From Duffy to The Dø, there was just enough time for me to check out Brisbane boys Drawn From Bees who were Queensland’s winners of Garage 2 V. Congratulations guys!!
Leopard Lady is quite partial to their single ‘Long Tooth Setting Sun’ and the striking shock of hair on their lead singer.
Brisbane folk can catch them around town. To put one of their shows in your diaries, wander over to their myspace for details.
Ok…now onto The Dø!
Leopard Lady didn’t know too much of what to expect of Duffy but was definitely interested to check her out. With a positive outlook, LL asked her V Festival 09 companion, Mr Pirovich, what he thought of Ms Duffy. He had a position of not too keen and very doubtful but still intrigued to see her.
There was quite the crowd ready to be entertained by the blonde bombshell. But one bombshell wasn’t all they got. There were the cute Duffy lookalike back-up singers, too! Just quietly, Leopard Lady had a suspicion that they were just possibly miming… but who really cares. They looked great and that was the main part of their effect. It took us into an era of the classics such as Motown greats and 60s pop like The Supremes and the oft compared Dusty Springfield.
With a full live band jiving up there on the stage with her, there was an energetic vibe which kept the audience very happy. Duffy also used her crowning glory as a bit of a prop, swaying her head gently to get her locks flying. Quite the visual show and a polished act with some almost shy banter which was endearing.
Mr Pirovich was absolutely converted and sold. So too, LL expects, was the happy crowd drawn for the Welsh sensation. Leopard Lady however, although appreciating the entertainment value, was a little distracted…the reminiscence of The Stepford Wives and the crossover in the V timetable of The Dø was playing on her mind.
The Dø called!
Leopard Lady felt she had had a good taste of Duffy and headed off excitedly to see the much anticipated French-Finnish duo.
Oh Yeah! Loving this V Fest Line-up!!
For more visit:
Perth, Australia. It is 29 degrees, blue skies all round and I am sat at a bar about to witness one of the best festivals to visit the Claremont Showgrounds this year.
The first act I get to see is Duffy. The Welsh, fair skinned popstrel is looking a bit pink and flustered in the western Australia heat but still manages to belt out hit after hit. Sporting some very Kylie-esque white hot pants and a bright red summer top she shimmies her way through Mercy and serenades the growing crowd with Warwick Avenue. Two top tunes which seem to leave a good impression on the Aussie’s. It is a great start to the big artists today.
And so for this ‘giant game of musical tig’ as Elbow’s Guy Garvey describes it, the whole of the crowd rush across to the stage next door to catch the Mercury Music Award winner’s 45 minute set. The band hailing from Bury, Manchester (represent - and how I did cheer for the Mancs) manage to calm the crowd right down and eventually create a chilled out atmosphere of thousands of people sat on the grass or swaying along up front. As the sun starts to go down Elbow display their finest tunes and the crowd seem most happy to hear One Day Like This, a song that seems to have really helped their popularity here. It really is a fantastic and awe inspiring set. A relaxing afternoon in the sun complimented by a world class band who are clearly giving their all. The band are also appreciative for their chance to tour with the V Festival and end their set by thanking their good friends Snow Patrol - the mention of which gets the crowd roaring with cheers…
The Kills, M83, Howling Bells, Jenny Lewis, Jackson Jackson, Wolf & Cub and Children Collide join The Killers, Snow Patrol, Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, Elbow and Duffy on next month’s V Festival Australia lineup. Legendary 80s heroes Madness and Human League have also been added to the bill - fitting in to that classic retro groove so nobly filled by Duran Duran last year and Pet Shop Boys the year before. Human League will treat the V Festival crowd with a start to finish live performance of their landmark album Dare. Surely worth the ticket price alone!?
The presence of The Kills‘ Jamie Hince will alert Aussies to the possibilities of one Kate Moss making an appearance down under…
The Do, Louis XIV, Tame Impala, The Temper Trap and Canyons will also play the four dates across Sydney (March 28), Gold Coast (March 29), Melbourne (April 4) and Perth (April 5).
Visit vfestival.com.au now to book your tickets!
