphorical wash-out compared to encounters experienced during the previous twenty-four hours... But, no, what was witnessed certainly created a suitable close to this year's event.
The day starts with a feisty performance on the WTV Stage from Ed Harcourt, whose half hour set grants him little time to seriously plough through the richly diverse and open-minded material to be found on 'Here Be Monsters'. However, this is made up for by the presence of James Walsh, frontman of Starsailor - an act set to appear in the same location within just an few hours - who lends his bold vocal to a verse of Ed's next single-release, 'She Fell Into My Arms'. The rest of the set - comprised of the stunning interlocking of trumpets, large arrangements and Harcourt's thrilling croon - perhaps sets a tough-to-follow tone for the soon-advancing Turin Brakes... However, due to the prior successes of singles, 'The Door', 'Save Me (Underdog)' and 'Mind Over Money' (not to mention the Mercury Music Prize nomination for debut album, 'The Optimist LP'), the large swelling of an audience certainly gets treated to all that's been harped on about this duo. During a forty minute set, never at times does it seem that what gets aired is petty or mediocre: the two voices collide together in a serenading of senses that no one else this weekend achieves quite so well.
Over on the V Stage though, the grungier-than-ever assault of Idlewild - topped off with frontman Roddy's new Nick Cave-length hair - sees their sound coming across as more loose and violent than ever witnessed before. In fact, it's for these reasons that the original anthemic quality to tracks such as 'Captain' and today's set-closing 'Roseability' is somewhat lost. Whether this is due to the largeness of the main stage - which this act may not be well suited to yet - or the fact that songs sound over-played and lacking in passion, remains to be discovered; let's just hope the new tunes - none of which are debuted - hint towards a promising future...
Meanwhile - in the tent-shielded JJB Arena - the Mancunian Alfie have assembled a keen few that trot on the spot and wobble to the likes of 'You Make No Bones' and listen intently throughout whilst waiting for a similar excitement in the latest offerings. Well, it's either this or the thought of waiting for the Webb Brothers in an alternative location, who provide an ever-entertaining assignment of material derived from first record proper, 'Maroon', complete with the moderate indie-successes of 'Can't Believe You're Gone' and 'Liar's Club'. Less known is the idea behind Nina Persson - also lead-singer of The Cardigans - and her new pop-troupe, A Camp, whose competencies may ride high in the muso-rankings, but whose tone is slightly too downbeat. Thus, this makes this new effort seemingly little more than a shadow of Persson's previous work, although her voice does sound stronger than in prior festival excursions. Mind you, her Scorpions-style leather cap wasn't too bad either.
The reassurance of watching ex-Crowded House star, Neil Finn, on the main stage - belting out the old music we all grew up to - is disturbing; surely, this should be something to avoid? No, instead thousands of revelers rejoice in the unison singing of 'Weather With You' and 'Don't Dream It's Over', whilst solo hits such as 'Wherever You Are' pass by without so much as a polite applaud. For the more alternative-seeking in music, the tent plays host to yet another interesting dance act, Red Snapper, who enjoy the second of their performances this weekend in Hylands Park Chelmsford. It's clear from the outset that this act will be the first today to get onlookers dancing inanely and bizarrely, making the prospects of leaving to escape such a sight considered (but then you realise that it's better viewing this than being up north in V2001's Staffordshire site where Atomic Kitten are parading around the stage... Urgghh). Still, by the closure of such genuinely intense and blinding beats and bass of an undeniably impressive volume, you can't knock what they're doing; it's only surprising that the mainstream hasn't caught on to them yet.
Brian Molko of Placebo is yet another artist to sport a new haircut on the V Stage this afternoon, first made evident following the lengthy Chemical Brothers-lifted bass-intro of 'Taste In Men' and the band's grand entrance on to the stage. The next three quarters of an hour are spent with much from 'Black Market Music' as well as the obligatory 'big hits' which ensure a pleasing set, but a stampede over to the WTV Stage must be because Starsailor have just begun. Opening on the epic and tormented note with 'Way To Fall' causes an instant divide in the crowd; some can't appreciate what they're witnessing and choose to throw cups of beer at members of the band. Combating this expertly, Walsh bellows in his inimitable speaking voice, 'Beer's for drinking - you're not supposed to throw it, you f**kwits!' A cheer lets up and the cups stop getting tossed to the front. The rest of the set plays out sweetly and perfectly with the brief rendition of Jeff Buckley's 'Last Goodbye' proving poignant and moving and the ending on 'Good Souls' closing the show with a punchy impact.
