Leeds Festival Review

For what must be the first time in years, the Leeds Festival was a dry event with there being no rain. Spread over 3 days the sun shone and in the evening on Saturday night the full moon added a mystical feeling to the FESTIVAL.

Years and Years packed out the NME/Radio 1 tent. Lead singer Olly Alexander looked like he was on the way to the beach dressed in his T Shirt and shorts but with hits such as Desire and also King, we can forgive him. With 2 backing singers added to the line up their sound was enhanced to great effect.

Gorgon City have made the transition well to the live stage, their blend of dance music owes much to early 1990s house music but with 2 lead vocalists they had the fans packing out the NME/Radio 1 tent

Vera Lynn's We'll Meet Again played as The Libertines headlined the main stage on Friday night. With a new album coming out at the start of September they seem to have found their fire again. With a great light set where all the audience could actually see the band. Can't Stand Me Down and I Get along were highlights of their set.

Saturday saw Bastille take to the main stage. They took the opportunity to perform tracks off their second album which they are recording, amongst their big hits. The newer songs at this stage did not sound as strong as Things We Lost in the Fire and Pompeii.

New band Prides impressed in the Festival Republic Stage. With their line up on 2 keyboards and a drummer, they should be soon playing bigger stages. I Should Know You Better and Messiah sounded like big hits

Moody and morose is how I found Alt J's set on the main stage, tracks like Every Other Freckle and Nara went down well with the fans though.

Limp Bizkit arrived on stage 10 minutes late but that was soon forgotten as they opened up their set with Rollin, causing the biggest moshpit of the day.

Canadians Simple Plan were performing in Leeds for the first time but with tracks such as Jet lag and Summer Paradise they were well received.

Mumford and Sons are one of the biggest UK bands in the world right now. With their new album being more rock than folk as was their debut album, their set switched between light and shade as they headlined the main stage. I Will Wait is still one of their best tracks for me.

Sunday saw Charli XCX bring her dance flavoured hits to the NME/Radio 1 stage, whilst Mancunian outfit Everything Everything look like they will be around for a long time with strong tracks such as Regret and Kemosabe. They have such a distinctive sound.

Yorkshire outfit Bring Me The Horizon took to the main stage to bring chaos to the Leeds Festival, Chelsea Smile brought a smile to everyone present.

It was left to rock giants Metallica to close a superb weekend of music. Of course they concluded their brilliant set with Enter Sandman.

A friendly, well organised festival with top class acts. Roll on next year's event.