Razorlight have been added to the V Festival Australia lineup. Johnny Borrell and the boys will now join The Killers, Snow Patrol, Kaiser Chiefs, Elbow and Duffy on the four dates across Australia: Sydney (28 March), Gold Coast (29 March), Melbourne (4 April) and Perth (5 April).
Razorlight are heading to their first ever shows in Australia next week where their Sydney and Melbourne gigs quickly sold out. But as a treat for Virgin Mobile customers in Oz who didn’t manage to get their hands on the sought after tickets, Virgin Mobile has grabbed the last 40 tickets to each show and is giving them away free!
To get your hands on a double pass, all you have to do is line up @ Virgin Mobile Pitt Street in Sydney tomorrow (Wednesday January 28), or Swanston Street in Melbourne on Thursday (January 29) before 1pm. It’s first in best dressed so get there early…
Razorlight play the Metro in Sydney on Thursday January 29, and The Hi Fi Bar in Melbourne on Saturday January 31.
The last 40 tickets will be given away from 1pm:
SYDNEY - Virgin Mobile Store at Westfield Centrepoint, Pitt St Mall, City on Wednesday Jan 28 (from 1pm).
MELBOURNE - Virgin Mobile Store, 133 Swanston St, City on Thursday Jan 29 (from 1pm).
For all you eager Aussie beavers quivering with anticipation over the forthcoming Australia V Festivals - here’s a flashback to this year’s awesome V Festivals in Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth. Watch Queens Of The Stone Age rule the stage with Make It Wit Chu.
If you missed it before, here’s the interview with QOTSA backstage at the Melbourne V Festival: watch the QOTSA interview
The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Snow Patrol, Elbow, Duffy, Louis XIV, Tame Impala, The Do, The Temper Trap and The Canyons are already on the V Festival lineup for 2009 and tickets are on sale now. Check out vfestival.com.au for more details…
The Kaiser Chiefs, fresh from the success of their new album Off With Their Heads, are now looking forward to heading over to Australia in March with The Killers, Snow Patrol, Elbow and Duffy for their four dates on the V Festival tour - Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth.
Here’s a ‘making of Never Miss A Beat’ video for you to enjoy in the meantime (worth it to see Ricky’s ‘walk the dog’ yo-yo skills in action, his surreal diva ‘I don’t want to be an anchorman’ moment and his umbrella-in-strong-wind dexterity). And be sure to look out for the second single off the album - Good Days, Bad Days - it’s brilliant… Can’t wait to see them at V Festival Australia…
Tame Impala are one of the awesome acts already confirmed on the V Festival Australia lineup for March & April ‘09. Check out the video for Half Full Glass Of Wine - one of the corking tracks on their brilliant debut EP which will be available to download here in the UK on 1 December. You can preorder the EP from their official website: tameimpala.com
Currently touring Australia, the lads from Perth are set to release their debut album in the UK in Spring ‘09 and are promising a bunch of live dates - so keep your surfing eyes peeled for more info as we get it.
Tame Impala join The Killers, Snow Patrol, Kaiser Chiefs, Duffy, Elbow, Louis XIV, The Do, The Temper Trap and Canyons on the V Festival Australia bill - with more acts to be announced soon. Tickets are now on sale at Tickemaster - so what are you waiting for!?
V Festival Australia is on for 2009 and The Killers, Snow Patrol and the Kaiser Chiefs will be headlining. Virgin Mobile’s third V Festival whirlwind is to hit Sydney on 28 March, Gold Coast on 29 March, Melbourne on 4 April and Perth on 5 April next year. Elbow, Duffy, Louis XIV, The Do, Tame Impala, The Temper Trap and Canyons beef up the already awesome lineup with more acts to be announced soon. Tickets will be on sale Friday 28 November but if you’re a lucky lucky Virgin Mobile Australia customer then you can get your hands on pre-sale tickets from this Wednesday 19 November. Check out vfestival.com.au for more details…
Britney Spears won the Act of 2008 and the the Album Of The Year awards at last night’s MTV Europe Awards at the Echo Arena in Liverpool - proudly sponsored by none other than Virgin Trains. Those world conquering MTV types took the train to Liverpool this year as the city celebrates being European Capital Of Culture 2008. And which most famous Scouser took home the Ultimate Legend Award? Why Sir Paul of McCartney of course. How fitting. And God-like person Bono was even on hand to present the award. With such royalty in attendance it seemed a shame that princess of pop Ms Spears wasn’t on hand to receive her two awards - maybe she was a bit busy with other stuff in the US - you know, family commitments and all that…
Luckily the lovely Pink (or is that P!nk?) made an effort to show up, pick up an award for most addictive track (So What?), start a pillow fight with a bunch of audience members and then shower everyone in feathers. Presumably she heeded the good advice to leave the barrel of tar at home.
