09.01.07

It’s not for the cock, it’s for the weekend of the year

Posted in Artists, G-Town, Gigs at 3:34 pm by Gavin Williams

Leeds Festival 2007

Despite literally every other outdoor event this summer that included more than 10 people turning into a mud bath, Leeds this year was glorious sunshine all weekend. The whole experience was a whirlwind of drinking, food fights, throwing tents, sweat, raving and pushing away soberness throughout the weekend. In between, there was some truly great music.

Lethal Bizzle

On Sunday afternoon, masses and masses of sweaty, dirty little creatures ( i.e festival goers) flocked towards the dance tent. After a short wait that felt like an endurance test in a sauna, Lethal Bizzle bounced onto the stage, reflective sunglasses and a massive pout covering his face.

Playing the likes of “Pow!”, “Bizzle Bizzle” and “Babylon’s Burning”, it’s safe to say everyone went nuts. But the extent of the crowd reaction was incredible. Everyone in the tent, from the front to the back, was behaving in a way which normally seems completly unthinkable at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon.

At one point the security asked them to calm it down a bit, or cut the set short. What did Mr. Bizzle say? “We’re gonna play a song which you’ll go mental for. If you don’t go fucking bananas, we’re going back home to London.” Result? Waves and waves of crowdsurfers, people climbing 20ft up the rigging above the crowd, moshpits, people crowdsurfing with umbrellas and every single person in the dance tent (with the exception of the security probably) having the time of their life. Job done for one of the best acts of the festival.

 

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire seemed to be one of the most highly anticipated bands of the weekend for many, yet the crowd was quite clearly divided between two groups: those who had been waiting since the lineup was first announced to see the band and those who were just trying to get a good position for the Chili Peppers who were on after. Sadly, this meant the atmosphere was not of total celebration and euphoria like we’d hoped.

However, Arcade Fire still did an briliant job and were still the most diverse and exciting band of the festival. The sight of an army of musicians all shouting at you while strumming, bashing and blowing their instruments as if their lives depend on it is truly amazing.

Opening with “Keep the Car Running”, the band never let the aura they created slip at any point in the set. With members constantly swaping instruments, throwing drums at each other and literally hitting any thing in sight to create a beat, Arcade Fire are one of the most captivating live bands around.

 

 

The Maccabees

Despite a fairly early show and the immense heat, the NME tent was full for the Maccabees on Friday. The band’s jerky, soaring and often anthemic songs were a perfect festival treat. ”Latchmere”, “About Your Dress” and “First Love” all got mass singalongs in the first evidence that the Maccabees may actually be turning from a bit of a cultish band to one with mass appeal without them being completley bum loved by the NME.   

The Maccabees played a brilient festival set: half the people there seemed to know every word while the other half seemed surprised how many songs they did actually know. The band showed a lot of appriciation to the crowd and seemed to be genuinly enjoying every moment. The gig ended in a great scene of triumph. With the last chords of “Lego” still ringing out, singer Orlando Weeks jumped onto the still sitting drummer and got a wobbly piggy back off stage to a delighted, ecstatic appluase.

 

Ash

Ash have always been a great singles band. Even if you’re not a fan, there’s a 97% chance that you will LOVE at least one of their singles. That’s why they were a spot on choice to headline the NME tent on Saturday.

With Charlotte Hatherley no longer in the band, one very obvious hurdle would apparently be how Tim Wheeler would cope with having to handle all guitar duties himself and still sing. No. Problem. What. So. Ever. Tim was awesome on guitar all through the set, pulling shapes and rocking out on his semi legendary Flying V. 

The likes of “Girl from Mars”, “Jack Names the Planets” and “Burn Baby Burn” all set the tent alight with the melodies and scuzzy guitars. The three members of the band played their instruments with brutality and meaning while the strobes flashed around them.

The set was a near perfect headline slot but with one glaring gap. Unless I’m very much mistaken, they didn’t play “Shining Light”. Which was pretty silly now, wasn’t it.

 

Other highlights included Patrick Wolf, Kings of Leon, Late of the Pier, Shy Child, Metronomy and LCD Soundsystem. Klaxons though- bad voice, bad performance, very bad glittery metal dress and the same set they’ve been playing for over a year. Not the band of the weekend. 

 

The Maccabees:

The Real Thing

About Your Dress

Colour It In

Arcade Fire:

Maps (BBC session cover of Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

The Well and the Lighthouse

Lethal Bizzle:

Police On My Back

Bizzle Bizzle

 

 

http://www.myspace.com/themaccabees

http://www.myspace.com/arcadefireofficial

http://www.myspace.com/lethalbizzlemusic

http://www.myspace.com/ash

 

 

 

 

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