Posted on July 19, 2009 - by Imelda

Madstock 2009

17 July 2009
Victoria Park
London , UK

Arriving at Victoria Park it’s quickly obvious that Madstock draws a pleasingly diverse crowd – young, old, punks, ska fans and a worryingly high number of people prepared to dress up as characters from Madness videos. It takes all sorts to celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of London’s best-loved bands.

Jerry Dammers © Imelda Michalczyk

With all the furore over Jerry Dammers not being involved in the recent reunion tour of his former band The Specials, I’m itching to see what he has on offer as an alternative these days. It definitely isn’t The Specials Mark 2. The aptly named Spatial AKA Orchestra is a laid back, jazz influenced fusion of instrumental music from nearly 20 musicians, featuring a strong brass section, keyboards, flute, guitars, congas, xylophone and violin. It’s relaxing, summery music though for entertainment value the performance is a little too restrained – most of the band is sitting down and Dammers, who isn’t facing the audience, is hidden beneath a hat, sunglasses and beard. For a band with the most stage props, a backdrop and a huge number of musicians, they have the least visual impact. The highlight is the arrival of Rico Rodriguez (also from the days of The Specials) on trombone for a lyric-less version of the classic ‘Ghost Town’. With promises of a tour next year, Jerry disappears as the sky begins to threaten a downpour.

Over on the second stage, US bluegrass comic four-piece Hayseed Dixie (apparently they started out as a hillbilly tribute to ACDC) put on an entertaining set, including a cover of Green Day’s ‘Holiday’ – I never knew this would sound good on a banjo, but it actually did! The between song banter is more fun than the material, but they draw a reasonable crowd and I find myself smiling as I head back to the main stage.

The Blockheads are a much more enticing prospect with their polished, classic sound and, of course, some of the best post-punk songs of our time. Whilst they’ll never be as commanding without the legend that was Ian Dury at the helm, the songs are so strong and the delivery slick that it’s a real treat to hear the likes of ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’, ‘Reasons To Be Cheerful’, ‘What a Waste’ and ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’ live. It all seems a fitting and genuinely heartfelt tribute to Dury. We’re told we’re “the best audience in Europe”. Ah, get out of here, I bet you say that to all the audiences….

I finally track down the elusive third stage and catch just a snippet of The Anomalies, a young UK band that offer up an eclectic mix of just about everything. The traditional guitar, drums and bass set up is balanced with a bloke on a turntable, meandering into hip hop tinged upbeat thrashy rock pop. Or something. Anyway, the crowd loved it and it would be interesting to see what a full set by them would be like.

The Pogues © Imelda Michalczyk

By now the skies have well and truly opened and Madness’s ‘Grey Day’ would be an appropriate number to sing as I squelch through the crowd to the main stage to hang around with my camera wrapped in plastic, getting drenched in rain, ready to shoot the beginning of The Pogues set and muttering that they better be good.

The Pogues in fact turn out to be the revelation of the day for me. Brilliant sound, great set list including classics like ‘Dirty Old Town’ and ‘Rainy Night In Soho’ and an endearingly charismatic front man, I find myself wondering how on earth I’ve never seen them live before. The rowdy, rootsy music is timeless. Shane McGowan wears a dishevelled suit and a pirate-style eye patch – someone tells me it’s due to a fight, but I have no idea if that’s true. Clutching a drink and cigarette for most of the set, he staggers off stage to let the rest of band play two songs without him. A safety-pin earring reminds us of his notorious punk roots, but today’s slightly unsteady 50-year-old McGowan, is simply the unpredictable magic that gives The Pogues both their edge and their intrigue. That said, I don’t know why he needed to repeatedly head butt a metal tray towards the end of the set. But with quality music and stage presence like this, I can see why they’ve inspired a hardcore following for a long time.

Finally, it’s time for Madness to take to the stage. Suggs brandishes a long black umbrella – appropriate given the damp nature of the audience – and wears a sparkly suit, bowler hat and sunglasses. They balance a set of nostalgia trips (‘House of Fun’, ‘Wings of a Dove’, ‘Shut Up’, ‘My Girl’) with new material from their latest album ‘The Liberty of Norton Folgate’.

Madness © Imelda Michalczyk

Whilst I’m less familiar with the new songs, people around me are singing the words and dancing in a frenzy, so this is by no means just a trip down memory lane for the Madness fans. ‘Baggy Trousers’ is a treat to hear live and ‘It Must Be Love’ is strangely romantic, even in a chilly, damp, dark field. A man I don’t know at all puts his arm around my shoulders and sings the entire song to me. Surprisingly, it just makes me smile and realise what goodwill a great band can bring to total strangers!

Jerry Dammers returns to the stage for a rendition of the band’s theme song ‘Madness’ before the night draws to a close with ‘Night Boat To Cairo’.

This is only the fifth Madstock festival over almost 20 years – looking at the wide range of people who attended and the happy faces leaving Victoria Park, they could certainly justify making it an annual event. Punk’s not dead and nor, it seems, is ska…