With respect to the mighty Ukelele Orchestra Of Great Britain, the first band of the evening to catch this writer’s attention are Hot Chip. The London boys have some truly cracking rhythms in their repertoire and really get the main stage audience grooving with a superlative set of pulsating electro-pop. The wonderful ‘My Piano’ is a pristine slice of dance-rock excellence but, unsurprisingly, it’s the sublime ‘Over And Over’ that delivers the knockout punch. Having played a stormer in the Electric Arena in 2006, the Chip are again on song this year and definitely whet the appetite for their third album.
Next up on the main stage is the perennially fascinating Bjork, attired in a characteristically striking multi-coloured ensemble (she also has Spiderman-style webbing attached to her fingers, making her appear even more like a storybook character than usual). Backed by a team of programmers and a brass section, the Icelandic singer conjures a series of beautifully atmospheric tunes, including a stunning ‘Play Dead’. Even given Bjork’s status as a genuine musical maverick, this set covers diverse sonic terrain, from the powerful industrial thud of ‘Army Of Me’ to pounding techno beats that, at one point, practically turn the show into a full-on rave.
Rather more conventional rock fare is on offer in the overflowing Crawdaddy tent, where Modest Mouse – whose line-up, of course, now includes bona fide guitar hero Johnny Marr – are entertaining the throng. A predictable highlight is the anthemic ‘Float On’, a stirring track that has deservedly become something of a modern classic. Meanwhile, next door at the Electric Arena, a guy in a tiger costume is happily swaying along to The Good, The Bad And The Queen. Whilst the man’s enthusiasm is admirable, I can’t truthfully say that I share his excitement.
Blur have always been one of my favourite bands, but I was strangely unmoved by Gorillaz and TGTBATQ remain an act I admire rather than love. Having said that, one of the most interesting aspects of the album is Damon Albarn’s resumption of his love/hate affair with London. As far back as Blur’s Modern Life Is Rubbish, Albarn revealed himself to be a fetishist of the darker side of life in the English capital city, in a similar mould to literary chroniclers like Martin Amis and Peter Ackroyd. Urban desolation certainly seeps through the haunting ‘Ghost Town’-style dub number that closes the set, and although it’s a strong finale to a good show, I’ll still be keeping my fingers crossed that the mooted Blur rehearsals this month rekindle Damon’s enthusiasm for his first and best band.
Back at the main stage, it’s time for the headline act, and one of the bands I’ve most been looking forward to seeing at the festival. LCD Soundsystem played a memorable set on this stage a couple of years ago (which was eclipsed only by Arcade Fire’s near legendary performance last year in the Electric Arena), and if they’ve since lost the element of surprise, they are still an incredibly fun live group. ‘Daft Punk Is Playing At My House’ gets the crowd rocking early on, while the epic ‘All My Friends’ (which James Murphy prefaces by explaining that he’s just lost a tooth filling, and outlining the string of injuries that have befallen the band of late) is equally magnificent.
Best of all, though, is the awesome ‘Get Innocuous’, the psychedelic dance track that opens Sound Of Sliver, which is one of the best tunes I’ve heard all year. There is also some serious affirmative action during the disco inferno of ‘Yeah’, which in its live incarnation has an extended, trance-like coda (particularly enjoyed by the dancing gentleman in front of me, resplendent in biblical robe and sandals), while the closing ‘New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down’ concludes day one of the festival in magnificently eloquent style.