(Reviews by Jess Kemp & Mark Kelly)
‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ – VICTORIOUS FESTIVAL, SOUTHSEA 23-25.8.24
The UK’s biggest metropolitan festival, ‘Victorious Festival’, is held annually in the stunning seaside location of Southsea overlooking the Solent, near Portsmouth. It is billed as “the ultimate family-friendly festival experience” and this is reflected by the expansive selection of varying music artists across many genres plus an incredible collection of other artists and comedians. The Bank Holiday extravaganza event is held across 13 stages on three days – 23rd, 24th and 25th August 2024.
This year’s headliners were Fatboy Slim, Snow Patrol, Jamie T, & Biffy Clyro. The bumper line-up also included Courteeners, Pixies, Becky Hill, Wet Leg, Idles, Louis Tomlinson and Jess Glynne to name just a few.
So without further ado, we get down to business…………
DAY TWO – SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST
This is article two of three and concentrates on the happenings on Day Two. Day One’s account can be found HERE and Day Three’s account can be found HERE.
BUSTED – Castle Stage (1:05pm – 1:35pm) (surprise set)
Busted must have been nearby to entertain such a brief performance. By the time they took the stage, word had spread at the festival. Quite a crowd gathered for the surprise set. Despite heavy rain, parents and teens crowded the area to see the show. The ever-growing crowd confirmed the band’s enduring popularity. Knowing their audience well, the set featured all the hits. The trio’s charm makes up for some dated, tricky tracks, like ‘What I Go to School For’ and ‘You Said No’. Their showmanship and exuberance refreshed the songs they were once tired of.
Their set had a rockier edge than before. Their time apart has improved both their musicianship and performance. As always, the crowd loved them. The eight-song set was short but sweet, ending with the ever-popular ‘Year 3000’. Who could have predicted that such a throwaway pop track would prove to be almost prophetic? They have delivered five of the predicted seven albums (two went platinum); will we see another two? The first of many highlights of the weekend left their fans and the rest of the crowd wanting more.
(Jess Kemp)
ECHOBELLY – Castle Stage (2:05pm – 2:35pm)
Saturday at Victorious starts for me with Echobelly at the Castle Stage. I last saw the band when Sonya Madan and guitarist Glenn Johansson (the core members of Echobelly) played as an acoustic duo at The Prince Albert in Brighton in 2019. However, I haven’t seen them play as a full electric band since I saw them play at the University of London Union in 2001, so I’m really looking forward to this!!!
It becomes clear from opener ‘I Can’t Imagine The World Without Me’ that Sonya is in fine voice. She and Glenn both seem to be ageless as well! The band are powerful, tight and crisp and the crowd love them. It has to be said, they have drawn quite a substantial crowd. They only have a half hour set and it’s crammed with classics. The crowd yell the lyrics of ‘Great Things’ back at the stage, and the band seem quite taken aback! Echobelly’s lyrics have always been quite pointed, and that’s easy to forget. The songs may have nice tunes but they often have very serious lyrics. ‘Father, Ruler, King, Computer’ for example is about what it’s like to be a girl growing up in a patriarchal society, whereas ‘King Of The Kerb’ is about gang culture. Their set is over disappointingly quickly, but fear not – they tour the UK in October and November, gracing the stage at Brighton Concorde 2 on 1st December. Be there, or be somewhere far less interesting.
(Mark Kelly)
CRYSTAL TIDES – Common Stage (2:30pm – 3:00pm)
I head to the Common Stage for Crystal Tides, who are a Portsmouth based indie five-piece. Their music is quite punchy but seems otherwise to be unremarkable. They’re certainly a tight band, but their material doesn’t particularly grab me for some reason. They have a small knot of fervent supporters down the front, but otherwise there is only quite a small crowd to see them. They are booked to play at Portsmouth Guildhall later in the year. With all due respect to them, this seems a tad ambitious. Hopefully they’ll prove me wrong and fill the place!
(Mark Kelly)
CMAT – Common Stage (3:30pm – 4:15pm)
Next up on the Common Stage is CMAT, better known to her mother as Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, from Meath in Ireland. I first saw CMAT playing solo acoustically at the End Of The Road Festival in 2021. Today she has a full band which better demonstrates the sonic variety of her songs. There are many influences apparent within her songs, none of which particularly dominate. There’s certainly a Lana Del Ray quality to her vocals, and a country influence too. There is a pedal steel player in her band, who also plays guitar. The band vibe suits CMAT well. They all seem to have a good laugh. At the end of one song they all collapse on the floor. They seem a good, tight unit. Apart from the upcoming End Of The Road Festival and Moseley Folk And Arts Festival there are no further UK dates booked. However, if you have any air miles kicking around, CMAT tours Australia in January.
