WORDS: JESSICA MCCARRICK; IMAGES: EMMA STONE

Static Dress

What do you get when you pair relentless energy and crashing drums with a lead singer whose voice manages to stretch and scream over every word so intensely you wonder how he does it? Static Dress, that’s what. You have to hand it to them – they are all or nothing with everything set to 100%. Lead singer Olli Appleyard shares his appreciation by highlighting how he’s not feeling great today but “to see this many people here is fucking sick”. There’s something special about watching a band local to Leeds who’ve been coming to this festival for years now getting to play. He asked how many people knew who they were and half the hands in the tent moved up but the entire crowd could’ve already been fans judging by their enthusiasm. The drummer was putting so much power into his strokes it was hard to know how the sticks didn’t puncture holes in the kit over the course of the set. Their sound is complex, with fully interwoven components that create a disorienting and abrasive sound that’s hard not to get behind. The showmanship from the group was immense as Appleyard jumped off an amp and straight onto a keyboard that he later then smashed just before he was escorted off stage at the end of the set. This band certainly practices what they preach.

Enter Shikari

Enter Shikari have made quite a name for themselves over the last decade of their fruitful career. They preach sustainability and equality through the use of experimental production that is part rock, part electronic, part something new entirely. It’s all carried perfectly by Rou Reynolds who could go down in history as one of the best frontmen of all time, able to control the crowd like no other whilst speaking about topics with a level of sincerity that most lack. The Main Stage West was set and we were prepared for a show, all of us immediately erupting as the iconic riff of ‘Live Outside’ began, paired with the explosion of confetti to match the high energy. From that moment it is a blur of people crashing into each other, the dust from the ground rising in a glorious fashion thanks to not one pair of feet being stationary. They brought out Wargasm for their latest single ‘The Void Stares Back’ which was met with huge applause in admiration for the band that have been picking up steam as of late. A highlight of their set was of course ‘Sorry You’re Not A Winner’ with the crowd happily obliging them for the iconic triple-clap involvement in the chorus. They have carved a place for themselves amongst the greats and their fans are second to none thanks to their enthusiasm and decorum – a welcomed necessity.

Cassyette

Cassyette is the definition of versatile, her insatiable discography laced with electro pop and punk influences all meshed together to create her unique sound. She slithers around cool as anything in total control as her band lay down the foundation of her opener ‘Dear Goth’, a sultry anthem with an ironic theme. She has amazing vocal skill that was able to shine through on the more discreet numbers. This is really a one woman show, backed by a heroic drummer and a guitarist that worked so instinctively together. Her passionate intensity is a pleasure to witness, especially in closer ‘Petrichor’ that shows her immense range – her voice is almost sacrilegious, in total and often baffling control of her ability. She is bending the genre lines and creating a lane of her own, cementing herself as one to watch for sure.

carolesdaughter

Quite the opposite from the previous act was carolesdaughter, in a lot of ways carrying the same air of angst throughout her set but in a more carefully curated package. Though her tracks are riddled with honesty her performance felt rather one sided and almost identical to her recordings, the live setting not adding much. At the halfway point her backing band left the stage, leaving behind interesting backing beats, proving a little light for her punky persona. Her performance from then on out was bland, prancing around stage delivering lines with little intensity and lacking a genuine feel. She admitted that she had not been feeling well and had to take things slowly which certainly explained her performance style. It was good of her to power through and still perform her hits like ‘Violent’ and ‘Trailer Trash’, their self-deprecating humour befitting the nature of the show. Catch her on a good day and the performance would have shone.

Ho99o9

This performance was madness. Ho99o9 (pronounced Horror fittingly) have been trailblazing the music scene for years with their merging of rap, metal and rock to create something that is unpredictable and unprecedented. As quickly as the instruments begin their tunes, the crowd is thrown into a frenzy. The BPM has never been so intensely maintained throughout a set, taking deep foundations of relentless noise and energy in their stride as they continually batter their instruments. The songs are indistinguishable in the best way possible; absolutely ferocious in their delivery and creating chaos in the crowd. You could feel the pure, unbridled rage amongst onlookers was being shared with the band, with frontman theOGM knowing exactly how to ignite it. You have to hand it to them; they can provoke such a passionate response and, given their performance, it’s unsurprising.

