Community Festival Finsbury Park

This was a rather neat festival for which I was grateful I could persuade my young friend and colleague Tom to come along to and keep me company.  One major appeal was that it was so local being in Finsbury Park. Another that it was relatively inexpensive. And the third being that it had an appealing set of headliners.

To which on the day one might add the weather. It was actually blisteringly hot so took this one easy and didn't get in amongst the kids at the front.

Openers I feel were more politically correct than talented. A Basque band called Belako. Only memorable thing about them was that lead singer looked like a 14 year boy (but was a young woman).

Next act up were the Marmozets who I had only heard of, not heard from, and I thought they were pretty good.

In same category was the next band called Sundara Karma. Now they were clearly better known amongst the audience as the crowds suddenly appearing before they arrived on stage were greater than appeared for the next few following acts. I thought I would find their androgynous lead singer annoying (assuming it would be all about dress sense than singing) but I was wrong and the crowds right. A much stronger and more enjoyable act than the next few on the bill.

(But doesn't he look like a young Grayson Perry?)

Rat Boy who followed I have seen before as a support act. Rather over hyped. Just nothing great about the songs.

Circa Waves who followed are a nice genial band who I rather rate. One particularly infectious song "T-shirt Weather" seemed particularly apt for the prevailing meteorological conditions.

 Next up and so third on the bill were You Me At Six whom I had never seen before. And nothing made me want to see them again. Not awful just undistinguished. Main memory was a little spontaneous singing of "Three Lions", at this point England's expectations of the World Cup had gone from low almost overnight to having a great chance of winning the tournament.

Penultimate act, and one of my main reasons for coming were the Vaccines. Another good album behind them, I had enjoyed their Ally Pally show and I enjoyed this one too.

Which just left the headliners, Two Door Cinema Club .Just a delightful band with cheery tunes. Lead singer Alex Trimble may have an awful hat (evidence below), but a fine voice for knocking out their now extensive repertoire of  catchy numbers. An excellent finish to the night. And some fireworks thrown in at the end before we all dispersed into the warm darkness of one of July's hottest days.