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FRIDAY 23rd AUGUST at THE READING FESTIVAL
SATURDAY 24th AUGUST at THE LEEDS FESTIVAL
BOBBY CONN:
I came back for Bobby Conn, amazing little man with a high voice and debauched lyrics, backed up by a band dressed in neon yellow jeans and lime green tank tops. A weird mix of funk guitar, violins and glam madness, with only slight disappointment that his thick bowl haircut was a wig. ChrisO
I still don't believe that it was a wig. The duel force of Bobby Conn and Monica Bou-Bou won the day. Not a frown in the tent. - Ollie.
REINDEER SECTION:
Miss the blimmin start due to not wanting to get soaked but then it was beautiful. Truly beautiful. - SA.
If that's a reindeer impression, reindeer sound really fucking good - Raz
Expected nothing but came out happy. Suprisingly good despite being minus their 'all-stars' bar the guys from Athlete & Arab Strap appearing. Half full yet fully contented tent. - C.W
They were most beautifulness, even without Mr Woomble i was in some sort of scottish indie-boy heaven.J.E.
The rain splashes on the roof of the tent, making this band seem like a warm and gloriously beautiful safe haven from the elements.Bless. SL
PRINCESS SUPERSTAR:
Excuse me, the dance tent's over there - Ollie.
Princess Superstar wasn't as cool as I thought she was gonna be. Then it rained... ChrisO
KENNEDY SOUNDTRACK:
You can't rap: stay in Wales you dirty sods - Raz
The Kennedy Soundtrack sounded pretty shit from a distance, welsh rap metal, nuff said. ChrisO
THE DATSUNS:
Style over Songs? The Music industry love them. It was kinda empty. I'm so bored of Scuzz-rock!! - SA.
Going entirely by hype, I dance to The Datsuns, who are actually really good. Good time rawk'n'roll, all long greasy hair and screams of "yeah, come on! waaoow!". They might be ripping off AC/DC, but I don't know as I try not to listen to really old bands, so i dont have to ruin good music in a live environment where you can just jump around and stuff. ChrisO
INTERPOL(READING ONLY):
Not really a 3 o’clock, blazing sunshine band. Still epic, dark, brooding rock, only a little more unnerving than usual - S.E-H
THE KILLS:
Jamie scarfo's new band with drums sampled, big droney guitars. Hardly life changing, yet. Seems like early days. - SA.
Fail to work on the promise and arty pizzazz shown in the ‘Black Rooster’ EP. Quite frankly, they bore. Aside from a coupla catchy numbers, from said record. What time is it again? MI
SIMPLE KID:
White trash Firce Panda-isms with big acoustic rock ambitions. Shame that he used to be in the Young Offenders. PW
PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES:
Best name of the festival, probably. Missed 'em. Damn them people opening the gates! SA.
Falafel was word of the weekend. Maybe that's why Pretty Girls Make Graves rocked it so Fastbacks meets Icarus Line. PW
The excited Miranda gets all (the) pointedly excited, but it’s too early and they don’t play ‘sad girls for vida’. But just so you know, in an well structured yet frenetic ‘you can compare this band to helluva lot others, today let’s say Q and not U’ manner, they rock! For once the ‘buzz’ rang true… MI
SATURDAY 24th AUGUST at THE READING FESTIVAL
SUNDAY 25th AUGUST at THE LEEDS FESTIVAL
IKARA COLT:
A full stage invasion was invoked, cans of beer were thrown into the crowd and they ended up haveing such fun that they were banned from Leeds the next night. Rock and roll. - Ollie.
What a racket! Sounds tasty from the outside - just wish I could've caught a bite inside. - Mat
THE PARKINSONS
Getting onto the stage just after it started raining gave them a full tent to play to, the music started and teh old punks came flocking, lured in by a band who really have practiced hard to sound that bad - Ollie.
THE (INTERNATIONAL) NOISE CONSPIRACY:
"People ask us, why do we want a revolution instead of gradual reform? that's easy, revolutions are so much more fun" - Ollie.