Wolf Alice

Delicate, thoughtful and a crowd as big as The 1975, Wolf Alice are an indie sensation that just keep on giving. The foursome are masters of their instruments as they pour over complex yet understated melodies, accompanied by a subtle vocal performance. Graceful songs like ‘How Can I Make It Okay’ and ‘The Last Man on Earth’ build gradually to show off the carefully placed heavier motifs taken from rock influences, totally unique to the group and helping them stand out from the crowd. Throughout the course of the set it is hard to not be in awe as the group masterfully manages to balance softness with intensity. Closing their set with ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’, the band are met with a universal cheer from the throng around the stage, as the delicate synth trickles in and we can only gaze with our admiration. Their softness is a welcomed break from the other extremities of the weekend, the perfect calm before the upcoming storm.

Bring Me The Horizon

Bring Me The Horizon are a band that need no introduction, clawing themselves to headline status over their glittering career, and no one deserves it more. Lead singer Oli Sykes saunters on stage and looks the part as they open with one of their biggest tracks ‘Can You Feel My Heart’, parting the crowd with his voice. Immediately they follow with the iconic ‘Happy Song’ which sends everyone into a spectacular frenzy of bodies battling to express half as much as Sykes is able to do with his vocals. The show felt like it was on another level to anything they’ve done before, returning to the festival for the first time since their secret set in 2017, and what a momentous return. They continued through their setlist with immense enthusiasm and uninhibited glory, hitting every beat with absolute consistency. Their sister performance at Reading Festival had seen the band bring out Ed Sheeran to do a rendition of track ‘Bad Habits’, and we can’t help but feel lucky that in his place we had Yungblud to sing his parts on the riotous ‘Obey’. As the sun set and the show came to an end, one last triumphant move was made as huge red streamers shot into the sky to mark the moment, leaving us all with one collective thought; what a show.

WORDS: JESSICA MCCARRICK; IMAGES: EMMA STONE

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes

Opening mainstage could have easily been a detriment to the punk rock band, but as soon as the distinctive whirring of ‘My Town’ erupted from the stage, the time of day was forgotten. The band often advocate against sexism within music spaces, with one of their most iconic choices being to enforce an all girls mosh. It was no different today, with Carter christening the moment with the line “You’ll not see a happier mosh pit all weekend.” Let it never be said that they don’t put on one hell of a show and their crowd interaction is second to none as their forceful tracks electrified the air. In grandiose fashion towards the end of the set, during penultimate track ‘Devil Inside Me’, they had the crowd hoisting up guitarist Dean Richardson on the left and Carter himself on the right, as he encouraged a pit to begin circling around them both whilst they continued on with the song, Richardson playing his hypnotic riffs with as much ease as he would on stage. It’s moments like this that you can appreciate the mutual respect between them and us; in so few gigs could you have this take place safely and effectively, but Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes are no ordinary band. [JM]

Witch Fever

An almost perfect follow up in capability and message to the previous act came Manchester-bred foursome Witch Fever, on the Festival Republic Stage. Watching front woman Amy Walpole is enchanting, championing a fiery intensity as she stalks the stage, eyeing up the crowd with her sharp stare. Then come the heavy hitting brit-punk riffs that suck in the crowd like a whirlpool, being drawn to the heated vocal style and outlandish melodies. Their enviable energy and devilish presence fooled the crowd into thinking this was the Main Stage headliner for the day, and they certainly have the chops for it. Walpole stood on the barrier and just looked at us all; minutes went by, with red triangles accenting her eyes like daggers symbolising her fury as she spoke of the racist and homophobic nature of her industry. We clung to her every word and soon she was accompanied by the furious strumming of her bandmates using utterly indulgent punk rock riffs, the tent erupting into unbridled chaos. The hard hitting ‘Reincarnate’ fuelled a pit that was born of resentment towards the very topic it entails. Witch Fever are not one to miss and Walpole was born to be a front woman. [JM]

