O2 Wireless Festival: Saturday

Saturday is busier than Friday and it looks like the crowd are right up for it! The line up is built for ravers and new music lovers - and it's clear they want to 'ave it! Stereo MC's are mid-billing on the main stage and really get the vibe going in the sunshine. Singalong hip-hop pop classics like 'Step It Up' taking the older crowd back while tougher new material shows the kids the 'MCs have still got it. 

Lady Sovereign is much (and over) hyped. Attempting to revive garage after So Solid Crew dirtied the scene by making more criminal records than hit records.  The Lady is better than feared at times and gets a good plug and response to single '9 To 5', but you can't help wondering if there's really a market for her. If there is, good luck to her, as she's feisty, funny and willing to take the piss out of herself.  Endearing qualities, even if your band is dressed head to toe in white trackies and your MCing is repetitive, at times incomprehensible, and often unmelodic. For the first time of the weekend the Xfm tent is oversubscribed and to no surprise this because of Death in Vegas. No vocals? No worries, this crowd has come to grind to their grimey city beats. The band dance rhythmically throughout the set whilst playing note perfectly, and the energy passes to their onlookers via chunky and powerful breaks. 

LCD Soundsystem perform as if Hyde Park is their front room. No awe of the crowd size, which is their largest UK show to date, James Murphy and band bang out rhythmic slices of electronics and beats to move to harder than England's no.9 bangs cowgirl grandmothers. Their performance will have won them many new friends, despite an under par version of hit single 'Daft Punk Is Playing At My House'. The party vibe is back and this band could be headliners if the event is to return in the future, such is the impact and connection they make today.

It is possibly the small size and high density of people that keeps this vibe going for Roots Manuva.  Ever popular, UK hip-hop legend Rodney Smith is more entertaining than a cat trying to do back flips. They make the tempo rise and then drop, taking their audience with them for the trip. The interaction between the band and crowd hits crescendo at the end, as if it had been choreographed to go out on a high. Completing their Wireless appearance with 'Dreamy Dayz' they invoke a big sing-along which would be the highlight of the day had they not be warm up for Brixton neighbours Basement Jaxx who completely steal the show.

All the other stages are closed, so maximum attention sets on the Jaxx and unfortunately, despite opening loudly, they lack the usual colourful cacophony of sound that any Jaxx fan has come to expect regardless of the location, indoors or outdoors. As darkness falls the bright non stop flashing of stage lighting adds to the atmosphere and this, along with hit tunes from their recent best of CD including 'Rendez-Vu' and 'Good Luck' blast through the sound system creating an unbeatable atmosphere. The Jaxx finally hit top form during their encore. After 'Where's Your Head At?" they bring out a 20+ strong percussionist South American band, complete in matching Latin dress, and the customary Basement Jaxx feather clad exotic female dancers for the show finale that tore the field down into a dancing frenzy like Hyde Park has never felt before. This highlight of the evening provides a great cliff-hanger for those having to wait until next Wednesday for more Wireless action.