Sheffield’s finest frantic rock merchants Arctic Monkeys are due to headline the third night of this year’s Benicassim Festival tonight (July 21).
Last night’s heroes were Dinosaur Jr andWilco on the mainstage.
J Mascis’ guitar prowess was in full force. Playing songs from most recent album ‘Beyond’ like ‘Follow Me’ as well as plundering the band’s magnificent back catalogue- ‘This Is All I Care To Do’ was sublimely good. Starting off with ‘Almost Ready’ via ‘Wagon’ and finishing off with an amazing performance of ‘Freakscene’ – the crowd lapped it all up, air guitaring and singing along.
Alt.country pioneer Jeff Tweedy and Wilco also rocked a packed mainstage area, amazing to see so many fans apreciating the genius that is them.
The British bands playing out here certainly gave the mainstage a run for their money. The Klaxons played an immensely intense show in a smaller than planned tent, fours hours after they were originally billed to play.
Playing through their hits ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’ , ‘Golden Skans’, ‘Magick’ – parts of the muggy sound lost some of the vocals on us – but the lightshow set up was amazing, lasers, and glitter balls turned it into a real indie party. A great result considering the band officially announced their gig was cancelled through their website earlier in the day.
More British frantic rock is on the bill tonight, Sheffield’s finest Arctic Monkeys headline the main stage. Alex Turner and the boys relaxing backstage by the pool last night said they are ‘really looking forward to playing’ the festival, having never played Benicassim before.
A double whammy of massive singalong pop hits the festival tonight too. The B-52s return from a lengthy hiatus to play the main stage, and The Human League are on straight after.
Also on the bill tonight are Os Mutantes, The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr and Camera Obscura.
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