Kid Kapichi

Before the show began, there was already an air of anticipation within the tent, slowly building with every minute that passed for the band who have been making quite a name for themselves. Opening with a soundbite of the iconic Will Smith and Chris Rock moment from this years Oscars, it filled the room with a sense of irreverence, presenting a band that don’t take themselves seriously on most accounts (other than the hugely left wing nature of their lyrics that is). The mosh pits were electric the entire time, the crowd listening to frontman Jack Wilson spewing angry offerings fuelled by a lacklustre view of the world. It was seconded by us, chanting the iconic lyric “Is it you can’t change? Or that you won’t change?” from track ‘New England’, clearly showing that the band’s thinking is a shared viewpoint. The two guitars present amongst the foursome are felt and appreciated throughout the set, paving a heavy mixture of layered string pulling that adds tonnes of depth that the bass and drums enhance. Bassist Eddie Lewis was out of control in the best way, taking centre stage for a solo that was met with a typhoon of appreciation from the crowd. Not one person in the tent could look away from the beautifully chaotic amalgamation on stage. [JM]

Circa Waves

The British standard of indie rock, these fellas have been around the block a couple of times, solidifying their names in the genre canon. They are the perfect band to watch in the afternoon sun with drink in hand and friends by your side. Their set was full of crowd pleasing classics like ‘Fossils’ and ‘Jacqueline’, the words of both being loudly echoed by the sea of people watching. Not a band to be outshined by their legacy, the group have an edge to them when playing live; the small twang of the guitar and buzz of the bass gives the performance a little grit and variation from their recorded material. A potential weekend highlight is ‘T-Shirt Weather’; the sun is shining down on us on the last weekend of the summer, and it feels like a momentous shared moment for all of us as we made memories that we could later reminisce on whilst thinking of this track. [JM]

All Time Low

Their foundations are so laden within pop punk history that it would be impossible for this set to not make its mark on the weekend and its attendees. Although the band are a little older, their songs are nostalgia-ridden and ultimately impressive. Though at times a little jarring with americanisms, frontman Alex Gaskarth was an enthusiastic presence overall, at times telling everyone to put their phones away or get on top of people’s shoulders, making the closeness of the crowd palpable. A surprising addition was a cover of The Weeknd’s track ‘Blinding Lights’, adding layers of thick bass and rock to the already melodic tune; it was an interesting choice that they certainly pulled off. An explosive cannon of confetti accompanied the band’s magnum opus ‘Dear Maria’ which inclines even passers by to join in with the iconic chorus. It was a great crescendo for the band that have undoubtedly earned their spot in the punk rock hall of fame. [JM]

Tigress

Opening with a classical piece of music that took the Festival Republic tent by surprise was the playful Tigress, a five piece British rock band that have stirred the scene with their polished sound. The pink hair of frontwoman Katy Jackson is indicative of her performance style that oozes confidence as she spearheads the band’s setlist. With melodic bridges surrounded by classic punk motifs reminiscent of the early 2000s, this band weave a clever story with tracks like ‘Alive’ and ‘Power Lines’ being standouts. The crowd head banged in unison with each beat in utter appreciation of their perfected performance style, able to add a glossy finish to heavy sound that’s unlike other bands in the punk space while managing to remain cheeky and genuine. It has to be noted that the band have been short-changed in this slot, which doesn’t allow their full performance capability to shine, but if they continue down their current path it won’t be a surprise to see them climb up the billing in the coming years. [JM]

