reflections on leeds fest
So, I can't complain about the weekend. Probably the best Leeds Fest yet, purely for lolz, bands, and the variety of good company.
Thursday was spent at camp, with Beechy, Mel, Emma, Reece, Tom Holt, Zara & Paddy and it was lovely just to sit about boozing and smoking. Twilight Zone Holt sorted it out with the BBQ big time and we all ate loads of meat, it was ace. Went down to the arena at night to watch Chickenhawk and they were awesome. Spent a lot of time being emo, but in a good way I guess. Got absolutely off my bonce with Deano and don't remember a great deal.
Headed down to the arena on Friday and immediately got frisked and searched. Apparently you're not allowed good cameras in the arena anymore? totally fucking bullshit. Anyway, i dumped it at a welfare tent and this gave me some time to re-establish where to stash my weed. Fridays best bands were probably Arcade Fire, Paint it Black, Gallows, Cancer Bats, and Cerebral Ballzy. Choice name I know, but they were straight up awesome. Fast loud 80s style hardcore punk, really really impressive. Got involved with the Gallows pit, it was pretty fun & i felt young again. Human pyramids and all sorts of shit. Me and Beechy went to the front for Cancer Bats and that was hectic, Liam got right in the crowd and rammed the mic in Beechys face and he got a lyric in, it was fun. I quite enjoyed The Futureheads too, I've seen em before and not been too arsed for them, but they sounded good, played 4 or 5 songs i recognised and the sun was shining, they were pretty good. The Cribs & Libertines nailed it too, two other bands that I don't really like but can sorta see the appeal and they sounded alright. Especially to say the libertines haven't supposed to have been practicing, but they looked pretty clean and played pretty tight. I'm sure the 6 figure some they were paid to play it will soon alter that.
Saturday, my birthday, was the best. I met Scott early Saturday morning cuz he had a day ticket and we hit the booze. Then Hooley and Pesh & Co turned up with blunts galore. Found toppers an all and we all went and sat at the main stage after watching Blacklisters, who were really good. A bit gutted that I missed Kvelertak because I was sidetracked with people and fun and lolz and the what not, but I'll see them supporting Coliseum at The Well later this year. Caught the last half of Motion City Soundtrack and they didn't sound too bad. The King Blues were on after and I think I can say they were the worst band all weekend. Absolutely diabolical, they sounded like a piss wet through version of the Transplants. Went to see HEALTH in the dance tent and they were absolutely awesome. I was trying to convince Hooley that they could be alright, and we were all impressed in the end, sounded like a cross between Battles & Lightning Bolt but a bit more dancey. Saw Holy Fuck and they didn't sound too offensive, very electronic. We then went to meet Leigh and we watched Wild Beasts, they sounded average, I don't get the hype. Limp Bizkit were awesome, sung every word (yes, even the album tracks that only me and pesh's girlfriend seemed to know) until we had to dash and catch Angelos Epiphemieu, the strange strange man. Pretty funny though, if you like that sort of humor. Ran back to catch Cypress Hill and got totally fucking blunted. They played a bit of new stuff but a lot of classics and they were on a whole pretty enjoyable. Weezer blew my mind, I was skeptical at first because I thought they'd play an array of shite songs, but the set list was ace, rivers was giving it some pasty and was outrageously funny. I can't remember what I did when Paramore was on, but they sounded pretty bab when I walked past. Must have lost a good hour of my life there. Blink 182, well, i'll be honest they weren't cracking. A lot of people are into this whole nostalgia shit, well I'm not unless they're actually going to sound good. I love Blink 182, i'm a fan of Blink 182, but after hearing about 7 songs from the self titled album I walked away to Whitness the Fitness that was Roots Manuva lolz. He was good, better than Blink anyway. Walked back to the camp for boozes then went to the oxfam tent for a boogie. Harassing people is the best, got proper mashed and crashed out about half 4, 5ish.
