Having had an eventful past 18 months, the thrill of having Victorious back on the South coast was an excitement like no other! A local festival which has grown substantially over the last few years, both in size and with regards to the artists they have, Victorious is becoming a force to be reckoned with, with families travelling from far and wide to attend! Victorious is always a firm favourite and a highlight in the diary of a very busy summer period!
Friday afternoon sees the festival site opening to everyone, and the main stage being graced by some incredible acts. This included the fantastic The Lottery winners – who unfortunately we couldn’t make it down for. But luckily enough, we have tickets for their Joiners show on Thursday!
The first act we caught were Feeder, excited to see them – especially as they’ve just released Torpedo, which they didn’t play as part of their set. But we are hopeful to hear this when they headline the Guildhall next year! Feeders set had a few technical issues, but like the professionals they are, they powered through. Producing a powerhouse set, which had the audience singing along to all of their classics and bouncing around the field.
Next up was The Kooks. Who if I’m honest, I thought I only knew a few of their songs, but turns out I knew quite a large amount of their back catalogue!
Finally, as the sun set over the Solent, it was time for the legendary Madness. These guys were my dad’s favourite when I was younger, and having never seen them I was really looking forward to their set – they most certainly didn’t disappoint. Skanking in a field with my wife and family, is not something I’ll forget and a memory I’ll treasure for years to come.
Saturday was the first full day on site, with a list longer than my arm of bands that I wanted to see. First up was one of Southampton’s own – Wild Front. Bringing their dreamy indie pop to the Castle Field, this was a perfect way to sit and soak up the midday sunshine. Next up, the local legend that is Craig David. He bought his TS5 show to the Common Stage and with it bought a mash up of classic R&B and his own hits, with one of the biggest crowds of the weekend.
Then it was time for friend of the show, Frank Turner. This guy smashes it out the park every single show, and with a new album on the way… surely we are due another show down South soon? The your girlfriend hit making machine Blossoms graced the stage early evening, a highly successful set and I hope to see them again soon.
For me, one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend was Rag ‘n’ Bone man, as I was really looking forward to seeing the new album live. He opened with All you ever wanted, and this was a perfect way to get the crowd going, intertwined with big hits, and belting ballads, this giant of a performer was one of the highlights of the weekend.
To close off Saturday on the Common Stage was The Streets. I mean, I don’t know who this guy is? But he sure looks like fun!
Sunday rolled around far too quickly. Some of my favourite acts of the day were Voice favourites The Snuts and Jade Bird, a radio legend in the form of Annie Mac and how could we miss…. a spice girl!
To close out the festival, it was time for Royal Blood, who if you caught their Guildhall show a few years ago you’ll know they give their all to their stage performance and this show was no different.
Some of my favourite local acts across the weekend included Crystal Tides, Emilia Tarrant, Seething Akira, Joe Burger, Jerry Williams and Lauran Hibberd. They all put on amazing shows, along with so many others!
As with every festival, there were a few teething issues. Especially after being away for so long. But the positives mightily outweigh the negatives. Roll on next year, let us know… who would you like to see at the festival next year?
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