Leeds Festival 2013 Review...
THURSDAY 22nd AUGUST 2013
Leeds Festival 2013 was to be a unique one, it was to feature (very) adverse weather conditions, abandonments and awful, awful band clashes!
It was also strange, as it was the year that Stevo chose to attend the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final at Wembley rather than splitting the occasions half and half, it was like he had a premonition about the weather, as he would have in all likelihood turned up at the RL’s flagship occasion caked in shit, if he’d done both.
This was also the second occasion I drove to a festival, not something I would choose to do, given the option, as the Monday morning, post-festival hangover drive is a killer, probably literally in some other people’s cases.
So, me, Toni and Mackle (seemingly exclusively there for Quicksand) in one car, Christian and all his stuff in another, Jim travelling in via coach and Lisa arriving after work was to be the campsite group. Blondie, Chris L and his Dad would join us on the Saturday for Green Day amongst others.
Incredibly, given the horrors of setting up at Download earlier that year, the trip in was in blessed sunshine. It wasn’t even too much of an ordeal getting to Brown Site for our traditional far off campsite, away from the annoying fairground.
Given that my soon-to-be-operated-on hip was giving me jip throughout the summer, we opted not to see any Thursday night bands and instead commenced imbibing many tinctures, after getting programmes/laminates plus food. Resulting in the usual drunken snaps in the morning that we can’t remember, good times!
FRIDAY 23rd AUGUST 2013
With hangovers bad but the weather good, we strode across early to see some early bands, starting with Dinosaur Pile Up (6) who despite me liking them on record, proved to be a pretty uninspiring opener.
Our mate’s brother fronts Hawk Eyes (7), who produce some shoutiness but this time around, it doesn’t equate to the bananas ‘piggyback pit’ they summoned up headlining the ‘BBC Introducing Stage’ the previous year.
Having foregone Bipolar Sunshine and most disappointingly, Alunageorge to stick with the group on the Main Stage, there were relatively slim pickings on show, Hadouken (4) were pretty terrible, taking all the worst aspects of bands that I love, like the occasional laddishness of Enter Shikari and Sonic Boom Six’s worst experimental scratchy moments while urging the crowd to enter the ‘Spin Cycle’, washing machine moshpit analogies, oh dear!
Don Broco (6) were pretty unremarkable but Toni absolutely hated them! Had we known about Twenty One Pilots and their tunes at the time (Toni was converted to them by Last.FM pre-Download in 2014), no doubt we’d have considered them but we persisted with the Main Stage for one more band, as Editors (7) demonstrated once again that they may have the tunes to be a Main Stage band but they lack the charisma to be any higher than a mid-afternoon spot.
After this we went on a wander for more indie, Chapel Club (7), whose vocalist pulled off some tremendously high notes, in what we managed to see of their set. Into the evening though, the standards were about to rise…
The magnificent Crossfaith (10) were the equivalent of setting off a bomb in an orphanage, such was the havoc they caused. They ignited “Weeds Westival!” as their Japanese accents pronounced it, with their trance-y beats and heavy metal riffs. Inciting mosh action aplenty and in their cover of The Prodigy’s ‘Omen’, they’ve done one of the best re-workings of all time, in my opinion.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “What the fuck happened to Fall Out Boy (9) in their interim hiatus period?!” In the past as a live show, they were passable at best, they’ve transmogrified into one of the best stadium bands on the circuit, while remaining rooted in their past, always ending with ‘Saturday’ off their first album.
The ‘Save Rock And Roll’ album was pretty much played in full along with the singles from other albums, resulting in utter jubilation from band and crowd alike.
Frustratingly, the appearance of Fall Out Boy there and going down the front for them, meant that Nine Inch Nails offshoot band Filter remain high on my ‘Bands I’ve Not Yet Seen’ list, they were playing in the ‘Rock Tent’, usually the ‘Lock Up’ Stage but inexplicably name-changed for one day here!
