Isle of Wight Festival 2007

It was the largest Isle of Wight Festival since the reawakening of the event back in 2002. This June 60,000 made their way to Seaclose Park in Newport for the sixth consecutive year and as always they were full of high expectations and excitement at the incredible range of entertainment awaiting them over the course of the three days.

In the months leading up to the Festival the rumour mill went into absolute overdrive here on the Island as speculation as to who would be performing at this highly acclaimed event rocketed. However by March the wait was finally over as all of the acts who had agreed to perform at the Isle of Wight Festival 2007 had been announced. All that remained then was for those people still desperate to attend to go all out in a bid to snap up the last remaining tickets, as the original allocation had already sold out within just one week of being released.

A sizzling line-up featuring the best of British

This year's festival was tipped to bring together some of the finest live acts of our time, including performances by the biggest selling band of 2006, Snow Patrol (Friday headliners) and Best Live Act Brit Award winners Muse (Saturday headliners). Kings of the rock 'n' roll scene Kasabian appeared as special live guests on the Saturday whilst GQ's Band of the Year Keane wowed the 60,000 strong crowd when they took to the stage as special guests on Sunday, followed by a widely anticipated performance by Veteran rockers the Rolling Stones.

An impressive programme of artists there may have been, but the weekend wasn't just about the big names in music. Over 50 local bands and artists also performed over the three days. It is the second time a special stage has been rigged up for the musicians, allowing them the unique opportunity to showcase their talent in front of a huge audience.

Friday 8th June

Although thousands made the trip across the Solent and set up home in the campsite the day before the festival, the gates opened officially at 5pm on the Friday. Unfortunately many festival-goers experienced problems obtaining access to the main arena owing to large queues. It later emerged that the presence of counterfeit tickets with one in five passes turning out not to be genuine, added to the delays. Nevertheless, once inside the festival field, which had increased in size this year to cater for the extra crowds, becoming more of a 'village,' it was time to relax and soak up the fun-loving atmosphere.

As well as the main stage and the bandstand which was the platform for the very best in up-and-coming Island talent, the site this year boasted a funfair, dodgems, Carling Bars, various market stalls, a kids zone, Bacardi tent, Babylon Bar and Zebra Bar, Strongbow Ciderhouse, Pussy Parlour and the ever popular Hipshaker tent.

Koopa, a three-piece pop-punk band from Essex, opened this year's Isle of Wight Festival. They were followed by English post-punk group Echo & the Bunnymen, remembered by many for their 1997 hit 'Nothing Lasts Forever' and 'The Killing Moon' which has featured in several films. Relative newcomers The Feeling later took to the stage and delighted the crowds with live renditions of tracks from their debut album 'Twelve Stops and Home' plus one new song and a brilliant cover of 'Video Killed The Radio Star.'

In 2004 feel-good duo Groove Armada stormed Seaclose Park and provided an upbeat kick-start to the festival weekend. They returned this year to generate more of the same and to provide a superb platform for Friday headliners Snow Patrol to step up on to. The Scottish/Irish five-piece band were no stranger to the Island as they have already wowed the crowds in both 2004 and '05. Since then they've grown in stature, boasting a Grammy award nomination plus the best selling album of 2006. Snow Patrol appeared delighted to relive their previous Isle of Wight experiences and to return to the festival to fill the top slot on the opening night's bill.

Saturday 9th June

The first full day of the festival launched on a local level with Island group The Menschen, winners of the Medina High School Battle of the Bands competition, taking centre stage. The performance by the five Ryde High students paved the way for Brixton four-piece The Thirst and punk rock act Carbon/Silicon; a collaboration of The Clash's Mick Jones and Tony James of Generation X. One of South Africa's most famous rock singers Arno Carsten played in the afternoon sunshine and as the sun began to rise higher in the sky the list of commercially-recognisable acts also soared to new heights. Even the brilliant Red Arrows were on hand to put in an appearance!

Sixties legend Donovan graced the Island's shores with his distinctive style of music, comprising of a blend of folk, jazz and psychedelic. The audience lazed on the grass and sang along to some of the finest hits of his career, including the infamous 'Mellow Yellow.' English Jazz and Soul singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse quashed rumours from earlier in the week that she wasn't going to show at the festival and took to the stage just after 4pm. Much to the gratification of festival-goers, Amy performed live versions of her 2006 hit 'Rehab' and the more recently released 'Back to Black' taken from her album of the same name.

