THOUSANDS of people of all ages spent the weekend in a field in Trinity as festival-goers flocked to the Royal Jersey Showground to enjoy another year of food, drink and live music at Jersey Live.
Despite threatening grey clouds looming overhead for most of the day on Saturday, crowds managed to stay warm and dry for day one of the annual festival.
And by day two, on Sunday, the overcast conditions had made way for bright sunshine.
During the weekend, families visited the children’s area of the site, thrill-seekers queued for the fair rides, while most enjoyed a variety of live music in the main stage area or the dance tent.
On Saturday, headliners included Years and Years, Clean Bandit and the Vaccines, while The Proclaimers, Circa Waves, George Ezra and Rudimental topped the bill on Sunday.
THE sun has set over the Royal Jersey Showground.
This weekend the Jersey Live main stage was a spectacular sight for festivalgoers – a deep blend of orange and red giving it an almost dreamlike appearance.
But backstage the party was in full swing.
Behind the scenes bands were unwinding after their sets and it was all happening. Palma Violets bassist, Chilli, could be seen managing to hold three pints of beer in one hand while at the same time playing an energetic game of catch with an orange with Cast frontman John Power.
Happy Mondays legend Bez rushed in to join the contest and, soon enough, the orange was hurled over a wall and into the crowd facing the main stage, prompting roars of laughter from the three musicians involved.
Elsewhere, other musicians were laid back and relaxed, chatting in groups and musing over the events of the day.
The atmosphere was certainly vibrant and colourful.
But further down from the artist area was a definite contrast.
In the main production area, the Jersey Live team, from sound engineers, lighting technicians, runners and stagehands to the production manager, could be seen charging around, all focused on their individual roles with impressive efficiency.
Tim Aucock, the main stage manager, described life as a backstage crew member as a ‘rollercoaster’.
Watching his team was almost exhausting – there was intense concentration on every crew member’s face as they ensured that the correct lighting accentuated the artists performing on stage and that sound levels were perfect and could be heard by everyone in the crowd.
Mr Aucock said: ‘Stress levels can go through the roof when doing a changeover before a band comes on stage, but once everything’s sorted, you can sit back and relax. It’s a rewarding feeling.’
HOW do you measure the success of Jersey Live?
It is, to a degree, a question of economics.
Every year, the event attracts music fans from outside of the Island, from Guernsey and beyond, who help pump money into the economy. ]
Travel companies, hotels and local businesses with stalls at the festival site no doubt had a bumper weekend.
There is little doubt that if a suitable site can be found to enable the organisers to offer camping, the number of young people who want to travel over would increase dramatically and their social media feeds would shout about this Island to many more.
And once these hip young things become parents, they may well bring back their children to experience other sides of Island life.
But the positive effect Jersey Live has on our economy is only part of the story.
For thousands of people – young and old – the two days of music, dancing and having fun has underlined what a great place this is to live.
Now a well-oiled machine and policed with a smile, the event runs smoothly and safely.
Many things bind our community together through the sharing of a positive experience and Jersey Live is up there as one of the most important annual events which imprint on our collective memory.
Well done to the Warrens on another great success.
Helena Irvine reviews the main stage headliners
The Vaccines
HAVING supported Arctic Monkeys, The Rolling Stones and Red Hot Chili Peppers it was time for Saturday’s headliner The Vaccines to enjoy the limelight.
Opening with Handsome and ending with the very well known If You Wanna, their set also included the slow, throbbing drums of Dream Lover to the high-voltage, flashing lights extravaganza that was Ghost Town.
There were also distinct notes of nostalgia – the lyrics in Wetsuit ‘I’ll rest on childhood memories’ were particularly pertinent to lead guitarist Freddie Cowan who recalled ‘amazing memories’ of Jersey.
Addressing the crowd he said: ‘My granny used to live here so I used to come here every summer for years. I’d be very happy to live in Jersey.’
The Vaccines, despite having evolved through various different identities including The Catholics and The Red Indians, also would like to advise Jersey teens heading off to university this year ‘Get some vaccines!’ – referring to the meningitis W vaccine which is currently being offered to 18-year-olds.
Rudimental
WHEN asked what song they’d be closing with this band quipped Britney Spears’ Hit Me Baby One More Time. Instead, Sunday’s headline act Rudimental concluded with the chart topper Feel The Love – a song that has become synonymous with the band’s reputation for all-loving, jazzy drum and bass music.
The band, eleven on stage in total, were led by the main four Piers Agget, Amir Amor, Kesi Dryden and Leon Rolle. Despite featured singers being swapped in and out of the limelight throughout Rudimental’s high-octane set the eleven performers were decidedly a team.
Agget said: ‘The live show explains the record, explains the people involved in the record.
‘It’s like Rudimental’s extended family on stage.’
Indeed, this is not Rudimental’s first performance in Jersey having also performed at the Watersplash.
Group member Dryden said: ‘Jersey is pretty special and the weather’s been nice today. We got lucky, it’s a beautiful day.’
