Deserving of the massive crowd
Bloc Party returned to major English festival action this weekend as they played one of the prestigious places on the Main Stage at V 2006. This was a set that mixed a taster for their new album, due early 2007, with the classics that has made them so popular with 'Silent Alarm'.
The area in front of the Main Stage was absolutely rammed for this set, meaning those who might have wanted to leave had very little option but to stick around.
'Banquet' was the first of the classics to get an outing. This was followed by 'Blue Light', amusingly a complaint came from the stage about the lack of dancing even though that was arguably the slowest song they could play.
'Like Eating Glass', 'Two More Years' and 'So Here We Are' were all massive favourites, as was the punk powered 'Helicopter'. All of which proving, as if there was really any doubt, that Bloc Party have a massive job on their hands with their second record.
For me the interesting thing about Bloc Party is how their debut album, unlike bands like Hard-Fi and Editors, hasn't worn thin. It was one of 2005's finest and the crowd reaction here at Chelmsford simply confirmed that.