Parklife Essentials

11 Jun 2012

This entry was tagged Araabmuzik, Ben UFO, Busy P, Chic, Daedelus, David Rodigan, De La Soul, Jackmaster, Justice, Pearson Sound

Seeing as though pretty much everybody in the Manchester catchment area (apart from Bez) went to Parklife, it seemed fitting to theme this weeks ‘essentials’ around the festival.

By the time I had visited several different desks to try and find a way into the festival I managed to catch the last half of Chic, someone who I was adamant on seeing and who didn’t disappoint. Johnny Marr came joined Nile Rodgers & co for ‘Le Freak’, something that (if you were a Smiths fan) must have been jaw dropping. However I am not, mainly down to the fact that Morrissey is an insufferable cunt, so the novelty was lost on me.

After incredible sets by Daedelus, Ben UFO and Pearson Sound, Araabmuzik stepped up to showcase hands so fast that they make Flea’s bass playing look like child’s play. At many points his hands were just a blur, not too dissimilar to this.

Next up, Jackmaster, someone who i’ve been wanting to see for a long time. Sound problems meant that a keen ear was needed to actually hear anything other than bass, but  I Would Die 4 U going into Baauer’s ‘Harlem Shake’ was something else.

Onwards to Sunday. First thing’s first, David Rodigan. I was a little sceptical about this as my knowledge of reggae and dancehall is limited, however walking in the arena hearing a song that I know comforted me somewhat. Also, I wasn’t the whitest guy there, which was also a benefit.

De La Soul up next. Unfortunately the sound was absolutely terrible yet again, so I could barely hear a thing other than the sound of thighs rub together from fat girls wearing denim shorts. They might have played this, I think they did at least.

You may or may not know that once upon a time I was the biggest Ed Banger fangirl this side of ‘EDM’, therefore Busy P and Justice were high on my priority list of who to watch. Busy catered to my love of electro and Metallica with a mix of Gesaffelstein, Carte Blanche, Nirvana and Master Of Puppets.

For the final act of the weekend it was time for me to pretend that I was a headband wearing 18 year old again, smoking Marlboro reds and forfeiting my health because “that’s what Justice smoke”. Even though the new album disappointed a few, the live show didn’t. The infamous glowing cross was still very much the centre point, however with a stage set up that consisted of illuminated Marshall amplifiers, an all encapsulating, floor to ceiling wall of light and a hidden piano booth (even though that doesn’t make sense I can’t describe it any other way) it wasn’t the only thing that grabbed your attention. The duo also wore fantastic jackets. Their love of classic rock was very prominent during their set too, something that I was very happy about.