Live at Leeds : Final Day Round Up

• 28th Aug 2007

In the atypical finale of any decent festival of this size it is often customary to build an enormous fire. In cleansing the scene with this ritual any remnants of alcohol, tent, and metal rubbish bins that cause so much of the havoc over the course of the weekend are offered to the festival Gods in the form of smoking embers from gigantic flames.

As the fires burn and as the flames go out on the Carling weekend for another year. We look back at the highlights and low lights.

The final day of a hectic three day festival saw arguably the majority of the best performances, most notably from New York’s Battles, the typically spectacular Biffy Clyro and the loudest band at the festival Dinosaur Jr.

Unfortunately RHCP are and have been for some time shadows of them former selves were unable to give the crowd a massive send off with a classic performance and the crowd returned to the campsites. In no way was the wild behaviour that ensued and the lacklustre Chili Peppers connected but the dissatisfaction with the closing band carried nicely to the campsite chaos that continued until the morning. Through Kieidis’ attractive yet aging visage is a man so high and spiritually awake he barely needs open his mouth to sing, hoping maybe the crowd would transmit his thoughts. In fairness to the headliners the previous two albums have been tripe but as with many of the bands here who may have peaked years ago the Chilli Peppers appear to regard the fact they are no longer funky and chose to play a selection of the worst songs they have ever recorded rather than hark back to the glory days as so many of the bands in the same boat easily accepted necessary. California rest in peace.

The Noisettes were pounding the NME tent with energy, Shinghai dazzling with peacock headdress and belting voice. Does It Offend You, Yeah (pictured) played at the same time, one of the heaviest bands to play, Lethal Bizzle packed out the tent, Bloc Party as always one of everybody's highlights, Panic at the Disco avoided a bottling…just. Battles blow the world away with a 30 minute set that felt like three songs (it was 5 or 6), Foals really rocking out with as much energy as anyone put into a performance, Data Rock for their wacky outfits, Shy Child the two-piece added a touch of class to the fantastic dance stage on the last day. We caught Micky P Kerr and the Dudes from the cash machine queue and a bit of local Yorkshire rappin’ ain’t ‘alf bad.

Best looking band of the three days Interpol, closely followed by Gogol Bordello’s wacky dancers.

Photography: Loz – Lmail