O2 Wireless Festival 2008

Hyde Park, London - 4 Jul 2008

by Jon Fletcher

New Noise goes pick n mix with O2's four day London bender

"Beck’s performance felt limp and perfunctory, while Morrissey’s bemusing ranting about the smell of burning flesh (we assume he was talking about the food vendors) did more injury to vegetarianism than the entire McDonalds chain"

One thing you can’t take away from Wireless – it’s all over so early the pubs are still open. With headliners like Morrissey and Counting Crows, that’s just as well.

New Noise scaled back its Wireless attendance this year. Four nights on the trot in the same flat, bland arena nearly killed us last time around, so 2008 saw us turning up only for the Friday and Saturday. Friday’s bill had markedly less appeal, but the prospect of a rare glimpse of Beck, combined with the opportunity to pander to our ongoing obsession with The National, meant we once again joined the snake of people waiting to have their belongings turned upside down by the security guards manning the entrance to the Hyde Park site. In fairness, though, they seemed to be taking more than they were giving – we witnessed at least two burly miscreants having to be forcibly restrained.

Once inside, it was same old, same old. The Wireless experience alone is never enough to excite – though at least they forgo the conventional Hyde Park golden circle for a tiered grandstand – and it’s left to the line up to make the running. On that count, this year proved a little disappointing, particularly on the Friday.

Beck’s performance felt limp and perfunctory, while Morrissey’s bemusing ranting about the smell of burning flesh (we assume he was talking about the food vendors) did more injury to vegetarianism than the entire McDonalds chain, his comical aside, “I think I went too far there,” coming too late to rescue the moment. Against this backdrop, The National’s performance was a welcome respite, singer Matt Berninger’s occasionally unpredictable vocals sounding strong and assured and the band nailing the trickier rhythms of songs like ‘Fake Empire’ where they sometimes can sound ragged.

The following day showed a marked improvement, The Whip providing us with an early hit of adrenaline; Fat Boy Slim closing the night in style. Even then though, it was the sprinkling of epic tunes by other people – including Arcade Fire – that brought some of the greatest cheers of his set.

Away from the stage, the festival remained as lacklustre as ever, despite the inclusion of the Bella Union stage, which was quietly graced by some genuine talent, and a seated refreshments area replete with waiting staff.

All in all, Wireless remains a festival to treat with caution. If the line-up looks solid, it can certainly deliver, but if not, then it's best not to rely on the treats on offer at other summer events to pull it through. Off to the pub with you.

PICTURE: mprigg
lovesoxxx said on July 28th 2008 [report abuse]

This photo makes it look like Nuremberg...

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