FRIDAY EVENING ROUND UP
Fighting through X Men, Batman, tigers and cows tends to be the norm for the average Leeds punter darting from stage to stage. However on Friday afternoon it was more difficult than usual, mainly from trying to figure out if you’re hallucinating from heatstroke or if Wolverine really did just dance past you.
Were Fall Out Boy struggling somewhat for material? They managed to slip a huge array of covers, including Michael Jackson’s Beat It and an R’n’B remix with R Kelly and Akon, into their abstract yet lively set. For an ‘emo’ band they appeared to be enjoying themselves immensely, bouncing their way through the singles This Ain’t a Scene it’s an Arms Race and Sugar We’re Going Down, their obvious excitement and pleasure with the thrilled crowd hidden in true rock fashion by their dour expressions.
Second Welsh rockers of the day (and one of the only two British acts on the main stage on Friday) Lostprophets were extremely impressive, showing off 3-man harmonies during latest release Never Gonna Catch Tomorrow.
Though as metal bands go they have always been one of the more imaginative and willing to experiment with a range of styles, from the funkier pop of Town Called Hypocrisy, through the mellower Rooftops to the heavy nu-metal Shinobi Vs Dragon Ninja. This diversity clearly paid off judging by the huge reception they received.
Charlotte Hatherley has had minimal success since leaving Ash, and unfortunately isn’t anywhere near as exciting as her previous incarnation. Her performance on the Carling Stage was easy on the ear and she is a pleasure to watch. The image is set for her to become a 21st century Suzi Q.
A band of few demands, CSS’ rider must have been spent on helium for decorating the NME/Radio 1 stage with masses of balloons. However brightest of all was lead singer Lovefoxxx in a sparkly suit made entirely from glitter which she stripped from after a hugely exciting opener. The band are one of the more respectable of those sitting in the indie electro bracket, thrilling those waving glowsticks as much as those raising devil horns. All around are drawn by some seriously sexy Brazilian accents to their songs about making love, enjoying alcohol and having a damn good time.
A more appropriate setting for Seasick Steve may have been a rocking chair on the porch of a wooden shack in the deep south of the US of A, but the Carling Stage made an intimate enough venue for this little known singer and his cult following which is slowly increasing through word of mouth. This old man with a guitar, dungarees and a Captain Birdseye beard shouldn’t have been so captivating, but he stood out a mile from the young and trendy of the other stages with his bluesy storytelling, his tale of a stepdad and his daughter at the end of his set alone making him well worth watching. Whether the crowd were just embracing the novelty of something different or genuinely appreciated Steve was difficult to distinguish, but this modern day Johnny Cash is something special and should certainly be respected.
There was something amazingly hypnotic about watching Billy Corgan performing live; The Smashing Pumpkins frontman makes an eerie sight in the dark, almost like something from a Tim Burton movie. Closing the Main Stage to a huge buzz of excitement, having only recently reformed, they are stunning to watch. The flux between nauseatingly abstract and sublime beauty is captivating, they are by far the most interesting band of the day and it is almost impossible to turn away from them. The single Tarantula, recorded after their reform, showed that they’ve got the ability to keep with the times, pleasing the newer inexperienced fans.
At first glance New Found Glory may appear to be from the same barrel as the likes of Bowling for Soup or Good Charlotte, but are in reality more mature with years more experience. They are still full of teenage angst, but in the later stages of growing out of it. Singer Jordan Pundik was clearly still on a buzz after breaking off from the Warped tour to headline the Lock Up stage with a huge array of anthems instantly satisfying the young crowd, including My Friends Over You and a fantastic cover of Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer. What was pleasing was the impression the band gave that their fans were the most important thing to them: the lights were turned on the audience for one song to allow the band to see the circle pits and excited moshing, and the smiles on the stage spoke volumes. For those not wanting to take their music too seriously and looking for a bit of fun to end their night, this was a perfect conclusion.
The Hold Steady are one of the most underrated bands around today. So their performance in the Carling tent to a small audience was something really special. Singer, Craig Finn is clearly very shy in front of a crowd, grinning from ear to ear while he dances awkwardly during songs, but once he’s in front of the microphone he belts out his stories of partying in New Jersey. Severely inebriated tonight, he struggles through the fantastic crowd pleaser Chips Ahoy! and You Can Make Him Like You, but he is saved by the rest of the band, particularly keyboard player who always intrigues with his dashing 1940s attire.
Steve McCaul