30 Seconds To Mars also picked up 2 awards (Rock Out and Video Star), Kanye West was crowned Ultimate Urban and Lil Wayne was the Artists Choice. The Killers also treated us to a performance of their very Giorgio Moroder-sounding single - Human, Kid Rock managed to squeeze two numbers in for the price of one with a mash up of new So Hot and old All Summer Long and bootylicious Beyonce belted out her newie If I Were A Boy. Jared Leto had the crowd standing to attention for a certain Barack Obama while Kanye and Estelle performed American Boy to the President-Elect’s giant mugshot on a big screen. Watch Kanye & Estelle’s performance.
Okay, okay, enough already. We know you Americans are now once again officially the greatest people on the planet ever after 8 years of shame - never more delightfully represented by spoon-wielding Katy Perry in a sequined Barack Obama tshirt - and we really, really love you but what about the rest of us!? Yes okay thank you for the nod in the direction of McCartney, but what about some of our slightly more, uh… hip acts? Come on the European voters - spread the love around a bit…
The Ting Tings and Duffy kept it up for the Brits by performing That’s Not My Name and Mercy, Marks & Spencers’ man band Take That debuted their new single Greatest Day while Liverpool locals The Wombats did a brilliant cover of our Olympic Games representative and MTV award loser Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love. That’s more like it.
So did we win any awards? Err, well - yes. And which esteemed Brit act took the honour of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with McCartney to showcase the best of what this country has to offer right now? Who did legions of ‘the kids’ vote for as Best Act Ever? Rick Astley. Rick bloody-rolling-Astley. I ask you. Did this have something to do with the democratic but slightly cheeky power of the world wide interweb? Unfortunately Rick wasn’t around to collect his gong but MTV pulled a cracker and got the lovely and gorgeous Perez Hilton - star of Virgin Radio 999 in Toronto - to take it in hand and keep warm for him.
MTV Europe Awards - you have been Rick Rolled. It could only happen here. Oh thank heavens for a slice of Perez and Virgin Train back home to the Old Smoke.
Jack White has had to pull out of a performance at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool in November due to a prolonged neck injury.
Having slipped a disc whilst on tour with the Raconteurs, White had been hoping to recover in time to perform a duet of Bond theme “Another Way to Die” with Alicia Keys for the MTV event but fans and organisers have been left disappointed by Jack’s ongoing problem. Unable to travel and with a neck which is refusing to heal we wish Jack White a speedy recovery.
The MTV EMA’s are being hosted by saucy singer Katy Perry and Kid Rock, Beyonce, Take That, The Killers, Pink and Duffy have been confirmed.
Watch the above footage of Jack announcing his injury before bravely going on to play “Top Yourself” at Austin City Limits 2008.
The most amazing thing about this year’s UK V Festival? Muse? Prodigy? The Verve? Girls Aloud? Wellies? Kebabs? Nah… the sun shining on Chelmsford! Okay, okay so Stafford hasn’t had as much luck, but let’s be grateful for this mercy. The atmosphere here this weekend has been one of reckless abandon in the glorious summer sun. The punters were storming the stages - from the Kooks, The Kings Of Leon and the Stereophonics on the V Stage, the Reverend And The Makers to Duffy and The Kaiser Chiefs on the 4Music stage, from Siouxsie, Echo & The Bunnymen and Richard Hawley on the Union stage to The Twang , Hot Chip and Ian Brown in the JJB Arena.
