Leeds Carling Weekend - Saturday

On the Saturday I had very few bands that I definitely wanted to see. So this day became one of exploration. None of the headliners stood out but on the Unsigned stage Middleman gave a good write up in the Festival Programme. I went to see these and boy they blew me away. I arrived and sat down to eat & be nursed by my hot soup. I was enjoying the music then but when I stood up - I was blown away. The ambient noises that were kicking off all over the show were being created by some very creative guitar playing through FX. They felt to me like some hybrid of Punk Reggae all awash with ambient noise that just drew everything together & gave it a place. Needless to say I was impressed, however I do not feel that the tracks on their Myspace do their live set justice. Quite frankly just as it should be.

From the morning I did the usual collapse on the grass by the main stage for a few hours routine. There was little that grabbed me there until Gogol Bordello came on. I have never in my years of festivals seen an entire audience at the main stage, so early in the day stand up - almost to a man. The total change in tempo, tune and everything from EVERY other band that weekend was immediately apparent. Exceptional live band is pretty much all that can be said about them. Unfortunately I only saw three songs as I had to go & meet someone but what I saw was great.

I then saw Gossip whose speel kinda made me want to go up there and smash her face in - "Hi I'm an American and I have a big vagina". Although I can't disagree, looking at her, it still annoyed me on many levels (probably mostly being forced to think about her vagina)! Saying that what a great and powerful voice this entity has. The hit track "Standing In the Way of Control" of course being their most notable song of the day. Sending the front half of the crowd a-bouncin.

Maximo Park were excellent as always. Yet his chatter and the presence of the band seemed somewhat lacking. Loved the tunes but they just felt a tiny bit flat to me. Perhaps I was looking for further disappointment after the Pumpkins but I don't think that I'm quite that jaded.....yet !

Interpol I have liked since the debacle of the Editors retaliating against comparisons to Interpol. Yet live they failed to grasp me by the boo boo. I think I will sample their most recent album and make my final decision but I can see them being taken off my playlist. Sorry I know they have a huge & ever growing fan base but thats just how I feel guys. I will not make a final decision on any band until I have seen them live so there I am.

Kings Of Leon made me wanna go to sleep. Thats when I left to go see Middleman. Unfortunately for some reason in their wisdom the festival had the Unsigned Stage headline on very early. So from this headliner I got to go see Brand New followed by Ash. Brand New I really liked for a first listen. Jesus Christ is so mellow I almost turned yellow, but they can go right into tracks like Archers which sounds not unlike the Cure with Kyuss drums & Bass and Mars Volta Guitar. Really good, I will be checking out more of their stuff in the future.

Ash played a very strong set and as usual had the Radio 1 tent bursting at the seams.

A day of suprises and new bands for me. Left me feeling (amongst other things) positive about the ground floor once more...

Leeds Carling Weekend - FRIDAY

A slightly less eventful festival than normal but excellent music and a few suprises for me. We arrived on the Wednesday and settled in for the first two days. Made some friends. Had a few beers. Got chatted up. The usual...

The Friday kicked off and I saw nothing of note until Cold War Kids, who were excellent. Very well suited to playing in a tent - into which they attracted plenty of people on this blisteringly hot day. This band has really grown on me over the last year and I have gone from indifferent to a fan. This gig only helped to concrete that feeling. From there again nothing that interested me until the Lost Prophets, who I don't like but did a great set. My day was topped off with NIN who played an absolute stormer and ended with a 50,000+ sing along to "Hurt". Amazing light show (as usual) and just still awesome. I have stayed away from Year Zero for fear that his second "off the drugs" album may be a poor one. Thank goodness for mistakes like that. The day was finished by the Smashing Pumkins who were as flat as a compressed fart. I saw their "final" gig at Wembley years ago and this is quite simply put not the same band. The new material felt very weak and the setlist had a few gems in but I could not sense any life even behind them.

Toon Conscience - The 27 Club

The first album is out now for sale from the 27 Club for a mere five of your earth pounds. If you aren’t hitched by your first listen to the music then you should go & see the band live. This is body moving music that will make even the most staid of us tap a foot. It also throws you a few curves due to the way it has been put together - The band came together fully for a few of the tracks but the rest of the album came about from fragmented collaborations within their circle. Yet it still manages to hold it together in terms of style and more suprisingly under these circumstances, also in terms of the production.

At first listen I was not sure if I liked this band until I realised it was prejudice against hearing a local accent used over the fusion of music styles. Then the infectious groove started to sink in and afterwards I listened to the lyrics too ! The commentary in No Beats on Chav culture spoke to me about experiences in my home town and should do so to almost anyone that frequents the outside world these days. Most of the tunes ring home to the extent that I wonder if these guys are from the same background as me. This is definitely not the case so it can only be due to an accurate social commentary of the times at hand.

The 27 Club are doing the rounds near you now and if you feel like a bit of booty bopping then you know where to look. They recently had a blistering night at The Cluny in Newcastle, supporting Kokolo a New York band of a similar ilk and different accent ! Their next gig is on 8 September at The Quay Club in Blythe with a follow up at Inside Out in Darlington on 14 September. Keep an eye out they get new dates thick and fast. But above all- check them out.....

The 27 Club Myspace