Now that the mud has dried and the portaloos are but a distant memory, here are a few personal highlights from the Electric Picnic. Like most people I missed as many acts as they saw, but the swampy ground did not lend itself to moving at any great speed! ...
Lykke Li took to the stage Friday evening like a demented Scandinavian Stevie Nicks. She captivated the Crawdaddy tent, whirling around in a swathe of black scarves and complementing tracks from her ‘Youth Novels’ album with numbers by Lil’ Wayne and Kings of Leon.
Rhode Island multi instrumentalists The Low Anthem impressed with their sepia-toned, intricate Americana on Saturday afternoon, lead singer Ben Knox Miller coming off like a wide eyed young James Taylor. They played a selection of songs from their album ‘Oh My God Charlie Darwin’ to a reverential hushed Cosby tent.
Whitest Boy Alive brought a massive grin to everyone’s face when they played a euphoric set Saturday evening in the Cosby tent. Lead singer and King-of-Convenience Erland Oye was clearly in his element, unleashing his jazzy-disco-funk side project, and some awesomely bad dancing. Throwing in a smattering of cover versions including Chris Isaak’s ‘Wicked Game’ and 90s dance classic ‘Show me Love’ by Robin S, we’ll forgive them for the few bars of U2 (shudder)...
Despite flagging a little in the middle, the nutty boys Madness did a solid job of headlining the main stage Saturday night, aided by an impressive backdrop spelling out their name in giant lit letters.
Florence and the Machine’s Florence Welch pleased a bursting-at-the-seams electro arena, delivering songs from her album ‘Lungs’. The leggy redhead was clearly taken aback at the adulating crowd who roared along with every line.
Passion Pit played a stormer Sunday night. Lead singer Michael Angelakos has really evolved as a front man recently and bounded about the stage, name-checking Irish folk singer Mary O’Hara, the source of the sample on their massive tune ‘Sleepyhead’ and making a decent stab at pronouncing her original track ‘Oro mo bháidin’. Closing number ‘The Reeling’ nearly lifted the roof clean off the Cosby tent.
The Flaming Lips rolled out their usual epic stage show and festival friendly good vibes as the weekend began to wrap up, and wowed the Electric arena with lasers, streamer rocket launchers and giant balloons. Other highlights included Cap Pas Cap, Halfset, Fleet Foxes, The Sugarhill Gang, Flock of Seagulls (really!), and Dinosaur Jr.
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