No matter which way you look at it, The Kooks are the quintessential festival band. Proof? Just look at the obtrusive ‘PUBLIC URINATION WILL NOT BE TOLERATED’ signs located at various points around the forecourt of Dublin Castle (a regulation that most of the young crowd are thankfully adhering to). Add to that the sickeningly greasy waft of random fried goods, a heart-sinkingly long queue for the ladies’ and a merch stand selling tat like Kooks mobile phone charms, and it’s practically Oxegen without the wellies.
Still, it’s the tail-end of a sunny Bank Holiday, and the throngs of GAA jersey-clad young men and summer dress-attired young ladies are determined to wring every last drop of fun from the weekend, flinging half-empty plastic pints in all directions and hoisting mates up onto shoulders as the Brighton quartet take the stage.
Although Pritchard’s frustrating penchant for meandering vocal doodles is overlooked by the adoring crowd, the division of quality between albums becomes painfully obvious a few songs into The Kooks’ set. New single 'Always Where I Need to Be'’s joyful bounce is met with a collective exhilaration, but it’s the likes of debut-starrers 'Matchbox', 'Ooh La' and 'Eddie’s Gun' that cause the most commotion within the castle walls.
In any case, there’s little that’ll stop the Dad figure behind me from endearingly singing his tuneless heart out to every song. Before long, even I’m involuntarily ‘la la’ and ‘ooh ooh’-ing along with the best of them. Well, it is a festival, after all.