Kasabian - Leeds Festival 2012 review

'They have fulfilled their role admirably'

Ali Ryland - 26 August 2012

“Can you see the moon?” questions frontman Tom Meighan, as he pays tribute to the now late Neil Armstrong, before launching into ‘Where Did All The Love Go’. The Oasis parallels may be sloppy, but it cannot be denied that the indie rock five-piece have all the glamour, attitude and swagger (sunglasses? At night?!) that the former rock sensations made famous.

Some criticised Kasabian as choice for headliner - after all, they cannot compete with well-established previous acts such as The Prodigy or Metallica - yet, surprisingly, they out-best Foo Fighters and The Cure in terms of turnout and perhaps even performance.

Busting out hit after hit, they also have time to have some fun as Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ is featured. Ill-judged calls from Meighan for a “mosh pit” result in bouncing rather than violence, yet on the whole are ready to respond to every whim of the band; including the donning of skeleton masks before ‘Switchblade Smiles’ during the encore.

It has to be taken into account that last night syndrome works well in the favour of the rock troupe as flares are lighted by people determined to make the most out of the end of the festival - and perhaps their summer. After the eponymous ‘Fire’, the band end with The Beatles’ ‘She Loves You’ (admittedly while attempting to drag out their set to reach the 11pm mark; it has to be said that they have fulfilled their role admirably.

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