Ben & Jerry's Sundae On The Common 2008
Saturday 26th to Sunday 27th July 2008Clapham Common, London, SW4 9DE, England MAP
£8.75 - both days are SOLD OUT
Saturday morning...what a morning. No hangover from Friday night and bands who I loved when I was 15 were ready to play some stone cold classics. This was nostalgia day and I for one, was excited! I arrive at Clapham Common 5 minutes after leaving my house. The sun was out, thousands of people were gathered around and the bouncers in yellow t-shirts were asking for I.D. Yeah this was London alright but it had a distinct feel of a summer festival about it, and so the Ben and Jerry's festival 2008 began.
First stop, the Phish Food tent (come on its all of our favourites isn't it?). 2 large scoops and it's passed the egg and spoon race on my way to the main stage (well the only stage) - The Troubadours were on any moment and it's a chance to check out a band that according to the festival guide as one of the top 10 bands to watch in 2008 or so say Q magazine. They start off well with a couple of sing along songs but are a limited band and one can only think that Q's everlasting Oasis obsession has rubbed off on a band like The Troubadours. I don't not like them, I just that I don't find anything really overly exciting about them.
The Brightlights are on next and are a surprise early highlight. The passion coming form this indie four piece excels and I can't help but draw comparisons to Kings of Leon. I do feel, however, that it would be highly unlikely that the Kings of Leon would play at this point during the Ben and Jerry's festival - They headlined Glastonbury at the end of the day so turning up on Clapham Common and playing at 12 midday at an ice cream festival seem a bit far fetched. Anyway, without hearing this band on record it's hard to decide whether they will be a hit or not. However, on today's performance it would certainly not be through lack of trying.
Florence and the Machine explode into life on stage as Florence Welch summons the crowd to join her at the front of the stage and her beautiful music and vocals certainly hit the spot. 2 Grolsh's in and I'm starting to feel like summer has arrived in full flow...ooh I can't wait for Delays!! Charlotte Hatherley follows and shows that she really ought not to have left Ash.
Delays take to the stage at around 4.15. The sun is out, the high pitched voice is out and hell, so are the beautiful women. Why are the songs left in the dressing room then? 'Long Time Coming' is the only song I recognise that provokes the worst crowd surfing in living memory and I therefore head to the tent in order to get some more ice cream and alcohol.
Guillemots... now are they a highlight or what? Fyfe Dangerfield is a real treat as he launches the band into song after song of euphoria and experimentation. Playing every instrument under the sun, new single 'Don't Look Down' is great and really shows how much potential this band has. However it's 'Annie Let's not Wait' that has me dancing in to my beer can and vanilla pot and hoping for more. They finish however, to make way for The Charlatans to come on at 6.30 and close the first day.
The Charlatans are the one band that I am really looking forward to today. I have always been a fan of theirs but never enough to see them live. It's therefore a bit of treat to have the opportunity to see them here. Well, I definitely won't be buying tickets for them any time soon. The set is as dull as it is uninspiring. Apart from the obvious 'The only One I Know' and 'North Country Boy', the set is drawn out and features many new songs. How clichéd does that sound? It's just sometimes, you want a band to play a greatest hits set...shame. Day 1 and the smaller bands definitely win that one - Oh well, its 8 o' clock on Saturday night and I have a party to go to.
review by: Joe Mercer
photos by: Tom Wilkinson