Nine Inch Nails and Filter weren’t the only linked bands on during Friday, Pure Love and Gallows, Frank Carter’s (at the time) current and previous incarnations were on at 19.05 on the Festival Republic and 20.10 on the Rock Stage respectively, allowing a compare and contrast.
Although Pure Love (8) feature much less screaming than Gallows (8)’s breakneck hardcore punk, I’ve got plenty of time for both. Loved up Carter still clearly had a lot of fun doing Pure Love, as ever having a chat with the crowd, firing out jokes as well as songs and joining the fans in the ‘pit.
His former band, with Alexisonfire’s vocalist Wade MacNeil at the helm, are still a ferocious proposition, the self-titled third album wasn’t quite on par with earlier ones, fair play on trying to convert the crowd but the most dramatic responses to were to ‘Abandon Ship’, ‘London Is The Reason’ and an incendiary ‘Orchestra Of Wolves’.
This meant missing Nine Inch Nails, Jim Jones Revue’s final Leeds date, Phoenix and Funeral For A Friend as Biffy Clyro (9) were to take the Main Stage.
The Kilmarnock boys rarely disappoint, they’ve toured long and hard to somehow become one of the biggest rock bands in Britain and to be so famous that they have their songs butchered by X-Factor competitors, so why go soft now, eh?
The use of an additional guitarist on live dates adds an extra oomph and despite zero stage ‘banter’, it’s ninety minutes of slightly off-kilter guitar-work and bizarre lyrics, the crowds leave very happy.
SATURDAY 24th AUGUST 2013
And in the vein of many a British festival, the phrase “And then the rain came..!” applies, by the bucketload.
There had been some precipitation overnight but it cleared up a tiny bit to allow safe passage to the Arena in time for first bands but after Gnarwolves (7) impressive racket opened things up on the Saturday in the Lock Up, the conditions went rapidly downhill…
The storm clouds were gathering but that didn’t kill the power for Skindred (8) who were opted for over Kodaline, the former putting their usual exuberant spin on metal-ska-reggae tunes, the big hits as well as the newer stuff flowing out beautifully while Benji Webbe worked the crowd up with his Gladiators-cum-rock-concert schtick!
Not being massively arsed about New Found Glory definitely proved to be a benefit, as we headed to the Lock Up early for cover and in the hope of catching The Computers, alas, fate was against us, as they were forced to pull out, which meant a last minute rejigging of the line-up.
This meant there was time to hear the usual drawled incoherence of a Cerebral Ballzy (6) performance; imagine Jimmy Hendrix in a NYC Hardcore punk band, singing songs about pizza and fighting, they are hilarious to me but I’m not sure that they are meant to be a joke.
With The Computers ditched, it was only due to get heavier as Feed The Rhino (8) brought their brutal riff show to the tent that was gradually turning into a swamp but was also teeming with people trying to escape the downpour outside. I hadn’t heard much of them before, but I was impressed, Toni, not so much…
Annoyingly, the conditions meant that we decided to miss Frank Turner for the first time at a festival since he was third tent mid-afternoon back in 2007 and also Itch, formerly of The King Blues, opting instead to watch Quicksand with Mackle, who was frothing at the mouth with excitement over this. He disappeared down the front as soon as they came on but Quicksand (6) weren’t as brilliant as he made out.
It was teeming down at this point, so off to Alternative Stage for the unfortunately monickered Jeffrey Lewis & The Rain (8), who did their best with a crowd of roughly 23 people, in a tent designed for around 1,000. A cheery ‘Roll Bus Roll’ from one of his many other projects being the highlight as we stood on the barrier, occasionally turning round to spy hundreds of muddy figures heading for the exit signs…
As the rain relented, back to the Main Stage for the final part of Deftones (5) who were at their uninspiring worst, it’s either a bit of a trudge or a monumental showing from Sacramento’s finest metal band but this, was a blowout. Even the late spinetingling appearance of ‘Be Quiet And Drive’ couldn’t salvage matters.
