The Isle of Wight Festival 2024 - LIVE REVIEW

This review will be unlike anything I've ever really written, because ladies and gents, I went to a festival. Not just any festival, the Isle of Wight Festival. If any of you know me, you know that I've been aching to go to a proper festival for a very long time, and between being too old for Reading and Leeds and being too broke to go to Glastonbury, when the amazing opportunity arose to take the ferry over for four days of music and camping on the Isle of Wight, I said yes in a heartbeat - and I'm eternally grateful I got to attend. I'll be splitting the performances part into the separate stages I saw artists on, so feel free to skip ahead if you just want to hear about the main stage bangers, or give the lot a read if you fancy every detail of all the acts I was lucky enough to see, even if the 'Big Top' section is only two paragraphs long. By the way, the photos in this post are courtesy of me, my partner, and the group of us who went along to the festival, so I'm sorry if I accidentally used one that isn't one I myself took, you're all better photographers than me anyway - So here's my review and breakdown of my experiences at the Isle of Wight Festival 2024.

Venue

The festival itself takes place across an expanse of land known as 'Seaclose Park' in Newport. It was very easy to get to, and easy enough to get to grips of the layout. It was absolutely massive, with different zones denoting the stages/vendors around the spots, and each one usually had a brilliant range of food, entertainment and drink options. Closer to the campsites were more DJ oriented stages like 'Electro Love' and the further you went, the more was going on. Fairground rides, food stalls for anything and everything, and as you got closer to the other side, the main stages. The first of which was the 'Big Top', then the 'River Stage' and finally 'Main Stage'.

Let's talk camping facilities - because actually they were pretty brilliant. Toilets/urinals were pretty standard in terms of the whole porta-potty approach, but they were regularly cleaned and supplied with fresh hand sanitiser and paper by onsite staff. All in all, they were good, easy to use, and not by any means uncomfortable for anyone to interact with. There were also onsite showers, which were easy to use, never all too busy, and pretty clean. Apart from the odd punter being a touch too confidence in the nakedness department, it was a good spot to wash off the sweat and sun cream and re-energise for the day ahead. Plus the fields we ended up pitching up in were well kept, with clear signs and staff patrolling 24/7 in case anyone needed anything.

Food and drink wise, there were loads of places to go, all of which offered a pretty wide range of options. I ate from a few different places, which were all decently priced for a festival, and was all really damn good, with my highlights being the Pizza place near the main stage - woof that was good shit. There were also plenty of options for people with certain dietary requirements, and from the looks of it people were well catered for. I certainly was.

There was also loads to do between acts - I mean mainly go and see other acts lets be real, but the rides and attractions were also fun, and the small spots to go take a seat and soak in the sun were really nicely placed and easy to access. I ended up filling my days running between stages, going on fairground rides, and finding new and exciting places to grab some snacks or drinks. Just a forewarning for next year, the Helter Skelter may look harmless, but you get some serious speed on it. And if you fancy an insanely good view of the Main Stage, try the big wheel or crane swing, you are guaranteed to get a good ariel view.

Staff were also extremely friendly, chatty and hospitable. Everything ran pretty smoothly, even the on site Co-Op, which felt more like a rave than a supermarket, had a slew of lovely staff members, all singing and dancing to the music as they scan through your shop. Again, things were a touch on the pricey side, but it's a festival, what were you expecting?

Merchandise

Now, there was a lot on offer in terms of merchandise. Almost every headline act or smaller performer had at least some kind of merchandise being sold, and the bigger artists usually had two or three styles to choose from. The festival itself had its own designs that proudly sported the line up on the reverse, and were actually cheaper than a lot of the big names. Things would run you the usual concert prices, around £30/40 for a t-shirt and £70 or so for bigger ticket items like hoodies and crewnecks. All I will say is that things sold out fast, so if you wanted something specific, you had to run and grab it in the first couple of days, because they didn't seem to re-stock. I was given one of the festivals own shirts, and it's very comfy, with good prints that I reckon will survive a good few washes. Zero complaints from me.

