If there was ever a prize for best band designed for a festival or best festival designed for a band, Massive Attack and The Big Chill would be in high contention.

As described by previous artist on the Deer Park Stage, Thom Yorke, “Massive Attack have more of an arsenal than me”. And what an arsenal. Spectacular lightshows, several musicians, guest performers in the form of Martina Topley-Bird, an abundance of instruments and a screen that helped put across the message of the music. Including facts and figures of the kind of injustices in the world the band rally against.

‘Inertia Creeps’ was backdropped by the headlines of the week rolling behind the band. A cheeky reference to Sunday’s headliner Lily being “In love and preggers” had more to do with the celebrity worship of the papers than a cheap shot at the London singer, but the use of Naomi Campbell’s already infamous “This trial is a real inconvenience” was designed to sting the model.

‘Teardrop’, ‘Angel’ and ‘Safe From Harm’ in quick succession meant every happy revellers hands and feet had little time to stay still.

An encore featuring the huge ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ and teeth rattling bass of ‘Karmacoma’ brought the evening to a memorable end.

There aren’t many bands that can combine message, music and time and place. At The Big Chill in 2010 Massive Attack did just that.

Owen Nicholls

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