Lovebox, Victoria Park, London

3.00

Its inner-city location may not suggest wellies, but numerous downpours over east London have left Victoria Park resembling something of a mudbath. It certainly makes Lovebox feel like more of a traditional festival, although the event – now in its eighth year – has been a summer fixture for a while now.

The biggest performance of the three days comes from the biggest name and the bill's major attraction. Ostensibly there to play his 1993 debut, Doggystyle, in full, Snoop Dogg's Saturday night headline slots makes plenty of forays into the rest of his career including, unfortunately, his latest, rather ill-advised venture into dance.

The top moments come from his G-funk classic, while the Lady of Rage and Daz Dillinger are among those re-creating their roles from the album. Perhaps the only guest star who comes close to stealing the show from Snoop is Warren G, who delights with another Nineties classic, "Regulate".

Hip-hop nostalgia is the order of the day before Snoop as well, albeit with a focus on the East Coast instead of the West. De La Soul fill in for Jessie J (laid low after surgery) and on the face of it, it seems a pretty good swap. A late start, though, means that the New York trio play a severely curtailed set – a shame, since they're one of the best live rap acts around.

Friday – with The Wombats as the headline act – is more of a warm-up day, while Sunday, under the tagline "Out & Out Fierce", is about dance music. Again, it is under clouds rather than blazing sun, but that does not stop Beth Ditto from stripping to her underwear during her solo set. Debbie Harry is rather more demurely dressed, however, as Blondie – now reformed for nearly 15 years – run through their well-rehearsed act, although they struggle with some sound issues.

As ever Scissor Sisters' frontpersons Jake Shears and Ana Matronic bring plenty of energy to proceedings and largely manage to keep the crowd with them as well, especially on hits from their 2004 eponymous debut such as "Take Your Mama" and "Filthy/Gorgeous".

It is up to Belgian dance duo 2ManyDJs – who are such a sure-fire festival winner it almost seems like cheating to book them – to bring the weekend to a close, and they do so with predictable success.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Arts & Ents blogs

Owen Howells: From the UK to Australia and back again (and again!)

Owen Howells is a DJ/producer who grew up in Australia but was born in the UK. He came back to the U...

Brighton Fringe 2013 – Is everyone sitting uncomfortably?

Fancy seeing a play about serial killers? How about inviting a funeral director into your home for a...

The Fall ‘Darkness Visible’ – Series 1, episode 2

There are a good many moments in the second episode of this psychological thriller that deserve refl...

       

ES Rentals

    James Pembroke: The man who's eaten everywhere

    The man who's eaten everywhere

    Few people know more about restaurants than James Pembroke, who only spent five mealtimes at home during his entire childhood.
    A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

    A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

    The young JFK praised 'superior' Nordic races during visits to Germany
    Banned Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof to attend Cannes Film Festival 2013, his first public appearance since prison

    Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

    Mohammad Rasoulof to make his first public appearance since being imprisoned three years ago
    Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

    Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

    An exhibition explores images how photography has shaped astronomy
    Eat Spam and carry on: Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating

    Eat Spam and carry on

    Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating
    Facial hair: Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence

    Facial hair

    Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence
    The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

    The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

    Whether they're for everyday use or to make your dining table look just right, it's worth getting a stylish shaker...
    Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

    Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

    Chief executive says trophies will come if a 'core' of suitable players is in place
    Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

    Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

    The Bayern Munich forward tells Tim Rich his side have to shed chokers' tag after two recent final defeats
    Giro d'Italia: The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

    The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

    As the Giro d'Italia tackles the brutal climb, Simon Usborne takes on the snow and switchbacks – and soon realises what the fuss is about
    National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

    Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

    Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
    Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

    Sent down at the Old Bailey

    A tour of the world's most famous court
    Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

    Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

    The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
    British football scores an own goal

    British football scores an own goal

    Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff
    James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

    James Lawton

    Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again