Jaws LIVE @ Strawberry Fields Festival 8.08.14

Rating:

Despite cancellations from previous bands and rather grey looking clouds, I wasn’t entirely sure when Jaws would grace the stage of The Jam Tent. Judging by the crowd’s reaction, these guys had arrived, looking a little nervous, and dressed for warmer weather, clad in shorts and T-shirts. They really raised the bar for following bands bringing the once subdued audience to life. Previous bands had appreciative listeners, lolloping on the damp grass with their empty plastic pint glasses, but Jaws got everyone on their feet, producing a 30 minute set list that I wish had gone on longer.

Scrawny front man Connor Schofield and his dressed down band mates ushered the minuscule crowd to the barrier, to which they gladly obliged. Dreamy guitar riffs opened each song while Jake cooper’s drum fills intensified the atmosphere getting the rowdy youngsters in the crowd pumped on every beat. A disappointed Schofield added that this was the only festival where no crowd surfing had taken place… In all of about five seconds, a group of beer-fuelled lads hoisted the lightest of the bunch on to their supporting hands, throwing him around like a rag doll. They then proceeded to clamber onto one another’s shoulders taking over the whole of the front row.

‘Stay In’ had a great reception, with loyal fans singing along to every word. ‘Toucan Surf’ and ‘Friend Like You’ were amongst the upbeat set list. “Shall we have a dance?” were Schofield’s words to the already willing crowd. Ending with ‘Surround You’ a mosh pit formed at the centre of the barrier tipping it on to the stage and sending stage crew running to salvage what was left separating the crowd from the band.

Judging by the bands image, you wouldn’t think that they could make an almost empty tent feel full to the rafters. Appreciative fans scrambled to the front to thank front man Connor once more after the set, taking selfies and scrounging for any spare set lists or drum sticks to take away with them as a momentum.

They have given me a real buzz setting my weekend of damp camping and muddy docs off on a high!

Natasha Moran

@natashamoran