Leeds Festival Bramham Park Sunday 25th August 2013
LEEDS FESTIVAL REPORT-PART ONE
Today it's cleared up nicely after a night of persistant rain,of course I'm aware this can only mean one thing MUD.. and lots of it.
I Arrive on site at 8.30am,its cold though not freezing access is from 11am and we are getting ready for going through the gate to head for The Main Stage.
Already I'm told one campsite is badly flooded and yep it looks bad its 5 inches deep of thick mud and I'm hoping it improves when we get inside the arena part,it's easier to walk in but not pleasant squelchy.
Most people I've spoken to are only here to see one man only tonight's headliner the one the one only Mr Marshall Mathers ,Slim Shady of course it's Eminem!!
I wasn't actually planning to stay the whole night to watch him but I was hyped up and ready I chatted to some young people from Liverpool who had come down just to see him play live tonight everywhere girls and boys wearing Eminem t-shirts, he doesn't often play the UK. so it's a rarity.
So the gates opened later than expected while health & safety were putting finishing touches to the ground inside laying hay we were told to make the best of it and not to expect anything better than what was outside so in we go then...
As no one is really running anywhere I have enough time to check out the signing tent,checked it ...no one I'm bothered about.. so I go to secure my place at the front of The Main Stage which was easy done perfect view up close.
The Event starts at 12pm, first band on are 'Mallory Knox' a band from Cambridge and rising youth rock stars who are featured in mags such as Rock Sound, they have a small following at the front who seem to have come just to see them, they sound like most student rock bands with 'Fall Out Boy' Esque vocals but have good stage prescence and make the most the crowd from the start the guitar player on left is confident and looks thrilled to play this includes their new single 'Lighthouse' which is getting a lot of airplay on MTV Rocks TV.
Singer 'Mikey Chapman' speaks to the crowd as the set goes on "Thank you for coming to see us so early, we appreciate it and even if we're not your cup of of tea thanks" without being overly loud they played a good set for a relatively new band.
Next up 'Lower Than Atlantis' a band from Watford who also frequent the pages of Rock Sound played a Punk Rock set and as an encore to their set, the lead singer had got an acoustic guitar and played a slow song not at all expected again musically not my cup of tea not euphoric and anthemic enough for my liking.
Next up from 'Merthyr Tydfill,Wales' 'The Blackout' very loud and intimidating in your face rock from the start I'd heard a few of heir songs but singer 'Sean Smith' was almost unrecognisable with newly shaven Bright Pink!! fringe hairdo he arrives wearing Black jeans and vest and pounds across the stage like he owns it, he grabs the mic and gruffly yells down it.
One of his worst habits throughout the set is to spit in the air and catch it which he seems to do with vulgar skill..gross..!! the other singer in the band 'Gavin Butler' is just as entertaining out front stage they take their inspiration from Lost Prophets early albums and have a good following of young fans already.
They play a great cover of 'Beastie Boys 'Fight For Your Right To Party' and the crowd although some look puzzled are enjoying it.
'Sean Smith' runs along the barriers high fiving us all and he likes the crowd interaction from the look of his show, one song which I don't know the name of goes round my head and couldn't stop singing even when it finished its goes "Whooooah Whooah Whooooah whaooah Blackout", well anyway they have a new album out and the back drop promoting it today which cleverly says..
'Fxxk The Blackout'.
Although they were quite heavy no major disruption was apparent to my position at the front of the barrier so I was glad of that,next band 'Twin Atlantic' from 'Glasgow' Scotland whom I previously walked out on at a gig in Aberdeen in 2011 It was never reviewed it wasn't personal (but a certain band I knew of on the bill of that gig were not given a good reception so I walked out in protest and support)
So here I am again this time watching their set,lead singer 'Sam McTrusty' walks on stage in bright Orange Parka and and the band begin with some new material off the brand new album,personally I prefer to listen to ther older material when the first came to my attention at the beginning of 2011 particulary I remember the video for 'Make A Beast Of Myself' and another song was the slow paced 'Yes I Was Drunk' which I love because you can hear a Scottish vocal accent throughout it sounds raw perfect !!
Next up London trio 'White Lies' who I review a lot a great band and today they play a classic set of old album tunes in the Yorkshire sunshine and some new 'Big Tv' tracks.
'Harry' has a freshly fashionable shaven hair do and his fuzzy beard wearing a White T-shirt which it seems has become his favourite wardrobe item,unfortunately the set is plagued with technical problems and 'Harry's voice is drifting over the PA there seems to be a problem with the sound, when they attempt to play 'There Goes Our Love Again' they have to quickly change and play to another song on the list they played the best that they could.
Unfortunately it seems the crowd look lost with it all bar a few dedicated followers out front ,the rest stand there mainly due to fact most were just there to see Eminem and had never heard of 'White Lies'.
I was dissapointed they didn't play more newer material in principal 'Getting Even' but we will return to 'White Lies' tour later in the year for a full extensive review we haven't seen them at their best yet with the new stuff as we definitely will the band are always amazing live on Tour exciting things to come.
