More than just a phone shop advert
In the early nineties, Stereo MCs were riding the crest of a wave. They had a massive selling album to their name and a Brit Award for their mantelpiece, famously beating Take That for one of the major prizes at the UK's biggest music award show. Since then, apart from a brief spell in the early part of this decade, things have been relatively quiet as far as the South London dance act is concerned.
It is a point which I'm likely to make a few times during our Guilfest coverage, but many of the acts, certainly on the Main Stage, can be regarded as two hit wonder acts or fit into the 'Nostalger' category. On paper, Stereo MCs could fit into either group, all be it their hit singles list might run to five.
In fact they were the perfect band for middle of the afternoon on the Main Stage at this kind of festival. Even if you weren't that familiar with much of their work you could certainly be carried along by the band's energetic and very funky performance.
When band's have only a couple of songs that are instantly recognisible, they often fall into the trap of leaving them right to the end, by which point a number of casual observers have wandered off in search of something else to pass the time.
'Connected', otherwise known as that one the Carphone Wearhouse used in their advert for years, was third on the setlist. The band's other massive hit 'Step It Up', for me the highlight of the set, was left near to the end.
'Deep Down and Dirty' came straight after 'Connected', and was another highlight. Thereafter the set for some may well have drifted, but the constant encouragement from the stage meant those not struggling with the heat were content to go with the flow.
The risk of leaving famous songs to the end is that if you overrun you can get pulled off stage before you've played them. 'Creation', another from the 'Connected' album didn't appear and I wonder if it was being saved for the climax.
Stereo MCs may have suffered from a lack of variety in their music, but their overall approach to this set meant most felt satisfied when they did leave the stage.