Completely mental moments? Going from an absolutely heaving, thumping, raving crowd of glowing lunatics giving it up big time for The Prodigy on the 4Music stage to a dark, brooding, riveted crowd lapping up Matt Bellamy’s classical piano skills while Muse’s satellite dishes beamed out an amazing light show across the field of worshippers at the V Stage. The JJB Arena got so packed to heaving that you just couldn’t get in if you were 1 minute late for their opening numbers - I’m talking about the Chemical Brothers of course, and, er… Goldie Lookin Chain! These guys need to headline next year if crowd demand is anything to go by! Moment of sublime poetry came when the heavens finally opened last night on an unexpectedly sunburned Chelmsford and The Verve took to the stage. Well if it had to happen what better way for it to do so? Nobody minded as we were all mesmerised by Richard Ashcroft’s sublime delivery of History. Fantastic way to end an almighty weekend.
Coming up - gossip from the Louder Lounge and exclusive video clips of my intimate little chats backstage with the likes of the Futureheads, The Courteeners, The Guillemots, Noah & The Whale, The Young Knives, Bryn Christopher and Tokyo Police Club - as well as Road To V winners Matt Trakker. We’ve been getting down and dirty with the punters - in the campsites and the mosh pits. We have so much to share with you this blog is just fit to burst. So check back soon for more post-festival juice from the sunniest, sweatiest, most rock and roll collection of small fields in Essex, England this summer.
Check out DrMoore’s Flickr photostream for more amazing aerial shots of V Festival.
My fave blog right now is lateboots.com (shout out to Rich for letting me mention the site!) The diverse writers bring such a edge to the site. As I was browsing it, I saw several updates on what is supposed to be one of the biggest concerts to be televised this year…
September 9th 2008 (9pm Eastern/8pm Central) the world as we know it will be on stand-by… waiting for one of the biggest shows of the year. No not the Olympics but, for the 5th consecutive year, Fashion Rocks will bring fashion and music together to put on a dope concert in New York benefitting cancer research. And as we’ve come to expect, the lineup includes the biggest names in pop music today. Featuring performances by such superstars as Beyonce, Chris Brown, Rihanna, N.E.R.D, Lil Wayne, Justin Timberlake, Keith Urban, Duffy, Kid Rock, One Republic, The Pussy
Cat Dolls, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, The Black Eyed Peas and many more guest appearances.
My sources have told me that the special guest will be Lynyrd Skynyrd!! How cool is that!!??
Sidebar: I tried my hardest to get tickets,but with gas being $4.05 in the US it just didn’t fit my budget…
Check back soon for pictures and visit lateboots.com
Check out Hot Meteor’s Flickr photostream for more Lynyrd Skynyrd photos like this one.
Okay so my weekend was amaaaazing, one bad turn… sidebar: My car was stolen Saturday morning from outside my hotel. But luckily the great people at ONSTAR found it.
As I walked through the VIP gate I could hear people saying ‘Lupe Fiasco is gonna kill it’ … and he did. Duffy and Bloc Party were among my favorite performances. As the sun started to set and the crowd on the South stage started chanting ‘We want the Foo Fighters’ …that was exactly what they got.
The always energetic Foo Fighters brought out a huuuuuuuuuge crowd. Beer started to be thrown and people start shoving… the entire performance people had up their rock and roll sign. It was surely a night to remember!!
Sunday - I got up extra early because I was so excited to see Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Paramore, Bob Dylan and The Black Keys. Lil Wayne came on an hour late so the crowd started to booooooooooo. When he finally came out he was great and very apologetic. He kept saying how he loved the fans..blah..blah… Him being late caused The Black Keys to only perform 5 songs. Their fans were so upset they started chanting ‘F!@# Lil Wayne’!
Up next was the legend Bob Dylan. He brought out a more mature crowd and some hippies! His soothing voice and his harmonica was the only thing he brought on stage. Even though his music is not my generation… we all know his catchy song ‘Everybody wants to get stoned’!!!!!!!!!