The Music - Big Top

James Marriott - Friday 21st June

YouTube legend and now turned musician James Marriott was my first experience of the Big Top stage, between some main acts I wasn't all too excited - I have never really interacted with his YouTube channel, and only heard one song of his that was pretty ok. However, upon seeing him live I can safely say he is a brilliant performer, and has an excellent voice. His band were tight and performed really well, and although there wasn't a lot of audience chatter because there was a lot of music and not a lot of time, Marriott was charismatic, charming, and came across as extremely likeable. There was some pretty raw emotion in his voice, and made for a really memorable performance the audience all seemed to really enjoy, as did I. He played some tracks I didn't even know he wrote, as well as some I knew and others I've only just discovered, and have gone on to add to my playlist.

Caity Baser - Sunday 23rd June

An artist I've heard very little of, but actually ended up enjoying a lot more than I thought I would. Clean pop isn't usually my deal, so this was a mild shock to me, but she too was a brilliant performer, chatting happily to the crowd like she knew them all personally, and smashing her way through her tracks. She had a great live voice, and a really decent two piece band. Although we only stayed for a few of her songs, the performance was great, and my partner who is a fan of her music, was really chuffed to see her live - and seeing that was worth the new experience of her music. But you won't catch me complaining either way.

The Music - Main Stage

The Bootleg Beatles - Friday 21st June

In terms of an opener for a weekend of music, this one was a bit of a rogue choice, but hey, everyone loves The Beatles. This band were good - and even though they didn't play some of the real corkers we know exist in the iconic bands discography, it was still enjoyable. I was chuckling a little at their haircuts, which I couldn't tell if they were wigs or not, but that's besides the point. In terms of a main stage performance, bar the mid point costume change, it wasn't all pizazz and vigour - but as a fun singalong exercise to wet the appetite, sure, I'll play ball.

The Darkness - Friday 21st June

If you know me, or have had a conversation about music you'll know I have a lot of respect for The Darkness, and Justin Hawkins. So to say I was excited to see these guys live was an understatement, especially so early on in the weekend. Their outfits were insane, with Hawkins displaying the usual insane amount of skin in some skin tight leather whatever it is. The performance itself? Brilliant. Not only was the band tight, they were all giving it a bit of that classic rock swagger, throwing themselves around, soloing wildly, and even at one point Hawkins ended up doing a headstand on the drum riser and clapping with his feet in some bizarre mid air split. Their setlist was good, and contained a lot from Permission to Land which is celebrating a pretty significant anniversary. They sounded brilliant live, and were an excellent way to get the energy going after the more toe tapping opener. I left their performance feeling excited for what was to come, and very grateful I finally had the opportunity to see them live.

The Prodigy - Friday 21st June

A fun fact you might not really know about me is that I have a lot of love for The Prodigy. My Dad has quite a wide and eclectic music taste, and I remember being raised on stuff like The Prodigy when I was a kid - I have a pretty vivid memory of him showing me the video to 'Smack my Bitch Up' when I was younger and me being fascinated by how they managed to film it all from a first person perspective - which meant I was extremely excited to see them live on the Friday night headline slot. Just a couple of weeks before I had bought a copy of their greatest hits CD, and even had 'Fat of the Land' given to me by one of my friends for my birthday. I love these guys, and after seeing online the iconic 'Laser Man' that's a part of their setup, I was ready. And holy shit, when I tell you that you have not experienced a live spectacle like it, I seriously mean it. With the flurry of light effects, lasers and movers included, and some of the most pounding bass I have ever had the pleasure of hearing live, The Prodigy took you on a blistering ride chocked full of their most popular tracks, I'm talking 'Breathe' 'Voodoo People' and 'Poison', even some more deep cuts like 'Spitfire' and an emotional tribute to passed member Keith Flint during the classic track 'Firestarter'. It was a stunning display of both how far you can take a live show visually and audibly, but also how you can bleed new life into these tracks even so long after their release. I was blown away by these guys, and loved every single second of their set.

Natalie Imbruglia - Saturday 22nd June

If you, like me, grew up with the odd Rowan Atkinson film in your repertoire, then chances are you've actually already come across Natalie Imbruglia before - as the original love interest in Jonny English. She's since gone on to chase music, and she was pretty good. Nothing mind-blowing, bar the Jonny English related mind boggle, but still a very good performer, who seemed very down to earth and genuinely happy to be there to perform her music. A much better start to the day, I dare say, than the previous one.

