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| Headliners: Mumford & Sons |
MUMFORD AND SONS
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
BEN HOWARD
EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS
HAIM
BEAR'S DEN
The vast expanse of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was a fine match for the colossal show about to take place - a revelry of folk, acoustic and Americana, courtesy of Gentlemen of the Road.
Despite the hype, Californian sisterly trio, HAIM, didn't appear to have the groundbreaking edge that was expected. The eighties inspired synth surged through the speaker's and the sisters joined with their rocking electric guitars and vocals. 'Falling' started to take shape, however through the mumbles and "HEY"s the crowd seemed to have been Luke-warmed up for the other acts to follow.
After an all right performance from HAIM, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros took to the stage in all their American, vintage-esque beauty. The ten musicians on stage made their entire set jubilant, and the "sixties festival" vibe was the perfect setting for the thousands of people to enjoy the festival experience.
Their most famous tune "Home" was most definitely a highlight of the entire day. Alex and Jade jumped down from the stage and asked members of the audience stories to fit in with the song, creating a huge sense of togetherness between the band and the crowd. Clapping, stamping and whistling along with a chorus of "HOME, LET ME COME HOME" sent the crowd and the band into rapturous joy.
BEN HOWARD tested the waters with new material which was excitedly received by the fans. Opening the set with 'Keiko', the crowd were engrossed in his deep, melodic performance. Singing some of his most loved hits, 'Only Love', 'The Wolves', 'Keep Your Head Up' and 'The Fear', the crowd echoed the howls and the choruses, creating another momentous experience for the day. India Bourne held her own and her pure talent and passion surged through, becoming the envy of all the ladies present that day. Ben and the band created yet another beautiful, emotionally moving show for the masses, setting the bar high for the next two acts to follow.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND took to the stage, dressed in smart-casual attire. Their performance was vibrant and a great crowd pleaser. Songs like 'Diane Young', 'Holiday', and 'A-Punk' sent the crowd into an upbeat frenzy, with sunny guitars and pounding drums, creating a real energy and buzz. It was safe to say that those at Summer Stampede had one heck of a warm up for the headline act: Mumford & Sons.
It was banjos galore; a celebration of fine music from fine gentlemen that was set to be a memory for a lifetime to come. Mumford & Sons had taken Glastonbury on by storm the week before, how would this performance fair against it? It was breathtaking.
It knocked the socks off of Glasto for sure. The massive affair had a sense of intimacy, as though it was a party amongst friends. Alcohol flowing and laughter all round - dancing and singing along to upbeat tracks such as Babel, Lover of the Light, Little Lion Man and I Will Wait really cemented the joyous sense of occasion. What is important to note is the way that Marcus and the boys could control the mood. From jubilance to emotion filled, heart-aching beauty; they portrayed the messages of their music perfectly. Feeling the sorrow of 'Ghosts That We Knew'; the underlying angst of 'Thistles and Weed' and 'Dust Bowl Dance' was inhibiting the crowd. I could feel it.
Branded by Marcus Mumford as "The best crowd they've played" felt like a huge achievement to everyone as one of the biggest factors that contributes to the success of their gigs is the support of the crowd. At one point in the show the crowd were silenced as the band stood together like brothers to perform 'Reminder', the sense of unity was heartwarming.
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| Crowd silenced as the foursome unite with 'Reminder' |
The show closed on 'The Cave' and one of the most incredible collaborations that could be imagined when performing a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain'. As they picked their way through the intro to 'The Cave', the excitement of the audience was immense as they clapped and cheered along. Shouting along to the chorus, a burst of confetti amongst the dark blue sky and show lights created this euphoric fantasy land, where the joy from everyone – performing and spectating, exuded into this one big picture of a dream.
Their final song 'The Chain' originally performed by Fleetwood Mac will forever be one of my most treasured moments. Mumford & Sons were joined on stage by Vampire Weekend, Ben Howard and band, ALL TEN of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros and the HAIM sisters, creating this majestic jam that will never be forgotten. It really brought home the wonder of the day. The sense that this wasn't just another show. It wasn't just another piss up for festival goers. It was a day to celebrate the love for that one thing that makes us the same, performer or audience - the love for the music.
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