(Mark Kelly)
BLACK GRAPE – Castle Stage (4:05pm – 4:35pm)
As the heavens open I lace up my walking boots and head back to the Castle Stage (0.8 miles if you remember) to see Shaun Ryder’s Black Grape. That’s how they’re billed anyway, although their backdrop proudly proclaims Black Grape. I suspect there may be some kind of copyright dispute going on somewhere. When the band take the stage Shaun Ryder is present and correct, but Kermit is nowhere to be seen. Shaun says that he will be singing two parts today as “Mr Yardley (is that Kermit’s real name???) ain’t here!” Well, this should be interesting.
Shaun is clean and sober and has been for some years. The last time that I saw him was in The Happy Mondays twenty-five years ago, so this seems a bit strange. He’s funny, witty, and perfectly with it. He’s in really good voice too! The band have a new album out too, called ‘Orange Head’, so the set won’t be a trawl through the oldies. Despite Kermit’s absence, the band as a whole come across as being really enthusiastic. Of course, it being a short set we’re going to get some oldies. ‘In The Name Of The Father’, ‘Tramarzi Party’ and ‘Reverend Black Grape’ all make an appearance.
There are new songs too though: ‘Dirt’ and ‘Milk’ are both from the new album and guess what? They’re really good! I might even buy it!!! The set ends with my favourite Black Grape song: ‘Kelly’s Heroes’, with its suitably heroic guitar riff. This has been a great set, which I wasn’t expecting as I’d been given some bad live reports about this line-up. Well, those reports were clearly wrong! Shaun Ryder’s Black Grape are in suitably rude health.
(Mark Kelly)
RATS! RATS! RATS! – Introducing Stage (4:20pm – 4:50pm)
Sometimes it is fun to choose to see a band based on nothing other than their name at a festival. Rats! Rats! Rats! grabbed attention and intrigued, leaving little clue of what to expect. The two-piece punk band from Gosport dominated the small Introducing Stage. They played fast, heavy, and loud.
Formed in 2022, Andy Haxwell (guitar/vocals) and Rich Oakes (drums) have released two EPs. They have toured England and supported punk legends, Snuff, and Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols.
A reworking of the Kia Ora advert soundtrack was as fun as it was fast. Featuring a humourous nod to the Stooges classic ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ in the familiar lyric from the advert “I’ll be your Dog”, carrying the forty-somethings singing along back to the ’80s. Bringing a wry smile to the face, it was indeed “too orangey for crows”.
‘What Is The Point Of You?’, was introduced as a breakup song. It was the second time of the day that I saw a song dedicated to heartbreak. Tom Walker had volunteered a song earlier on the Common Stage, for those suffering from a variety of losses.
Rats! Rats! Rats! encouraged the audience to use the music cathartically. Despite the difference in approach, it was great to see bands using music’s power to provide comfort when other sources might not be available. Though I have to say Rats! Rats! Rats! managed to do so more joyfully, and with a less bitter edge.
The set over too soon, the band left their audience thoroughly sweaty and warmed up for the rest of the day as only a punk band can.
(Jess Kemp)
HOLLY HUMBERSTONE – Common Stage (4:45pm – 5:30pm)
A singer-songwriter emerging from the Lincolnshire wolds is a surprise. It is even more so for one so young. Humberstone has said that due to the lack of a vibrant music scene in the area growing up, she did her own thing.
It certainly seems to be working for the rising star, winning her a Brit Award and an Ivor Novello. A trained violinist, spotted by a manager at her local BBC Introducing show. This led to her performing at Glastonbury Festival’s Introducing show in 2019. With a growing catalogue of songs, she has performed with a variety of acts, including Sam Fender and Bombay Bicycle Club. She has also supported Taylor Swift this year on the hugely successful ‘Eras’ tour.
With such accolades and collaborations, would Humberstone live up to the hype, and stand out from similar up-and-coming artists?
