T In The Park 2007 - Saturday King Tuts Stage

United Kingdom | | 07 July 2007

Possibly one of the most relaxing ways to recover from the mud and madness of Friday night is to chill out in the King Tut’s tent listening to the soothing sound of Jamie Scott & The Town. While enthusiasm from the audience doesn’t quite manifest itself, there’s no denying the soulful voice of singer Jamie is just the ticket. 

One of the festival’s many up-and-coming Glaswegian bands, The Cinematics, follow on nicely with their refreshing and surprisingly mature set. Songs from their A Strange Education album are greeted by a band of loyal fans, while for others who have unwittingly found themselves in the tent or have woken up there, it’s a great chance for them to hear the anthems-in-the-making before the band return next year to a better slot and higher profile.

Camera Obscura’s first time at T in the Park couldn’t have gone much better. Attracting a large crowd for their early-afternoon slot, their tambourines and tenderness and upbeat Belle and Sebastian stylings have the crowd eating out of their hands. Songs like the gorgeous 'Lloyd I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken' prove exactly why they were invited to once play at John Peel's birthday party.

A few months ago, you would have been forgiven for thinking Calvin Harris was the name of some cheap clothing label. But the packed-out King Tut’s tent proves the young musician and his band have really made a name for themselves. Swigging a can of lager, Calvin declares that playing to thousands - with hundreds more dancing outside trying desperately to get in – “is quite good fun”, which is obviously code for “this is the best moment of my fucking life”. Needless to say the crowd goes wild for the contagious 'Acceptable In The 80s', as does the singer who pogos around the stage like a demented man. Or a very drunk one. But who cares if he’s had a few too many Tennents? The crowd, many of whom have copied his trademark look, are infatuated and even his bizarre Brian Ferry impression seems to go down well. That’s love for you.  
 
A must see for sexy singer Kate Jackson alone, The Long Blondes slither on stage like feline fuck sirens with Kate dressed in a red strappy dress. It's a one-woman show as she helps warm the crowd up with tracks from their album 'Someone To Drive You Home', which can just be heard over the constant wolf whistles from their fans.
 
 
What follows is an outstanding show from Californians Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. With three albums under their belt and hard work going on for a fourth, the band are steadily building an impressive back catalogue of tracks, which go down excellently at T In the Park. 'Whatever Happened To My Rock And Roll' almost blows the roof off before favourite 'Spread Your Love' with it's dirty rough riff, sends fans wild.
 
Perry Farrell may think the music world revolves around his every incarnation but latest project Satellite Party needs to be dropped - very soon. As at Wireless and Download, this pomped up performance is frankly cringeworthy. About as popular as George Bush's left testacle, they fail to get any reaction from the crowd despite the number of 'pretty' girls on stage and Farrell's ever captivating stage manner. They just lack tunes of any worth and, like his festival Lollapolooza, Farrell should have slowed down long ago. 

 
Night and day swap places in between Londoner Jamie T and Satellite Party and fortunately it means that the party can truly get started. The Thames Beat star blows away fans with a sensational display, ducking and diving all over the stage. It may just be me, but each track sounds as though it has deliberately been speeded up to send fans wild and it works a treat as 'Calm Down Dearest' and hit 'Sheila' sound immense.

Things lull a little for yet another overated Klaxons' set. All the hype is unravelling faster than a John Smeaton karate chop and despite their two good songs, 'Gravity's Rainbow' and 'Not Over Yet' dropping like bombs, fans look bemused as to what all the fuss is about. Of course, the front rows go nuts though. 

Tonight's headliners The View pack out the King Tuts tent, which sparks the question as to why they were not on a higher billing in the first place? But nonetheless, Dundee boys give their fans, who look worryingly crushed, a treat with their catchy pop tunes. The success of Hats Off To The Buskers has helped make the band a phenomenon and they fail to disappoint with a blinding set. Frontman Kyle Falconer even has time for a peck on the cheek from a fan before bursting into 'Wasted Little DJs'. And of course they all follow; the gentle acoustics of 'Face For The Radio', the pounding intent of 'The Don' and the anthemic 'Superstar Tradesmen'. It will be interesting to see what the bands' second album will be like, but if we don't like it we can always revert back their first little gem.