It was around this time that Blondie, Chris and his Dad joined the group and with the rain keeping on coming, Toni decided to cadge a lift back with him and his sixtysomething Dad who also showed up! She also decided this as she was starting a new job on Tuesday and with trenchfoot settling in, the floor already liquid and Sunday the weakest day, it might be a good time to bail, boooo!
Fortunately, there was the not insignificant issue of System Of A Down (10) up next, maybe I’m monumentally biased but their showing was simply outstanding.
A chance to romp through “Deer Dance”, “Sugar” and of course “Chop Suey!” amongst a vast litany of sensational tunes is always welcome! The only downsides, not being able to get anywhere near the ‘pit due to the crowds and no new material, ah well, I’d have been happy had SOAD headlined.
Although, the next band on were a cautionery tale of the inherent dangers of having new material to play…
Green Day (7) were infuriating, at times sublime, at times substandard, they punctuated their set with some godawful new material, like ’21 Guns’ or absolutely anything off the pisspoor ‘Twentieth Century Breakdown’.
But they also played the exceptional ‘Dookie’ IN ITS’ ENTIRETY! So, how come it’s a seven out of ten? Well, there was the interminable pissing about between songs. Admittedly, they did get possibly the best ever ‘fan singing a song’ out of the crowd ever, he could really hold a note.
If ever there is a case for whole albums being played at gigs, Green Day are the supporting evidence’s Exhibit A.
Anyway, back to the tent, where I drank with Lisa, Christian and Mackle, to avoid thinking too much that it was to be my first night spent at a festival in over half a decade not sharing a tent with Toni…
SUNDAY 25th AUGUST 2013
Sunday morning dawned and the survivors on a much thinned out campsite crawled out of their tents to see sunshine very slowly drying up a mudbath!
With Toni and those only there on day tickets safely home, Lisa and Christian languishing nursing hangovers in their tents, it was just me, Jim and Mackle who headed forth for the opening bands, the latter also with their head battering them.
With the Main Stage offering some not dazzling bands and most of the outdoor floorspace happening to be ankle deep brown sludge, we made for the tent, under Jim’s recommendations. This also allowed Mackle to sit down and nurse his head, he wasn’t even drinking pints, which is a seldom seen scene.
Me and Jim opted for rounds of cider as it was beginning to feel summery again, I can remember this conversation with him, a vehement cider Strongbow drinker, he has little else in the way of booze:
Jim: What are you having, chief?
Me: Pint of cider, please.
Jim: You don’t drink cider.
Me: I do! Do you know the number one reason why you’ve not seen me drink any?
Jim: Nope.
Me: Strongbow! It’s dogwank!
Jim: Fuck you, Jeff!
That conversation was more memorable to me than the opening band Decade (5), Jim’s recommendation number one. Number two was much, much better, a young punk trio, with a girl bassist wearing a Menzingers t-shirt called Great Cynics (8), they sounded, like The Menzingers, funnily enough but are on my list to check out more of. Next up were Crowns (7), arguably Cornwall’s biggest band. As ever, they crossed The Clash with country roots and were good but not amazing; Mackle hated all three!
With a licence to roam, as Jim and Mackle were largely staying there all day, I decided to do a tour of the stages I hadn’t seen anyone over the weekend, first up, the Dance Stage as Last.FM had introduced me to Ghostpoet (8), his tunes were impressive and the set lengthy.
Much better than Broke ‘n’ English (2) on the BBC Radio1 Xtra Stage, if I wanted to see bad Mancunian rapping in front of a crowd of scallies, I can do that at home, next..!
After missing all of Chuck Ragan and much of Off With Their Heads, I opted to get into position for SB6, choosing them over Twin Atlantic on the Main Stage, after their recent moderate live showings.
The Lock Up was around half full to empty for much of the day, Sonic Boom Six (9) were one of the exceptions…. And they delivered. Heavy on the recent eponymous album while wielding classics like ‘Piggy In The Middle’ to get things moving in the ‘pit, Barney Boom and co were out to party and were by a mile, the best band of the final day so far.
