When it comes to Headliners, over the last few summers HRC has built a reputation for bringing truly Legendry artists to rock Hyde Park. Whether it be as preparation for their impending Glastonbury slot (the festivals share the same weekend) or a special visit for their UK fanbase; the Festival has attracted some impressive names already. Everyone from Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Roger Walters & The Police have taken charge of proceedings, and ultimately the festival pretty much sells out based upon the Headlining act’s announced, and everything else is seemingly built up around those stellar names.
Whilst such lineage should be applauded, the festival has suffered from a lack of inspiration for the daytime support slots, leading up to the headliners. Bands seem to fall into the categories of; Cult artist, Capital FM fodder and a smattering of Major label newcomers, hoping to crack the big time. This has led to the increase in Festival stores, Promotional Tents and other festival activities going on around the site as many festival goers found themselves still wanting more when confronted with just two proper stages to visit at recent years (something they rectified with the Bella Union Band stand which proved a success, albeit one of the small-draw variety in comparison). So it’s good news for those diehard fans who want to catch their heroes in action, but bad news for the casual attendee. This year offered something more, and whilst it wasn’t perfect, the addition of the Band Stand and a near perfect line up on Sunday made up for Friday and Saturday’s failings (Jay Kay and his hats as second headliner to Stevie Wonder seems ridiculous considering his status as national laughing stock & Paparazzi Bully these days).
So I can pretty much ignore all that goes before Friday’s headliners, Pearl Jam. Instead I focus on the masterstroke of Headliner choice, a band who may be experienced after years of touring and album releases, but are still considered music for the youth and a considerable live draw (in spite of Live Nation’s best attempts to keep them down). For starters Eddie Vedder is such a warm and welcoming host, his earnestness has dissolved any awkwardness from their early days, and instead you’re left with a man who is more shocked than most that he’s still in the public eye at this level. He’s self-deprecating, generous with his band members, but most of all he’s honest, and whilst it’s sometimes hard to make out what he’s saying with that deep American drawl, you know it comes from the heart every single time. The band themselves have always been able to put on a show, but the minute Matt Cameron joined it solidified the band, and having toured for many years together you just feel each band is equally committed (especially with McCready’s publicised addiction problems behind him) to the task at hand and can then splinter off and spur the others on at any given moment. It creates a sense of excitement i’m sure many felt the first time they saw the band, and with a set list so rich in true modern Rock Anthems, it’s impossible to find fault anywhere. Ben Harper joins the band on Pedal Steel Guitar for the encore, but it’s the band who triumphs, playing the perfect set to a field of adoring fans who shared something truly special tonight.
When it comes to odd introductions, few will top that of seeing a rather rotund Stevie Wonder ambling on stage whilst stroking a riff out of a Key-Tar. It’s a vision that shocks us for a good few minutes before the riff turns into one of his many wondrously funky songs, but this isn’t the last unsettling event to happen in a set that for the most part keeps us on our toes, in spite of dipping into Stevie’s endless collection of Ballads a tad too often. Try, but it’s quite hard to find complaint with Wonder, having graced this world with so much talent for one who was afflicted from such a young age, you could probably forgive Stevie for anything, just as long as he turned it into something funky. The constant shout outs to the recently departed Michael Jackson get a little irksome, at first i cynically thought it might be a clause stipulation to allow Stevie to cover The Beatles ‘We Can Work It Out’ (Jackson owned the Beatles musical rights), but fortunately all is forgiven with a sublime cover of Jackson’s ‘Human Nature’, later in the set. But that’s not the oddest moment, at one point Wonder flirts with his backing vocalist, who in turn gives him a potion (and to the general public, looks like she’s duping a blind person for her own evil gains) which makes his voice reach a higher pitch, much like his voice as a child, and so it leads as an introduction of Stevie Wonder playing ‘Fingertips’, but through a vocal pitch bender. It’s a somewhat daft part of the set, but if it means he plays such an embryonic masterpiece, who are we to complain? Wonder is a legend, and possesses a back catalogue that has so much depth and quality to it, it’d be very hard for him to give a disappointing set, and whilst the newer songs and the over-reliance on ballads doesn’t quite excite me the same was as say, ‘Sir Duke’, it’s Stevie Wonder, and that in itself is enough for these road weary eyes and ears!
Friday and Saturday were somewhat painless, and any fluff/support bands have been missed fortunately, so for those patriotic (or sadomasochistic) enough to push back behind the Festival’s sound stage to cram in and watch England get taught a lesson in Footballing class by the Germans, Sunday begins well and looks like it’ll be carrying the good weather (and good vibes) onwards and upwards. Watching the England game on mute, with Elvis Costello doing his stripped down folk thing (i.e. being a contrary old fucker, and pleasing a few fans instead of many) is a weird juxtaposition, but just thank god Costello didn’t have any Germanic heritage, otherwise the response to the ending of his set (and England’s world cup dream) could’ve been nasty.
The much welcomed return of Crowded House takes proceedings up a notch. It’s so rare for a non UK/USA band to have so many worldwide hits, that when they play a greatest hits set like this, you really cannot find any fault. The band have charm in spades, tunes that certainly play on The Beatles’ rich back catalogue, and a new album that unlike most of their contemporaries, is actually good and not something to keep the greatest hits tour rolling ever onwards. Next on, Crosby, Stills & Nash are pleasant enough, but without Young as their moral compass it becomes a little too much like a mutual back patting society with honey drenched harmonising.
We arrive at the Band Stand which has been treated to amazing performances from a number of Bella Union bands throughout the day, but the one that stands out most is that of the deliriously perfect-sounding Beach House. Performing as a three piece, they create music that is almost perfect in its delivery, but comes with a broken, melancholic outer shell that you’ll find great delight trying to cut through. With songs as beautiful as these, it’s no wonder we gave them a cover interview when they first arrived on our shores.
And so on to the Weekend’s “real” headline, Sir Paul McCartney. With an intro tape of other people covering his songs being played for far too long, the former Beatle finally take to the stage with his road-weary band of session muso’s. Sir Paul greets us like old friends, pointing his fingers out and winking in our general direction. Beginning with a set that seems to be favouring the good song, lesser known song, good song... pattern, it takes a while for the set to really take shape and deliver consistently, but after 30 minutes it all kicks in, the lesser known material abandoned and some of the greatest Wings, Solo & Beatles songs flow one after the other in a set that has way too many highlights for one singular artist. The Bon Homie with the audience & little explanations of each song he gives do start to grate after a while, and if he makes another Peace signal with his hands I might bum rush the show, but the man is of a different generation, and whilst the fans keep getting younger and younger, you know his wonderful music will be around for a lot longer. And so it ends, another great year for Hard Rock Calling, just make sure you cherry pick the best bands to see!
Picture courtesy of Chris Wing
Jeremy Chick
