O2 Wireless Festival (Thursday)
3 July
Hyde Park, London

It’s 14:00 and the forecast is high chance of rain; let’s go to the park for some music.

I make my way onto the festival grounds shortly after the gates have opened and arrive at main stage to take my place amongst the sparse crowds that have already begun to gather there. A line has already claimed their stake at the safety barrier, no doubt not wanting to miss the headliner for tonight’s event. Things kick off as the Cool Kids come to the stage to a little fanfare. The hip-hop duo from Chicago try to get their small audience excited for their set, but it appeared that only a few people were familiar with the group with a bit more being energized about their performance. Nevertheless the group performed their late 80’s influenced raps such as Black Mags and Pump Up The Volume with excellent retro style.

It was at this point that I pondered departing to see what the other stages might have to offer, but a look at the slowly building crowd amassing around me quickly dissuaded me from it. Settling in I prepared for the next act, David Jordan. The artist, pun intended since he is obviously influenced by Prince, dressed in a low cut V neck shirt and skin tight leopard or cheetah print pants and danced around stage taking the time between singing his hits between Place In My Heart and Move On to gyrate and touch himself to much of the crowd’s, excluding a few thrilled ladies, displeasure. A light rain had begun by this point, and after commenting on this Jordan performed Sun Goes Down and finished his set.

With the rain gone for the moment the crowd began to throb as the electric music of the next artist began. Preceded by her backup singers, Róisín Murphy enchanted the crowd with Cry Baby and former band Moloko’s Forever More. The rain started again midway through her set, but the crowd was not deterred as Murphy performed greatly in spite of the precipitation. Her set was filled with costume changes including the revealing piece worn under most of them that she took the stage in, fancy dance moves, and fans (the blowing kind) to equal an enthusiastic and well-appreciated performance.

Next was Hot Chip who were slightly delayed by the rain tampering with the speakers and had to take a short leave from the stage much to the crowd’s disappointment. The band are welcomed back warmly though, especially so when the sun decides to make an appearance during Shake A Fist and proves to be a staying feature for the rest of the night. The boys run through a few more songs, and the audience shows their appreciation by the dancing and jumping wildly during numbers such as Over & Over and One Pure Thought. Before they bow out, Ready For The Crowd is played leaving listeners very satisfied.

As the Dap Players take the stage looking very prim and proper I look around at the huge crowd that surrounded the main stage by that time, commend myself on the wise decision to stay put, and appreciate the view I am afforded. Mark Ronson comes to the stage silver-suited with guitar in hand as the crowd cheers and prepares for his brand of covers. The highlights of the set would have to be all the guests including Kenna, Philadelphia based hip-hop group Plastic Little, Rumble Strips lead singer Charlie Waller for a thrilling rendition of Ms. Winehouse’s Back To Black, Wiley who performs his hit Wearin My Rolex, and Tim Burgess of The Charlatans amongst others. Lily Allen showed up for two numbers looking comfortable in a tank top, pants also in leopard or cheetah print pants (maybe she and David Jordan coordinated?), and smoking a fag. The band ended with Kaiser Chiefs’ Stop Me, and all guests returned for a grand ending bow. Ronson exited continuing to get the crowd excited for the next and final act.

The stage is rearranged, instruments are being set-up, and a giant panoramic screen is erected in the back. As Say Hello begins and the screen begins displaying the suited gang from Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs it is evident that the moment has finally arrived; Hov has arrived. Jay-Z enters to raucous cheering rhyming with caliber appropriate with a veteran of his status. Obviously energized from his reception at Glastonbury last weekend and unaffected by critics, the emcee blazed with his performances including songs from earlier in his career such as Is That Yo B***h, Hard Knock Life, and Jigga My N***a. Taking a moment after dissing current US President during Blue Magic (Push/ Money over broads you got it, f**k Bush/), Jay delivered his scathing criticism of the handling of New Orleans after the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, Minority Report, acapella before displaying a picture of presidential hopeful Barrack Obama and leading into Public Service Announcement (Interlude) with the Union Jack waving on the screen behind him.

His versions of A Milli (titled A Billi over Lil’ Wayne’s popular hit) and Rehab were well accepted, and he took the time on Estelle’s American Boy to make sure that no one missed his slick lyricism (London Bridges are falling down/ Not bridges but britches when Jigga’s in town/ Ladies show me your knickers/). Jay thanked the crowd for all their love before departing during Heart Of The City only to return to the stage for the triumphant anthem What More Can I Say and a rousing performance of the Linkin Park mash-up of Numb/Encore. When he finally did leave the stage there was not an audience member who had not thrown their “diamond” up. Leaving the park was easy enough, and as I got aboard the 73 with Jigga’s performance still fresh in my mind I had to restrain myself from holding up a “diamond” all the ride home.

Coren J. Cogdell