It's not often you get to see a real African King and Memphis Soul legend strut his stuff a few yards away, but Isaac Hayes takes the stage while the dawdling crowd is still gathering and kicks some serious ass with a Kool & The Gang stylee 'Just Hold Tight'. The band - not quite an orchestra today - oozes class, but just in case we're unconvinced, Kurt Richard launches a five minute bass solo that slaps out of the PA like a..., like a mutha.
'What I Say' gives way to a free form version of the classic 'Walk On By' (blistering, five minute drum and percussion solo this time) and probably not a must for Vines fans. When Hayes drops that famous voice to deep bass, the stage almost shakes loose, while the funk of 'Do Your Thing' kick starts the party once more.
Isaac's relaxed and up for a laugh and so he calls us 'my children' and morphs into South Park's Chef for a riotous 'Chocolate Salty Balls (PS I Love You)'. Now that's what I call a varied career. As if to underline the point he takes centre stage to conduct the band in a mind boggling, shit hot arrangement of 'The Theme From Shaft' with stabs of synth brass pounding out seemingly at random and that famous wah-wah guitar figure rolling off up the hill. Now if only our own royal family could do that.
