[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What a wonderful weekend for a festival in sunny South Wales and Margam Park is hosting this offering from In It Together. After party boppers Vengaboys opened proceedings on the Parc Stage, next up was Toploader; the long-time performers drew a small crowd of engagement. The white locks of Joseph Washbourn come alongside a familiar twang and level of gruff that comes across well live during ‘Turn It Around’. Their mix of electric and acoustic, complete with keys and tambourine style percussion was fairly commanding, in particular, ‘Let the People Know’ showed nice musicianship. After congratulating the crowd for supporting summer festivals, Toploader depart but not before a cheer sees the intro to big-time hit ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ – which prompts an enthusiastic singalong.
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A very long wait ensues for next act Twin Atlantic, who are a bit of a wildcard amongst this bill. Their set up seems to be lengthy and some of the crowd grow restless. Opening with the anthemic ‘No Sleep’, the Scottish rockers bring an alternative edge to today’s proceedings. Lead singer Sam McTrusty swaggers around the stage, belting out the chorus with vigour. At times, the mic was not loud enough as the vocals were getting drowned out by the instrumentation. ‘Make a Beast of Myself’ goes down a storm before the ever passionate ‘Free’ is performed and the rare sunshine in Wales sees Sam McTrusty joke that they’ve brought the weather with them from their native Scotland. Twin Atlantic got the crowd pumped despite being one of the lesser-known acts on the main stage. The filthy guitar riffs, heartfelt melodies and falsetto, complete with their iconic Glaswegian twang will have gained them a few fans today. Closing with the jammy and groove-inducing ‘Heart & Soul’ concluded a great, albeit relatively short set.
Next up, Kelis takes to the stage clad in a baby pink sequined tracksuit, bringing the R&B stardom to Port Talbot. ‘22nd Century’ got the crowd dancing along to the beat and ‘Get Along With You’ with its thumping beat made for a great sound. Queue a switch up with a dubstep style sound, courtesy of on-stage DJ Nikki. Kelis’ renowned low voice was accompanied by a backup singer and a fantastic drummer for songs such as ‘Got Your Money’ in which she was a featuring artist. The set was far too long however, as the Milkshake hitmaker seemed to have only a few recognisable songs.
One of Friday’s top billed acts James Bay was much anticipated and subsequently opened with the most incredible vocal. The way he fuses a purity of tone with gruffy riffs is fantastic. ‘Save Your Love’ featured beautiful, clean guitar work and ‘Give Me the Reason’ really showcased how amazing his voice is. James Bay had a full stage band which combined to make a great quality sound, especially in hearing what an astute guitarist he is. One thing is for sure, James Bay feels his music; there is an intensity on his face as he grooves to his own guitar riffs, and he also engaged in a jam session with his guitar player. ‘Let It Go’ rang out, prompting a crowd singalong and new song, ‘One Life’ went down well with a change of pace. The recognisable opening notes of ‘Hold Back the River’ sees the final number of his set, and what a polished sound and production this was.
Meanwhile, Lovely Laura and Ben Santiago draw a crowd in the Panchaia tent. The saxophonist, accompanied by her DJing husband put on an excellent performance of house music, made even better by the production. Strobe lighting and visual effects make this appear like a fully fledged rave with brilliant instrumentation. This tent has been given some impressive aesthetic treatment – foliage and floral inflatables adorn the ceiling creating a botanical garden come jungle. Laura fully commands the stage and when the beat drops, the crowd love it!
Over in the Rewind tent, garage legends So Solid Crew have the top spot and what an atmosphere they create! The crowd are bouncing and cheering at their every command and the lighting and sound inside the tent is blaring to great effect. They jump from song to song at 100 miles per hour lead by Lisa Maffia and Romeo. The rapping is fast paced and absolutely on the money with masses of people clearly enjoying the nostalgia hit.
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Finally, Parc Stage headliners The Kooks kick off the main event with ‘Always Where I Need to Be’ and prove they’ve still got it after many years. All the instruments are singing together and Luke Pritchard’s voice is strong and as distinctive as ever. Guitarist Hugh Harris was riffing to great effect which made for a lovely sound. The visuals of the video screen and the lighting made for an ambient atmosphere as the sky darkened and the evening set in. Their recognisable pop rock is made up of head bopping tunes and The Kooks blasted through their repertoire at lightning speed. After voicing their pleasure at being back in Wales, ‘Ooh La’ showcased how tight and polished their live performance was as they sound exactly like they do on a track.
‘She Moves in Her Own Way’ was accompanied by an acoustic guitar and the roar of the crowd, who sing along passionately. The band were bathed in a purple and orange glow of lights and Luke Pritchard leads the crowd in an “ohhh ohhh…” sing along. The thumping bass drum of ‘Bad Habit’ and the energetic ‘Do You Wanna’ both showcase the group’s musical talents. The set feels a little drawn out as the chill sets in after a glorious start to the Bank Holiday weekend, however despite many of their nostalgic hits already having been played, they still have the crowd’s attention. A good job really as closing number ‘Naïve’ inevitably garners a positive reaction and reminds us all of why the band are still so popular.
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