1234 Shoreditch Festival 2010

Fears that 1234 Shoreditch Festival will forever remain a haven for guestlist and blaggers are not allayed upon arrival - the queue for VIP passes snakes less than gracefully all the way to the Shoreditch Park entrance, whilst queues to exchange tickets remain extraordinarily non-existent. Regardless, the line up offerings are certainly tempting: punk icons past and present - from Glen Matlock and Vic Godard to Fucked Up; plentiful ‘projects’ by various longstanding members of the British music scene; and a fruitful crop of the latest up-and-coming bands.

The Ruling Class play a mid-afternoon set in the Artrocker Tent, which, in testament to their performance, should by all rights be packed out. Anchored around their adrenalised and entertaining drummer Alfie Tammaro, their show is rich in colour and passion, highlighting the very best of their brief career so far. ‘If You Wonder’ from recent EP ‘Tour De Force’ is a highlight, getting even the most pretentious of Shoreditch denizens dancing.

There’s a lot of excitement around the festival ground concerning Peter Hook’s set, where he’ll play ‘Unknown Pleasures’ with his new band. The legacy of Joy Division is clearly strong amongst 1234’s line up and crowd - debate rages as to whether he’ll add to their standing or cheapen it, and, certainly, he doesn’t do it any favours. Hook could not possibly hope to emulate Ian Curtis’ chilling vocals, and he shouldn’t attempt to. He performs as if part of a stadium rock band, which Joy Division simply were not. It’s undoubtedly a bold choice by 1234 to book him, but it’s only testament to the strength of Joy Division’s heritage that they are not tainted by it.

Like Hooky, Wavves draw a great crowd. Drummer Billy Hayes has clearly been working on his stage banter: ‘I have a temperature of 107 but with your help it can be 101,’ he says. ‘I think I have tuberculosis, but I didn’t think that existed anymore!’ Drawing majorly from new album ‘King of the Beach’, the band deal Shoreditch Park something akin to a lo-fi Blitzkrieg of sound.

Back in the Artrocker tent, Veronica Falls pack it out with their C86-influenced sound, whilst 60s garage supergroup-covers-band The Silver Machine play on the main stage. ‘Falls play a triumphant set, showcasing their tight rhythm and harmonies with single ‘Found Love In A Graveyard’; it is becoming increasingly inconceivable that they won’t enjoy much popularity in the future.

1234 Shoreditch Festival will always have its cynics, but the overall line up is interesting; it’s just the atmosphere that lets it down.