By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Sunday 25 August 2024 (press ticket)

It’s getting harder every year to get down early for the good bands. Day Three seems to be in reverse, with our best bands on at the beginning on the Castle Stage.

• Read on for reasons including Wet Leg, Biffy Clyro, Panic Shack & Al Murray

Personal Trainer are a project revolving around main man, Willem Smit, and his current rotated members, including Pip Blom. (Think K-pop?)

The Amsterdam based indie outfit have shades of Black Country, New Road with a J Mascis vocal. Musically versatile (think Field Music, GO! Team, Squid) they also comprise two drummers (swoon).

Having heard them on 6Music, I still was quite blown away by them and am going to do more listening immediately. And now for our headliners, Panic Shack on the Castle Stage.

We first saw this Cardiff-based outfit in Southampton a few years ago and have been desperate to catch them again. And oh my, how they still surprised us. They set the scene by telling us that they don’t really like it when we look at them like that, or talk to them like that. Resounding words these days, I’ve always loved this.

Tit School is a new one for me, they didn’t get straight As but double Ds. I just love their attitude. Vape, Phone, Purse, Lipgloss – an anthem for everyone going out. Old favs Meal Deal and Jiu Jits You have the crowd in their hands, finishing with The Ick (I’m sorry but I would shush someone in the cinema but that’s why I don’t go anymore) and Who’s Got My Lighter?

The sass is high, the fun is overflowing, the musicianship is tight as anything and their dance routines second to none. This gang should be headlining in my opinion. And then I’ll go down the pub with them afterwards.

Filta are our next stop at Under the Trees. Described as a West Country house music/drum’n’bass/trance band, I just have to stop by. They take advantage of the sun peeking through and have us all up dancing to Can’t Get No Sleep and others I can’t remember now. You just have to be in that moment!

Mr Humdrum pops off to see Al Murray; in his opinion the best comedy headliner, riffing off the audience including teaching a 14yo how to tell a publican he was old enough to be in his pub. At this time, I pop with CaerphillyGirl to the Twisted Tearooms to see Alex in Wonderland. Now I have always wanted to perform at Victorious, and in my head, along with my trusty recorder, there I am on stage. I sort of realise my dreams, shaking an egg shaker along to one of this songs. I swoon. Mr B, the Gentleman Rhymer, is a new one for our friends and Mr B doesn’t disappoint them.

On the gorgeous Seaside Stage, the Chap-Hop History of Hip Hop has us all enthralled, even though we’ve seen it before. All hail the Chap; I wish we’d stayed longer, instead of nipping over to catch Yard Act on the Common Stage. Now we like Yard Act, the best of the shouty, opinionated bands with great music. But we’d just met up with a friend and perhaps it wasn’t the best backdrop to have. They didn’t play Fixer Upper, which was a shame, maybe next time.

Along for Soft Play. We love them live, having seen them play as Slaves before The Prodigy a few years ago. 90steachergirl admits to them not being her thing, but accepting they are great performers.

Topless, tattooed and strutting around banging drums and playing guitars… what’s not to like? We are still chatting and topping up ciders but adore F*** the Hi Hat when it comes on. I love them, but don’t think we can ever have the same experience again as when we first saw them.

Dutch Criminal Record on the Introducing Stage, a local indie surf band, surprise us with a fab cover of Murder on the Dancefloor. The rest of their set is a bit Haircut 100 mixed with Barbudo: summery sounds and flicky hair. Which we like.

Now a good festival should put you in a quandary about what to watch. This year’s big clash (like Pete Tong and Jamiroquai last year) is Biffy Clyro and Wet Leg. You’d think Wet Leg would have the advantage being local-ish (from the Isle of Wight) but we see many, many ‘Mon the Biff t-shirts throughout the weekend that we’re not sure who’s going to win here. No one wins. Everyone wins. Music wins.

We try to straddle the gap with Hard Drive, a covers band of electro 80s, but sadly due to the rain on their equipment, their set is cancelled. We mooch back to the hill to watch Wet Leg. The Castle Stage is not full by any means, but the Common Stage (for the Biff) is.

Weegieman, another of my reviewing clan, has never seen it so busy. It’s an outstanding show with excellent effects. He’s always thought Biffy were “alright”, but they win him over. With the crowd singing along, Weegieman claims them to be the best headliner on the Common Stage since New Order. Probably.

And here’s where we’re different. We binned that New Order set because it was boring. Peter Hook took custody of us after the New Order divorce settlement and we went to live with Hooky. We moshed to Dub Pistols instead and have never looked back. I digress.

Wet Leg tell us it’s a sort of homecoming gig for them, as they only live over the water. The setting is lovely for them, with the Tower and the Castle. Rain stays away as they run through what might be the last time they play some songs, as they’re going to be performing new material next time. Crowd pleasers Wet Dream and Angelica don’t detract from Rhian’s beautiful voice during the slower songs. And their stage performance has, in my opinion, much improved from that Glastonbury debut.

The Castle crowd are happy with their choice. Chaise Longue carries us home and has us in wonder what they can now produce to match that. Thank you Victorious for another fabulous weekend. Awesome comedy names, Fatboy Slim, Welly, Panic Shack, Idles, Pixies … and thank you for introducing us to Do Nothing and Personal Trainer. See you next year! Crystal Tides headlining?

• Pictures via Facebook courtesy Victorious. Tickets
• Read more from Carron at her blog A Humdrum Mum
• Have you seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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