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home » festivals » T in the Park » T in the Park 2008
Sunday overviewT in the Park 2008Thursday 17th July 2008 After being able to sleep in yesterday, a warmer morning forces many from their tents early on this final day. Yes it is still cloudy, but that is good weather (anything but rain). Bowling For Soup are the first act of the day, with their soft punk. Yes, they are quite amusing but little more than a copycat of NOFX, though songs like 'Girl All The Bad Guys Want' and 'Punk 101' are ok for the youngsters. Many songs are stopped midway for singer Jaret Reddick to tell us to feel our own arses "cos we're hot" and other daft comments.  Over in the King Tut's Wah Wah tent next door (the best indoor venue, vibe-wise, of the weekend) Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and friends play warm-hearted acoustic pop with brass overtones to a sufficient crowd for this time of day. This is Sam Duckworth's first T, which I find quite strange to hear, for how long he has been about for. 'I Spy' is a great live track, amongst others. As we head past Shed Seven 'Chasing Rainbows' on the main stage, My Morning Jacket are sulking about onstage wearing a cape-like jacket and performing their country rock, as well as standing up as part of the International Peace Belt. With songs like 'Off The Record' and 'Wordless Chorus' the crowd should be huge for these newcomers to T, but their set is a little boring to keep passers-by interested. It seems fitting that MMJ can talk of peace between everybody, as in the early hours of this morning a young man was stabbed in the campsite for trying to break up a fight. We would all like to keep the peace, but there will always be some cowards would rather not. Let us all hope that the poor man is ok, and they catch the bastards who tarred T on it's fifteenth birthday year. Taking a walk around the site, there are still the odd fancy dress member left over from Friday's festivities. Village Disco are playing Hot Chocolate to the crowd in the Healthy T area and even trying to catch a few unawares with small fishing nets! Over in the Ceilidh tent everyone is holding hands in a circle along to the band playing 'Auld Lang Syne'. I, along with the staff inside the tent, do not have a clue what the line up for the tent is, but its feel good folk provides a rest from the busy hustle of the main parts of the arena. After watching some really cool BMX stunts in the Relentless area over near the slam tent it's time for the Counting Crows on the main stage. We saw these guys in Liverpool last Tuesday, and since then singer Adam Duritz has somehow injured his leg, as he hobbles onstage today. This does not slow him down, but the winces from him as he tries to leap from the monitors (as he usually does) can be heard. What a trooper, to carry on regardless through the obvious pain.  Starting with 'Omaha' and 'Recovering The Satellites' this is a good set from the Crows. There is little in the way of conversation so that more songs can be crammed into the last show of this European tour. 'Mr Jones' airs early, and after 'Anna Begins' it's onto newbies like ‘'Cowboy' until the set is brought to a close with 'Holiday In Spain'. It's a shame by the number of copycat beehives that are scuttling to the front that many of the crowd here at the front are waiting for "Will she / won't she" Wino, sorry Amy Winehouse. Let some true Crows fans get near the front, I assure you they will be gone rather quickly to avoid the paparazzi magnet. And there she was, not appearing too drunk, telling us how her hubby gets out in a week. I don't care; she has a great voice, but lets it go to waste. 'Tears Dry On their Own' is a good song when sung well, but this is better than the Glasto version. Her cover of 'Cupid' is also ok, but the set is boring to say the least, though a comical moment occurs when Winehouse tries to play a white guitar; I do not see it get strummed once.  Over to the King Tut's Wah Wah tent again for Pendulum and their live set. The tent is pretty rammed for the Aussies, as their groundbreaking drum and bass now played with live instruments and vocals from Rob Swire has the place moshing. Swire appears very busy on stage, lending his hand to MIDI guitar and vocals as well are completing all the synth work. MC Ben Mount and his 'Let's Fucking 'Av It' T shirt wind the crowd up to a full frenzy, as do 'Granite', the unreleased 'Blood Sugar' and their version of headliners The Prodigy's 'Voodoo People'. The Prodigy's version actually seems a little tame in comparison, but will always be the original. As the Essex trio, along with a drummer Leo Crabtree and guitarist Rob Holliday take to the stage the air is tense with excitement. 'Their Law', 'Breathe', 'Firestarter' and 'Poison' all get the largest crowd between the headliners dancing (Amy Winehouse drew the biggest crowd).  Keith Flint is wearing a white and red jacket with 'My Dogs Will Kill You' sewn on the back. Liam Howlett, the real Prodigy, stays mainly behind the mammoth set of synths and samplers all night, leaving it to MC Maxim and Keith to be the face of the band. New songs like 'Mescalin' are ok, but it's the old tracks like 'Smack My Bitch Up' that the crowd are waiting for. Thinking it only fair, and after agonising all weekend over the decision "who to watch tonight?" with many a punter, we decide to spilt the night and catch the end of R.E.M.’s joyous set. Their crowd is not as large as it should be, as they have to share not only with The Prodg but also with Primal Scream and Aphex Twin (and Brian Jonestone Massacre, who have switched their daytime slot with Eddie And The Robbers to headline the Pet Sounds Arena). 'Orange Crush', 'End Of The World', and set ender 'Man On The Moon' provide the crowd with an excuse for a sing-a-long, and Michael Stipe looks generally flattered by the reception the Scots in attendance give them for their efforts. The fireworks at the end are amazing with smiley faces (upside-down but so what) and UFO shapes lighting the sky above the main stage to the sounds of many gasps.  No real grumps at this year's fest, apart from the complete lack of toilets anywhere (the campsite ones do not appear to have been emptied at all over the four days, and when girls are reduced to squatting behind ponchos against the fences rather than waiting in the queues from hell to use the limited facilities, you know it's a bad situation). Apart from that and the lack of bins the general layout of the site has improved since my last visit in 2005; it has grown to include the Slam tent, Ceilidh Tent, Relentless stage and stunt area, and my favourite Healthy T (a cute little alternative area). The whole weekend has been a success (helped along by the lack of rain and (on a personal note) Rage's triumphant set). Traffic problems were reduced significantly by opening on site on the Thursday, and everyone you meet is in good spirits. Now to rush off and buy next year's tickets...  review by Danielle Millea / Lawrence Conroy photos by Danielle Millea / Tommy Jackson |
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