Friday, July 02, 2010

P!nk Hurricane in Hyde Park

On a steamy Friday I ticked something off the list of “things to do before you are 40” – or any other rapidly approaching age based mile stone – attend a festival… I have to admit to cheating a little – this was an inner city festival – so I could return home to my comfortable bed at the end of the day, skip the “dance music” day which really didn’t appeal, and best of all jump the queue for a place at the front by paying for a “VIP” ticket…

From Wireless 2010 - Friday - P!nk
With a place at the front of the main stage that I didn’t want to give up I forwent the other stages for the main stage’s Friday line up – not a bad line up kicked off by BFS – Bowling for Soup – who like their name suggest did anything but take themselves seriously while producing great music to start the day off…
Next up was Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders – who didn’t do as well as BFS in getting the audience rocking – the highlight of their set was a rather bizarre cameo  appearance on backing vocals and tambourine by Roger Taylor
Gossip raised the quality again with a great short set - the show was really warming up along with the weather - I was actually grateful when one of the few clouds in the sky cooled the effect of the Sun.
The crowd was now building as people returned from other stages and a few late arrivals pushed their luck by trying to fill the small spaces left...

The Ting Tings could have headlined a smaller event themselves and made a great under card to P!nk.

There closing number reminded me that I’d escaped the office for a Friday of dance rather than work! A great set to prelude the main attraction…
P!nk made a stunning arrival via a box below a crane and a cannon - abseiling onto the stage, the audience had well and truly got the party started – and to paraphrase P!nk the unusually warm and humid London weather felt like a summer hurricane could kick off any time – and P!nk certainly sung up a storm…
An afternoon standing in the sun “defending” my position was well worth it – being so close to the front meant a short arse like myself had a great view, add holding a camera at arms length above me meant I could have been on stage! P!nk brought the day to a spectacular end, after a little hamster style crowd surfing, it was time for P!nk’s amazing signature - singing while suspended above her audience!

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