Having seen White Lies before and with most people I knew still in the Lock Up, I sauntered back for King Prawn (8), the returning ska-punk veterans proving highly entertaining.
However, it was The Bronx (10) who stole the show, I’d seen the band before and heard their songs but nothing clicked quite like this live show.
Teetering on the border between chaos and tunefulness and spending most of the gig seemingly aloft in the ‘pit, they were masterful, band of the day, no doubt.
That was the Lock Up done for another year, with the Main Stage a-calling for a couple of big names, I’d never seen live before. With Jim and Mackle staying for Sick Of It All and Lisa staying back with some other mates, me and the skeletal figure of Christian headed forward for Chase and Status (9).
Some would say an odd choice for a ‘rock’ festival but they fully justified themselves, making the crowd bounce and not letting the pace drop once in just over an hour, “Blind Faith” was just as anthemic as ever, “End Credits” was sung right back to them, word for word and “No Problem” was the rocket packed drum and bass killer it was intended to be.
The stage was all set for Eminem (0) but sadly he decided that he was going to mime his way through his headline show. Fuck you, Eminem!
Back to the tents me, Jim and Christian headed, with Mackle lost at some point during Sick of It All, only Lisa down the front bothered to watch the whole sham. Many others were leaving with us, muttering about the lip-syncing going on!
Which left time to down more beers, making less to carry to the cars on Monday morning…
MONDAY 26th AUGUST 2013
Monday morning as per usual was a slog, thankfully the amount of people who departed due to the weather and some inventive driving by yours truly, cutting out some of the car park quagmires saw us out, less than fifteen minutes after starting the car.
Amusingly, the muddy vehicle tyretracks had already painted the neighbouring motorway brown across all three lanes! Less amusingly, there was a car on its’ side that was being rescued from a hedge as we exited.
After dropping Mackle at his folks’ in Salford, weeks before he was due to move out to Chorlton, it was on to a strangely sunny and summery Manchester to reunite with Toni (and wash off a lot of now baked-on mud!)
Leeds Festival 2013 was to be a unique one, it was to feature (very) adverse weather conditions, abandonments and awful, awful band clashes!
It was also strange, as it was the year that Stevo chose to attend the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final at Wembley rather than splitting the occasions half and half, it was like he had a premonition about the weather, as he would have in all likelihood turned up at the RL’s flagship occasion caked in shit, if he’d done both.
This was also the second occasion I drove to a festival, not something I would choose to do, given the option, as the Monday morning, post-festival hangover drive is a killer, probably literally in some other people’s cases.
So, me, Toni and Mackle (seemingly exclusively there for Quicksand) in one car, Christian and all his stuff in another, Jim travelling in via coach and Lisa arriving after work was to be the campsite group. Blondie, Chris L and his Dad would join us on the Saturday for Green Day amongst others.
Incredibly, given the horrors of setting up at Download earlier that year, the trip in was in blessed sunshine. It wasn’t even too much of an ordeal getting to Brown Site for our traditional far off campsite, away from the annoying fairground.
Given that my soon-to-be-operated-on hip was giving me jip throughout the summer, we opted not to see any Thursday night bands and instead commenced imbibing many tinctures, after getting programmes/laminates plus food. Resulting in the usual drunken snaps in the morning that we can’t remember, good times!
FRIDAY 23rd AUGUST 2013
With hangovers bad but the weather good, we strode across early to see some early bands, starting with Dinosaur Pile Up (6) who despite me liking them on record, proved to be a pretty uninspiring opener.
Our mate’s brother fronts Hawk Eyes (7), who produce some shoutiness but this time around, it doesn’t equate to the bananas ‘piggyback pit’ they summoned up headlining the ‘BBC Introducing Stage’ the previous year.