The sunset’s soft haze materialised behind her, casting a romantic ambiance. The warm glow of the backdrop enhanced the effect of her soft yet soulful vocals. Her lyrics delve into personal experience and emotions leaning into introspection. The singer-songwriter’s lyrics discuss family and personal relationships. They allow the listener to surrender fully to emotional release. ‘Falling Asleep At The Wheel’ had an edge of Lorde in the vocal delivery and musical composition. ‘Down Swinging’, one of her many songs, will undoubtedly end up in film and TV soundtracks. A standout for me was ‘Scarlett’. It began with a ‘Swiftian’ refrain. Then, a catchy, exuberant song got the crowd going.
(Jess Kemp)
LIGHTNING SEEDS – Castle Stage (5:05pm – 5:50pm)
The sun’s come out so I remain at the Castle Stage for the Lightning Seeds. I last saw them eighteen years ago. They’ve never been one of my favourite bands. Even back in the late 1990s I viewed them as being a bit safe. On the other hand, when they have tunes that are THIS good you can’t really not like them can you?!
Ian Broudie leads his troops out and they go straight into ‘Marvellous’, and the crowd is immediately eating out of Broudie’s hand. ‘Sugar Coated Iceberg’ sounds like the classic that it absolutely is. ‘You Showed Me’ features snippets of ‘Imagine’ and ‘All You Need Is Love’. Broudie plays a ripping guitar solo too. Every song they play sounds like it should have been a hit single, and indeed, many of them were. It’s a given that a Lightning Seeds setlist is just classic after classic. I believe the word ‘genius’ is one that is overused, but as far as songwriting is concerned, Ian Broudie is a genius. This is proved when they play their first single ‘Pure’, which has a gloriously simple but effective earworm of a synth figure. To quote another of Broudie’s songs – marvellous!
The set comes to a close with the glorious ‘Life Of Riley’, and also ‘Three Lions’, which the huge crowd sing along with. This has maybe been quite a short set, but it’s been an absolute triumph. They tour towards the end of the year: playing Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion on 23rd November, and Kentish Town Forum on 13th December.
(Mark Kelly)
THE LATHUMS – Common Stage (6:15pm – 7:00pm)
I trek back to the Common Stage for The Lathums, an indie six piece from Wigan. For some reason I’d got it into my head that they were a mid 1990s indie throwback, but they’re far more interesting than that. Their music is mostly pleasingly punchy. Vocalist Alex Moore has a strong passionate voice, and lead guitarist Scott Concepcion is astonishingly good. Drummer Ryan Durrans has a sign on his bass drum: “From nothing to a little bit more”. Well, that describes most of us!
The band are certainly no one-trick ponies. ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’ is something of an acoustic strumalong. It’s a very positive feelgood song, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It has a sweet minor key solo that sounds as if it could have been played by George Harrison. ‘No Direction’ is a new song with dazzling guitar throughout. Scott Concepcion’s solo absolutely blazes. There are some nice melodic bass lines from Matty Murphy too. All in all this set has been something of a tour de force. It’s great to see a sh*t hot guitar band. Scott Concepcion is a guitar hero in the making. To a man, the band are superb musicians. There are no weak links.
(Mark Kelly)
THE AMAZONS – Castle Stage (6:35pm – 7:20pm)
In a departure from Humberstone’s ‘wistfulness’, The Amazons moved more towards the arena indie ‘style’ rock you would expect to find in the mainstream charts. Their debut album climbed to number eight in the Top Ten. They create uncomplicated songs with an often positive lyrical angle and uplifting resonance. Matt Thomson (vocals, guitar), Chris Alderton (guitar), and Elliot Briggs (bass) are skilled musicians. Their playing is practiced and precise. Their billing was the perfect soft segue into later acts on the Castle Stage. The band are inoffensive crowd pleasers. They have sold out shows worldwide and have two top-ten UK albums.
Opening with ‘Ready For Something’ the band started softly priming the audience for the rest of their set, starting as they meant to go on. ‘In My Mind’ has a great hook. It sees the band step up the ‘Rock’ elements a bit. It has a heavier sound than earlier tracks and nice backing vocals on the chorus from the rest of the band. This track has a tinge of Steve Winwood’s delivery in leads Matt Thomson’s vocal.
‘Mother’ has a drumbeat that draws you in. It is one of their trademark, exhilarating songs. The catchy guitar riffs add to it. Introducing ‘Black Magic’ Thomson promised to cast a spell on the audience. The song had a slower tempo until it hit the faster upbeat chorus. In the last song of their set, the band held the audience’s attention as they had throughout the set. Had they cast a spell? Enough to win themselves a few more fans.
