The gates open at 1:30pm but the first band don't take to the stage until 3pm. The interval inbetween is filled with a DJ to get the crowd warmed up. Sadly this DJ remains unnamed and is simply described on the lineup as 'DJ'. As the venue slowly fills, you can begin to catch glimpes of the rowdy bunch which make up the crowd. There are a group dressed in brightly coloured full body suits which cover their faces, one man opts for a clown mask while another couple wear homemade masks of famous faces (one of which may have been Prince Charles), but my particular favourite 'costume' was a rather snug looking lion hat. That's right, a comfortable looking hat in the shape of a lion. Somebody clearly took inspiration from Luna Lovegood here.
Does It Offend You, Yeah? are up first and they immediately earn respect by appearing seemingly unconcerned by what is clearly a daunting experience. They have a raw energy which is apparent from the very back of the venue and there doesn't appear to be a moment in which they aren't enjoying themselves. It's clear they're loving every minute of it and so are the unruly lot down the front who keep up a relentless jumping fest for the full 45 minute slot allotted. The music itself is entertaining and extremely well played, particularly the guitars and bass with highlights including Battle Royale and We Are Rockstars. 72/100 www.myspace.com/doesitoffendyou
Next up (and up again later) is Eddy Temple-Morris. During his two sets he pounds out some dance tunes which somewhat bizarrely make me feel 'gangsta.' Are you confused? Yeah, me too. There's really not much to comment on here; he's your typical decent DJ. Clearly not the most anticipated act on the set but he still receives a warm reaction from the crowd. 60/100 www.myspace.com/eddytemplemorris
So, in between Eddy's two sets are Chase & Status and this is around about the moment when things start to pick up a bit. You can tell the crowd are fired up when a group of men dressed in biohazard suits tear through the crowd. The first band to really capture the crowd's attention, they start off extremely well. They're really going for it, you can feel the bass thumping through your feet. That is until about three songs into their set, when they lapse into that dull repetitiveness that you so often find in this style of music. They attempt to make up for it by bringing some guests onstage with them, including the well-known Plan B, but this is also a bit of a letdown as you really have to struggle to hear them at all. All in all, pretty much your average set which was admittedly a slight disappointment. 50/100 www.myspace.com/chaseandstatus
After the second ETM set are personal favourites Enter Shikari. When it comes to an Enter Shikari gig, experience is a key factor in creating the hype. Looking around, you can immediately pinpoint those who have had the Enter Shikari experience. They're all wearing an identical expression which is clearly identifiable as "THIS SHIT'S ABOUT TO GET MENTAL!" if that can actually be an expression. But what about those unsuspecting folk who are thinking "Enter who?" Well, they're completely oblivious to what's about to hit them round the face with the force of a stampeding elephant. As Solidarity kicks in a mosh pit rips apart the crowd and the previously mentioned unsuspecting folk change their expressions from 'unfazed' to 'bloody bewildered.' It's a rowdy mosh pit too, fuelled by the adrenaline of teenagers who like to kick each other in the shins. Being an outdoor venue, approximately two minutes in a cloud of dust has swamped the pit and the onlookers look, if possible, even more bemused so it's a welcome relief when the sky opens up and a light rain washes away the layer of filth covering the faces of the already exhausted fans. An intense set (I ended up waving both my shoes above my head like a madman) but one things for sure; whether you like Enter Shikari or not, you can't deny that they can rip a place apart quicker than an out of control bulldozer. 83/100 www.myspace.com/entershikari
The transitions between band and DJ are so smooth that I'm dancing to the next song before I realise that Enter Shikari have left the stage and it is in fact Zane Lowe pumping out a tune. There's a good reason Zane Lowe is such a well respected DJ. His interaction with the crowd is effortless and friendly, there's no arrogance that can occasionally be found with musicians but more than this is the fact that he seems to know exactly the right song to play to get the crowd going. Like Eddy Temple-Morris, Zane Lowe plays two sets and it's during his second (the penultimate set of the night) that he really impresses. The Prodigy might be up next, but people have still got time to sing, jump, dance and have a laugh with Zane Lowe. He's just that darn good at entertaining the crowd. 68/100 www.myspace.com/zanelowe
It's at 7:00pm (the interval between Zane's sets) that the momentous task of choosing between Pendulum or Gallows is made. While I'm backing Gallows all the way, I will admit that Pendulum are a bloody good live band and I'm eventually swayed to stay put at the main stage. Pendulum make their appearance but without the bold stage setup that was present at their headline tour, it's not a very impressive sight. Sadly, this isn't the only letdown. With over an hour to entertain 65,000 people you would have thought they'd be pulling out all the stops but their stage presence is weak and their music fails to make a real impact. Of course, there are still a few fans bobbing along and one man who takes it upon himself to hand out high fives as he pushes his way closer to the stage but the general atmosphere lacked energy. Not to be completely pessimistic, no matter how poor a Pendulum set may be, their music is still pretty good. 63/100 www.myspace.com/pendulum
When the sun eventually starts to set and the Milton Keynes Bowl is plunged into an eerie blue darkness the atmosphere cranks up a gear. There's a restless shuffling of feet which isn't entirely surprising considering The Prodigy don't make an appearance until twenty minutes after they're due on stage. There's a reason for this though and that reason is the three ambulances hauled onstage. That's right, three ambulances! The Warriors Dance Festival is The Prodigy's biggest gig to date and to make the occasion memorable they've packed their set with all their greatest hits; Breathe, Omen, Firestarter, Weather Experience, Voodoo People, Diesel Power, Smack My Bitch Up and No Good (Start The Dance) with the real highlight of the night being Out Of Space. After a whole afternoon rammed with various bands and DJs the majority of the crowd appear completely knackered but they're not giving up that easily. A somewhat small but messy mosh pit continues throughout the entirety of The Prodigy's set and while those inside it may be exhausted, this is no halfhearted attempt. At one point, Maxim orders everyone in the venue to kneel down. While I've seen other bands pull this move before, there is something surreal about 65,000 people united this way. And that sums up the whole Warriors Dance Festival: surreal and bloody brilliant. If you weren't there, you missed out. 92/100 www.myspace.com/theprodigy