Having foregone Bipolar Sunshine and most disappointingly, Alunageorge to stick with the group on the Main Stage, there were relatively slim pickings on show, Hadouken (4) were pretty terrible, taking all the worst aspects of bands that I love, like the occasional laddishness of Enter Shikari and Sonic Boom Six’s worst experimental scratchy moments while urging the crowd to enter the ‘Spin Cycle’, washing machine moshpit analogies, oh dear!
Don Broco (6) were pretty unremarkable but Toni absolutely hated them! Had we known about Twenty One Pilots and their tunes at the time (Toni was converted to them by Last.FM pre-Download in 2014), no doubt we’d have considered them but we persisted with the Main Stage for one more band, as Editors (7) demonstrated once again that they may have the tunes to be a Main Stage band but they lack the charisma to be any higher than a mid-afternoon spot.
After this we went on a wander for more indie, Chapel Club (7), whose vocalist pulled off some tremendously high notes, in what we managed to see of their set. Into the evening though, the standards were about to rise…
The magnificent Crossfaith (10) were the equivalent of setting off a bomb in an orphanage, such was the havoc they caused. They ignited “Weeds Westival!” as their Japanese accents pronounced it, with their trance-y beats and heavy metal riffs. Inciting mosh action aplenty and in their cover of The Prodigy’s ‘Omen’, they’ve done one of the best re-workings of all time, in my opinion.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “What the fuck happened to Fall Out Boy (9) in their interim hiatus period?!” In the past as a live show, they were passable at best, they’ve transmogrified into one of the best stadium bands on the circuit, while remaining rooted in their past, always ending with ‘Saturday’ off their first album.
The ‘Save Rock And Roll’ album was pretty much played in full along with the singles from other albums, resulting in utter jubilation from band and crowd alike.
Frustratingly, the appearance of Fall Out Boy there and going down the front for them, meant that Nine Inch Nails offshoot band Filter remain high on my ‘Bands I’ve Not Yet Seen’ list, they were playing in the ‘Rock Tent’, usually the ‘Lock Up’ Stage but inexplicably name-changed for one day here!
Nine Inch Nails and Filter weren’t the only linked bands on during Friday, Pure Love and Gallows, Frank Carter’s (at the time) current and previous incarnations were on at 19.05 on the Festival Republic and 20.10 on the Rock Stage respectively, allowing a compare and contrast.
Although Pure Love (8) feature much less screaming than Gallows (8)’s breakneck hardcore punk, I’ve got plenty of time for both. Loved up Carter still clearly had a lot of fun doing Pure Love, as ever having a chat with the crowd, firing out jokes as well as songs and joining the fans in the ‘pit.
His former band, with Alexisonfire’s vocalist Wade MacNeil at the helm, are still a ferocious proposition, the self-titled third album wasn’t quite on par with earlier ones, fair play on trying to convert the crowd but the most dramatic responses to were to ‘Abandon Ship’, ‘London Is The Reason’ and an incendiary ‘Orchestra Of Wolves’.
This meant missing Nine Inch Nails, Jim Jones Revue’s final Leeds date, Phoenix and Funeral For A Friend as Biffy Clyro (9) were to take the Main Stage.
The Kilmarnock boys rarely disappoint, they’ve toured long and hard to somehow become one of the biggest rock bands in Britain and to be so famous that they have their songs butchered by X-Factor competitors, so why go soft now, eh?
The use of an additional guitarist on live dates adds an extra oomph and despite zero stage ‘banter’, it’s ninety minutes of slightly off-kilter guitar-work and bizarre lyrics, the crowds leave very happy.
SATURDAY 24th AUGUST 2013
And in the vein of many a British festival, the phrase “And then the rain came..!” applies, by the bucketload.
There had been some precipitation overnight but it cleared up a tiny bit to allow safe passage to the Arena in time for first bands but after Gnarwolves (7) impressive racket opened things up on the Saturday in the Lock Up, the conditions went rapidly downhill…
The storm clouds were gathering but that didn’t kill the power for Skindred (8) who were opted for over Kodaline, the former putting their usual exuberant spin on metal-ska-reggae tunes, the big hits as well as the newer stuff flowing out beautifully while Benji Webbe worked the crowd up with his Gladiators-cum-rock-concert schtick!
