FRIDAY

Koopa shot to relative fame in January for being the first unsigned band to make the Top 40, and are understandably chuffed at now being the first unsigned band to open the Isle Of Wight festival. God knows what will happen if they get signed.

They are a trio of black-clad teen popsters, delivering the usual sort of teen popster fare. Look beyond the rock and roll haircuts and you have something bog-standard and teeny. The crowd is a nice bunch and bounce around merrily - but pace yourselves, there are three days ahead consisting of acts which are arguably more worthy of your bouncing.

Echo and The Bunnymen
Such as Echo and The Bunnymen, for example. Well, maybe not bouncing, but swaying certainly. God bless grown-ups (sorry, Koopa). Ian McCulloch and his band of Bunnies bring the gloom of Scouse post-punk to this humid isle and as soon as the eastern-tinged guitars of 'The Cutter' chime in, we're back in '82 or thereabouts. 'Killing Moon' is a highlight - not to mention their merging of 'Nothing Ever Lasts Forever' with 'Walk On The Wild Side'. Things are already getting exciting and we're only two bands in...

Here's the perfect antidote to all things Bunnymen. The Feeling whirl on and warm every heart with 'Never Be Lonely'. Dan even manages to get the crowd to sing acappella in harmony. There aren't many bands that can do that.

Obviously the set is packed with further goodies, such as the vibrant 'I Love It When You Call' - or 'I Bloody Well Love It When You Call', (we think that's what he said). And we do love their cover of Buggles' 'Video Killed The Radio Star'. They sound as slick and neat as their perfect haircuts and there's some fine beard action from the keyboardist too. If they haven't recruited the final few to their army of converts after this sunshine soaked set we will be VERY surprised.

However you may feel about Groove Armada, they certainly know how to work a festival crowd. The brass-laced 'Superstylin'', accompanied by an awesome lightshow, has their audience pogo-ing trance-like as darkness falls. We were hoping to see Mutya Buena appear for 'Song For Mutya', but apparently she was having ferry issues. We wouldn't want to be the skipper who had to deal with that madame on the high seas... 'At the River' is still gorgeous and 'I See You Baby' has the desired bottom-wiggling effect on the audience. Those crazy kids.

So that would be a giant snowflake on the back of the stage. It can only mean one thing - Gary Lightbody is about to lead on his Snow Patrollers. It's fashionable not to like them, but thousands of people here are going crazy for their softhearted indie. We'd like to see someone tell this lot they're wrong. To be fair, devotees would probably sit you down over tea and biscuits and explain why you are wrong to turn your nose up at Snow Patrol and if that didn't work they would probably try to hug you into understanding. Not now though, they're busy singing along to 'Chasing Cars' - and, damn it, so are we.

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