Kanye West closed the show and I was in the first row. His performance was full of emotion. It was the best light show I’ve ever seen in my life - other then the Olympic opener. He talked to us and told us how much he loved us. One fan screamed ‘I wish I was you!’ He replied with ‘No you dont,can you imagine how it feels to have everyone know your name?”
It was such a wonderful night and I can’t believe I was that close to someone I have been an admirer of for such a long time. Thank you Mr Bob Fear for picking me to win the VIP ticket competition and to blog on this site which has finally made my dream to see Kanye come true.
Check out Napalm filled tires’ Flickr photostream for other Kanye photos.
I’m so excited to be going to the Baltimore Virgin Festival!!! Kanye West is one of my favorite artists and to my surprise he will be the headline act on Sunday. I’m also excited to see Duffy and Taking Back Sunday. The RV is packed and me and my sister will be on our way Friday… Check back here very soon for more posts from me…
See NRK P3’s Flickr Photostream for more Kanye photos
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again - this year’s UK V Festival is the original and the best (don’t believe those Australian bloggers!). With just under 2 weeks to go I have got to asking myself what songs you might catch me heartily singing along to with much gusto this year. I came up with a list that any self respecting festival goer would be red faced not to know the words to, so here are my top ten festival songs I’ll be singing incessantly for the next 10 days until camping gets underway (or 9 days for those lucky Weston Park festival goers who get to camp an extra day for the first time - this year).
10. Rehab by Amy Winehouse - an anthem for the girlfriend, the wife and a secret favourite of yourself, come on admit it!9. Worried about Ray by The Hoosiers - the signature song from the band who claim to have started the genre ‘Odd Pop’.
8. Sheila by Jamie T - the famous video of the song stars veteran actor Bob Hoskins, it is surely to have the crowd passionately singing along to it.
7. Mercy by Duffy - this song will go down well with everyone, including embarrassing parents from the 60’s, a new classic singalong not to be missed.
6. Fill My Little World by The Feeling - this band have an endless supply of catchy songs, so it would be rude not to include them.
5. Why Does It Always Rain On Me? by Travis - well it won’t if you go to see them as you’ll be shielded from any rain in the JJB arena.
4. Maybe Tomorrow by Stereophonics - this song could go on for hours, experience it live to fully appreciate the crowd interaction which is truly moving.
3. Feeling Good by Muse - a chance for a break from the jumping maybe? This really calms the crowd down before being taken back into a trance of jumping and moshing.
2. I Predict A Riot by Kaiser Chiefs - who in this country doesn’t know the words to this song? This one will see the fat guy in front of you really sing his heart out!
So here we go with my number one singalong and I think you already knew that it would be this…
1. Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve - whether ending your V Festival with them or finishing your first night with them, you are sure to be religiously chanting to this truly classic song worthy of any award.
So have I got my countdown completely correct or terribly wrong!?
Thank you for reading!
Hollywood Undead have won the coveted Book The Band competition to open up the Baltimore Virgin Mobile Festival in the US on Sunday August 10. Half a million votes were cast and the mysterious masked ones from LA are now set for even bigger things. You the mouse clicking public have given these emo, hip hop and metal fusionists a shot at the big league - out of MySpace and on to the Pimlico Race Course. They join the awesome lineup that includes the Foo Fighters, Bob Dylan, Offspring, Jack Johnson, Stone Temple Pilots, Kanye West, Nine Inch Nails, Iggy & The Stooges, Bloc Party, KT Tunstall, Cat Power, Duffy and Chuck Berry.
Virgin Mobile are doing their darndest to make this festival be as green as the pretty leaves on the beautiful trees this year. They’re running a brilliant carpool scheme where you can win prizes such as VIP upgrades if you partake and they have also teamed up with PickupPal to reduce the number of evil gas churning automobiles spluttering on to the site. How thoroughly lovely.
Fancy VIP tickets to Baltimore Virgin Festival? Fancy a Kyocera Wild Card phone? Some cool festival tshirts? Fancy blogging your festival adventures on this very website? Well then - fret no more and enter our frankly astonishing Global VPass competition and all of this could be yours…
Buy tickets now from virginmobilefestival.com
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