Common People proved once again proved why it is one of the best festivals in the Hampshire area as Southampton experienced a mixture of well-established acts and up and coming over the bank holiday weekend (26 – 27 May).
We managed to catch local band Pivotal when we first got there and this band really gave it their all for this one despite the early time that they played. Elvana then played on the main stage and they really provided so much fun with a mixture of Elvis and Nirvana.
Everyone got selfies with the Elvis lookalike lead singer and it was really refreshing to see. The concept of the band was really clever as they combined songs such as Elvis’ A Little Less Conversation and Can’t Help Falling In Love with Nirvana classics such as Territorial Pissings and Smells Like Teen Spirit. It was really fun and the set really got everyone in the festival spirit. We managed to catch a bit of the Uncommon Stage after that as Josh Savage took to the stage and invited his sister on stage. His set was really chilled and gave out a nice vibe as the sun was starting to shine. Miss Vincent followed Josh and this band really knows how to put on a show. They played the likes of Cold Hands that really got the crowd going and certainly gave the festival its rock feel. DJ Yoda provided a lot of tunes as local band Deference took to the stage on the Uncommon Stage and totally blew the crowd away with their heaviness. It was a really refreshing to see the crowd stay and watch this and you could tell that some of which were listening to this genre for the first time. However Deference proved why they’re one of the up and coming bands on the local scene right now and with a great show!
The Sherlocks were a real hit on Saturday as they played tracks such as Will You Be There and Chasing Shadows. The crowd started to get on people’s shoulders which was nice to see as the band also played Live For The Moment which was awesome to see and hear! The Uncommon Stage saw the likes of The Rising as the festival also saw Milk Teeth and Honeyblood perform over the Saturday to add to the already rock infused line up. There were some great DJs on show also as a lot of festival goers were just dancing around and chilling until Lily Allen came on the main stage. And after James and All Saints but put on incredible sets, it simply left the return of Lily Allen who certainly did not disappoint.
The artist started with the brilliant Higher then carried on with Come on Then and LDN. Despite not performing much lately, Lily really knew how to entertain her fans as created so much atmosphere. She also played the likes of Pushing Up Daisies and the wonderful Fuck You. Lily finished on arguably her most famous song Not Fair which was a perfect way to end day one of Common People in Southampton.
Sunday came about and saw the likes of Toreador and Black Foxxes hit the Uncommon Stage which was great to see as both bands have so much talent. A real treat for us was Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly as he was playing tracks from his latest album Young Adult as well as older ones that fans would know. On the main stage, The Cuban Brothers provided an entertaining set as did Jaguar Skills who provided some killer tunes such as Riot Squad 2.
We also managed to catch local band Torcoda Fray on the Uncommon Stage before watching festival headliners The Jacksons. They started with Lift up the Sky which was a great way to start the party and continued with the like of 2 Doors Down and Dirty Little Thing which was a real crowd pleaser and got everyone involved.The Eastleigh band also played the likes of Cheap Thrills and finished on Borderline that provided a real heavy finish to their set.
This is only the start for Torcoda Fray as they are already showing plenty of potential. The weekend then finished on style with The Jacksons playing at the main stage
The Jacksons really got the crowd going for what was the last set of the festival as they played classics such as I Want You Back, ABC and I’ll Be There. The brothers also played some Michael Jackson covers including Rock With You and Blame It on the Boggie which was a great tribute to him. It was a really great end to a family friendly festival that provided lots of smiles and plenty of entertainment for everyone.