(Jess Kemp)
COURTEENERS – Common Stage (7:45pm – 8:35pm)
The Greater Manchester act was formed in 2006. The band’s lineup has seen a few changes over the years. The current band includes Liam Fray (lead guitar, vocals), Michael Campbell (drums, backing vocals), Daniel “Conan” Moores (rhythm guitar), Elina Lin (keys) And Joe Cross (bass). They have released six studio albums to date. The lyrical content is written by Fray who states that all the songs come from personal experience.
Before the band took the stage ‘Oasis’, predictably echoed full blast from every speaker on the approach to the Common Stage. Would this be yet another Manchester act like the omnipresent Gallagher brothers?. Or would they stand apart as something all their own?. The presentation of the band lent them a gravitas and style which hinted there might be something a little apart from the expected-on offer. Fray entered with the style and swagger of a confident frontman; all the signs were good for a great performance.
Another mainstream band in the mid-slot designed to carry the audience through to the main acts of the day. Courteeners did so ably. By the fourth track, they had begun to win over the audience. But, midway through the set, I noticed more women quietly leaving. More men took their places.
I guessed the women were heading for the Sugarbabes set at the Castle Stage. That was fair enough, as it would take a while to get there and find a view.
The fourth song of the set titled ‘Solitude Of The Night Bus’, was the first from the band to catch my attention. Fray’s laid-back vocals lead into the song. Then, the chorus hit “Leave me alone”. It is a feeling we’ve all had on the last night bus home, no matter which city we are in. The song ‘Summer’ bounced along, capturing a bright summer day. ‘Take Over The World’ had the audience on their feet, singing along. It was a fan favourite. Like most of the band’s songs, it was easy to sing along to. It also fostered a sense of camaraderie, like at a stadium football match.
After this track, it was time to take leave to return to the Introducing Stage. As we set off the band broke into a cover of ‘It Must Be Love’ by ‘Madness. Like their set, Courteeners are crowd pleasers. They leave you uplifted and ready for whatever comes next.
(Jess Kemp)
SUGARBABES – Castle Stage (8:05pm – 8:55pm)
Somewhat under duress, I’m dragged back to the Castle Stage to see Sugababes. It really isn’t my kind of music, but I’ll put up with it I suppose. Actually, I must confess, I’m really impressed with the Sugababes, which is not something I was expecting. This is the original line-up of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy. They actually re-formed in 2011, but weren’t allowed to use the Sugababes name until 2019. Prior to that, Sugababes had effectively become a franchise, recording and touring with no original members.
Tonight we have the genuine article. There’s a huge crowd to see them, with equally huge anticipation too. Before they take the stage snippets of interviews with them are played over the PA, which ramps up the anticipation even higher. I’m pleased to report that they don’t disappoint. Indeed, in my opinion they exceed expectations. I was concerned that they might sing to a backing track, but they have a live band consisting of a drummer, bassist, guitarist and keyboard player. These musicians are pretty virtuosic too. Let’s not forget the actual Sugababes here. Their vocals are faultless throughout, both lead and harmony. It’s easy to forget how many absolute bangers they have: ‘Hole In The Head’, ‘Too Lost In You’, ‘Overload’ (their first single), and particularly ‘Round Round’. They finish with ‘About You Now’. When the ladies leave the stage the band rock out for a few minutes, which is an excellent end to the set. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed that! I might even see them again…..
(Mark Kelly)
WELLY – Introducing Stage (8:30pm – 9:00pm)
Where the earlier bands had tended towards the slick and the serious, the next band were a breath of fresh air. One song in, and Welly was in the full throws of a fun, riotous set.
The band was featured on Steve Lamacq’s show, The Sunday Times, and on the front of Dork magazine in 2024. They are a five-piece so full of energy they fizz. The five members filled the stage, grinning and dancing. They sang and played their instruments, unable to stop moving. They enjoyed every second on stage. But it was the lead whose presence was electric. Welly (aka Elliot) is irrepressible, his alter ego giving the band their name. He was born in Southampton, just down the road from the festival. Now based in Brighton, he was joined by Joe and Matt (guitars), Jacob (bass), and Hannah (percussion and keys). There is a mix of influences that pervade Welly’s relentlessly fast-paced songs. Disco-pop is ’80s synth-pop mixed with indie. It’s the kind of music that will get you ready for a night out and back on the dance floor. On top of that, there is a heavy dose of humour, this is a band that wants you to join them in having a great time.