Not being massively arsed about New Found Glory definitely proved to be a benefit, as we headed to the Lock Up early for cover and in the hope of catching The Computers, alas, fate was against us, as they were forced to pull out, which meant a last minute rejigging of the line-up.
This meant there was time to hear the usual drawled incoherence of a Cerebral Ballzy (6) performance; imagine Jimmy Hendrix in a NYC Hardcore punk band, singing songs about pizza and fighting, they are hilarious to me but I’m not sure that they are meant to be a joke.
With The Computers ditched, it was only due to get heavier as Feed The Rhino (8) brought their brutal riff show to the tent that was gradually turning into a swamp but was also teeming with people trying to escape the downpour outside. I hadn’t heard much of them before, but I was impressed, Toni, not so much…
Annoyingly, the conditions meant that we decided to miss Frank Turner for the first time at a festival since he was third tent mid-afternoon back in 2007 and also Itch, formerly of The King Blues, opting instead to watch Quicksand with Mackle, who was frothing at the mouth with excitement over this. He disappeared down the front as soon as they came on but Quicksand (6) weren’t as brilliant as he made out.
It was teeming down at this point, so off to Alternative Stage for the unfortunately monickered Jeffrey Lewis & The Rain (8), who did their best with a crowd of roughly 23 people, in a tent designed for around 1,000. A cheery ‘Roll Bus Roll’ from one of his many other projects being the highlight as we stood on the barrier, occasionally turning round to spy hundreds of muddy figures heading for the exit signs…
As the rain relented, back to the Main Stage for the final part of Deftones (5) who were at their uninspiring worst, it’s either a bit of a trudge or a monumental showing from Sacramento’s finest metal band but this, was a blowout. Even the late spinetingling appearance of ‘Be Quiet And Drive’ couldn’t salvage matters.
It was around this time that Blondie, Chris and his Dad joined the group and with the rain keeping on coming, Toni decided to cadge a lift back with him and his sixtysomething Dad who also showed up! She also decided this as she was starting a new job on Tuesday and with trenchfoot settling in, the floor already liquid and Sunday the weakest day, it might be a good time to bail, boooo!
Fortunately, there was the not insignificant issue of System Of A Down (10) up next, maybe I’m monumentally biased but their showing was simply outstanding.
A chance to romp through “Deer Dance”, “Sugar” and of course “Chop Suey!” amongst a vast litany of sensational tunes is always welcome! The only downsides, not being able to get anywhere near the ‘pit due to the crowds and no new material, ah well, I’d have been happy had SOAD headlined.
Although, the next band on were a cautionery tale of the inherent dangers of having new material to play…
Green Day (7) were infuriating, at times sublime, at times substandard, they punctuated their set with some godawful new material, like ’21 Guns’ or absolutely anything off the pisspoor ‘Twentieth Century Breakdown’.
But they also played the exceptional ‘Dookie’ IN ITS’ ENTIRETY! So, how come it’s a seven out of ten? Well, there was the interminable pissing about between songs. Admittedly, they did get possibly the best ever ‘fan singing a song’ out of the crowd ever, he could really hold a note.
If ever there is a case for whole albums being played at gigs, Green Day are the supporting evidence’s Exhibit A.
Anyway, back to the tent, where I drank with Lisa, Christian and Mackle, to avoid thinking too much that it was to be my first night spent at a festival in over half a decade not sharing a tent with Toni…
SUNDAY 25th AUGUST 2013
Sunday morning dawned and the survivors on a much thinned out campsite crawled out of their tents to see sunshine very slowly drying up a mudbath!
With Toni and those only there on day tickets safely home, Lisa and Christian languishing nursing hangovers in their tents, it was just me, Jim and Mackle who headed forth for the opening bands, the latter also with their head battering them.