Such a powerful indentation of melody and heart-rending passion is exchanged for noise and heavy metal during Tricky's defiantly loud performance, whose renditions of tracks from current release, 'Blowback', proves that - as pronounced by the press - his new work is the best heard since his almost revelatory 'Maxinquaye' album. Meanwhile, the image of an Irish-sounding performer shaking his head from side to side uncontrollably whilst singing songs that have graced the radio all year round must mean that David Gray is playing this year. Although his set often greets the undeniably awesome 'White Ladder' tracks with the live justice you'd expect, it can only be the breakthrough hit, 'Babylon', which really warrants the compliment, 'exquisite', suitably generating a deafening response. 
Doves, on the other hand, reach new and towering heights in most of the work tannoyed out today, with the indisputable chuggy guitar of 'Catch The Sun' and eerie sexiness of 'Here It Comes' hitting home that their second album can only be anything other than bland.
Turning out to be more willing to dispense the hits than they were on their last UK tour, The Divine Comedy tread through their hour-long performance with a confidence and warm crowd-reaction to boot which clears the damp weather out of the equation. Neil Hannon appears an increasingly more relaxed performer as time wares on, but there's no doubt that the initial appeal of the group will never fade out; not as long the Irish ensemble continue to pen such touching and strong singles as 'Love What You Do'. Where they go next could be the question on many people's lips after seeing them tonight, but the real question of the weekend is... When will Grandaddy shave off those godawful beards? Well, the truth is - deep down - that we don't want them to, for they may help the US strange noise-wizards to produce some of the magical and charming content that sticks out in their live repertoire, such as their only top-40 hit, 'The Crystal Lake'. However, there's little doubt that there are small moments during any Grandaddy live performance where the tunes remain incoherent, and the delivery slightly stale and cold. But, still, what with surely years ahead of them yet, let's see how they blossom.
And deciding to sit and observe how things would turn out is almost the same thing that was uttered almost five years ago when ex-Stone Roses frontman, Ian Brown - the JJB Arena's headliner this evening - decided to go solo. Well, even this couldn't have been anticipated. It kicks off with Brown cycling on to the stage on a bicycle, the packed crowd cheering ecstatically, unfolding a rather long set which sees the absence of one of Ian's finest musical moments - 'Corpses' - where, instead, repeats of songs played earlier in the set are offered later on! Logic may fail King Monkey on this occasion it seems, but there are few reasons to care once your ears are flooded in the string-laden samples of 'F.E.A.R.', and the percussive rhythms drive your body from side to side without you fully acknowledging it or understanding why it's happening. Sure, his voice may hover slightly from being on key from time to time, but this man represents so much more and his constant endeavour to try out new things should be noted favourably.
Over on the V Stage though, it's the rock 'n' roll dinosaurs that are fighting it out to win your affections - in the form of a powerful headliner coup with Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers; but who will succeed and rise victorious as the warriors of the ultimate challenge: a crowd-pleasing performance? Well, the simple answer is that it's probably an even draw. At first glance, you'd think it's the latter that would cleanly sweep the others away this weekend to become the finest band on the bill, but Dave Grohl's college-rock anthems just hit the spot every time - seemingly in a never-ending supply. That's right, we're given 'This Is A Call', 'Learn To Fly', 'My Hero', 'Stacked Actors' 'Everlong', 'Monkey Wrench', 'Generator', a finale in the colour and the shape of 'Breakout', as well as that one which grinds the almighty lyric, 'I don't owe you anything'. It's really a sterling performance, with crowd participation never at all seeming clichι and the sound always seeming big and bold.
However, if we are going to hand over awards for the band who opens their set in the best way possible, the Red Hot Chili's do deserve that one; after all, when you hear shrieks of sheer, uncontrolled adoration from the 50,000-strong crowd, prompting a meaty explosion into 'Around The World', 'Give It Away' and 'Scar Tissue', who are you to deny that this isn't the best festival intro for years? Bizarrely, the momentum of hits and the level of anticipation are successfully sustained throughout the furious and funked out nature of the rest of their set and it's only - inevitably - during the singalong moments that the crowd truly unites in a fashion that signifies a real festival band. For the Chili's, these predictably occur during 'Otherside', 'Californication' and the ever-huge 'Under The Bridge' - all of which is powerful enough to prevent John Frusciente's random bursts of solo material from marring all that's heard (just kidding).
Thus, the festival closes on an unmistakable high. And, so, we have to be patient for V2002 until we all see each other once again and relive the joy.
But maybe the break's not such a bad thing; after all, they always say that good things come to those who wait, although - in V's case - there will most definitely be extra special things looming on the horizon... Let's look forward to finding out just what these will be.
Photo-Credit: James Faherty / Ian Brown Photo Credit: Virtual Festivals
Scrapbook:
THE PEOPLE'S VERDICT
(based on 75 opinions)
Best Band Of The Weekend?
1. Red Hot Chili Peppers
2. Charlatans
3. Muse
4. Foo Fighters
5. Coldplay
6. Texas
7. Starsailor
= Embrace
9. Ian Brown
10. Kylie Minogue
Photo-Credit (Apart From Chili Pix): Virtual Festivals
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