The August Bank Holiday weekend is looming large on the horizon, strange metal structures are growing on Southsea Common and (no doubt) angry people are writing to the local newspaper to complain about access and/or noise. Yes, it's Victorious time again and, as the set-times have been released, here are my personal picks of acts and bands to look out for; first up, Friday night...
The addition of a Friday session, extending the fun over three nights and two days, was a welcome expansion to Victorious last year (even if the line-up for the inaugural Friday evening didn't really tickle my fancy). This year there's a bit more selection, though only limited parts of the site will be open for business (similar to the Thursday night at Bestival) and.
After the nutty boys of Madness headlined last year it appears that the organisers have again opted mostly for crowd-friendly sing-a-long action, booking Shed Seven, Kaiser Chiefs and a tribute act performing The Beatles' Abbey Road album in full. It struck me as bizarre then (especially giving one of their numbers' shambolic solo set at last year's festival) to read that The Libertines are headinling. I know, right? What, of the offerings makeing up the bill on the two open stages, would I go see? Well..
Marley Blandford (Common Stage, 1300-1400)
Unfortunately for Marley he's drawn the opening slot on The Big Stage but he's a local lad so I'm sure he'll have an audience ready and waiting.
The Lightning Seeds (Common Stage, 1720-1800)
The
glorious jingly-jangly feel-good pop of Ian Broudie, pretty much
guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face and a foot aching from
tapping. I don't know whether they'll play this but, as it's one of my Seeds favourites (the Susanna Hoffs cover it rather good too).
Dutch Criminal Record (Beats & Swing Tent, 1900-1945)
Purveyors of bouncy indie-pop, Chichester's Dutch Criminal Record have the early evening slot in the Beats & Swing Tent.
Minque (Beats & Swing Tent, 2045-2130)
Lush electronica from Southsea, again in the Beats & Swing Tent, Mique's set should finish just in time for the short wander back to the Common Stage to wait for Pete Doherty to show up.
The Libertines (Common Stage, 2140-2255)
And finally, yes, The Libertines. Now I know that you may have, quite rightly, assumed from my musings earlier in this post I'm not the world's biggest fan of Mr Doherty and chums (possibly due to the NME having an ongoing love-fest with them most weeks). Believe me, I've tried and, yes, have been told by several people considerably younger than myself that Mr Doherty is a genius. Whether he is or isn't is moot but, on their day, The Libs can turn out a punchy indie anthem equal to or better than some of their fellow alt acts below them on the bill. Like this one..
...after which you could just toddle along to the Meat & Barrel, have a cheeky pint, and wait for the rest of their set to be over.
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