Winston's Zen

Offset Review: There really is something about girls who play guitars

Despite having scurried back to the campsite for a rainproof between sets, amid warnings of torrential downpours in nearby central London, I'm happy to report that here at Offset 2008 it's STILL not raining!

Blood Red Shoes and Metronomy provide the first really nasty clash of the festival, but with little distance to cover between Blood Red Shoes main stage slot and a Last.fm tent which is currently heaving in anticipation of Metronomy's set, we should manage to catch at least a chunk of both acts.

Brighton outfit Blood Red Shoes open with the enthralling It's Getting Boring By The Sea, who's pounding bass and screaming riffs start the set the way the highly thought of punk-rockers mean to continue. Laura Mary-Carter struts and strums around the stage like she was born doing it and looking cooler than the Foxes polar bear, while drummer Steven Ansell delivers incisive backing vocals whilst plying his main trade with a feverish pace. Who needs more band members? Blood Red Shoes may be a duo but they create as much noise as a full ensemble and a now pleasingly lively Offset crowd rocks accordingly.

Quite possibly the highlight of the weekend, I really can't see The Maccabees topping this.


- Taken at 7:36 PM on August 31, 2008 - cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Back soon,
Winston