REVIEW: Lovebox Day Two [Festival Fever]

REVIEW: Lovebox Day Two

Posted on July 25, 2008 1:25 PM
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Lovebox Weekender
Day 2: Sunday 20th July 2008

Review by Katie Spain

I arrive late. By the time my colleague and I drag our glitter-encrusted corpses to Victoria Park Sunday is well under way. We miss Esser and I kick myself firmly in the shins for it. After his storming performance at Transgressive Records’ Cross Kings event last week, I wanted to see if the Londoner plays as well under the sun as he does in kitsch North London venues.

Nevertheless, the afternoon vibe at Victoria Park is a good one. The party antics from the day before ensured that some revellers didn’t make it past their duvet. This means the crowd has thinned out enough for yesterday’s twenty-five minute bar wait to be more of a “Wham-bam-thank you Mojito man” experience. The sun is out, the porta loos are clean(ish) and it’s easy enough to meander close to the main stage. Thank the small-person Lord above for the clear view of the day’s acts.

Our meeting spot is below the ferris wheel. It’s tempting to plonk ourselves down and for awhile we do just that. After catching the tail end of Frenchman Sebastien Tellier’s set, the view of Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 is an uninterrupted one. His set was a hot tip from a colleague and after seeing his legendary dad Fela Kuti play at Adelaide’s Womad Festival, I couldn’t miss it. Sure, I was thirteen at the time, but old enough to know a Nigerian master of sound when I heard it. Seun certainly comes from a mighty fine gene pool; not only does he have a glistening torso to die for, he’s sickeningly talented and has a sense of rhythm most Caucasian men dream of. He now leads his father’s former band Egypt 80 and first played with the band when he was nine years old. It’s a relationship that goes back a long way and the Lovebox crowd is honoured to be part of it. By the time the sound reaches us, the quality isn’t top-notch and I vow to see him in a more intimate setting.

We move only to re-fill our Mojitos as Roni Size is next on-stage. Again, the sound comes between us and a good set so we enter the throng at the front of the stage. It’s as dusty as central Australia in here but as the beats take hold, there’s only one thing for it; close the eyes and dance.

When you’ve chosen a ferris wheel as a meeting point it’s only a matter of time before someone suggests a ride. The view from the top is mind-blowing and as Jack Penate fires up on the main stage below, we watch the tiny figures dance. Jack certainly doesn’t lack energy and crowd favorites ‘Have I Been A Fool’, ‘Second, Minute or Hour’ and ‘Torn On The Platform’ get our ferris wheel enclosure rockin’. I can imagine the headstone now: “Death by Penate”. It’d be a good way to go.

Liam Finn is not an artist I’m willing to miss. I saw him headline the night Essser played in Kings Cross and both he and his stage-companion blew my multi-colored socks off. The Aussie in me wants to claim him as our own; Liam was born in Australia but lived most of his life in New Zealand. Music is in his blood and the Antipodeans amongst you may recognize the name. Split Enz and Crowded House band member Neil Finn is indeed his dad. Today Finn fills the Clash Tent with an avalanche of sound. The crowd spills out onto the grass and fans strain to see the tiny bearded musician weave his audio magic. Liam plays most of the instruments the album ‘I’ll Be Lighting’ himself, and live is no exception. He is accompanied by the alluring Eliza-Jane and when new single ‘Second Chance’ hits our ears it’s a Sunday highlight. Expect big things from this miniature Ned Kelly lookalike.

The balloons and body heat emanating from the Stockade dance area prove too alluring to resist and we find ourselves caught up in a tree-topped dance-athon. People are smiling, Monday morning is the furthest thing from the punter’s minds and children, adults and the odd nanna or two mingle with ease. This is a well organized, diverse and completely safe environment to be in. Most London fests verge on mass advertising overloads (you know who you are) but Lovebox has a refreshing emphasis on the music. It sounds simple but it’s a mark many competitors fall short of.

A quick squiz at Aussie outfit Pnau brings on patriotic pangs but they’re short lived because Goldfrapp is due on stage. Arms outstretched we watch Alison shake her blonde tail-feather. Her get-ups are stranger each time I see her (today she looks like Big Bird’s feathered pink wife). It’s a sensory overload and one that’s bore me in a standard venue. Today however, the sun, fresh air and company suits the band’s soaring set. They’re a marmite band; you love or hate them. The Flaming Lips share a similar situation; either you get them or you don’t. I don’t and after being vaguely amused by some streamers, dancing superheroes and gigantic frontman encasing bubbles, I’m bored and pass the rest of the evening with a brief fling with The Go! Team and their bouncing fans and a hell of a lot of time amongst the dancing masses in the Stockade.

It was a special day and one that organisers should be proud of. All 40,000 revellers at the sold-out festival would surely agree.