portishead's atp 2007

One of the most diverse ATP line-ups ever sees Sparklehorse’s set early on Friday taking place on the Pavillion Stage under Butlin’s huge tent-like apparatus; it’s a sparse, mostly solo affair for singer Mark Linkous. He’s followed by the bluster of The Horrors, whose enjoyably camp Cramps-style neo-goth rock sound is comparably clearer when compared to their gig at London’s Electrowerkz a couple of days before. The evening’s real highlight, though, has to be Glenn Branca’s appearance on the Centre Stage, accompanied by twelve guitarists or so, including Adrian Utley and Thurston Moore. Still smarting from his gig at the Roundhouse, which involved 100 guitars, Branca is a man possessed as he conducts this considerably smaller mini-orchestra, guiding them through one fifteen-minute piece before departing to rapturous applause. After Thurston Moore’s takes to the Pavillion Stage, emanating a wall of fuzz accompanied by a backing band and violin, things become rapt with attention as Portishead begin the first of two long-awaited sets. Their new material is dark and electroclash sounding, with Geoff Barrow playing electric drum pads. With ambient noise/drone types Fuck Buttons entertaining the Reds stage, the Centre Stage’s programme ends with Chrome Hoof’s silver-clad space boogie. Oneida’s psychedelic rock is a revelation on Saturday’s bill, with the best drummer of the weekend, while A Hawk & A Hacksaw cheekily play some of their set in the middle of the crowd. They’re followed by Julian Cope, who appears to be heading more towards senility every day, judging from his entertaining end-of-set rant, which includes something about “the X in Exmoor”. Polar Bear are one of the finds of the weekend on Reds, their free-flowing jazz augmented by Leafcutter John on laptop and prepared guitars; they exit to wild applause. Glaswegian folk-rockers Lucky Luke open Sunday’s proceedings with a glorious set played to an audience sprawled on the floor on the Pavillion Stage, the singer’s quip about hangovers striking a chord somewhat. Meanwhile, Damo Suzuki, formerly the singer of Krautrock legends Can, is joined by members of Fuzz Against Junk and Oneida in an improvised, double-drummer jam. As the set finishes, most people head to the Centre Stage, with it’s intense trio of Southern Lord acts: Boris, Earth and Sun O)))). While Bros opt for loud prog-metal, and Earth’s set is slow and atmospheric, Sun O)))) are the real draw: arriving twenty minutes late to the sound of a recorded fire alarm evacuation message, their eat-splittingly loud set is incredibly intense and dramatic, with a frontman resembling the Tree People from the Lord of the Rings. The gig of the festival for pure spectacle and drama, the set ends with a bizarre punch-up between band members for good measure. The night is finished by the Aphex Twin’s late appearance, in which he manages to mix in the Grandstand theme tune with skipping beats and drum-and-bass, before ending with a barely danceable gabba head-fu*k finale in the last half-hour. Here’s to All Tomorrow’s Parties. ? ?