First thing this afternoon, we popped down to the Channel 4 Stage to see headliners Foo Fighters perform a secret gig. Dave Grohl arrived onstage and was immediately faced by a mass of cheers from the small crowd that had gathered to watch the ‘band’ 606.
In no time at all word had obviously spread, and the crowd trebled in size as the band ran through some of the songs that wouldn’t make their headline set tonight. Starting off with ‘Marigold’, a Grohl-penned Nirvana b-side, they then picked through some of their more mellow tracks, including ‘See You’, ‘Cold Day In The Sun’ and ‘Big Me’.
During ‘See You’, Grohl took the chance to introduce his band at length – and we have to say we were pretty excited when we learned the third guitarist in the line-up was none other than Pat Smear, ex-Germ, ex-Foo Fighter and ex-Nirvana guitarist (if only for ‘Unplugged…’). Let’s hope he plays with them tonight.
“This band 606 are pretty good,” said a punter behind me.
We also managed to see Editors‘ set on the main V Stageat 2.30pm. They might have had a slow-burning career trajectory, but they’re undeniably massive now, and the crowd clapped and sang along to every song. Expect an even higher billing for Editors next year, preferably in the dark where their twilight-Joy Division-esque-ruminations belong.
Words: Tom Pinnock