Field Day 2014- 08.06.14 - GigslutzGigslutz

Whilst Field Day stands out as a platform for new and upcoming bands, this year the festival’s Sunday headliner was a band who – far from being ‘new’- have been around for nearly thirty years. Despite Sunday having significantly less music on than Saturday’s festival, with Pixies – one of the most influential bands of the last century – bringing proceedings to a close, it is definitely a case of quality over quantity. And, although I am only attending the one day, the fact that a band who have featured so heavily in my musical development are going to be there, more than makes up for my absence from Saturday’s events.

With the sun high in the sky and the hipsters high in the park, it is the perfect afternoon for it and – equipped with a Red Stripe and veggie hot dog – I am prepared for what the day has in store. The first band to grace my ears are Peterborough youngsters, The Wytches. And what an appropriate start to the day this is; with their anguished, grunge-infused rock, I can’t help but reflect on the great influence that headliners, Pixies, are still having on artists today – this new band being a testament to how their legacy lives on, three decades after their formation. However, with a set as impressive as theirs, it is clear that The Wytches are pretty fantastic in their own right and are sure to be making their own waves in the music industry in the very near future.

As I take shelter from the sun’s overpowering rays in the Shaklewell Arms tent, I am treated to a country-themed DJ set from Dry The River followed by another young band – Childhood. Donning flamboyant shirts and bundles of energy, this charismatic trio ooze chilled-out, summer vibes with their Shoegaze-inspired, trippy alt-pop.

After a wander around the refreshingly compact site, with its ‘market’-style stalls and array of mouthwatering treats (including Tim Burgess’s very own ‘Tim Peaks’ coffee…), I manage to catch NME’s ‘Best New Band’ of 2014: Drenge. And what a privilege this is; I now totally get the hype that’s been surrounding these siblings this year. For just two musicians, the noise they manage to create is immense and, for a front man who looks so incredibly young – with his boyish haircut and youthful attire – Loveless’ skill is exceptional. With all the youthful energy and vigour you could hope for, blasting out hits such as ‘Face Like A Skull’, this Sheffield duo prove they really are something to get excited about.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the next band I see… Regrettably leaving Drenge a little early to see The Horrors, my hopes are tragically dashed. Having been looking forward to their set, I find it to be lacking in any sort of real energy or enthusiasm from the band. Whilst Badwan seems frankly bored to be there, his vocals and each track’s melodies are drowned out by an incessant, monotone drone of synthesizers. Not a patch on the young duo I’ve just been blown away by…

However, my disappointment is soon forgotten as Pixies take to the stage an hour later. Opening with Doolittle’s ‘Wave Of Mutilation’, Black Francis, Joey Santiago, David Lovering and – new addition – Paz Lenchantin – deliver a set that exceeds expectations. Filled with classics from – in my opinion – their two best albums, ‘Doolittle’ and ‘Surfer Rosa’, Pixies deliver everything I could have hoped for.

Adorned in an unflattering, scruffy black tee, Black Francis doesn’t say a word throughout the set; and he doesn’t need to, the music speaks for itself. Blasting out memorable track after memorable track (including lesser known wonders such as ‘Hey’ and ‘Debaser’), there is nothing glamorous about Pixies: no gimmicks, no trying to be something they’re not. And that’s just the way I like it. Despite Black’s lack of conversation, however, he in no way seems rude, bored or ungrateful (unlike certain other front-men of the day); he is clearly just so completely dedicated to the music, and to fitting in as many extraordinary songs as possible into that hour and a half.

Although audience members who may have seen the band in their heyday may argue that the set was lacking in anything ‘new’ or ground-breaking (though they play some of their new singles too), for me it’s just perfect. It’s all about the music, the best music. And, although I was worried about the prominent absence of Kim Deal (the reason I learnt to play bass), Lenchantin does a pretty good job in her place, despite the lack of my favourite Pixies song – ‘Gigantic’ – as it is probably the most Deal-infused track.

However, ‘Gigantic’ hole aside, Pixies put on a show that is even more enjoyable than I could ever have imagined. And clearly I am not alone in this sentiment, as is evident upon the voices of thousands of enthused fans singing along to classics such as ‘Where Is My Mind?’ and ‘Here Comes Your Man’. A memory that will stick with me for years to come.