NEWS
EVENTS
Benicassim 2011 Review
Indie | Sunday 31st July 2011 | Osh
If anyone had any doubts regarding the power and importance of live music then Benicassim 2011 should have all but destroyed any such impressions. Benicassim is a festival for true music lovers, a festival which takes it’s participants on a magical journey full of highs, and the occasional low namely the at times unbearable heat. However to complain about the heat would be unjust as it is the warm conditions as well as the site’s close proximity to the sea which makes for such a fantastic vibrant yet relaxing atmosphere.
Benicassim is unusual in that performances start in the evening and headliners don’t perform until around 1 in the morning, with the music continuing until around 7.00 . As such punters have to quickly adjust to the late, booze filled nights and lack of sleep so as not to miss out on any of the splendid music on offer.
Thursday was the first day of music and the arena held a suitably excitable atmosphere throughout the evening before main stage headliners The Streets delivered a hit packed set full of crowd pleasing tunes. Mike Skinner was at his usual quick witted best and ably supported by his live band he delivered the opening night’s stand out performance.
So to Friday and one of the weekend’s highlights, New York’s masters of nonchalant rock The Strokes who from the word go made being rock stars look truly effortless whilst delivering a tight, high tempo set featuring old classics such as New York City Cops and Reptillia as well as six tracks from their latest LP Angles. Another highlight of Friday’s proceedings were Friendly Fires who played from around three in the morning, and whose energetic brand of poppy dance based indie music had crowds at the main stage dancing long into the night.
Of all the day’s music Saturday appeared to be the most enticing with sets from Tame Impala and Bombay Bicycle Club sure to be enjoyable affairs, and this turned out to be the case as both of the aforementioned band’s played excellent sets prior to the night’s most anticipated acts Arctic Monkeys and Primal Scream took to the stage later in the evening. The former delivered a headline set that whilst impressive drew to heavily on their newer less accessible tracks, thus omitting many of the sharp, catchy songs that gave them the platform they have today. Whilst it is true that a band who has recently released a new record would be expected to perform tracks from the album one could not help feeling that the band misjudged the festival’s atmosphere somewhat, and this in addition to their lackadaisical stage show underlined the difference between the Arctic Monkeys and Friday night’s headliners The Strokes. As such the performance of the night unquestionably came from Primal Scream whose timeless record ‘Screamadelica’ including classic tracks ‘Moving On Up’ and ‘Loaded’ sounded truly wonderful live.
Sunday’s proceedings started well with a short yet captivating set from The Joy Formidable who did an excellent job of getting the festival goers hungry for what the night had to offer musically. Portishead were next to dazzle the gathered crowds with their haunting melodies driftting softly across the site and straight to the hearts of the audience. Despite the band’s excellent performance the main attraction of the night and undoubtedly the weekend were The Arcade Fire, who delivered a typically emotive and spellbinding performance that united the audience in enormous singalongs throughout the set. Arcade Fire have reached a point in their career where the connection between them and audience is so passionate and moving that it creates a truly wonderful atmosphere, and the band are without doubt the hottest live act in the world right now, and truthfully they made the rest look somewhat inept.
To sum up Benicassim is a difficult task but here goes, there’s a beach, mountains and stunning music as well as an audience that soaks absolutely everything in providing a fantastic atmosphere for all and it this which makes Benicassim so truly special. We for one will certainly be back next year.
George Cochran