Cleopatrick

Cleopatrick wasted no time setting the tone for the 30 minutes that were about to follow. They opened with the high tempo and ravenous ‘OK’, identifiable with the twisted guitar sound that lays waste to its other components. What followed was a sea of sweat drops and hair strands that ebbed and flowed with each riff and track change. The equally heavy hitting ‘GOOD GRIEF’ and ‘hometown’ made a mockery of all music that came before them judging by our collective reaction. It is hard to believe that only two men onstage can create so much noise. When front man Luke Gruntz entered the crowd he was immediately sucked in, only to reappear after a minute to the eruption of applause from everyone in attendance. They are a heavy amalgamation sent from above – not only did they fill the tent, but they commanded it. One only hoped that they didn’t decide to end the world because in that moment, we’d have been with them. [JM]

AS IT IS

A band with a reputation like As It Is possesses has high standards to achieve, and they surpassed them with ease to the joy of their full tent. By all accounts they are a band that achieved success amongst an overcrowded pop punk space, doing a damn good job but never breaking the wheel. However, their discography does not do them justice when comparing them to a live setting. They bring a clarity to their sound that could only be defined by years of honing in on their craft, and when added to the production and showmanship of a live show they are exponentially elevated. The reflective yet heavy ‘I MISS 2003’ was met with furious and melancholic nodding of the crowd, which was as distinctive as the beat drops. Lead singer Patty Walters has a clear and powerful voice that cut through the mosh pits and emotionally delivered astonishing vocals. The lights flickered purple and white as they expressed it’s no longer their show; it’s ours. The sentiment is all but returned to the band that decided to be better than themselves. [JM]

FEVER 333

Fever 333, unsurprisingly, were able to ignite a fire as they blitzed over ‘BITE BACK’, ‘ONE OF US’ and ‘Made An American’ with an anger shared by the crowd. The entire tent became consumed by a huge pit and all were happy to join in because, during that short time, those of us in the tent had a safe space to let go. Their sound is about as far from stale as you can get, with colossal walls of drum patterns and towering guitar motifs being created by the members; hard to follow at times but always intricate and expertly placed behind the vocals. The lyrics themselves are a breath of fresh air, dispelling myths about racism, sexism, homophobia, guns and a plethora of other topics that don’t get brought up in music with the same intensity and knowledge the band possess. Whilst they are an overtly heavy band it never feels gratuitous, it’s always necessary to get the point across, the fights they continue to advocate for cannot be won with meekness. Guitarist Stephen Harrison climbed high into the stage rigging in a final moment of opposition as the band played an encore that they expressed wasn’t planned. We were gifted by a truly unique performance from a band that say all the right things in all the right ways. [JM]

WORDS: JESSICA MCCARRICK; IMAGES: EMMA STONE

WILLOW

Given the tremendous growth in popularity she’s faced over the last year, it was surprising to see Willow play only second on the Main Stage East on Friday afternoon. However, the slot didn’t hinder her performance as she quickly made her large crowd swarm with her breakthrough tracks ‘Meet Me At Our Spot’ and ‘Wait A Minute’. Her set came from the depths of punk pop’s past, spurred on by the drum patterns that are inseparable from Travis Barker and his 90’s punk influence. She manages to bring new life and energy to the genre and judging by the crowd that clung to her soft syllables – they love it! Her voice is so delicate at times but is still powerful to cut through her ravenous band’s production, expertly straining over the emotional climaxes of her set list. [JM]

Pale Waves

Adorned in a gothic black outfit, front woman Heather Baron-Gracie had lace on her fingertips and magic in her voice. The band moved succinctly into their reimagined punk sound that features all the notes of post grunge angst, as well as a fresh, clearer sound that is cleaner than the harsh distortion that sometimes falls into the genre. Given their Manchester roots, it wasn’t hard to see the northern edge presenting itself as they continued, running widely across the stage with energy galore. There’s something intimate about the way the band play their respective instruments – it feels as though we’re watching them practise in a garage, a pure and candid look into what they have to say, and we’re listening. The bassist was working intricately and stole the spotlight at moments throughout with solos and riffing. Their delicate pop offerings kept the crowd light and flowing as their subtle stylistic choices rolled over the crowd’s upthrown hands carried across the whole vicinity. [JM]

