Today was a particularly special day for the us at the Olympic Park, because we had silver medal-winning gymnast Louis Smith down to pay the Emerging Icons stage a visit. After making the country and Team GB immensely proud, we were delighted to treat him to a spontaneous performance from our smooth soul crooner, James Craise.
Before the crowds had even come down to the stage, Louis got to hear 'Song For Tomorrow' sung to absolute perfection- and he loved it. With his penchant for falsetto, the Olympian soon found himself singing the lyrics himself- and he was still humming the tune as we parted ways. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call making a good impression. Have a listen to 'Song For Tomorrow' here, performed live to the masses at London 2012:
Call The Doctor ventured down from Bristol to completely undo all the damage the cast of 'Skins' has done to the reputation of the otherwise lovely city. These guys were a huge hit with our Olympic Park audience today- a lot of the older spectators feeling like they had just witnessed a band they should namedrop to their kids and grandkids, and the younger ones racing to grab free CDs backstage like their lives depended on it. New Zealand-born Patti makes for a formidable presence as a front woman, boasting a alluring vocal as well as a look so cool that it could have been a result of a 'This Morning' makeover from Karen O and Siouxsie Sioux.
They stripped back their regular sound for the occasion today, drafting in a pal on cello to add a little bit of snazziness for their acoustic set. Their alternative brand of rock is one that would engage the trendy hipster musos and regular Joes alike, and their complete package of image, identity, style and sound is sure to get the critics' heads turning. But it's not only the critics band want to impress.. of course, the opinions of their audiences mean just as much. Here's Call The Doctor performing 'For Your Leisure' live on the Emerging Icons stage.
Traversing down to the capital for the day were The Moth Lantern. The easiest way to surmise their brilliance is to say they're Lincoln's interpretation of The National. Almost 'nuff said right there. But we were especially excited to see them down here after the amazing interview we had with them in the run-up to the Games... and were even happier when we soon realised that they are perhaps even more daft in real life.
Their silliness may come as a surprise to many of us, considering the main vibe of their music is rather rich indie rock; but the truth of the matter is that when their stage presence and personality comes into play you don't want them to ever leave the stage. Sadly, it's just a little impractical and there are other bands waiting their turn. But never mind, we still loved their performances regardless- a positive demeanour and sense of fun sneaking out in the rhythm of'Black Shapes', and their emotional investment in their work shining through 'Comfort'. They really were a sublime addition to the line-up. They're really good fun to hang out with which you might be able to tell from this interview:
Think we've set the bar pretty high for the rest of the day? Well, kind of. But when you see what a band like Gecko are capable of you soon realise that it's not a problem- the London four-piece were absolutely outstanding today. Their upbeat afro-beat infused sound couldn't have been better for the chilled out vibe of the afternoon, creating the illusion of summer even if weather has been a little hit-and-miss. With Will at the mic, the crowd weren't just worked, they were like Play-Doh in a Fun Factory. Clapping, singing, dancing... stage manager Lucy said she loved the fact they got so many voices shouting back lyrics of 'go to the library!' in the middle of the Olympic Park.
Achieving something so bizarre is pretty good work. In fact, some of the audience were so enamoured with the band that Gecko were met with quite a few excited new fans backstage wanting pictures and autographs. Sadly, their loyalty proved much to be desired because as soon as Mandeville came on the scene, they couldn't be seen for dust. We caught up with the boys at the Games to see what they thought of the vibe and more importantly, the stage...