The Coral
As a band, The Coral generate an odd response from music fans. Their music isn't the type to incite any form of mass hysteria and yet it is far from the kind that would have you fleeing for your life in an attempt to save your hearing and sanity. What The Coral do to perfection is create the type of music that you can chill out to, the kind sun drenched days were made for, hence their presence and success at this years summer festivals. Sadly though Noise and Confusion was in December when even the sunlight fails to radiate any heat and in a bizarre way the weather did seem to impede their set. Although what are fast becoming Coral classics like 'In the Morning', 'Pass it On' and 'Dreaming of You' led to some crowd reaction and involvement, it wasn't enough to truly get the audience excited. The band themselves did not show much enthusiasm as they appeared to be going through the motions, churning out the songs but never really connecting with the crowd. With Noel Gallagher acting almost as their ambassador, you would be forgiven for expecting them to be putting on the show of their lives but it wasn't to be. Even with Noel stood at the side of the stage throughout the set, cheering, clapping and singing along, The Coral failed to display any zeal or joy at playing this gig. Maybe it was the presence of the Gallagher brother that hindered them, adding to their nerves, but in the end it seems it simply wasn't The Coral's day.
Musically, The Coral's performance was verging on the brink of being entirely faultless. They seemed to have everything together. They had the hits there to liven up the crowd in the same vein as they have been doing throughout the summer but they were lacking any form of stage presence. A set that had the capability to be one of the best of the day fell flat and was regrettably forgettable. Being one of the first well known bands to play that day and demonstrating so much potential musically, The Coral should have achieved so much more.