After waking up on Sunday to hearing Guns N Roses Axl Rose & His Merry Men sound checking I was actually ready to go home. Ugh. Put me in a foul mood, but that was soon changed by a lovely cake breakfast that Melanie supplied, aww it was delightful. Went to watch Eddie Argos from Art Brut with Beechy and he was quite good. Quite quirky but dry at the same time and it was pretty funny. Went to the main stage and met up with Mel & Laura and folk and we sat and watched Gogol Bordello, Billy Tallent and NOFX. I never remembered Gogol Bordello being that bad but they were awful. Too much reggae and dub and not enough of the old Ukrainian sound. Start wearing purple sounded alright. Billy Tallent, well, i don't even know why they're a band. He can't sing at all, then he just shouts, COME ON EVERYBODYYYY. They were rubbish. NOFX were quality. Sloppy and fast, but still entertaining as ever. They sounded better than blink anyway, to say they're that old. Went back to the lock up stage to catch Strike Anywhere with who were alright, nothing spesh but they were alright. Streetlight Manifesto sounded alright if you're into that sort of music but not really for me. Hatebreed sounded awesome, played a lot of classics and a few new songs but they sounded good. Went to see Biffy and they weren't too bad compared to the last time I saw em at Leeds Fest. Mixture of old and new songs, and despite what everyone else says, Simon's beard and and hair is looking sick at the moment, he looks like santa clause. I wasn't really looking forward to seeing QOTSA, mainly because the rumours of Nick rejoining them had been dismissed and their line up isn't half as strong as it has been in the past. But anyway, they sounded really really good. I don't like Josh Homme though, he does my tits in these days, but despite that, they laid the law down and I was impressed. Me & Mel came home after QOTSA and I had a nice clean bed and room and it was lovely.
I'm deffinately gonna go again next year, I think the festival it's self is only getting better, maybe not line up wise, but there's a lot more going on each year. Yeah there's a lot of dickheads there, and a lot of stuck up rich kids, but you just gotta ingore that and enjoy the party. I'll upload the very few photos that I took soon.
Thursday was spent at camp, with Beechy, Mel, Emma, Reece, Tom Holt, Zara & Paddy and it was lovely just to sit about boozing and smoking. Twilight Zone Holt sorted it out with the BBQ big time and we all ate loads of meat, it was ace. Went down to the arena at night to watch Chickenhawk and they were awesome. Spent a lot of time being emo, but in a good way I guess. Got absolutely off my bonce with Deano and don't remember a great deal.
Headed down to the arena on Friday and immediately got frisked and searched. Apparently you're not allowed good cameras in the arena anymore? totally fucking bullshit. Anyway, i dumped it at a welfare tent and this gave me some time to re-establish where to stash my weed. Fridays best bands were probably Arcade Fire, Paint it Black, Gallows, Cancer Bats, and Cerebral Ballzy. Choice name I know, but they were straight up awesome. Fast loud 80s style hardcore punk, really really impressive. Got involved with the Gallows pit, it was pretty fun & i felt young again. Human pyramids and all sorts of shit. Me and Beechy went to the front for Cancer Bats and that was hectic, Liam got right in the crowd and rammed the mic in Beechys face and he got a lyric in, it was fun. I quite enjoyed The Futureheads too, I've seen em before and not been too arsed for them, but they sounded good, played 4 or 5 songs i recognised and the sun was shining, they were pretty good. The Cribs & Libertines nailed it too, two other bands that I don't really like but can sorta see the appeal and they sounded alright. Especially to say the libertines haven't supposed to have been practicing, but they looked pretty clean and played pretty tight. I'm sure the 6 figure some they were paid to play it will soon alter that.
