Unknown pleasures

And there was me thinking that Andrew WK had Gig of the Year sewn up. It’s 12 noon on Sunday on the main stage, the hangover is pounding away like a hyperactive kangohammer and, Jesus fucking Christ, what’s that up there? Dressed in matching Southern Baptist Minister smocks, the 24-piece Polyphonic Spree are a gloriously demented amalgam of Mike Oldfield, Brian Wilson, Grandaddy and The Manson Family. No, really.

Fresh from their triumphant Meltdown appearance - David Bowie is a big fan – the Dallas outfit do things with kettle drums, cellos, French horns and tubular bells that you just know Brian Wilson would approve of. With 10 backing singers, it’s a big, multi-layered wall of sweet, sweet noise which is about to come your way courtesy of a new Fierce Panda album. Like White Stripes last year, Polyphonic Spree are the Witnness unknowns who are set to go supernova.