Run The Jewels

Before the performance began it was shocking to see the minimal crowd that had formed in front of the iconic rap duo but as soon as the first beat dropped a surge of people seemed to rush forward and pits opened up across the huge spaces in the front section. The crowd involvement from this moment forward was unparalleled, screaming RTJ between each song with hands stretched in the air making their classic fist and finger combination. The duo are pure professionals who command the attention of all as they strut across the stage cheekily interacting with one another. Their hard hitting, infectious beats set a focused backdrop to irreverent and aggressively performed lyrics, speaking of self worth and general mischief. This act is so much fun as they merge their heavy rock infused production over passionate wordplay that you can’t help but feel energised by – a highlight of the day thanks to this fact. [JM]

Halsey

In the opening song ‘Nightmare’ there was a montage of abortion rights protest imagery that fit perfectly with the themes in the song, the empowered crowd singing along to lyrics like “I keep a record of the wreckage of my life // I gotta recognise the weapon in my mind”. It was a powerful moment for Halsey as she expressed her surprise at how well the slot was working for her; she was exactly what the crowd needed, especially given the political happenings that have fuelled her anger. The crowd were gripped by her mesmerising performance, chanting along to every word and watching an act that we generally don’t see take slots like these at UK festivals in total awe. Her music is littered with pop rock influences that the live setting only enhanced, the whole performance was a punky and gritty take on her discography. She performed a cover of the recently revived Kate Bush song ‘Running Up That Hill’, giving the song a more ominous feel; a great dark and moody choice. With hits like ‘Gasoline’ and ‘Without Me’ she even pulls in passers by as she commanded the stage with no excessive production, just passion and a god damn great voice. [JM]

Now onto the bands I saw. I only attended the Saturday of Leeds and the main stage seemed to have been booked by someone plucking bands out of a hat who had played in previous years. MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK are a great band, but a main stage band in a gust of wind they most certainly are not. ‘Make Out Kids’ just drifted across the West Yorkshire fields and off to the right and MCS look like a fish out of water. Stage is too big, sound is diluted…it just doesn’t work, for me. A fault more of the bookers than the band.

So after a few songs I walk over to the Dance Tent to catch LIGHTS. I find Lights to be pretty dull and sappy on record but she’s bubbly and engaging in a live setting. A healthy crowd are woken up by her gentle synth-pop and there are even a few singalongs on the way. The right setting and a nice way to start the day – Lights is better live than on record.

A quick walk back to the main stage for THE KING BLUES and their cringe-worthy GCSE politics dressed up as pop songs. There are rants about the BNP and the EDL – worthy messages, don’t get me wrong, but the way in which they’re delivered with the word ‘fuck’ repeated over and over again dilutes it – and then an ultra-cringey line which went something like ‘hey UK ska-punk scene, we’re here on the main stage’ as if it was some kind of badge of honour to sign to a major, write pop songs, lose members in controversial circumstances and then make out everything is OK. I’m cool with whatever any band wants to do. I don’t believe in selling out (or selling in, for that matter), but The King Blues are a pop band now and they’re kidding themselves if they think otherwise.

I’ve heard lots about FOXY SHAZAM and their live show and they were absolutely brilliant fun. They remind me of Queen and some camp 70s rock. The keyboard player plays with every part of his body except his fingers, the singer throws himself around with glee and the rest of the band are tight and great to watch. The songs are almost the sideshow while the band entertain you with their mic-swinging antics. Highly recommended viewing.

THRICE are another band booked on the wrong stage. Great live band, don’t get me wrong, but the atmospherics are just lost when there’s a stiff breeze taking the sound from one side of the festival site to the other. They’d be much, much better within the confines of a tent. I was stood with a few people and everyone looked a bit perplexed – Thrice can be a bit over people’s heads at times anyway, chuck in messy sound and you’re going to lose most of a crowd who’ve probably never heard of them.

