Radio 6 Festival - Day Two

beabadoobee proves the captivating nature of when bedroom pop meets live venues. There’s something endlessly charming when something that was recorded so quietly and personally is opened out in front of hundreds of listeners. And I must say I believe she is much, much better live –possibly even restricted by her dreamy recordings.

Possibly restricted by her work’s connection to trending TikTok sounds, as I, an uneducated twenty-something knew her from.

Being criminally underrated to Great British audiences, may explain beabadoobee’s nerves. Or maybe it was because this, like many bands, had been her first gig back in 2022. Despite this, her live set did have an attractive appeal, almost becoming twee-esque in nature. She was affectedly dainty, delicate, darling, and quaint. Something sweet and small to keep tucked inside your playlist. Something unique, bought about by its spirit of DIY defiance.

She introduced new single ‘Talk’, which fits right at home in her discography. Her angelic vocalisations and emotive lyrics being clear throughout.

Her songs are intriguing. If anything I would have wished to experience the poeticism of them more, with her singing often being drowned out by an all-powerful backing band. Especially on grungy tracks like Talk and Dye it Red and surf-pop bop Care.

It was with her more famous tracks, like ‘Coffee’, that beabadoobee was given space to showcase her voice. And by the reactions of her fans, easily spotted for their abundance of denim, paisley and claw clips, I imagine there would have been an uprising if one lyric of this song was unheard or drowned out.

Next on were Sports Team.

A memorable part of my weekend for sure. Memorable being an interesting word – as can be used in a multitude of contexts.

If a peacock were a frontman, I imagine it would be Alex Rice. With interesting calls to gain the crowds’ attention, such as ‘Do you like my suit?’ or in question of why some of the audience weren’t dancing: ‘I bet you were moshing for the IDLES’, a sense of entitlement was hard to ignore.

I may be too critical. Too riled up by the working-class lyrics from the aforementioned IDLES, to give the Cambridge dons a chance. Or maybe Mick Jagger impressions just aren’t my cup of tea.

But music isn’t music if people aren’t allowed to have their opinions. And I have my opinions.

Equally, singers who spit on audiences are enigmas to me. It seems somewhat of a cultish, messiah complex, to assume that a group of strangers would appreciate your salvia upon them. As if your bodily fluids could perform some type of musical baptism. As if by being spat on we are being blessed.

I don’t know. Some of the audience appreciated it. Whereas some heretics did not.

Known for their unusual engagements with fans, such as taking whole venues to the pub with them after gigs, members loitered around the student bar, near the bogs during other artists’ sets. Maybe hoping for a party in the student union, with their alma mater attitude almost branded upon them.

They had an entitlement they couldn’t seem to shake.

Yet the main event (literally and figuratively) was the return of the prodigal indie kids Bloc Party.

They had the nostalgia needed for their set down to a T, with combos such as ‘Traps’ then ‘Hunting for Witches’, they almost played how any fan would listen to their Spotify profile. Especially with the iconic ending track sequence of ‘The Girls are Fighting’, ‘This Modern Love’, ‘Ratchet’ and ‘Helicopter’.

There was comfortability that listeners could sit into, with new tracks sprinkled in, to peak excitement for their new album. The group are revitalised by Louise Bartle on drums, who handles the band’s art-pop drumming structures with ease and skill.

With said sneak peeks, it could be said that the upcoming album will have the fan favourite characteristics of their early works. Before their break, Bloc Party had moved from their original feel for guitar music, the creative transition from ‘Silent Alarm’ to ‘A Weekend in the City’ evident in their live performances. Yet their unique stylings of numerous delays and effect pedals are distinctive in their upcoming album. That lovely history of electronic music, loops and vocal manipulation now becoming the present.

Okereke often referred to the bands’ hits as ‘golden oldies’ – as if all of the early singles aren’t so. Nearly all golden, and if not: silver and bronze. Bouncing from indie rock to dance rock, there was not a shred of rustiness in their set. They’ve proved that they’re back again. With this specific gig, they’ve been back four times since their break. And I personally cannot wait till their feet have firmly returned to UK music soil.

They still know how to spice up a gig – by implementing the Iggy Pop Nightclubbing intro to ‘Song for Clay (Disappear Here)’. They placed Banquet bang in the middle of their set – shocking crowds into a frenzy. Their finishing list of songs was mind-boggling - a feast for fans.

You could say it was banger after banger.

This Modern Love was dedicated to ‘anyone who may have missed us’.

And trust me when I say - everyone did.