The (International) Noise Conspiracy were my headliners of that day, and after their set I didn't really care for anything else. Dennis was amazing with disco acrobatics, "Smash it Up" and the closing "A New Morning, Changing Weather" are everything music should be, relevant and inspiring and fucking cool. ChrisO
SPAN:
As fast, fun and full of sun as normal. Probably going to take over the world before Xmas. LOOK OUT! SA
Playing to the smallest audience I saw all weekend, SPAN twisted it to their advantage and played THE most confrontational, mind-warping set of the weekend. KP
Why the hell wasn't the tent packed? Wasted - Raz
Those that were there rocked out. Those that weren't... missed out. - Gen
Rah....THIS BAND RULE! SL
BEN KWELLER:
Surprisingly suited to the festival atmosphere and offically my saviour of the weekend with his freebie BK toothbrushes. Just a pity he wasn't there on the first day! KP
Ex Radish bloke does it again. From the cover of 'Ice Ice Baby' to 'Sha-Sha' he has made the transition so well. Pity the bloody toothbrushes never materialised! - C.W
There’s nothing like this man to brighten up your day. Or your teeth, eh. Playing instant classics off ‘Sha Sha’ as well as a b-side off ‘EP phone home’ he’s won the crowd over like no other. I wear my badge(s) with pride. Well done, my BK!! MI
80’s MATCHBOX B-LINE DISASTER:
This Motorhead and Doors stuff is gonna get so boring, SO quickly, man! - SA
I try out The 80's Matchbox B-Line Disaster. They remind me of the Young ones for some reason, the lead singer howls and murmurs in baritone the few songs I know ("Celebrate your Mother" and "The Morning has Broken") and a load I don't know but sound noisily good, and looks like he's about to cry most of the time. ChrisO
CAVE IN:
I thought they were sitting down but in actual fact they're just tiny - Raz
Airing new songs 'Lift Off', 'Stained Silver' and Bigger Riff' their set seems more of a preview show than a festival appearance. Maybe if their songs weren't so flippin' epic and drawn out they might get through more than just 7 in a set. -Mat
Have sounded better than today. Not sure if their epicness comes across quite as it should at 5pm. Still, Big Riff sounds as beefy and pinacclesque as ever - MI
SERAFIN:
The former Stony Sleep guys are coming on leaps and bounds since signing to Elektra. Really ace, pop-rock, with big hooks and unashamed of being frowned upon. - SA
The band play well enough but no real crowd response. 'Day By Day' was the stand out song by a mile (mainly cuz it is the most Stony Sleep-esque) and the band ended the set early when they ran out of songs... but they did throw 12 cans of Carling into the crowd. - C.W
SUNDAY 25th AUGUST at THE READING FESTIVAL
FRIDAY 23rd AUGUST at THE LEEDS FESTIVAL
THE MUSIC:
Arm-flappingly, hip-shakingly, manic-grin-provokingly good. I danced like a fool... and so did everyone else. Nothing short of perfect! KP
MAXIMUM ROACH:
Well.. I thought it was going to be a Papa Roach interview CD playback, as such i didn't attend. - Ollie.
BIFFY CLYRO:
Biffy! Biffy! As good as always. New song 'Questions and Answers' is brillant! - SA
Why aren't they as good as they used to be? Average - Raz
HELL IS FOR HEROES:
The M2 kidz love it and rightly so - Raz
Their album’s not even out yet, but I’m bored. Last year they seemed fresh, this year they sound restrained. And meaningless frustration never enamoured anyone… MI
JETPLANE LANDING:
Fresh from their dis warm-up gig they rocked the rammed show with a smile. - SA
They rocked it. Shame he doesn't shut up, eh? PW
Sound good from outside the tent so they must be tearing it up inside. Spitting and ferocious, like all good, nope, awesome rocknroll bands should be. Their non album material is so good I want it now. No compromise, y’hear? Bare bones. This is what it’s all about. MI
A band who are always spectacular live, just got better. A set comprising sadly of only ‘What has the argument changed’ and ‘This is not revolution rock’ from their debut album, matters little when the people on stage are as enthusiastic and warm as this - S.E-H
TETRA SPLENDOUR:
Pete and Kris threw the rock star poses at the photographers whilst Gaz perched, inwardly grinning, upon a precariously balanced platform. For once they were enthusiastic, happy and energetic! It was splendid! [ho ho]. KP
THIS GIRL:
Having hyped themselves something chronic around the campsites the night before, This Girl admirably managed to live up to the expectations they'd created and opened the stage at Leeds with a huge bullet of riff-infused adrenaline. KP
One of my faves this weekend. They just seem so happy - Raz
Three Minute Spanish Film. Twenty Minute advert for the band MTV2 was built for. With purpose built wacky jumps. Don't judge though, we loved it. PW
Quirky and different. Note to self: must investigate further. - Mat
ThisGIRL's singer Liam leaped about constantly and climbed over the stage like some crazed primate, the music was jerky and energetic and danceable whilst complex. They seemed to win a lot of people over, and showed up the more ordinary British rock bands peddling sub-American guitar music [cough cough Hundred Reasons]. - ChrisO
Colour Photos by Ollie
