Police prove they've still got it

WITH uber-cool acts like KATE NASH and THE POLICE, the Isle of Wight festival
shaped up to be a brilliant start to the summer.

Check out who else we caught live at the music weekender.
KATE NASH
Following AMY MCDONALD is definitely no easy task, but KATE NASH
pulled it off with ease.

Amy's set rocked the crowd early on in the day, but Kate upped her game to
take the day's crown as festival queen.

Kicking off with Pumpkin Soup this was a masterclass in solo singing, backed
by a brilliant band, Kate kept up the momentum throughout her set, thrashing
the piano keys as though they were a cheating ex-boyfriend's face.

Foundations lifted the crowd's spirits and the energetic finale was something
else.
4 out of 5

THE ZUTONS
The Scousers were a delight to watch, without a doubt the day's main
crowd-pleasers.

Their back catalogue consists of anthems that even the most hard-nosed
revellers can't help but sing along to.
DAVE MCCABE and his merry band present themselves as modest,
down-to-earth lads which immediately endeared them to the crowd.

Spinning together all of their most popular tracks into one sun-filled set was
a joy to behold.

Valerie, You Will You Won't, Always Right Behind, Confusion - there were no
real surprises here, but that's what made it so good.

The lads are definite festival faves and rightly so.
5 out of 5

IGGY AND THE STOOGES
Like the SEX PISTOLS, IGGY AND THE STOOGES are no spring
chickens, but they have experience on their side and they put the youngsters
who shared the bill with them to shame.

Prancing around onstage in typical topless style, IGGY POP is a living
legend.

Screaming and howling like a madman, he rode the speakers like a bucking
bronco, poured water over himself and contorted his body like a man
possessed.

You'd never believe that the band's collective age reaches into the 200s.

No Fun and I Wanna Be Your Dog (for which Iggy leaped off the stage and
crawled around on all-fours) were amongst the classics rolled out with
professionalism unmatched by any of the day's other acts.

One of the guitarist's rolling around on the floor as though he was having
convulsions, while playing a solid riff had to be seen to be believed.

100% dynamite.
5 out of 5

IAN BROWN
Although he was a lot more laid back than the rest of the day's acts, IAN
BROWN still created an energetic atmosphere through attitude alone.

Kicking off by telling the crowd he'd picked up 10 stitches after a riotous
gig in Sheffield the night before was the ideal way to start the set.

This man means business when he's on stage, with that Manchester swagger you
associate with class acts like OASIS and the HAPPY MONDAYS,
Ian took the crowd on a musical journey.

Never removing his shades, he strolled around onstage in front of a sea of
flags, including one of revolutionary CHE GUEVERA.

It was the perfect backdrop for Ian's set, which almost made you feel part of
a movement.

Faultless.
4 out of 5

THE SEX PISTOLS
The crowd's anticipation had reached a crescendo by the time JOHNNY ROTTEN
and his gang stepped onstage.

But this was to be a slightly disappointing set - mainly due to Johnny's
constant goading of the crowd.

Ok, we all know what to expect from the Pistols frontman, but his demanding
attitude and criticism of the crowd was a little unnecessary.

That said, you can't beat their classic anthems and that's what we were all
here for - Johnny performed with the same angst and fire that set the band
on the road to stardom back in the 70s, which is great considering how long
he's been at it.

Two encores can't be argued with - they closed the first with Anarchy in the
UK, which the crowd carried on singing without any encouragement for the
entire time between the first and second encore.

Energy like that can't be faked, and neither can Johnny's attitude.

He may be rude but he's authentic and that's what makes the Sex Pistols what
they are. Legends.
4 out of 5

NEWTON FAULKNER NEWTON FAULKNER picked up more than a few new fans with this brilliant
performance on the main stage.

The dreadlocked singer was an unexpected treat for revellers, on the
festival's busiest and sunniest day so far.

His mix of folky, happy songs was ideal for the majority of the audience.
Groups of friends could be seen arm in arm, singing along to the likes of
Gone In The Morning and I Need Something.

As the sun warmed up the audience, as did Newton's excellent performance - a
great start to the final day.
4 out of 5

STARSAILOR
Veterans of the stage STARSAILOR held their own from the minute they
appeared at the festival.

Performing at their fifth Isle Of Wight fest, the group knew exactly how to
please the crowd and ran through their array of hits - kicking off with
Alcoholic. Coincidentally, it just so happened to be Father's Day.

"We've played here five years in a row and this is the best Isle Of Wight
Festival we've performed at," said frontman JAMES WALSH -
whether he was telling the truth or not, he got the reaction he needed from
the crowd.

Their music may not be the most energetic but they provided the perfect
soundtrack to a lazy, sunkissed Sunday.
4 out of 5

THE KOOKS LUKE PRITCHARD and his merry bunch of skinny jeans-wearing rockers were
one of the day's most highly anticipated acts - in fact, by the time they
made it on to the main stage there were hardly any empty spaces in the
crowd.

This was the beginning of the day's dancing segment, with revellers shoving
each other for space, singing along in unison and bottles and cups of beer
flying above the crowd constantly during the entire set.

Some say the band act like spoilt brats, but they put their all into this
performance and the crowd lapped it up - just like JOE LEAN two days
before.

Luke had a pop at the VIPs, drawing massive boos from the audience (for the
VIPs not THE KOOKS). A band of the people, they were relentless in their
song choices, rocking the crowd until they could rock no more.

Highlight of the set was Naive, a top track which had every single person in
the crowd, young and old, jumping up and down like there was no tomorrow.
5 out of 5

JAMES
This was to be the calm before the storm. Following on from The Kooks was to
be a difficult task for JAMES, whose music is a little more
down-tempo than Luke's gang.

That said, the group have been around for a long time and their music reached
out to many of the more mature members of the crowd, as well as some of the
youngsters too.
TIM BOOTH gave it everything he had, dancing like a maniac to most of
their songs - but it was a disappointment after the energetic performance by
The Kooks.

It took a rendition of one of their biggest hits, She's a Star, to really get
everybody warmed up for THE POLICE.

Good, but just not good enough.
3 out of 5 THE POLICE
LIKE the SEX PISTOLS the day before, STING and THE POLICE
attracted the biggest audience on the final day of the festival.

Choosing the reformed band to close the festival was a masterstroke by its
organisers.

There aren't many bands that have a back catalogue as full of chart-toppers
and anthems as The Police - and they didn't let the crowd down with their
choice of songs.

All the greats were in there including Roxanne, I'll Be Watching You and
Message In A Bottle.

And they performed them with vigour and professionalism - again, the kind of
show you only get from real veterans of the stage.

A great way to end a fantastic festival.
5 out of 5
And a little something extra...

Strongbow's Bowtime Bar was the destination for cutting edge DJs and fresh
bands at the Isle of Wight Festival. A diverse range of programming saw the
likes of EVIL NINE and THE WOMBATS taking to the stage - both
a big hit with punters.

But by far the highlight was THE PETEBOX who had everyone jumping
around with his unique and brilliant beatboxing. He worked the crowd into a
frenzy before finishing with a storming rendition of BASEMENT JAXX's
Where's Your Head At.

With people queuing five deep to get in THE UNABOMBERS smashed the
Bowtime Bar. Mixing together minimal techno with some classic hands in the
air anthems they stole the show.