I think it took about 2 minutes for ALL TIME LOW to talk about boobs. It’s like Blink 182 never existed. I know I’m old and jaded, but the band have enough good pop-punk songs to impress an audience, they can shed the fart jokes and everything that goes along with it. It’s boring to watch and ultra predictable too. ATL, however, are the first band of the day to suit the main stage. That’s saying something when you’re four bands in…

YOU ME AT 6 are a really polished live band now, no two ways about it. They can work a crowd, they suit the big stage well and they sound great, even despite the wind. The set seemed a little heavy on newer material which I’m not that familiar with, but the crowd loved it. How much further can YMA6 go?

I’ve always wanted to see LIMP BIZKIT. I think the 2000-era nu-metaller inside me can still bust out every word to ‘Rollin’. Just like the massive, massive crowd who sang along to every word of the 40-minute set. They bust out all the classics, except ‘Nookie’, and even despite my fears this would be a sentimental set played by a bunch of old men wanting to recreate their youth (which essentially it was), it’s immensely enjoyable and a great nostalgia trip. Limp Bizkit are no longer relevant and I would hazard a guess that their new album which will be total dogshit, but they’re the perfect festival band so kudos for that.

I missed CYPRESS HILL to go for food and drink but got back in time for WEEZER. I saw the band in about 2002/3 on the ‘Maladroit’ tour and I just remember the band being super tight but Rivers just stood there and played and sang. They were great but not engaging. You certainly cannot say that about them now. Rivers is everywhere – in the crowd, on the drum risers, backstage, in the pit, in the mud, playing football…he’s like an ADD-riddled kid who has forgotten his Ritalin. For the last month. ‘Buddy Holly’, ‘Memories’, “mY Name Is Jonas’ and a tonne of other hits are blasted out. It’s the perfect festival set – so yeah, not much from ‘Pinkerton’, granted, but Weezer have more singles than most bands have in the back catalogue so they can be forgiven. Genuinely engaging and hugely entertaining, Weezer were easily band of the day for me by a country mile.

PARAMORE were never going to compete against a performance such as the one Rivers wowed everyone with. After the set Hayley did state the band had a few technical problems so we can excuse them, but the singer sounds flat, misses words out as she throws herself about the stage and it all looks and sounds a bit, well, fluffed. I gave up after about four or five songs, a huge anti-climax after Weezer.

A large hop, skip and a jump later and I catch the second half of WE ARE SCIENTISTS who are great fun live. Great songs, great banter, great band. You forget how many hits the band have had until they reel them out one by one.

And so on to BORING 182. Now before you all get your knickers in a knot, I was listening to ‘Dude Ranch’ before most of you started nursery. I’ve loved Blink for more than a decade and have seen them live in both tiny venues and huge arenas. No Blink, probably no PT. I know they’re sloppy, I know they’re fuck-ups and I know what to expect. I couldn’t resist seeing them again, even though I knew it would probably be a letdown. It’s like eating a big bag of Haribo – you look and think ‘yes, please’ but when you’ve devoured the whole lot you’re left thinking ‘I knew that would happen so why did I scoff them?’ Tom looked drunk and was even sloppier than usual. Mark seemed a bit pissed off that Tom wasn’t exactly sticking to script. The setlist never really flowed and featured too heavily on the ‘self-titled’ record. The band have so many singles yet they never seemed to play two together. Predictably Tom fucked up both the riff and the words to ‘What’s My Age Again’ – how on Earth a ‘professional’ musician still does this is beyond me. Limp Bizkit were a bunch of old men re-living their youth and it worked. For me, Blink were a bunch of old men re-living their youth and the spark had gone. By the time Travis is doing his spinning drum solo the crowd had heavily thinned out so I left. Trust me to miss ‘Damnit’ and ‘Carousel’ – but it was too little, too late for me by that point.

