T in the park festival 2009. Day Two

Dumfries boy Calvin Harris was one of the first on the Saturday mainstage, as the sunshine began to burst out from behind the clouds that had been looming overhead. I’ve seen a lot of Calvin around festivals and gigs, and sadly it wasn’t all that interesting. Maybe it was the lack of lights, or the lack of drive that was there in the early performances – at the cusp of success that came with ‘Acceptable in the eighties’, but the crowd ended up being far more interesting to look at than what was on stage.

Does Lady Gaga count as an artrocker? Either way, I have an unashamed liking for the New York oddity. It might just be ‘pop rubbish’, but at least it’s interesting pop rubbish. I hope she sticks around for a while. There was a definite irony in opening with paparazzi, with the scrum of photographers that was in the photo-pit. Done on purpose perhaps?

My mainstream music knowledge is patchy at best – my finger firmly off the pulse when it comes to bands who’re popular in the present tense. The Noisettes were a band whose name I’d heard banded about a lot, but with no real concept of who they actually were. It turns out they’re the “Go Baby Go Baby Go!” band, and have a rather attractive female singer. Good times.

Today was a day I’d planned to go and see some more smaller bands, but the position of the tents mean that they’re so damn far away, and with the likes of Katy Perry to distract you wearing a short tartan dress, then it’s much easier to just hang around the main stages. White Lies featured on the NME stage, and I’d been told that they were like a “Playgroup Interpol”. I’d be inclined to agree.

Jane’s Addiction were surprisingly good. Being one of these bands that have always been considered as heavyweights in the alternative music scene, it instantly put me off listening to them, but the live performance has managed to turn that round. Then again, I had consumed about half a bottle of whiskey by this point, so it might just be down to Mr. Jack Daniels. (or the cheap equivalent infact, since I can barely afford to eat, nevermind buy premium spirits)

Nine Inch Nails, Manic Street Preachers, The Specials, The Ting Tings and Razorlight all featured throughout the day, but with nothing worth mentioning that you couldn’t work out yourselves.
  

Photos by Stephen McLeod. Day Two, T in the park 2009 gallery is after the jump.