With the Main Stage offering some not dazzling bands and most of the outdoor floorspace happening to be ankle deep brown sludge, we made for the tent, under Jim’s recommendations. This also allowed Mackle to sit down and nurse his head, he wasn’t even drinking pints, which is a seldom seen scene.
Me and Jim opted for rounds of cider as it was beginning to feel summery again, I can remember this conversation with him, a vehement cider Strongbow drinker, he has little else in the way of booze:
Jim: What are you having, chief?
Me: Pint of cider, please.
Jim: You don’t drink cider.
Me: I do! Do you know the number one reason why you’ve not seen me drink any?
Jim: Nope.
Me: Strongbow! It’s dogwank!
Jim: Fuck you, Jeff!
That conversation was more memorable to me than the opening band Decade (5), Jim’s recommendation number one. Number two was much, much better, a young punk trio, with a girl bassist wearing a Menzingers t-shirt called Great Cynics (8), they sounded, like The Menzingers, funnily enough but are on my list to check out more of. Next up were Crowns (7), arguably Cornwall’s biggest band. As ever, they crossed The Clash with country roots and were good but not amazing; Mackle hated all three!
With a licence to roam, as Jim and Mackle were largely staying there all day, I decided to do a tour of the stages I hadn’t seen anyone over the weekend, first up, the Dance Stage as Last.FM had introduced me to Ghostpoet (8), his tunes were impressive and the set lengthy.
Much better than Broke ‘n’ English (2) on the BBC Radio1 Xtra Stage, if I wanted to see bad Mancunian rapping in front of a crowd of scallies, I can do that at home, next..!
After missing all of Chuck Ragan and much of Off With Their Heads, I opted to get into position for SB6, choosing them over Twin Atlantic on the Main Stage, after their recent moderate live showings.
The Lock Up was around half full to empty for much of the day, Sonic Boom Six (9) were one of the exceptions…. And they delivered. Heavy on the recent eponymous album while wielding classics like ‘Piggy In The Middle’ to get things moving in the ‘pit, Barney Boom and co were out to party and were by a mile, the best band of the final day so far.
Having seen White Lies before and with most people I knew still in the Lock Up, I sauntered back for King Prawn (8), the returning ska-punk veterans proving highly entertaining.
However, it was The Bronx (10) who stole the show, I’d seen the band before and heard their songs but nothing clicked quite like this live show.
Teetering on the border between chaos and tunefulness and spending most of the gig seemingly aloft in the ‘pit, they were masterful, band of the day, no doubt.
That was the Lock Up done for another year, with the Main Stage a-calling for a couple of big names, I’d never seen live before. With Jim and Mackle staying for Sick Of It All and Lisa staying back with some other mates, me and the skeletal figure of Christian headed forward for Chase and Status (9).
Some would say an odd choice for a ‘rock’ festival but they fully justified themselves, making the crowd bounce and not letting the pace drop once in just over an hour, “Blind Faith” was just as anthemic as ever, “End Credits” was sung right back to them, word for word and “No Problem” was the rocket packed drum and bass killer it was intended to be.
The stage was all set for Eminem (0) but sadly he decided that he was going to mime his way through his headline show. Fuck you, Eminem!
Back to the tents me, Jim and Christian headed, with Mackle lost at some point during Sick of It All, only Lisa down the front bothered to watch the whole sham. Many others were leaving with us, muttering about the lip-syncing going on!
Which left time to down more beers, making less to carry to the cars on Monday morning…
MONDAY 26th AUGUST 2013
Monday morning as per usual was a slog, thankfully the amount of people who departed due to the weather and some inventive driving by yours truly, cutting out some of the car park quagmires saw us out, less than fifteen minutes after starting the car.
Amusingly, the muddy vehicle tyretracks had already painted the neighbouring motorway brown across all three lanes! Less amusingly, there was a car on its’ side that was being rescued from a hedge as we exited.
After dropping Mackle at his folks’ in Salford, weeks before he was due to move out to Chorlton, it was on to a strangely sunny and summery Manchester to reunite with Toni (and wash off a lot of now baked-on mud!)