After the glory of BST’s matriarchal line-up, Citadel saw the return of the patriarchy, with a masculine lad-up. Uh. Lads. Lads. Lads? We went. It was decent. Just a shame the organisers are from the dark ages.
Inhaler: B+
Most likely to…become head boy.
Young stars Inhaler opened the Citadel main stage with the swagger of a band not phased by being so young yet so sought after. Fantastic riffs accompanied by dreamy synth and stellar haircuts. Perfect ‘relax-with-a-cider’ type stuff.
Bill Jefferson: D
Most likely to…get employed by the careers office.
A chaotic arrangement of Europop with a shitload of backing tracks and a lack of stage presence meant it was hard to keep focus beyond 10 minutes. Only positive was some beautifully sounding back up singers.
Squid: A
Most likely to…skip school to practice another random instrument.Â
A plethora of instruments, changing tempos, all following the drumming lead singer that led you through a journey every song, all at least 5 minutes long, never sounding the same. The painful sounding vocal delivery contrasted funky guitars, searing trumpets and a cowbell – all these instruments passed around the band. I love a cowbell. Everyone loves a cowbell. Â
The Murder Capital: A*
Most likely to…win the best-dressed awards.
Rarely will you find a band with such intensity perform with such professionalism. It was like being drawn into a different world, everyone fixated on the aggression of every single member, coupled with the destructive bass lines and drum bombs being dropped.
Dream Wife: B
Most likely to…put an end to the patriarchy.
I caught the end of what seemed to be a sweaty set. Ever happy to be performing and sharing their music with you, Dream Wife ensure everyone is smiling and having a good time. They’re sure to make a point though, and they were the ones calling out Citadel for the sausage fest it was.
DMA’s: C
Most likely to…stay stuck in the past.
DMA’s drew the weirdest crowd of the day as out of nowhere a sea of bucket hats and smoke bombs appeared. Where had they been hiding? Despite the persistent smoke wafting around, DMA’s put on a good show. Their songs reflect a cute love of Oasis and The Stone Roses, still fun though.
Fontaine’s DC: A
Most likely to…set fire to the school.
Fontaine’s are a drug that I’m not willing to quit indulging in. Their songs are heavy and catchy, prompting ample audience participation. The lead singer paces and prowls along the stage whilst the rest of the band do what they do, and look fucking cool whilst doing it.
Jade Bird: A-
Most likely to…be the class favourite.
Late replacement Jade Bird dawned her typical angelic white boiler suit as she provided the perfect ballads and country jams for the summer sun. Ever positive, she had everyone singing and dancing. We even got a cover and a new Grrl riot tune – watch that space.
Bastille: B
Most likely to…be the lead in the school play
The kind of band you don’t want to enjoy but actually have some right bangers. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t put your hands above your head and scream ‘Pompeii’ after a few too many overpriced Carlsbergs. A good bit of early evening fun dancing.Â
Catfish And The Bottlemen: C
Most likely to…fail the year.
Headliners Catfish and The Bottlemen started well. They played most of the hits from their first and best album The Balcony. However, as new songs drifted in and Van McCann became increasingly annoying, it was hard to tolerate. Fair play to them though, they clearly have made the jump to being a festival headliner.
