V Festival, Chelmsford - Day 1

Well I made it here and with plenty of time to spare. My original plan was to arrive on the Friday and be up bright and early for some atmospheric typecast festival shots that you always see. However as per usual my plans were scuppered when everyone decided to break down, or catch fire on my route so I decided to just go home and leave in good time in the morning. So, here I am…
After positioning the really annoying tent and eating my first instalment of festival slop, this time a burger flavoured slop variety, I made my way to the press office to set up my computer and get my shit together.
First on the list were for me was my first instalment The Foo Fighters performing under the name 606. Actually it seems odd that an entire V Festival including all the other photographers, production teams and a massive crowd knew that 606 was in fact The Foo Fighters except me! It turns out that The Sun posted an article in the paper telling everyone this piece of information. I only got on the bus as I didn’t want to sit around anymore, so if I felt any lazier I may well have missed this. It’s good to see the bands milling around backstage at these festivals and when we arrived for the 606 set the Foo’s were doing just this. I saw Dave Grohl chatting with and posing for a couple of my fellow photographers.
Next was supposed to be The Proclaimers but we just missed the slot so I nipped into the press box to send the Foo’s pics into Film. It didn't really come as any great surprise but it was about here that I found the Internet connection here to be pitiful. Still the shots did eventually go so I shouldn't complain too much.

Then it was time for Juliette And The Licks and what a feisty bunch they as well as visually spectacular so I enjoyed this very much. After Juliette we headed for the Main Virgin Mobile Stage for The Editors who were as great as every other time I have shot them.

Next on the list was The Fray on the Channel 4 Stage which for me was a bit of a let down. I couldn't hear Isaac Slade's vocals so I didn't enjoy it. Paulo Nuttini next whom I thought was great! A really colourful set, and he sounded great too.

Another break period here to catch up with the editing and sending in of the festival so far before Kanye West, Babyshambles and Pink. I took this opportunity to grab a nice cup of £2.00 coffee, which tasted like it had been drained from last years leftover urinal water, and edit some more pictures. I've done alright this year in respect of keeping my work up to scratch. I does seem that I am non stop working here but then this is the way it works at a festival.

Anyway, onward I'm dragged to the bus to get to Kanye and Babyshambles and pink and now I can feel that the day is approaching the end. Only the best is yet to come and so far its been a great day.

So next was Kanye West, whom fails really to rock my boat but was very good and the crowd seemed to enjoy it and they paid so I guess that matters more than me, and following that a very dark lit Dizzi Rascal set in the JJB tent, then back to CH4 for Babyshambles where Pete Doherty was showing all the signage of being absolutely ruined but still managed to belt out some great music. I enjoyed both Kanye and Babyshambles although I did enjoy Babyshambles just a tad more so. I shot a Babyshambles gig a year or so ago and to this day still regard that as one of my top ten gigs I've been at.
We then were whisked back to the main stage where Pink was already performing. I managed to get two songs from her, which was more than enough time to get what I wanted. Pink is a very beautiful woman, and has a great voice. She did come across to be a bit posy at times, but I suppose I would too if I were great looking, mega rich and famous…
After Pink I headed back to the press office for a smoke and a Chinese flavoured slop dish, and to continue editing the days events and sending them in.
Then it was time for another mad dash with Snow Patrol who were fantastic, then to Jarvis Cocker who was in virtual darkness, and then the Happy Mondays who kindly stepped in for a broken Amy Winehouse. The Happy Mondays were really good with an energetic Bez keeping the crowds amused and Jarvis sprung around the stage pulling some great poses during his set in the JJB tent which made good photography it was just a shame that it was fairly dimly lit. I’ve shot Snow Patrol before a couple of few times in the past, but today was the first time I’ve ever been fairly happy with the results. The lighting was fabulous, the music was amazing and still the weather kept it warm and nearly summer like.
After The Happy Mondays we had another few minutes to send before the final dash to shoot the headliners. First on the bill was the return of The Amazing Foo Fighters. This time on the Main Stage and much much louder than the earlier set. The Foo Fighters were great at both parts of the day. Next it was to The Kooks for one song, and then straight to the JJB to get Primal Scream for the final act on my list tonight. The Kooks were OK, I just feel a little bored of the album tracks they cover in the same order at every show I’ve shot. I like the Kooks, a lot in fact, but I do like to see variety in a performance. Primal scream were dark, but musically good. Although hearing it from the pit does tend to whack the old eardrums. And most of the third track seemed to consist of Bobby Gillespie screaming incoherently into the mic for a ten minute burst.
All in all I have really enjoyed today’s listing. I have taken some good shots for the press, I have uploaded most of them during the day and I don’t really have too much to do in the morning so I can go and get a big plate of food outside the confines of the festival fencing. Get me away from those damn evil burger vans and Chinese-food sellers. How can the Chinese government allow people to sell something in the name of a country when it really is unlikely that you will find a self respecting Chinese person wandering around biting the end off a roll of bean sprouts wrapped in pastry and left to soak in oil for three months. I took a bite of this thing and felt a waterfall of luke warm fat running down my chin, and the bean sprout-a-like things inside were very very stringy! Dear lord, please spare me the need to buy dodgy pancake rolls again, pleeeeeease?