Simply Fantastic
Unfortunately my attempts to visit the Comedy Tent this weekend had all been a failure - the thing seemed constantly packed, but Jarvis Cocker adds so much entertainment to the evening that he comic pale into insignificance. If I were choosing between the two Britpop rivals who have both graced the Obelisk Stage this weekend - Damon Albarn and Jarvis Cocker - I know who I'd have chosen as The Good, The Bad And The Ugly's bloated enigmatic and cold performance is the opposite of Jarvis's constant chat and boundless energy.
Just moments after he's entered Jarvis seems to have assessed the whole stage enough to be able to leap around the monitors before crying, "La-la-latitude", acknowledging the excited crowd in the way a true showman would. The show kicks off with current single, 'Fat Children', a bluesy rocker with an electro sheen and by the second tune, 'Don't Let Him Waste Your Time', Jarvis has bounced off the stage to get up close to the crowd.
He laughs that it's the first time he's played these tunes in the daylight and it shows his years, this is a real joke as Jarvis is as full of life and anecdotes as ever and ready to become the hero of a new generation. 'I'll Kill Again' takes the pace down a notch as slow piano ballad with typical Jarvis pith and wit.
After, 'Heavy Weather' we move onto talk of the cloud formations, which quickly appear on the big screens. Jarvis' meandering musings that the Devil does have the best tunes while someone who washes their hands too fastidiously for example, wouldn't writes good tunes, may be a little risque, but in true Jarvis style he instantly recognises this and quips that we should further discuss this in the philosophy tent (no this hasn't yet been invented but it would be in true Latitude spirit). Jarvis tongue in cheek magnificence makes the break between tunes as eagerly anticipated as the songs themselves. After the twinkling 'Big Julie' he stands astride two monitors, blathering about being a "colossus of rock" and being in a power circle with the crowd that makes it feel like "we're all fucking each other", before screaming how good we are. If it were anyone other than Jarvis, it would be ridiculous , but this joker can do no wrong.
We're further treated to album tracks, 'Disney Time', a menacing tune and 'Sooner Or Later The Big Stuff Comes Around', a crashing rock number accompanied by flashing lights which gets the front at the front of the stage bowing down!
'Cunts Are Still Running The World' and a quick introduction of his band close the set, before the cheeky singer returns to overrun with a cover that he says he won't ever play again, and 'Eye Of The Tiger' is a real powerhouse to end a mindblowing show on.