Unlike in 2014, this years Clapham Calling Festival was only a one day event, however this did not compromise the quality of the music or artists that performed on a blisteringly hot day in SW4.

As we walked through Clapham Common a low thump of music coming from the main stage could be heard and the warm sun was reflected by the huge screens on either side of it; it was a warm day and this suited perfectly the friendly and light hearted atmosphere that surrounded the area. Inside the venue itself, the main stage and the slightly smaller secondary stage faced each other almost directly and the sets were orchestrated perfectly so that you simply had to turn around at the end of a set on one stage to see the next one on the other stage.

As we entered, we were immediately greeted by the upbeat rock music of the Reading-based indie rock band, Sundara Karma, who were playing on the smaller stage, close to the entrance. A lively crowd had gathered to watch this rising band who played some songs from their latest album, Indigo Puff.

Across the venue on the main stage, Echo and the Bunnymen rolled back the years and their set included classics such as Lips Like Sugar, The Killing Moon and Nothing Lasts Forever. Their fans lapped it up and their short set was well received.

Spinning around to the smaller stage Osca performed a lively set, the chirpy little singer seemed to enjoy his moment and the band performed brilliantly throughout their set.

Over on the main stage, the Swedish rock band, The Hives, made their entrance, dressed all in white suits before a backdrop of a red eyed puppeteer.

However, it wasn't long before the sun and their stunning performance made them start stripping off. Both singer and guitarist spent a large portion of their time in or around the crowd and they were the highlight of the festival for me. True entertainment as they blitzed through 40 minutes including their hits Come On!, Walk Idiot Walk and Tick Tick Boom. Their interaction with the crowd was as good as their intense performance and they left to a great send off.

After The Hives were Modest Mouse. Unfortunately they had been both “liberated from their equipment” and had to compete with the blistering heat, however they still managing to produce an excellent performance. Probably the largest crowd of the day so far made their way to the main stage. A loyal following in the crowd sang and danced along on Independence Day and the American band entertained us with songs such as Paper Thin Walls, Lampshades on Fire and The View. A slightly less manic performance than The Hives but equally enjoyable.

Over on the small stage were another American Band called Bleachers. Fronted by the lead singer of the well-known band Fun, they performed an energetic set of good old fashioned indie pop, to me they were an unknown band, but after this performance I made a point of going back and listening to some more of their music….I guess that’s what these festivals are about, opening new markets to different bands. Great!

Next on the main stage was Ryan Adams, a huge crowd gathered to watch him and he performed a faultless set. The crowd sang and danced along as he blasted out songs such as Gimme Something Good, Dirty Rain and Come Pick Me Up. We watched as we queued for food (food and drink was priced as expected ) so our view was from afar, it would have been good to have been a bit nearer as the crowd had a great time.

Headlining the smaller stage were Wolf Alice, a rising band from North London. Their new album My Love is Cool had been released a few days prior to the event and their set list was made up of a mix of old and new material including Fluffy, Bros and Moaning Lisa Smile. Headed by singer Ellie Rowsell, the band put on a compelling performance, captivating the large audience that comprised of many fans and some of the previous bands that had performed throughout the day. Their set was great and the perfect support for the main event.

Finally as the sun started to set the main man appeared on the stage to a rapturous welcome. Arguably one of the greatest songwriters in recent history, he appeared in black leathers and the crowd were immediately captivated. For one and a half hours we were treated to a mix of NGHFB and Oasis songs along with Noel Gallagher’s well known charm. 

Starting the performance with a quote about a screaming girl in the audience, and the fact she CANNOT have a boyfriend, asking her where she lives (Kent) to which he replied “shithole”. The crowd loved it!

The set comprised of songs such as Everybody’s on the Run, Fade Away, Champagne Supernova and What a Life. It’s easy to feel sorry for Noel when the crowd is constantly screaming for Oasis songs as that undermines the quality of some of NGHFB material, though he seems to have found a good mix of the old and new. The evening was drawn to a wonderful close with the sound of Don’t Look Back in Anger being sung all around Clapham Common.

Review: Alexandra and Dave Wayne

Photos: Courtesy of Calling Festival