WORDS AND IMAGES BY BILLY SEAGRAVE
“The Set Was Strewn With Classics, Handing Everything The Fans Would Expect”
A thrilling night for fans as The Strokes, Fontaines DC, Wet Leg and The Lounge Society take to the stage at Lytham Festival.
A sold-out crowd of 20,000 descended on the tranquil coastal town of Lytham. As all routes headed to the town, arriving early enough to catch the early support act, The Lounge Society proved a tall order for my journey, as I parked up and began my short walk to the venue the band were just completing their last song, speaking to a few people as I arrived at the barrier, I was assured it was a good set, and seem to gain them some new fans. Wet Leg, Fontaines D.C., and The Strokes at Lytham Festival.
Looking around it was clear that the crowd is certainly younger than last week’s Friday hosts Duran Duran. Another noticeable difference was the weather, last week’s rain soaked, windswept performance to a see of waterproof ponchos, have been replaced with warm blue skies and shorts and t shirts.
Wet Leg are on a roll, having a number one album, in April, with self-titled “Wet Leg”, and filling spots all over the place and having a great reception from a stellar appearance at Glastonbury, things are building for the Band
As the crowds were poring in the opening song is “Being in Love”, followed by “convincing”, had the crowd settling in, it was warm the drinks were flowing, a perfect combination, to introduce yourselves, to the crowd. Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers were putting a smile on the faces of a very appreciative crowd. Teasdale’s vocals are sharp and clear, highlighting subjects not usually associated with the usual Lytham crowd, they do it so well, all tongue in cheek.
With a set list that covered, “Wet Dream” “it’s not fun, Ur mum, and I don’t want to go out”, the crowd have really taken to them, a major part of the performance is how easily they can get the crowd to interact and join in.
So, it was no surprise that the fabulous “Chaise Lounge” closed out the set, as the crowd consistently chanted “I got the big D”, its clear the band are heading for bigger and better things.
Set List
1/ Being in love
2/ Convincing
3/ Wet dream
4/ Supermarket
5/ It’s not fun
6/ Ur mum
7/ Obvious
8/ Oh no
9/ I don’t wanna to go out
10/ Too late now
11/ Angelica
12/ Chaise Lounge.
There are very few spaces available Infront of the stage as Fontaine’s DC take to the stage, If tonight’s host are bring out the crowds for a trip down memory lane, Fontaine’s are for today, the future, once again there is a growing momentum surrounding the band, their Glastonbury performance had them as one of the stand out acts of that weekend.
As they take to the stage the beer is flying through the air and the crowd are elevated, it looks like a lot of people have to come to support the Fontaine’s, lead singer Chatten is doing his best to whip up the crowd further, its working, the opening strains of “A Lucid Dream”, Immediately into “Sha Sha Sha”, Chatten is covering the stage like a caged tiger, not even stopping when a song finishes, precariously balancing on a sound monitor and kicking it out of the way as to get that little bit closer to the crowd. As with the previous act crowd participation is a must, mosh pits and crowd surfing are encouraged, the pit staff have their hands full.
The band are no nonsense, we have come to play, and play they can, a real raw draw back to Indie, rock post punk heyday of the Pistols, Libertines, and Pearl Jam, watching Chatten is like watching a young Ian Curtis, he also carries the stature of Liam Gallagher, he has the intensity in delivery of Joe Talbot of The Idles. As “Too Real”, is unleashed and the fans waving to the cameras on the big screen, the barrage of guitar riffs are some what mesmerising and dragging the atmosphere along.
Chatten dedicated “A Hero’s Death”, to his Grandad Ronnie from Barrow-in-Furness. Smoke bombs filled the air for the trio of songs that thrilled the fans: “Jackie Down The Line” “Boys in The Better Land” and “I Love You”. As they left the stage, the Fontaines D.C. stage sign was lit up in the colours of the Irish flag.
Set list
1/ A lucid dream
2/ Sha Sha Sha
3/ Roman holiday
4/ Hurricane laughter
5/ Televised mind
6/ Nabokov
7/ Big shot
8/ Too real
9/ I don’t belong
10/A Hero’s death
11/ Jackie down the line
12/ Boys in the better land
13/ I love you
As 20.000 fans jostle for the best position for tonight’s headliners, The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. They were a leading group of the early-2000s indie rock revival. The band appear 15 minutes later than expected, oh for the life of a rock star.
“Is this it”, booms from the stage whilst the crowd sing along, finally having the chance to participate with a band that has been off the radar for a while. The warm welcome for” The Adults are Talking”, from The New Abnormal (2020) confirmed that the crowd wasn’t just into the band’s iconic 2001 debut album. Nerveless, the incredible love for 2001 hit single “New York City Cops” was so heart warmingly confirmed.
The Strokes brought a woman up onstage, where she sang lead vocals on “Ode to The Mets.” The unidentified fan had been holding up a sign that read “CAN I SING ‘ODE TO THE METS’ WITH YOU.” Julian Casablancas then invited her onstage with the caveat, “I’m gonna be peeved if she sings it better than I do.” The set was strewn with classics, handing everything the fans would expect, “Reptilia” I can’t win, you only live once, and the modern age”, kept everything on track, the charismatic guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. led the band as they settled into a funky pop groove for “Threat of Joy”. The lyrics declared “I’m gonna take my time” but the end was Looming. Casblancas confirmed: “it’s the end of the line. It’s been a real pleasure…I guess people need sleep”. Choosing “Juicebox”, as the last track and no sign of their biggest hit “Last Night”, may have been a gamble, but I feel that as most of the crowd were die hard followers who had travelled far and wide for what would be only a couple of shows on UK soil, it didn’t seem to matter.
Set list
1/ Is this it
2/ The adults are talking
3/ New York City cops
4/ Automatic stop
5/ Bad decisions
6/ Improvised song
7/ Hard to explain
8/ Ode to the Mets
9/ Reptilia
10/ I can’t win
11/ Someday
12/ What ever happened?
13/ You only live once
14/ Under the cover of darkness
15/ Modern age
16/ Threat of Joy
17/ Juicebox
FOLLOW THE STROKES
FOLLOW WET LEG
FOLLOW FONTAINES DC
