By Richard Derbyshire

PAUL WELLER wrapped up the second night of Victorious Festival in style after a magical set by the legendary Brian Wilson and his band.

Switching between guitar and piano, Weller played an hour and a half of songs from The Jam, The Style Council and his ever growing, almost unparalleled, solo career.

However, even this great songwriter was in awe of his fellow Saturday main stage act, saying it was an honour to meet the former Beach Boys star at Victorious.

Sat at his piano, Brian Wilson, 76, and his 13 strong ensemble, including original Beach Boy Al Jardine and his vocalist son Matt, enthralled the seafront audience with songs of eternal youthful hopes and fears.

Pet Sounds staples Wouldn’t It Be Nice and God Only Knows, introduced by Al Jardine as “one of the best songs written in the last fifty years”, were spine tingling, while Surfing USA and Good Vibrations had everyone bouncing.

Brian Wilson introduced some numbers with the line “Here’s another song”, modestly understating these timeless tunes that have touched so many and have never been bettered.

Eight hours earlier, Happy Mondays – Shaun Ryder, Bez, Rowetta and the band – drew a huge lunchtime audience, proving that Victorious punters are 24-hour party people, whatever the time of day.

Inevitably, it was Step On that everyone stepped up for. “What a crowd,” said guitarist Mark afterwards. In return, they thought what a band.

Keeping profanities to a minimum, Shaun later spoke to Gordon Smart on Radio X in The Strongbow Yard in front of fans. He said that his days of hell raising had been over for some time and that the group would be busy on the road into 2019, including a Southampton date at The Engine Rooms on Friday November 30.

Until reforming in 2017, Sleeper had been away for 19 years, but their return to Portsmouth, and one of their first major festivals since getting back together, was not a moment too soon.

“I’m going to take you back to the summer of 1996, it was a long time ago,” said singer Louise Werner before striking up hit single Inbetweener. Then for a few minutes, those who could remember were back in the heady times of the mid-Nineties when this band was rarely off the airwaves.

Statuesque, What Do I Do Now? and a singalong to Sale of the Century rocked Southsea, while, a cover of Atomic, with a Joy Division interlude, suggests that Louise could be Britain’s answer to Debbie Harry.

Louise revealed that new keyboard player Amy was from Portsmouth, so “probably knows everyone here.” If she does, then she can see them again when Sleeper play The Wedgewood Rooms on Thursday November 22.

Portsmouth’s favourite psychedelic rockers Number 9 were one of the first on the Seaside Stage, set against the spectacular background of the Solent, its 19th century sea forts and passing Brittany Ferries.

It’s been a busy weekend for Number 9 guitarist and singer George Wedlake as he’s also helped front Express FM’s coverage of the weekend.

Macclesfield’s hotly-tipped trio Cassia’s Castle Stage set included the UK premier of new song Dreamers and recent single Get Up Tight.

Band members Rob Ellis, Lou Cotterill and Jacob Leff told The Echo that they had been working with a renowned producer and were looking forward to bringing their Caribbean-indie fused sounds to their first show in Southampton at The Joiners on October 31.

Rising Welsh stars Trampolene’s set on the Seaside stage was almost a homecoming for frontman Jack Jones. He joked, “My old man is from Southampton, but that doesn’t seem to get you far around here, so perhaps I’ll say he’s from Pompey today.”

Summing up the unique location of the far-flung Seaside stage, the singer added, “Technically we are part of the festival, but we’re closer to the sea, which is where I’ll end up if this doesn’t go well.”

However, there was no need to worry; the trio smashed their 30-minute set with songs including Alcohol Kiss, The Gangway and Storm Heaven, before stage management reluctantly had to pull the plug.

20 minutes later, Jack was still greeting family, friends and fans at the barrier when then the next band struck up. Trampolene support The Sherlocks on their UK tour in October. Their overdue return to Southampton is yet to be announced.

TODAY: Day 3 includes headliners The Prodigy, The Amazons, Reverend and the Makers, Embrace, The Bluetones and Years and Years. Gordon Smart talks to The Prodigy from The Strongbow Yard on Radio X 1-4pm, while Southampton stars The Collision top the bill on The Real Age Stage, Winchester’s Temples of Youth are in the Beats and Swing Tent and BBC Introducing favourite Jerry Williams plays The Castle Stage.