The Automatic

How packed is the tent? It’s heaving for the band of the moment. ‘Keep You Eyes Peeled’ has human dynamo and screeching mentalist Pennie setting out his stall to go barking mental through out. It’s annoying on recording but rather entertaining live, or at least for a few minutes then it starts to grate, and after a while you’re shouting at him to stop bleedin’ yellin’ on the drum beats!

But I’m in the minority! The crowd lap up 'Raoul' and that’s about the sum of my knowledge of their songs. But it seems these songs are like anthems to the generation flailing around me, all lovin’ the tourettes keyboard player and the stripped back melodies. Certainly I’m the only one I can see around me who doesn’t know every word and isn’t in love with this word heavy emotional laden landscape of teenage confusion and a pumping beat.

Even the band are amazed at the noise from the crowd in the karaoke throes, saying to us we clearly all have their album. I remain mute. Shouty man still doesn’t let up and I’m amazed if he can continue to be this screechy tomorrow at Leeds, surely his voice will give out?

In ‘By My Side’ they suddenly raise their game creating a sound that shows signs of being built to last beyond the tsunami of popularity. Pennie is now apoplectic and grabs a tambourine at least it stops his sreaming for a few seconds. He’s drenched in sweat and throwing himself around the stage rocking PA stacks and sliding out of control across the stage. Crazy!

'Recover' and its “Never Dance Again!” lyric has him throw himself and his mic about as though trying to realise the words.

Goldie Lookin’ Chain are the surprise guests to hug applause they strangle the lyrics to Goldigger and there’s too many voices on stage to make any sense of the song, but who cares woot, woot it’s a coming together of a generation’s heroes!

My god, in ‘Monster’ they truly have created a beast. The crowd send it crashing against the stage, drowning out all the instrumentation. It’s a huge anthem of the summer, and to experience this moment is the reason why we are all here. It’s certainly unforgettable as is the huge crowd chanting it as they leave the tent empty in their wake!

The hottest band of the moment and proof you need one hit to ride a wave of adulation! That’s probably unfair they have a few good tunes, but they have one that’s massive it really is a monster and could well destroy it’s creators in future years.

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