Leeds Festival 2008 - Festival Republic Stage

United Kingdom | | 29 August 2008

FRIDAY

You'd be forgiven on first glance for thinking Black Tide are a 'Kill 'Em All' covers band – like a young Metallica this is fast thrash in its purest form. With Maiden-like vocals and solos thrown in, this heavy 80's fun pulls in long-haired headbangers and winds up in a spate of crowd-surfers.

As much due to the skies above Leeds opening as it is Johnny Foreigner's appeal, a wet but enthusiastic crowd has gathered in the Festival Republic stage. The Birmingham band's whirly guitar pop sends punters into a spin, the twin vocals rising above the crowd and lifting all thoughts of crap weather and the pressing need for wellies.

Only an hour ago, the Festival Republic stage was bursting with the killer sounds of Black Tide's electric thrash. Emmy The Great couldn't conceivably be any different, their gentle acoustic sound like a lethargic Rilo Kiley. "This song is called 'Our amp isn't working'…" – recovering as well as they do from sound problems with a gorgeous, minimal set, you can't help but love Emmy The Great. 'We Almost Had A Baby' is the sweet pick of their set.

Liverpudlian tour mates of The Coral, The Zutons and Arctic Monkeys, three-piece The Rascals entertain Festival Republic punters with their blend of indie-rock in tunes like 'Does Your Husband Know That You're On The Run' and 'Is It Too Late?', making great use of their slot with an energetic show that will surely win them fans.

Cage The Elephant's deranged songs are greeted with a wave of jumping and crowd surfers in what proves to be one of the wildest sets of the day. The punky US funk-rockers wow revellers with great tunes such as 'In One Ear'.

As one of NME's 15 must-see Leeds Festival bands and one of the hottest tips of the year, Sergeant could surely have expected to attract more than the sparse audience that they do. Pendulum's manic crowd and the lure of the main stage's Tenacious D no doubt contribute to that, but fan favourite 'k-ok' is received well.

Glasvegas then deliver on all the hype they've received this year, delighting the Festival Republic crowd with singles 'Geraldine' and 'Daddy's Gone', their ex-footballer frontman James Allen dressed mysteriously all in black with poncho and sunglasses.

Festival Republic fans are left disappointed as Wiley fails to play his set, apparently due to traffic problems. Thousands clamour to see the UK's grime originator perform 'My Mistakes' and Number One single Wearing My Rolex', before reacting angrily as the news he won't appear is broken to them.

The Kills then finish things off as Metallica play their greatest hits on the main stage. Dedicated fans fill the tent, finishing the day's antics in good spirits. Favourites like 'U.R.A. Fever' and 'Fried My Little Brains' are received to huge cheers and song.

SATURDAY

Jubilee hold the attention of a few hundred, the pint-holding fans opting to start the afternoon with a cold £4 cider and the double-guitar sound of America's sons. A guitar problem briefly interrupts their performance but they recover well with a tune that the Smashing Pumpkins would be proud of.

Southend new-wave punks These New Puritans ply their rock with laptops on-hand, airing a new version of an old track in 'Firepower' and also throwing in 'Orchids', 'Colours' and 'Swords Of Truth'. Singer Jack Barnett plays without his trademark chainmail outfit, allowing their electro-tinged music to do all the talking.

Fighting With Wire are the pick of this afternoon's bands, the Irish 3-piece entertaining punters with their own blend of Feeder-sounding heavy rock and even a Reverend And The Makers cover. Fans scream as the band ask us if we're excited about seeing tonight's headliners Rage Against The Machine, the appearance of the rap-rock legends on the lips of thousands today.

Twenty-three year old Ben Esser brings his reggae indie-rock to the Festival Republic stage, throwing in cowbells and guitar white noise to a class set built around top tunes like 'Satisfied' and closer 'Headlock'. Fans skank around the tent in a joyous party mood.

Ida Maria plays a 17.20 set, but the smell of burger vans in full dinner time swing isn't enough to keep fans away. The tent is as busy as it's been all weekend as a mostly female crowd dance along, soaking up the band's kooky charm. While performing crowd-favourite 'I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked', she pulls her pink top down to reveal her cleavage to ecstatic applause from the few men watching.

Mixing pop, disco and shoegaze and throwing in a second drum kit, Friendly Fires are led by contorting frontman Ed Macfarlane who bends and twists while screaming into a waist-high microphone. The impressive feat is matched by their powerful music, 'On Board' bringing fans to a frenzy as Macfarlane works along the barrier in song.

Late Of The Pier bemuse and delight onlookers with a wacky set that sees them appear in pyjamas and binbags, then plough through material with all the power of Biffy Clyro at their rocking best and all the outright wackiness of Modest Mouse. With drums thumped so hard that the whole kit shakes, this memorable mayhem proves a highlight of Saturday.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? bring their twisted brand of rock to Saturday's Festival Republic stage, challenging the headliners to beat their high standard. Fans wait for single 'Rock Stars' and combine dancing with moshing along the barrier as the band treat them to their furious single.

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip offers competition to rock legends Rage Against The Machine with their unique taste on hip-hop, delivering anthems like 'Letter From God To Man' in his droll, almost speech-like flow. Those who have opted for the rapper's set over Rage seem happy with their choice, lapping up his bizarre set with a great atmosphere in the air.

SUNDAY

With the campsite consensus insisting Fight Like Apes are a must-see band and describing their sound as My Bloody Valentine if fronted by Siouxsie Sioux, expectations are high for Dublin's vaudeville punks. Their synth guy may seem a sausage short of a festival barbecue as he mindlessly bangs a cooking pot then proceeds to hoist sexy frontwoman MayKay into a fireman's lift, but their bass-driven music is a powerful and thought-out sound with loutish vocals.

Like Lancashire's answer to The Enemy, scally-rockers Twisted Wheel emerge with nothing to prove to an army of followers who are ready for top tunes like opener 'She's A Weapon'. With all the cheeky self-assuredness of The Coral, the three young Brits blast through an impressive half-hour, finishing with 'You Stole The Sun' which sees a fan join them on-stage before being promptly removed by security.

Black Kids fill Sunday's Festival Republic stage as fans clamour for space to see them play 'I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You'. The closing song is one of the stage's greatest anthems of the weekend, thousands forming an enthusiastic chorus.

You Me At Six then dare to better Black Kids, their emo pop-punk delighting the huge audience. Teenage frontman Josh Franceschi thrills the crowd with all the expertise of a pro, debut single 'Save It For The Bedroom' lapped up by the huge female contingent. Hands are held up for 'The Rumour', leaving the crowd on a high.

Like The Ataris covering McFly, All Time Low's simple blend of punky pop proves good fun for the small young crowd that has gathered. With a decorated amp that declares "FUCK MY TITS!" it's clear that this is a band who aren't above some immature nonsense – so when someone shouts "Strip!", frontman Alex demands that the crowd complies first.

A grinning Elliot Minor close the Festival Republic stage with an enthusiastic run through their best songs, the well-loved Kerrang! favourites fighting against tough competition in The Killers, Manic Street Preachers and Gallows for attention and ultimately having to settle for a half-full tent. With a spate of recent singles including highlights 'Parallel Worlds' and 'Time After Time' to choose from, the band confidently finish proceedings.

by Graeme Johnstone