Saturday, my birthday, was the best. I met Scott early Saturday morning cuz he had a day ticket and we hit the booze. Then Hooley and Pesh & Co turned up with blunts galore. Found toppers an all and we all went and sat at the main stage after watching Blacklisters, who were really good. A bit gutted that I missed Kvelertak because I was sidetracked with people and fun and lolz and the what not, but I'll see them supporting Coliseum at The Well later this year. Caught the last half of Motion City Soundtrack and they didn't sound too bad. The King Blues were on after and I think I can say they were the worst band all weekend. Absolutely diabolical, they sounded like a piss wet through version of the Transplants. Went to see HEALTH in the dance tent and they were absolutely awesome. I was trying to convince Hooley that they could be alright, and we were all impressed in the end, sounded like a cross between Battles & Lightning Bolt but a bit more dancey. Saw Holy Fuck and they didn't sound too offensive, very electronic. We then went to meet Leigh and we watched Wild Beasts, they sounded average, I don't get the hype. Limp Bizkit were awesome, sung every word (yes, even the album tracks that only me and pesh's girlfriend seemed to know) until we had to dash and catch Angelos Epiphemieu, the strange strange man. Pretty funny though, if you like that sort of humor. Ran back to catch Cypress Hill and got totally fucking blunted. They played a bit of new stuff but a lot of classics and they were on a whole pretty enjoyable. Weezer blew my mind, I was skeptical at first because I thought they'd play an array of shite songs, but the set list was ace, rivers was giving it some pasty and was outrageously funny. I can't remember what I did when Paramore was on, but they sounded pretty bab when I walked past. Must have lost a good hour of my life there. Blink 182, well, i'll be honest they weren't cracking. A lot of people are into this whole nostalgia shit, well I'm not unless they're actually going to sound good. I love Blink 182, i'm a fan of Blink 182, but after hearing about 7 songs from the self titled album I walked away to Whitness the Fitness that was Roots Manuva lolz. He was good, better than Blink anyway. Walked back to the camp for boozes then went to the oxfam tent for a boogie. Harassing people is the best, got proper mashed and crashed out about half 4, 5ish.
After waking up on Sunday to hearing Guns N Roses Axl Rose & His Merry Men sound checking I was actually ready to go home. Ugh. Put me in a foul mood, but that was soon changed by a lovely cake breakfast that Melanie supplied, aww it was delightful. Went to watch Eddie Argos from Art Brut with Beechy and he was quite good. Quite quirky but dry at the same time and it was pretty funny. Went to the main stage and met up with Mel & Laura and folk and we sat and watched Gogol Bordello, Billy Tallent and NOFX. I never remembered Gogol Bordello being that bad but they were awful. Too much reggae and dub and not enough of the old Ukrainian sound. Start wearing purple sounded alright. Billy Tallent, well, i don't even know why they're a band. He can't sing at all, then he just shouts, COME ON EVERYBODYYYY. They were rubbish. NOFX were quality. Sloppy and fast, but still entertaining as ever. They sounded better than blink anyway, to say they're that old. Went back to the lock up stage to catch Strike Anywhere with who were alright, nothing spesh but they were alright. Streetlight Manifesto sounded alright if you're into that sort of music but not really for me. Hatebreed sounded awesome, played a lot of classics and a few new songs but they sounded good. Went to see Biffy and they weren't too bad compared to the last time I saw em at Leeds Fest. Mixture of old and new songs, and despite what everyone else says, Simon's beard and and hair is looking sick at the moment, he looks like santa clause. I wasn't really looking forward to seeing QOTSA, mainly because the rumours of Nick rejoining them had been dismissed and their line up isn't half as strong as it has been in the past. But anyway, they sounded really really good. I don't like Josh Homme though, he does my tits in these days, but despite that, they laid the law down and I was impressed. Me & Mel came home after QOTSA and I had a nice clean bed and room and it was lovely.
I'm deffinately gonna go again next year, I think the festival it's self is only getting better, maybe not line up wise, but there's a lot more going on each year. Yeah there's a lot of dickheads there, and a lot of stuck up rich kids, but you just gotta ingore that and enjoy the party. I'll upload the very few photos that I took soon.