LIVE AT LEEDS
The reality of December and cold winter nights is upon us, and we can't help but reflect on the glorious summer that seems like only yesterday. Here, Kat Grimsditch brings us back to Leeds Festival to have her say on the Sunday acts.
http://www.festivallifestore.co.uk/leeds-festival/
After first seeing the line-up for the Reading and Leeds festivals in England this year it is safe to say I was disheartened. With headliners such as the Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stoneage, and Bombay Bicycle Club last year, 2015’s guest list didn’t seem to meet the mark. Furthermore, there was a surprising lack of female talent across the stages, as only 10 of the approximate total of 94 musical acts had at least one female band member. For these reasons, I decided not to splash out on the full weekend. Instead, I went for a One Day Ticket on Sunday the 30th –an obvious choice for up-and-coming music lovers. My pessimism was certainly proven wrong...
1. Wolf Alice 4/5
This North London four-piece tore through the predominantly male line up in the NME / BBC Radio One Tent. The band, lead by glittery frontwoman and alternative icon Ellie Rowsell, succeded Circa Waves and successfully kept the energy of the crowd with favourites from their recent release My Love Is Cool [1] such as ‘You’re A Germ’ and ‘Giant Peach’. In spite of occasional technical difficulties, mischievous Ellie continued to sing without her guitar, instead riding the back of bassist Theo Ellis. Fans of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Black Honey would love their twisted alternative sound.
2. Foals 5/5
A welcome surprise on the NME / BBC Radio One Stage, Foals (an English indie rock band from Oxford) killed their ‘secret set’ warranting nothing lower than a 5/5 rating. The five men are recognised as one of the top UK live acts, having won the 2013 Q Award for Best Live Act and being nominated (twice) for the NME Award for Best Live Act. After hearing soon-to-be indie anthems like ‘My Number’ and ‘Mountain at my Gates’ it would be wrong of anyone to say they do not live up to this expectation. Their lively set peaked when the building drum beats of album title track ‘What Went Down’ converted any drifters into Foals fans for sure.
3. DMA’S 5/5
DMA’s, An under-the-radar Sydney three-piece, made quite an impression on the small stage of the Festival Republic tent. A stage, which was home to many other lesser-known indie and alternative artists such as Walking on Cars and Darlia (both highly recommended). Lyrically, the band are there and simply waiting for their fan base to grow. Consequently, the only downside to their performance was the intimate crowd, which couldn't quite match their rowdy music. DMA’S played a largely acoustic set, climaxing at their most popular hit ‘Your Low’, a stand-out tune from their melodic, alt-rock, self-titled album[2].
4. Rat Boy 4/5
Self-proclaimed Essex boy Jordan Cardy a.k.a Rat Boy is another deserving of much more fame. His hard to hate, recent releases ‘Sign On’ and ‘Fake I.D’ pumped some much needed energy into the Festival Republic tent and will undoubtedly bring him the success he deserves. Rat Boy’s genre is new to the indie scene, not quite rap but something of the sort. His clever, witty and relatable lyrics were chanted back to him by his core, die-hard fans who knew more than just the singles. A personal favourite ‘Sportswear’ is a must listen, and to my surprise, sounded exactly the same live as it does through my headphones, despite the extensive mixing and editing process the majority of Rat Boy’s songs go through. Overall, he was the most underrated live act of all that I saw at Leeds Festival 2015.
[1] My Love Is Cool by Wolf Alice available to purchase now. Definitely check it out!
[2] DMA’s by DMA’s can be found on Spotify Free –alongside all other named tracks and artists.