Secret Garden Party // Stage Invaders

Having finally tracked down the person who needed to speak to the person in order to get a photo pass, Noize was surprised to find that many stages didn’t even have a photo pit. We were shoulder to shoulder with the great unwashed, jostling for position, and as a man of the people, we’re normally happy to show solidarity with fellow fans.

That is, until they start stealing your top hat and badgering you for a shoulder lift onto the stage. We had cause to ponder the last problem when David Boring of French popsters du jour Naive New Beaters decided to invite the gathered to join him, and one particularly alluring female decided our headgear suited her far more than us. Needless to say, Noize was the consummate gentleman - until we wanted it back. As for the band, imagine a French Bloodhound Gang with all of the humour, and none of the self indulgence. No ballads to porn stars here, just cool tunes, hip beats, and the perfect soundtrack for throwing shapes down the front. We’re converted, why aren’t you?

Words by Derek Robertson

Photos by Derek Robertson and Simon Owen

Our hat. Not on our head.

The stage invasion begins.