Just after the first track, Welly told the gathered audience of locals, fans and passersby swept up in the band’s whirlwind, that it was their third year at Victorious and their second year on the Introducing Stage, which doesn’t feel like progress to me?! “Same Year, Same Stage, Same Jokes”, he deadpanned.
‘Deere John’, the second song of the set grabbed us straight away. It even has its own mimed introduction featuring starting up the machinery from the brand the song takes its name from. The new single ‘Shopping’ takes a wry look at the usually lamented high-street activity. Another of my firm favourites was ‘Soak Up The Culture’. I can guarantee that, at some point, you’ll hear it on the radio, and it’ll get stuck in your head for days. If you can get to see Welly soon, they can’t fail but improve your day.
(Jess Kemp)
JAMIE T – Common Stage (9:20pm – 10:50pm)
Jamie T has a vast song catalogue. This showed in his long, eighteen-song set. Like his last four studio albums, his 2022 album, ‘The Theory Of Whatever’, covers many subjects. It analyses the threads of British life and culture. His approach draws on a mix of references. They include the psycho-geography of early morning London (he’s a South Londoner),the migrant crisis, Brexit, and celebrity drug dealers. He is lyrically imaginative. He avoids direct comparisons. Instead, he uses wildly imaginative essays to illustrate his point.
We returned to the Common Stage to catch one of the headliners of the night. A huge crowd had built. The backdrop was like those behind red carpet stars. It was repeatedly emblazoned with his name. But it reminded me more of lines on a blackboard. We need not have worried about missing his set. He arrived late, but not too much so. As the set went on, he seemed worse for wear. His lyrics were less crisp, made worse by his speak-singing style. This may have changed the atmosphere around the main stage. It now felt menacing, unlike the usual vibe of his recorded music.
From the start of the set, there was a definite air of The Jam, his work has been compared to them before. The rest of the band provided backing vocals. They added to the feel of Weller’s former act. So did the tempo’s pace. Jamie’s T’s music feels familiar. It may be his subject matter: the fabric of a British everyday experience.
The set covered material from all five albums, with an emphasis on the 2022 album. But it surprisingly did not include the new single, ‘Hippodrome’. The audience seemed very happy with his set. But I doubt most noticed its flaws. Being his last performance of the festival season, it may not have been the best way to experience him.
(Jess Kemp)
PIXIES – Castle Stage (9:40pm – 10:50pm)
Victorious Festival is noted for its sometimes almost random programming, and a prime example is the fact that Sugababes are followed by the Pixies! This festival is noted for the eclecticism of its line-up, but I would put money on my belief that you would not see Sugababes being followed by the Pixies at any other festival in the world!!! Tonight is the first time that I’ve seen the Pixies with new bassist Emma Richardson, formerly of Band Of Skulls.
The set is a ‘best of’, which makes it the perfect festival set. There’s quite a lot from ‘Doolittle’, and from ‘Bossanova’, which they’ve recently been playing in its entirety. However, they also play two new songs, ‘The Vegas Suite’ and ‘Chicken’ from the forthcoming album ‘The Night The Zombies Came’, which is released in October. These are songs that nobody will have heard yet (although ‘Chicken’ is on Spotify), but they seem to go down quite well nonetheless. Black Francis is still not the most communicative of frontmen. He doesn’t speak to the audience, apart from once, when he starts a song in the wrong key and apologises. Virtually every song is a highlight.
There’s something very feral yet precise about the Pixies. Almost as if they’re performing some kind of evil surgery. During a particularly ferocious reading of ‘Debaser’, Black Francis sounds really quite satanic. Joey Santiago’s lead guitar lines are wonderfully fluid. When he solos, he has the spotlight on him and Black Francis steps back into the shadows! They clearly have an agreement. Emma Richardson is, in my opinion, the best Pixies bassist since Kim Deal (with all due respect to the late Kim Shattuck). She sings lead on the Peter Ivers and David Lynch cover ‘In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)’. The set ends with ‘Where Is My Mind’ and ‘Here Comes Your Man’. Perhaps it’s not been an absolutely perfect set, but it’s pretty damn close!
(Mark Kelly)
‘Victorious Festival’ will return next year! The dates for your diary are 22nd to 24th August 2025. Tickets are on sale now and the various options can be viewed HERE.
The Brighton & Hove News team attended the 2023 and 2022 ‘Victorious Festivals’. You can read and enjoy our reviews below:
