Leeds Festival 2008

Every year on the August bank holiday, Leeds festival rears its ugly, but ultimately fun, head from the horizon. With a mixture of different musical tribes descending on Bramham Park, a collection of in vogue bands of the year and a general atmosphere of reckless abandon, you know what to expect each year, yet it rarely disappoints.

Here’s our picks of the festival…

Holy Fuck

Canadian four piece Holy Fuck have had their weird and wonderful brand of electronics honed in on the “Perfect Down To The Last Detail” setting for quite a while now, but this doesn’t stop them pulling off a brilliantly refreshing and breath taking show. Drawing a large number, considering the fairly early slot, they go from accentuating every little subtlety to blasting out powerfully as everyone dances in hypnotic awe.

Super Inuit

Johnny Foreigner

In the new (smaller and nicer) Festival Republic stage, Johnny Foreigner are simultaneously preaching to the converted and dragging new fans towards them with their sound that jerks and explodes with imagination. As they rattle through their debut, “Waited up ‘Till It Was Light”- changing tempo, braking into melodic parts, shouting in unison, and singer/guitarist Alexei displaying his genuine talent on guitar- the decent sized crowd is struck by their honest, effecting, energetic music.

Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles are, without doubt, one of the best bands of the weekend and definitely one of the biggest surprises. Seemingly a classic example of style over substance, it seemed the Canadian beats duo had suffered, like many other bands, from the onslaught of NME hype before they could really get going. However, here in the Leeds Dance Tent, Crystal Castles produce a blinding set. Singer Alice mounts amp stacks, falls into the bulging crowd and sings while lying limply on the floor in what is a energetic, dangerous and thrilling performance.

Simian Mobile Disco

After the Dance Tent fills up to the brim, this understated DJ duo come on and whip up an absolute heart racing, barn storming riot. With songs such as “Hustler”, “Sleep Deprivation” and “The Beat”, Simian Mobile Disco excel in the subtleties of dance music. Every tiny bleep, each echoing squelchy beat and build up is seemingly pulled off by great electronic wizardry. Circle dance pits, glow sticks and face chewing ensue in heavy dosage with the pair having the crowd firmly in the palm of their hand in what is one of the sets of the day.

Digitalism

After the explosive carnage that SMD created, the Dance Tent is left wetting itself in anticipation for German duo Digitalism. Despite a lot of the set being seemingly prerecorded (at some points the pair are simply playing a drum and singing despite the complex music continuing), a mass, sweaty beautiful rave ignites.

Magnets

Saturday

Dizzee Rascal

The jury may still be out on whether the King of Grime can keep his cred after the massive crossover smash “Dance Wiv Me”, but everyone can see he’s still a great entertainer and performer. The downright bizarre scheduling that’s put him on early afternoon on the mainstage, and the poor sound quality this means, is a drawback but with a back catalogue as strong as this, Dizzee always has more than a few trump cards up his sleeve. Listening to the likes of “Fix Up Look Sharp” and “Sirens” in the blazing sunshine made his set pleasant rather than dangerous, which it could have been if he’d headlined a smaller tent.

 

Late of the Pier

Last year at Leeds, Donnington mentalists Late of the Pier were one of the first bands on in a pretty empty NME tent and most onlookers looked a little perplexed by what they saw. This year, they have an album out (review), a LOT more fans and a well deserved upgrade to good slot on the Festival Republic stage. The tent is packed out and filled with such excitement that the merest suggestion of a drum beat has bodies slamming against each other and song words screamed out in unison. Just running through Fantasy Black Channel, the set sounds like a greatest hits with no filler included at all. Last song, Bathroom Gurgle is, as always, outstanding. Towards the end of the song, the band shoot into an unexpected direction which sends the crowd bouncing twice as hard, before- without any prior warning- slipping back into the original song. One of the most triumphant sets all weekend.

The Bears Are Coming

Rage Against the Machine

I got so excited reliving the sheer quality of this band that I wrote loads and so decided to do a separate post. Here it is.

Sunday

Los Campesinos!

The Festival Republic Stage is surprisingly full for the Cardiff based band and as they bash and strum their instruments with vigor and urgency, they’re met with great scenes of appreciation. The set, one of the best by the band in memory, culminates with five of the band stepping up onto the front line of amps and screaming the mantra “One blink for yes/two blinks for no/sweet dreams, sweet cheeks/we leave alone” as the enthralled crowd screams it back at them.

Death to Los Campesinos!

Seasick Steve

Over in the NME/Radio1 tent, Seasick Steve is getting rustic. Whether he’s gently caressing his guitar with a slide or bashing out electric blues on it, each song goes down a storm. His sweet naivety couldn’t be more removed from the indie bands he’s surrounded by on the bill- can you imagine the calculated cool of Foals man Yannis getting a girl up onstage to croon to her “I’m your walking man”? No. His penchant for story telling and his good natured manner, not to mention his fantastic raw blues songs, secure he goes down a treat today.

Justice

After Foals have presented a genuinely and surprisingly exciting set, it’s time for French DJ demi Gods Justice to lay down their popular brand of beats. As their customary big cross starts flashing blindingly and the huge stacks of Marshall amps begin to pump out the beginnings of their set, hands from the front to the back of the tent fly skywards. Splicing and dicing their own songs together, a lot like Daft Punk live, every now and then a snippet of DANCE or Stress or DVNO is whipped out to a roar from the fans. Then the duo build it up and up until the whole tent is a bulging mass begging for the song to drop. And when it drops, the whole place just explodes with joy. Justice play one of the most blindingly stunning and awesome sets of the weekend and before we know it, it’s all over and we’re left to stagger stupidly to the bar singing “We Are Your Friends”.

The Party

Here’s a portion of the Justice set at Reading-     http://www.sendspace.com/file/8em1w7

Bloc Party

Bloc Party are, once again, very high up on the main stage. While this is , in theory, the right place for them- they are a big band with plenty of hits- both this year and last year they’ve shown that their music doesn’t quite hold up in such a massive, open air venue. The band power through with songs from all three albums- including third album “Intimacy” which is unheard by anyone at the festival. It’s a real shame that a band with such talent and potential, not to mention an unwillingness to stay still, haven’t bettered “Silent Alarm” despite great effort. Tonight, the likes of “Helicopter”, “So Here We Are” and “This Modern Love” sound fantastic while “Flux” and “Mercury” sound plain flat.

Two More Years

Another Leeds festival is over and despite masses of mud, it was generally a great success. Many a band played a great set and the festival promises to keep going onwards and upwards (not having Carling plastered on every flat surface this year was an improvement).