Jake Shears - Saturday 22nd June

Jake Shears, of Scissor Sisters fame, is doing his own thing these days, and watching him do his own thing was a pretty joyous occasion. Between his very warm demeanour and some tracks you didn't realise were anything to do with him (and some weren't, but oh well) it was a brilliantly fun performance, tear-away trousers and all. He had a really good vocal range, and his band was also really sharp. I especially liked his bass player, who seemed like he was having the time of his life grooving out to those tracks, stank face and all. Overall then, a great performance of some good tracks by some seriously talented people. Win win.

S Club - Saturday 22nd June

No, this isn't Steps - and I learnt that the hard way when I asked my partner 'which one is H?'. In case you were wondering, the previously dubbed S Club 7 now go by just S Club, most likely because there are only five of them, and to call themselves anything else would probably be silly, and less catchy. Now, I could see this was a real nostalgic gig for a lot of people, and that I vibed with. I love seeing people connect over music, and seeing all these people joyously watch a band from their childhoods playing track after track they knew all the words to...what's not to love? Plus, even I found myself recognising some of their tracks and even having a go at a sing song. Their stage presence was great, they all seemed to work together well, and their voices were actually pretty good (even if at points I could tell they were lip-syncing but that's neither here nor there - they've been doing this for a while I can somewhat forgive them) Another good show for the Saturday roster.

Jessie J - Saturday 22nd June

Talking about nostalgia, look no further than Jessie J. Maybe more nostalgic for my generation, but I remember her songs being on the radio all the time when I was a kid. And alas, here I am, 21 and reminiscing about Price Tag. She seemed lovely, like really charismatic and funny, and interacted with the crowd a lot. So much so that she forgot her words or restarted just to giggle along with people and have a really good time. Her band were also awesome, serious props to her guitarist, who has somehow unlocked the secret formula on how to shred to a Jessie J track. Another good performance with memorable songs, no complaints from me, especially because we ended up getting really close to the front.

Keane - Saturday 22nd June

Ok, so, remember I talked about my Dad having an eclectic music taste? Well in his CD collection alongside The Prodigy was Keane's first ever record 'Hopes and Fears'. I was pretty uninitiated to these guys if I'm honest, and joined the show sort of late on, but saw the last seven or so songs, and I was absolutely blown away. Their personalities were great, they were confident performers and sounded excellent live. I even realised I knew a lot more of their songs than I originally thought I did. They really put on a show, it was genuinely brilliant to see them having so much fun and singing their hearts out. I will also say hearing the crowd, which was thousands strong at this point, singing collectively to 'Somewhere Only We Know' is as close to a religious experience as I have ever had, and brought me pretty close to tears. It was just such a raw and emotional moment, hearing everyone belt out that track, and even thinking about it now I found myself welling up a little. Just a little. But these guys were honestly superb, and had me revisiting my CD's and adding some tracks to my playlist.

The Pet Shop Boys - Saturday 22nd June

I will be the first to say, for posterity, that I know very little of The Pet Shop Boys. Maybe its generational, maybe my taste in throwback music is a bit too George Michael based to really cross paths with these guys, but I was excited by the fact that their pull was so immense, and that people were excited to see them live. Their set was really good, and the immersive tech was brilliant, with the moving screens and visuals that really enhanced the overall experience. Not only was there this, but I believe there were close enough to four costume changes throughout the show, which was pretty damn funky. I found myself again going 'oh shit I know this one' for a few of the sings, especially 'It's a Sin' which I didn't know they did - but nonetheless it was a pretty good setlist that seemed to have all their proper fans singing and cheering along. I also didn't know they made House music at some point in their pretty long careers and was a little taken off guard by it, and I'll also add the low end in the sound mixing was insanely loud so the bass practically deafened me, but that's what you get when your close to the front. I was happy that everyone else was loving it, and I was enjoying it too - a great way to close the middle day of the festival.

