Festival holds few highlights
Alistair Foster, London Lite 16 Jun 2008
The Police closed the Isle of Wight Festival last night (not the authorities, the band) in front of the largest crowd of the weekend.
The show was one of their final UK appearances of their reunion tour, and while the drunken survivors of the three-day festival were happy to sing along, it was the dads in the crowd that really got excited.
Extended versions of hits like Walking On The Moon and Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic kept the crowd happy. The trio rounded up a sunny weekend that featured a radio-friendly line-up with few surprises. Kaiser Chiefs closed the proceedings on Friday, headlining their first ever UK festival. A hit-filled set included a massive sing-along to Ruby, and there were glimpses of their new album, produced by Mark Ronson, with new tracks Never Miss A Beat and You Want History. On Saturday, highlights included a lively performance from Kate Nash, a hit-packed set from the Sugababes on a side stage, and a wrinkly Iggy Pop trying his best to give himself a heart attack on stage. The Sex Pistols filled the headline slot with a rather flaccid performance that was only made interesting by John Lydon's interjections between songs. He warned the audience to "sing along or die", and paid tribute to footballer Paul Gascoigne: "He's one of us, don't let the posh bastards grind you down." Very hard to swallow, seeing as John flew in by helicopter while the rest of his band had to take the ferry.
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Afternoon:
10°c