Next up 'Oxford's 'Foals' they play a hypnotic fuelled set and it's the first time they have played the main stage at 'Reading & Leeds', they start with new album material from 'Holy Fire' my fav tracks were 'Inhaler' and 'Spanish Sahara' and 'My Number' Singer and guitarist 'Yannis' lapped up the attention choosing to come out to the crowd with his guitar and connect with the audience who touched his guitar and highfived him as he walked past the sun was just going down it was getting a lot more packed in at the front now I wasn't looking forward to next act I debated whether to leave but here I am...
LEEDS FESTIVAL REPORT -PART TWO
Knowing what was coming I stood defiant as 'Chase & Status' took to the stage I get how insane the crowd are but Nothing nothing prepared me for this.. !!
It started the chanting from behind us,some girls were terrified I tried to reassure them they would be fine if they dug in stood their ground don't let anyone through no matter what push back, hold on tight not to be bullied by any lads at any cost stick together.
'No Problem' came on a fav of mine I love the 'No More Idols' album,Two words sprung to mind 'Oh... Fxxk... already bodies were appearing over my head at rapid speed and pace seconds after the other my hat slipped over my face I was hitting out at passing crowdsurfers who knocked my head in a few times I screamed out angry.
After nearly 8 hrs my position at the front looked in peril I spent most of the time head down minding out of the way of legs and arms and stewards crotches you name it my face does not wanna go there,watching over my head in readiness to dodge them like a crazy sport desperatley clutching the barrier trying so hard not to be moved.
The Girl next to me who wanted to watch 'Eminem' all through the sets and who I recall asking me "How bad can it get just crowdsurfers" she was in tears she nudged me as all hell broke loose and said ''I need to get out, I need to go" I said "Are you sure you waited all day don't let them spoil it" she was so upset and had to get dragged out , things got worse mud was being dragged through my hair countless idiotic lads clambering over us to get to the front as part of a pathetic crowdsurfing relay and 'End Credits' although 'Plan B' was only on the video it was insane, not even on the last song yet my ribs are aching I'm in a crazy position trying to stand up straight,its just not funny anymore it was getting dangerous!!!
Prior to this I gave my glasses to the steward before their set for fear getting glass in my eyes looks like I was right to do that too,At one point my neck was over the barrier getting squashed it was like a riot,although the set had finished I was now in a dangerous position where I could not breathe I said to the steward "I need to be taken out of here now I can't stay through anymore " I was so mad I've never been dragged from a gig in my life EVER.
As they were dragging me out I felt both my wellies fall off oh my god no wellies, and I've got to get out of here in the thick mud worst night of my life as I was telling one of security I suddenly remembered my expensive glasses were put safe in a cup with one of the gig's stewards so I could not move away from the gig yet.
I've never reviewed a show having not actually watching it up close in the mud with no wellies on ..but I'll try ..at around 9.30pm the stage was set for Eminem to begin his awaited set not long after he didn't disappoint ...the crowd went wild,I could feel the atmosphere I couldn't see the stage but the odd sneaky look at the screen near the enclosure where I was .
I could see Enimem on stage in Pale Blue Hoody with knee length shorts and trainers standing with hood up and he did so many great songs in the set with some special guests,he played 'White America/Mosh' ,new song 'Survival' including a special appearance by 'Dido' it was actually her too .. on 'Stan', 'Toy Soldiers' 'The Way I Am',Without Me' 'Cleaning Out My Closet', second half he changed in a Black T-shirt cap and shorts and I heard him loud and clear he said "Leed's do you want me to take you back to a time when I was Fxxxed up ?" crowd yellout 'YES' and then he plays 'My Name Is' and The Real Slim Shady'.
He dosen't speak often but he does appreciate the 'Leed's crowd and on the Encore he plays 'I'm Not Afraid' 'Lose Yourself' and 'Love The Way You Lie' (it wasn't Rihanna on vocals ) it all sounded so awesome how I wished was at the front now.
It was the weirdest night of my life and I still hadn't redeemed my glasses 3hrs later, then as I thought things couldn't get worse lots of people randomly turned up at the enclosure where I was thinking it was a way to meet Eminem after his set on guest list people were being shoved about by the supervisor one landed backwards the full arch of my left foot it hurt like hell, and I wasn't happy (remember I had no wellies on folks!!)
Eventually the situation calmed I was let in to find my glasses and a suitable pair of wellies before I could get out a steward found one that was mine ,I had someone else's on the other foot a right on a left then the steward gave me my glasses and shortly after mooching in mud... Eureka!! I found my other welly yess! what an end to the whole thing or was it ..
Then I couldn't get out Mud was terrible deeper and I couldn't find the Yellow gate after an hour or so I found the right gate and a taxi queue to be told no taxis would be coming as there was a bad accident on the motorway about 10 of us had to walk all the way out of the site on the road to catch one I got in to my Hotel at 3am showered and went to bed 4am.
I am now knackered 5 days on but hope you enjoyed the report.. Goodnight zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Lmi xx
