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02 Wireless Festival

- 03/07/07

The O2 Wireless Festival: some say it's the worst of the bunch. Overtly corporate, conservative in its choice of artists and, this year, absolutely drenched by buckets and buckets of rain.

Still, having spotted the likes of Los Campesinos!, The Kissaway Trail and Sky Larkin on the bill we knew we were in for a good few days camped in the (ordinarily) picturesque surroundings of Harewood House. That we managed to survive, without packing wellies or any real change of clothes, is probably down more to luck than any kind of judgement... but I digress.

To the music, and Scouting For Girls kick things off on Friday but it's with a whimper rather than a bang. Keane comparisons are a little wide of the mark but still, like the weather, it's all a bit wet to truly excite. Unlike The Kissaway Trail, whose dreamy indie marks them out as Denmark's equivalent of The Arcade Fire - they might number half of Butler's Canadian troupe, but their shimmering guitars leap from the main stage and make it worth braving the torrential rain. So too Tiny Dancers, if only for the outlandish costumes. That might entertain for a couple of songs before we'd probably head for shelter, but thankfully the tunes are so mind-numbingly addictive we're left tapping our feet in a puddle instead. 'Hannah We Know' could be a nursery rhyme, such is its simplicity, but we're still humming it even now! The Scare are worth a mention today, also, because they're totally nuts and put on the kind of rock show we haven't seen since watching a Motley Crue DVD.

Saturday, and the rain has abated a little but happily the quality has not. Local trio Sky Larkin get things under way and here indeed is another band to watch. Singer/guitarist Katie is clearly a lover of the 90s American indie women (Hersch, Love et al) but gives their style an endearing Northern twist. Needless to say, the tunes are also brilliant. Los Campesinos!, too, have a veritable arsenal up their 14 sleeves and singer Gareth is developing into the hyperactive frontman a band with this many members needs to hold it together. Everybody in the packed-out tent goes wild for new single 'You! Me! Dancing!' - and rightly so. We rush to catch another Leeds(ish) band, Wild Beasts, and we're certainly glad we did. These guys signed to Domino after barely a single release and if that isn't a mark of quality, we're struggling to think what is. They don't disappoint, with singer Hayden's bizarre falsetto delivery explaining, perhaps, where the name came from: it sure doesn't sound human. What about Kate Nash, then? For many, she's Lily Allen with a guitar and, as such, the next big thing. Us? We're not too impressed. 'Caroline Is A Victim' is pretty good but, on a festival stage, she's a bit lost and you get the feeling success might have come a bit early.

Festivals, then: always a mixed bag, but based on this stellar lineup and relaxed atmosphere, we'll be back at Wireless next year - come rain or shine.

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