T In The Park 2006: Main Stage Sunday

United Kingdom | | 11 July 2006

The puddles falling from the heavens do no one any favours, bar the DJs into the snug techno tents, but with rousing Scottish national treasures like 'Letters From America' and 'Sunshine On Leith' on their set-list, it would seemingly take more than the lochs of Scotland relocating to Kinross before anyone would even think about leaving. Sadly though, the be-spectacled duo don’t have much in the way of decent fillers to plug the gaps between the big hits and at some points the drone is only marginally better than elevator music. Predictably, '500 Miles' closes proceedings, everyone goes ballistic and even mother nature gives in with a small break in the grey slabs above the festival to let a streak of sun in.

The Scottish stalwarts make way for the country’s new sparkling talent Paolo Nutini who was handed a last-minute slot on the Main Stage to perform a ten-minute acoustic show before later appearing on the T-Break Stage. However, thousands of fans are left disappointed and frustrated by the festival organisers’ decision to put the teenage crooner on ten minutes earlier than he was scheduled to play on the £7 piece of cardboard laminate hanging around their necks. The end result sees thousands of fans showing up to watch the young Paisley lad wave goodbye following a set James Blunt would be proud of.

With proven big stage performers like Primal Scream, The Charlatans, Kasabian and Feeder all demoted to tents this evening it's hard to see why cockney geezers Hard-Fi, are filling such an elevated slot on the Main Stage. And the maths of an extended show and one album to fill it quickly adds up. The hit singles from Stars of CCTV in short supply, filler tracks are left to make up the numbers before the stomping drum beat and instantly recognisable riff of The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army can be heard. A massacre takes place as the simple yet awesome piece of music is chewn up and spat back out in a horribly over done cover. 'Hard To Beat' and 'Cash Machine' prove to be brief highlights.

With Arctic Monkeys, there's no such problems. No big back-drop, no fancy lights and no on screen imagery; just four English lads with a bag of top modern rock 'n' roll tunes and cheeky grins to a swolen crowd of devotees. From the opening barrage of hypnotic drumming on 'View From The Afternoon' to juke-box goldcard 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor', everything they do is just right. In stark contrast to Hard-Fi, the tracks from the Monkey's limited catalogue all sound like hits from your childhood, and the crowd is swept away by the music which backs up the incredible hype, which maybe, just maybe, is right for once. 

New York’s so-called uber cool, The Strokes, make a return performance to T following their headline set in 2004 and put on a nonchalant performance which could have been accessorised with couches and foot stools. Julian Casablancas leads his merry men through a beer swigging promo show for latest album 'First Impressions Of Earth' without too much in the way of incident. Without the spunk of Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes rely on breakthrough hits like 'Last Night' and 'Is This It' to stop the crowd from straying, although it's the filthy, rock stomper 'Juicebox' with its pained vocals which stands out as the track of the set.

Teens to the middle-aged, trendies to the down right jakies, everyone gathers for The Who. The kind of band fans go to see even if they've only ever heard 'Substitute' in their uncle's car before. And anyone who expected a Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey nostaliga trip were in for a surprise as the band shake it like it's 1972. Boasting one of rock’s most legendary voices and a stage presence which makes a mockery of many of the UK's current hot live acts, Daltery is a joy to watch and the fans lap up his praise for the festival and the country. "It's a pleasure to be playing here today, where it is all about the music, thank you", Townshend tells the adoring masses before lunging into another riff like a 17-year-old jammin' in his garage. And that's one noticable difference which quickly becomes apparent with The Who and other legends who are still doing the rounds. While the likes of Guns 'n' Roses, AC/DC or Black Sabbath will still show up for a cheque and a two hour piss all over their reputation, The Who come across as music lovers who enjoy the show as much as those facing them. A new track is thrown into the mix which is duly ignored in favour of classics like 'I Can’t Explain' and 'My Generation', but it's the final flourish of class with 'Substitute' in a classics packed encore which steals the show and gives revellers something to cherish before the miserable journey home.