From a gentle blend of folk and jazz to ear-splitting metal

Ensuring that everyone was fully alert and prepared for the evening of entertainment which followed, loud and proud Australian retro-rock band Wolfmother left many ears ringing with their hard hitting metal music. Alternative rock band Ash, whose album 'Free All Angels' reached number one in the charts in 1996 and 2001 respectively got the crowds singing along to old-school favourites 'Girl from Mars' and 'Shining Light.'

Filling the pre-headliner slot on the Saturday this year were Leicestershire four-piece Kasabian. With a unique and very individual sound which draws its influence from several genres including electronica to indie, Kasabian raised the audiences' singing to a higher level, also incorporating stomping and dancing! As the dusk began to set in it was left to super group Muse, who have sold more than seven million albums worldwide, to bring the day to a close. Having already received seven accolades for best live act, festival-goers knew that they were in for a treat and by no means were they left disappointed. With front man Matt Bellamy dressed in white trousers and tailcoat, Muse roused the crowds with a highly energetic and charismatic performance that included renditions of their hits 'Supermassive Black Hole,' 'Feeling Good' and 'Starlight.'

Sunday 10th June

The final day of the festival beckoned not only another day of glorious sunshine but welcomed a further eclectic mixture of artists to the Seaclose stage. Kicking off the proceedings at midday were the winners of last month's Platform One competition Wight Noize. Newly formed band Siniez impressed a panel of judges from the music and television industries to win their slot at the festival. The three members aged 14-16 attend both Ryde and Sandown High schools. All-girl rock band The Hedrons who enjoyed indie chart success last year, were also thrilled to be given the opportunity to play their biggest gig yet. Country Joe McDonald from California, played at Woodstock in 1969. Originally lead singer of the folk-rock band 'Country Joe and The Fish' known for their musical demonstrations against war in the late sixties, Country Joe altered some of his lyrics to appeal to a more contemporary society.

The crowds reacted enthusiastically to new material from Mel C, originally of the Spice Girls, who also cast their memories back several years with her solo hits 'I Turn to You' and 'When You're Gone.' Singer-songwriter James Morrison who has shot to fame within the past year got all the ladies singing along to his husky heartfelt tunes 'You Give Me Something' and 'Undiscovered.' His stage successor 20-year-old Paolo Nutini continued the chilled-out vibe to the hot summer's afternoon by delighting crowds with popular chart toppers 'Jenny Don't Be Hasty' and 'New Shoes.'

From home-grown talent to the cream of the crop

Glaswegian group the Fratellis who recently picked up the award for Best British Breakthrough Act at the 2007 Brit Awards were next to take to the stage before making way for piano-rock super-group Keane. With a whole host of hits behind them from eight times platinum album 'Hopes and Fears' and the recently released 'Under the Iron Sea,' which has gone twice platinum already, the audience were spoilt for choice as to what to sing along to next! In true festival spirit the three lads, who are famed for the lack of guitars featured in their music, joined the crowd to experience for themselves the group who are considered by many as the greatest rock and roll band in the world.

They were twenty minutes late to the stage but for the feverish festival-goers this fact soon blurred into insignificance as the four iconic figures spiralled through their 40-year back catalogue of classics from the legendary 'I Can't Get No (Satisfaction)' to 'Jumpin Jack Flash,' 'Honky Tonk Women' and 'Brown Sugar.' Surprise cameo appearances from Paolo Nutini and Amy Winehouse captivated the crowd even further and a long walkway stretching out off the front of the stage coupled with a raised platform that carried the entire band even further into the audience left them truly ecstatic.

With such an influential and inspiration rock band and the now traditional firework display over Newport joining forces to bring the event to a close, the Isle of Wight festival once again proved its ability to do justice to its legendary status whilst at the same time ensuring that the Island remains a prominent fixture within the UK music calendar.

Your views & memories

If you attended the Isle of Wight Festival this year and have any photographs of the event you would like to share with us, please email them to webteam@iow.gov.uk The best ones will be displayed in our online gallery. Additionally, we are also keen to obtain your feedback about this year's festival. You can submit your comments via our festival feedback form. Please see Your Views to read the feedback we have received so far.

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