Perfect Summer sun on a bank holiday weekend, what could be better, right? Well, the line up at the Leeds Festival this weekend actually! It was not only a stunner with the weather but the rocking sets on stage after stage. The Leeds Festival (and its sister festival, Reading) were all lit up and killing it all weekend long. Headliners such as The Foo Fighters, 1975 Post Malone and 21 Pilots were cherries on some staggeringly great band ‘cakes’. They were all layered high and banking some solid and impressive performances leading up to the final acts. It was a case of how to manage your time across the stages and getting to see as much as possible.
The Leeds Festival Highlights
The jewels in the crown of the weekend for me were as follows: The Foo Fighters, Bastille and Enter Shikari. Many, many other bands were astonishing and wholly impressive but these guys just struck a chord for me personally.
Enter Shikari had a couple of sets on different stages on the Friday. I caught up with them on the Main Stage and it was all-out energetic and an extremely tight performance. They introduced themselves by cheekily saying, ‘Hello carbon based life forms’. We then traveled on a electric journey of varying beats and tempos that just seemed to soar on the hot afternoon of day one. While stage flames licked the steamy summer atmosphere, frontman Rou Reynolds never braked on his performance. He made sure to keep the crowd high, high, high.
Bastille later headlined the BBC Radio 1 Stage and lead singer Dan Smith couldn’t have expressed more gratitude for being there which was completely endearing. Smith seemed to be soaking up his time on stage and thanking the audience after every song, obviously lingering sweetly in each moment. Being sure to include all their best of the best, including recent single, ‘Joy’ which was indeed a joy to hear live. It was a band I was desperate to see and they didn’t disappoint for one second.
The Foo Fighters
However, my faves were, without the slightest question, The Foo Fighters. They are legends for ample reason, they rock and they rock almost effortlessly. Smooth transition, endless passion that is addictive actually and songs that crest the wave of time. Including all the expected chart toppers and some they rarely play that kept it fresh and varying. The anthemic ‘Walk’ was incorporated mid-set and was the one I praying to all the gods to hear and apparently so were the rest of the crowd as we all danced and bounced along together to it.
An impromptu Freddie Mercury impersonator was magically dropped in the audience that then joined them on stage for a rendition of ‘Under Pressure’ and the night’s set could not be topped. The band’s vibrancy and rock-goddedness just leaves you in awe. Conclusively, It was all wicked fun and goose-bumpy through their entire time on stage. Ultimately, this was the band of bands and one playlist you didn’t want to end.
Photos courtesy of John Hayhurst/Snapagig
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