THE GREATEST names and some of music’s most exciting new acts rocked this year’s Victorious Festival.
After a two year absence, the return of live music and fans without restrictions was the highlight of the weekend event on Southsea Common, which saw crowds of up to 65,000 attend each day.
Fans were still dancing last night as rock duo Royal Blood and disco-soul legends Nile Rodgers and Chic wrapped up the three-day festival.
On Friday night, Madness brought their house of fun and 45 years of hits.
Songs like Embarrassment, It Must be Love and My Girl showed why they are still one of the best storytellers of English life and one of the best entertainers
The north London band were joined by indie stars The Kooks, Feeder and Terrorvision, plus New Order’s Peter Hook and rising Lancashire stars The Lottery Winners.
On Saturday, headliners The Streets electrified the main stage, while Manic Street Preachers played hit after hit from an unmatchable 30 year career.
Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, Blossoms, The Fratellis and local act Crystal Tides also performed, while Southampton’s Craig David took everyone back to the halcyon days of garage and soul, including his hits Re-Rewind, Fill Me In and Seven Days.
A well-known Saints fan, the singer also wore a red and white jacket in the heart of their rival’s city. He may be famous now, but Craig David is still one of our own.
Earlier, indie-folk duo and local Southsea residents Me and The Moon opened the main stage and Southampton’s Wild Front played on the second Castle stage. Wild Front lead singer Jack Williams, lead guitarist Joe Connell, bassist Mike Williams and drummer Joel Betteridge gave fans some clues of what to expect from their new album, which is expected to be released soon.
While Hampshire’s Frank Turner sang about his hometown, Winchester, in his song Wessex Boy on the main stage, new kids on the block The Lathums sang about their place of birth, Wigan, on the Castle stage. The young band have a rare gift for nostalgia and appear in their songs to be some of life’s optimists.
On Sunday, Supergrass, Fontaines D.C., Miles Kane, Annie Mac and Liverpool legends Cast, who return to Southampton in January, played the main stage, while Spice Girl Mel C, Ella Eyre, Louis Berry and Scottish stars The Snuts appeared on the second Castle Stage.
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