Having arrived early, we met up with random Punktastic folk and the Milk2Sugars crew, missing out on Jesse James in the Concrete Jungle Stage. Not being impressed with them when I saw JJ supporting Lit, I wasn’t too disappointed about missing them, but by all accounts the tent was crammed and they put on a good show. However it was up to Lightyear to get the day off in fine style. Playing a whole range of tracks off of their ‘Call Of The Weasel Clan’ record, the Derby mob bounded around the stage with reckless abandon, living up to their name of being a top quality live act. Thankfully there was no nakedness, but there were shout-outs to anyone from Scunthorpe and to vocalist Chas’ mum, who was merrily skanking away next to the majority of the Milk2Sugars crew. A mass invasion by Jesse James at the sets end got the day off to a good start. (7)

A quick hop to the nearby Evening Session Stage led us straight to Midtown, who, by the size of the crowd, have gathered quite a following over the last year, and rightly so. They may have massive egos (and do their own soundchecks) but the music really does the talking. Today Midtown are damn good. The kids go off to the likes of ‘Become What You Hate’ and ‘Like A Movie’, so much so that one kid gets his nose busted in the process. Fantastic musicians even if their sense of style leaves a little bit to be desired, ‘Just Rock n Roll’ is a fine track, and as usual they end with shades of the Kiss classic ‘God Gave Rock and Roll To You’. Midtown may appear to be dicks offstage, but on it they give as good as anyone else. (8)

A short wait and we are greeted by John Feldmann and the rest of Goldfinger. Unfortunately sometime decides to call time on the set after just 20 minutes, although a hi-octane 20 minutes at that. Bouncing around with aplomb, the band are on top form, with ‘Superman’ rightly making the kids skank like their lives depended on it. But the set is way too short, missing out the likes of ‘Mable’ and ‘Here In Your Bedroom’, and even new single ‘Spokesman’. ‘Open Your Eyes’ goes down well, as does ’99 Red Balloons’ and a singalong ‘FTN’, which was accompanied by the now obligatory vegan spiel. Good, but way too short, a band that I once really, really liked have gone downhill a bit and aside from the odd pop-punk gem, are rapidly becoming also-rans. (7)

Back to the Concrete Jungle, Thursday had just taken to the stage and proceeded to ram their magnificent ‘Full Collapse’ album down our collective throats for the next 30 minutes. Singer Geoff has a fantastic vocal range and the songs sound immense. However, the odd song aside, the subtleties that the album is so good with are lost in the tent, and at times the music batters the senses rather than compels you to listen. If you hadn’t heard of Thursday before it would have been easy to have got bored of their bludgeoning sound, but for the fans, the likes of ‘Understanding In A Car Crash’ and ‘Standing On The Edge Of Summer’ are fantastic. A new track went down a treat too, before the blazing finale of ‘Cross Out The Eyes’. Very, very good, although probably not best suited to a tent in the middle of a stately home. Thursday are well worth checking out though, or worthy of a second chance if you weren’t impressed first time round. (8)

I have always thought that Dashboard Confessional should have been called Dashboard Creek as Chris Carrabba’s songs are more like an episode of the TV show Dawson’s Creek than regular tracks. At times unneccesarily wordy, the band aren’t one that I have really got into. Until now that is. Spellbinding and captivating live, the band had every single person in the tent singing along with gusto, so much so that Chris was visibly shocked that so many people knew the words. ‘Saints And Sailors’ is absolutely brilliant, a contender for song of the day, and ‘Screaming Infidelities’ is fantastic. ‘Emo’ is vastly overused to describe music, but today you can sense that everyone connects with every single word that comes out of his mouth. People are hugging each other, some are crying and the rest are singing along. I’ll admit I am now a Dashboard convert – the album has been dusted down and is now on repeat in the cd player. Bloody fantastic stuff. (8)

A quick wander over to the main stage and we catch the arse end of Less Than Jake‘s set, the fantastic ‘Al’s War’ finishing things off. A huge crowd turn out to see them, which is weird as three years ago they were playing basements in dingy clubs. But still, if anyone deserves it it’s the Gainesville boys. Unlike Sum 41, who bounce on stage to ‘Motivation’ with guitars blaring from all sides. They sound amazing, until Deryck opens his mouth that is. This guy cannot sing. At all. Infact he’s awful, making you wonder if he has ever heard himself back following a show. Proof that mainstram punk rock is more about image than the live performances. One song is enough for us, a walk back to the Concrete Jungle is neccessary.