McFly - Sunday 23rd June

Remember way back when Chris Moyles used to do the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast show? And every Friday was actually renamed 'McFly Day?' because the song 'Star Girl' was actually really good? Well, I do, and sometimes I'd stay in the car just so I could listen to it all the way through before going to school. And remember the drummer, Harry Judd? The one that was on Strictly. He inspired me to pick up the sticks and play Drums. What I'm saying is that seeing this band live was a pretty big deal to me, and holy shit did they deliver. Not only did they play their amazing throwback tunes, they also played a lot of their newer music, that was full of riffs and heavy guitar, and I adored it. Not only this, but they were just good fun. They interacted a lot with the audience, made people laugh, and went strength to strength throughout their set. It was a pleasure seeing them live, and I thoroughly enjoyed it - what a way to start the final day on the Main Stage.

Zara Larsson - Sunday 23rd June

I saw most of this set from afar, so my thoughts on it are a little limited, but I still thought I'd say that I thought she did a good set, with a decent mix of crowd pleasers and deeper cuts for her fans, and she sounded great live - all I will say is she seemed a little more subdued in her performance in comparison to the rest of the artists listed - not a bad thing, just an observation from me, but I was deep into a box of halloumi fries at this point so my attention was sadly elsewhere.

Simple Minds - Sunday 23rd June

This one comes with a slight confession that we were only really seeing Simple Minds because we wanted to move deeper into the crowd for the closer for the Sunday - but we were treated to actually a really good show by these guys. The lead singer was pretty charming, had a great voice, and again it was another case of knowing a lot more than I thought I did in terms of their discography. Talking band members, their drummer was insanely good, she had some excellent fills and grooves, and did it all with this absolutely joyous grin on her face. Plus, they played the ever iconic 'Don't You (Forget about Me)' which was brilliant live, and they got the audience to sing along to the melody which was really good fun. The crowd were enjoying, I was enjoying, it seemed everyone was, so that's a big old plus in my book.

Green Day - Sunday 23rd June

And now, the closing act of the Isle of Wight Festival 2024, Green Day. I was lucky enough to see these guys on tour back in 2022, so seeing them again after the release of 'Saviours' was such a treat, enhanced by the fact we ended up around eight or so people from the front barricade. Excited was an understatement as the classic Drunk Bunny stumbled onstage and got the crowd going, as we all sang along to both 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and Ramones classic 'Blitzkrieg Bop'. Then it began - they had stipulated in their posters that although they were celebrating both the anniversaries of 'Dookie' and 'American Idiot' they would not be playing them both in full like they have been on their other tour dates, but I was not prepared for the next two hours of insane showmanship, spectacle, and some of the most brilliant live music I have ever heard. We're talking opening with some bangers from their latest record, ladened with pyros spewing from their Marshall stacks, throwbacks to 'Dookie' accompanied by an inflatable jet plane from the album cover dropping inflatable bombs on the audience, and fifteen tracks from 'American Idiot' that were so well performed they cut like a knife, not even mentioning the iconic 'Hand Grenade Heart' backdrop. The audience were having a whale of a time, mosh pits opened, we were doing all the call and responses, cheering and engaging, it was just a brilliant gig by some of the most talented people in the genre. All three of the original line up were playing out of their skin, and I just felt so lucky that I got to see them again, arguably at the top of their game. Who knows if Green Day will every make another record, but if that was my last time seeing them, holy shit I went out on a high - it was that damn good. Brilliant closer, especially with the cloud of branded confetti that I'm now proudly sporting in my phone case.

Overall

I don't throw the phrase 'best weekend of my life' around a lot, those sorts of statements are quite few and far between for me, but oh my god was this festival one of the best weekends of my life. Between the amazing fun, the food, and of course the music, how could I not have the time of my life? (Green Day pun intended). The Isle of Wight Festival this year had an amazing line up, full of acts for any generation or age range - I guarantee if you look at the full list, there will be someone there you know and love. I know its a bit of a way out in terms of location but ferries, when booked in advance, are very easy to get a hold of, and when its for a festival this relaxed and enjoyable, it's such a no brainer. Next year I hope they do exactly what they did this year, and procure another insane genre spanning line up that gets everyone excited about it - because Seaclose Park deserves some more big names to live up to its big big experience.

Highlights: James Marriott, The Darkness, The Prodigy, Keane, Mc Fly, Green Day

Rating: 10/10