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Even Nurse with Wound, one of the more dizzyingly inspiring projects on the bill with a Dada-inspired combination of ambient soundtracks and lithe avant-funk, have managed to remain resolutely unknown for almost three decades. Fortunately for the more casual attendee, Moore's taste in older music is less potentially exclusive. Recently-revived English post-punks Gang of Four are a revelation, providing an energetic and eminently danceable collection of almost-lost classics. "At Home He's a Tourist", "Damaged Goods" and "Anthrax" were among the highlights of the weekend, as was Dinosaur Jr's "Freak Scene" - although one's enjoyment of the grunge linchpins may have been decided by an individual taste for loud, feedbacking guitars.
The Saturday set by Sonic Youth came close to earning the description "legendary". Moore has been known to let his eclectic tendencies overwhelm his own band, but this show was an utter crowd pleaser. A few songs from the definitive Daydream Nation album - including the magnificent "Teenage Riot" - elicited a joyous reaction from an otherwise somewhat brow-furrowed crowd.
Yet it was possible to upstage the hosts, as The Stooges demonstrated. Iggy Pop remains an icon in motion, a complete rock-and-roll performer whose years don't dim his magnetic excitement. He launched himself into the red-strobed sweat-pit time and again during "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and ordered a stage invasion before "No Fun". DKT/MC5 - the recently revived and still-entertaining incarnation of Pop's contemporary MC5 - couldn't help but suffer in comparison with such elemental force. Shell-shocked festival-goers clearly felt that any amount of queuing was worth it to witness such a primal display of definitive, empowering performance.
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