The Get Up Kids are possibly my favourite band ever. I’ve been waiting since 1998 to see this lot live, and they didn’t disappoint. Well they did, they didn’t play ‘Red Letter Day’, but that was my only gripe. A big group of us gathered in anticipation and needless to say we were singing along in no time. ‘Holiday’, ‘Ten Minutes’ and ‘Action and Action’ are awesome three minute pop gems, proving that this Kansas crew are the modern day Beatles, and new tracks like ‘Walking On A Wire’ and ‘Campfire Kansas’ are immaculate, even if they are maybe not as well known as some of the other songs. ‘Don’t Hate Me’ is thrown in too, much to the delight of the old-skool fans and by the sets end everyone goes home happy. A completely faultless set by a band that have been criminally overlooked, if they had played ‘Red Letter Day’ or their cover of ‘On With The Show’ it would have been the best gig ever. Emotastic. (9)

A trip back to the main stage next for Ash, a band who certainly aren’t punk but their spikey-pop nuggets brought back more than a few memories for me having gone through school and college worshipping them. ‘Goldfinger’, ‘Girl From Mars’ and ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ are all fantastic songs, and even the newer tracks ‘Envy’, ‘Burn Baby Burn’ and ‘Sometimes’ are served up with huge smiles. Ash play as if it’s their last show, possibly because their bus crash from four nights previously is still on their minds. But Tim Wheeler and co are at their best when they go at it head-on (excuse the pun) and there’s no better finale around than ‘Kung Fu’. Another faultless set from the Northern Irish lads (and English girl) and a highly impressive return to form. (9)

Another trot back to the Concrete Jungle Stage and we catch Saves The Day, a band who have dropped their brand of pop-punk to lead the pack with their melodic (and MTV2 loving) emo sound. It’s yet to be seen if fame has gone to Chris Conley’s head, but his haircut is becoming dire, coming across more like Bryan Adams circa 1989 rather than a punk rock star. Still, Saves The Day, now a 4-piece, are brilliant in the small tent even if they do largely stick to all of the songs from their new record ‘Stay What You Are’. Unsurprisingly it is the two singles that go down best, with huge singalong choruses during ‘Freakish’ and ‘At Your Funeral’ being obvious highlights. But Conley is at his best during ‘Cars And Calories’ as he gyrates and dances his way through the song. It’s amusing to watch, but you cannot fault him, or the band for effort. (8)

I’ve heard lots of bad things about the live Jimmy Eat World performance. Some people have said that they cannot sing, they have no stage presence and that they just sound boring. Well I can safely say that all three of those comments are lies. For tonight JEW are simply stunning. With a set that is predominantely made up from the ‘Bleed American’ album, it’s obvious that the singles go down the best, with a number of lungs fit to burst from all the singalong moments. But the best songs on show are those from ‘Clarity’, and album revered in the ’emo’ world – and rightly so. With passion and commitment to the cause, tonight Jimmy Eat World are more than a bit special. Do they hit a wrong note? I can’t remember if they do. Quite rightly second on the bill – but in my opinion a main stage slot would have been just as deserving. (9)

So many bands that we missed, it was literally impossible to catch every single band that we wanted to see. No Rival Schools, no No Use For A Name or Bouncing Souls, and we even missed out on Less Than Jake. Still, Leeds 2002 was an undoubted success – until the fires started that is…

Paul