After a scorching hot summer it seemed mother nature had other ideas for the August bank holiday weekend; Wind, rain, sun and everything in-between. But this didn’t seem to put anyone off attending – if anything it was a good excuse to go and purchase a colourful poncho of choice. And this year’s lineup, with headliners such as Kasabian and Richard Ashcroft, certainly pulled in the crowds.
There is something wonderfully chaotic about a festival Friday. The weekend is only just getting started, the crowds are finding their rhythm and, at Victorious, the sprawling mix of stages means you can go from the familiar to the completely unexpected within the space of an hour. Friday’s lineup delivered exactly that.
One of the day’s most gloriously unconventional appearances came from Look Mum, No Computer. In a festival environment that can sometimes favour polished, predictable performances, his set felt like a welcome injection of eccentricity. Strange contraptions, experimental sounds and an unmistakable sense of fun made for a performance that demanded attention. It was weird in the best possible way, the sort of set that leaves you wondering exactly what you have just witnessed, while simultaneously wanting more.
Then came Hard-Fi on the Castle stage, and suddenly the mood shifted from experimental to nostalgic. Their festival appearance was a reminder of just how many huge, instantly recognisable songs they have tucked away in the collective memory of British indie. The crowd responded accordingly, turning the set into one of those communal festival moments where the band almost becomes secondary to thousands of people singing the words back at them. There was a sense of rediscovery about it too: songs that once soundtracked mid-2000s nights out still have plenty of life in them.
Back at the Casemates Under the trees stage , GANS brought a darker, more alternative flavour to the day. Their set provided a welcome counterpoint to the more established festival names, demonstrating the breadth of Victorious’ programming. There is always a risk at a large festival that newer artists can feel like filler between the big names, but GANS had enough presence to make their slot feel worthwhile in its own right. One memorable moment was the drummer throwing himself into the crowd and once back on stage started cutting shapes into a headstand while still screaming down the mic.
Jessica Winter offered another of the day’s more distinctive performances. There is an intriguing unpredictability to her sound, blending pop sensibilities with something considerably stranger underneath. Live, that contrast works particularly well. Rather than simply reproducing the recordings, the performance has a sense of personality and experimentation that rewards anyone willing to step away from the main-stage crowd and explore.
Faithless closed the Castle Stage on Friday night with a brilliant, euphoric set that felt made for a festival crowd. The combination of huge dancefloor energy, stunning visuals and a crowd completely lost in the music made it one of the standout sets of the weekend. A perfect way to end the first day of Victorious.
Saturday at Victorious Festival certainly wasn’t blessed with the sun we have been having for the entirety of the summer! In fact, Mother Nature appeared to have had one too many and decided to throw wind, rain and sideways drizzle at us for most of the day! But, to be fair, it takes more than a bit of classic British weather to stop a Victorious crowd, and the bands definitely did their bit to keep everyone smiling, dancing and generally pretending they weren’t absolutely soaked!
Vote for Pedro got things moving with their infectious energy and proper feel-good festival sound. They were one of those bands that make it very difficult to stand still; They brought the fun, the crowd got involved, and everyone seemed to be loving them.
Fade Out kept the momentum going with a brilliant set packed with energy and attitude. They had that perfect festival knack of making you forget about everything else going on around you. Then it was time to turn Southsea into Ibiza-on-Sea with The Ibiza Band! Bringing those big party anthems and feel-good classics, they had people dancing, singing and throwing themselves into the festival spirit. Nothing says Ibiza quite like dancing in the rain while desperately trying to keep your drink from becoming diluted!
And then came the wonderfully named Bloody Grungers, and they certainly lived up to it! Bringing the guitars, the grit and that glorious grungy attitude, they cranked up the volume and gave us exactly the kind of soundtrack needed for a mid afternoon Saturday act.
Sunday at Victorious Festival was a fantastic way to round off an incredible weekend of live music on Southsea Common. There was a real mix of sounds and styles throughout the day, with something for everyone. Familiar to Millions got things moving with a great set of Oasis covers, while James Walsh brought his distinctive voice and plenty of energy to the stage later in the afternoon.
Fulu Miziki were another real highlight, bringing their unique sound and infectious energy to the festival crowd at the world stage. As the day went on, the atmosphere continued to build, with the Common Stage delivering some brilliant performances before the main event.
And what better way to finish Sunday than with headliners Kasabian? They delivered the big, energetic performance you’d expect, with the crowd singing and dancing along to every moment.
