NME/Radio 1 Stage
To blustery conditions outside, The Big Pink brought their bombastic goth electro-rock inside to the NME/Radio 1 Stage. Whilst their amps were, naturally, painted in a garish shade of pink, the band themselves strolled onstage dressed drably in black to dark feedback drones and sirens for opening track 'Too Young To Love'. To little banter, they let a dazzling lightshow impress before the big, brash beats took hold. Yet quite why they bother with a drummer became perplexing given the exemplary use of a drum machine leaving Akiko Matsuura largely redundant.
Their now honed sound was a brooding one with 'Velvet' featuring dirty, meddling electro loops until soaring, buoyant reverbs. Not until 'At War With The Sun' were any customary guitar sounds heard but when Robbie Furze saw the opportunity his guitar was wielded as a weapon of mass exhilaration for mesmerising, spiralling melodies during 'Crystal Visions'. Already drawn in, 'Tonight' would blow you away as its endearing opening bars deceived before a bone thumping chorus.
They even managed an Otis Redding cover of 'These Arms Of Mine' yet the downbeat version simply did not suit the set, despite Furze's impressive vocal performance. Of course, the crowd knew what was coming for a grand finale and as the gigantic drum beats rang out, a crude delivery of their hit 'Dominos' was inflicted.