All Tomorrow's Parties @ Pontins Camber Sands 02/04/04 - 04/04/04
An early night then, and our energy levels were restored in preparation for the busiest day of the weekend. The day was curated by Sonic Youth, and of all the curaters, they seemed most actively involved in the weekend, appearing onstage with other acts or watching them. Afternoon highlights included 00i00, Dream|Aktion Unit and the openers for the day Fuck.
From their name, and the fact that they were selected by Sonic Youth, Fuck should have been a difficult post rock, experimental band. Instead they played geeky pop songs in a Weezer kind of way. They knew that they had to entertain, and the highlight of their set was the final 15 minutes, where they performed a magic show followed by a kung-fu demostration, against George Bush, Evil and Acne. Their show no doubt pissed off all the 'serious' music fans of the weekend, but perfect for a festval.
Of the other aforementioned bands, 00i00, a Boredoms side project, were just as to be expected, being a Japanese goup. Carrying on the tradition of a mixture of Japanese and Western styles, they created melodies with just enough strangeness tokeep it interesting. At the other end of the scale Dream|Aktion Unit played a seemingly improvised set. The band featured Thurston Moore and Jim O'Rouke, as well as a saxaphone player who looked like Father Christmas. THey were worth watching just to see Moore and O'Rouke mangling their guitars, to create strange noises, and using their experimental powers.
Someone had decided to move Lightning Bolt upstairs (they were due to headline the second stage at the same time as Vincent Gallo was due to perform on the mainstage). This genius decision led to the best run of bands of the entire weekend. At first this didn't look likely, as Vincent Gallo set out on his jam session on stage (oh why do all actors think they have musical abilities?). In fact Gallo didn't contribute much to his set at all, He would play one repeated note for the whole 'song', while doing actorly things, trying to look serious. Once the realisation that the band had been mis-billed, they should have been called John Frusciante, it was much easier to get through the set, with Frusciante's clinical guitar playing and excellent drumming from Josh Klinghoffer.
But any disappointment in Gallo, only enhanced the Sonic Youth set. When they last played ATP, they bored everyone with an experimental set. Any fears of a repeat were blown away when they came onstage. In their set, tey proved why they are still as important as ever. Throughout their day, they showed they were also still one of the friendliest bands around. When a fan managed to climb onstage, instead of storming off or just waiting for security, as many other bands of their standing would do, Moore just began to play the guitar using the stage invader, until a friendly fight emerged.
After 90 minutes of Sonic Youth at their best, no one thought it would have been possible to beat that set. But as they ended, the band announced that Lightning Bolt had set up in the corner. As everyone rushed towards the noise, there was a friendly scrambel, again something that would not occur at Glastonbury. Lightning Bolt, just a duo on bass and drums, played unrelenting nose, and they are a live band to watch, if you can see them. A perfect ending to the day.
