The time has come ladies and gentlemen for one of the best points of the year, for everyone to get mucky in a field for a weekend to an amazing line up of people. To come together and celebrate everything wonderful in 2014. The car was loaded midday thursday and revving to head for Leeds Festival.
Arriving there by half 2, and carrying bags practically full of bricks to our spec by the funfair in Orange, right by the hill, showed the Leeds kingdom an array of brightly coloured tents and attractions. We spent most of the first day sitting around in a circle chatting, having some drinks and letting me put Fickle’s Tattoos* on people to get into the festival spirit!
The tattoos themselves were so fresh, bold and creative, I picked intriguing designs and we knew the true test of success was being able to successfully stick it to the hairest legs in the world, but they stuck well throughout our trip and took me 4 days after to properly scrub my ‘Breathe In Breathe Out’ off my wrists! Great quality and so afforable! Check them out here!
The first night in we missed Superfood but headed to the Relentless Stage and Piccadilly Party where it was happening till 6am, my voice was already starting to break by the next morning with a mass hangover, but surely that didn’t stop me oh no!
The adventures truly began, I headed down to Yellow to collect my GetVolt charger* which served me well throughout, despite my phone similar to that of a Nokia brick its battery life isn’t something to write home about, this meant I could stay in contact with all my friends but sadly could not tweet home due to the lack of signal ~shakes fist at Three network~
On the first day I managed to see firstly Jungle and stepped back to watch the show unveil, their incredible sound was such a highlight, and to see strangers piling in from their beautiful music was inspiring! From that I swung back into my usual ways and got right to the front of Clean Bandit, meeting up with everyone, the set was unbelievable and climaxed to Rather Be (of course) of all the new acts I saw that day Clean Bandit topped very high and was such an experience!
Later we saw Maverick Sabre, Klaxons and The Kooks, each so individual, but all acts I had been dying to see, contrastive in their ways Maverick Sabre had me in a chill place whilst Klaxons unleashed the inner 13 year old, I felt so surreal finally hearing them and their stage presence is unbeatable, everything I always thought they would be. I only managed to hear She Moves In Her Own Way, Forgive & Forget, Junk Of The Heart and Westside, people were being shipped out the tent due to there being too many inside. Finally we finished off with Disclosure which were a blast and definitely a highlight of the weekend!
On Saturday we missed Drenge at around midday, but headed straight to Temples, I was a very happy girl, and are already saving to try and see them in two cities perhaps, they have been a complete love for me over the past year and blew me away with Keep In The Dark, and was always wonderful seeing a new act grow, everyone screamed ‘Leeds U Wot U Wot’ like always, and to which they replied “I can’t hear what you’re saying but it sounds like ‘world peace’ so yeah, we want world peace”. From the adventures of Temples to the deranged sounds of Warpaint, the other golden oldie, a band I’ve wanted to see for quite a few years, and whilst I don’t think they’re particularly established over in the UK the crowds said other wise!
Next was Queens Of The Stone Age, I was determined to get to the front, and through the waves of people we climbed over ended up so very close, I had goosebumps throughout the entire set and picked up a friend throughout that we took to the front, kudos to Josh Homme for his fine stylings that evening representing a quilted jacket with fur lined collar and interior, stylish motherfucker.
I easily could have listened to them for another 3 hours comfortably, even during the rain, the pink hair washed away in a sea of sweat and I did not have a care in the world!
To top the evening off we saw The Courteeners, I like to think Saturday was the day of nostalgia, all the bands from throughout my life that have made a keen impression on whom I am today from my teens. They were insane. The crowds were crazy and the rain of confetti that showered us all at the end put an amazing mood on all of us!
And around came Sunday, Funday Sunday, this day had an unbeatable line up and one I will take to the grave. All my favourite music had a special place and at no point did I feel I could sit still in the shear hysteria of happiness. We wanted to start our adventure with Tea Street Band and was too caught up in my tin of cold beans to look at my watch, midday bands have always been an issue for me but we were dragged off to see a new one…someone I really wish I could have absorbed in prior to appreciate them a band called Milky Chance – who were brilliant!
Next I never realised who they were till mid way through, no banner, no drum stickers till I heard a scream and Move Shake Hide being wailed down the microphone, I had been watching The Marmozets for 20 minutes blind, and whilst others didn’t get the hype I was satisfied feeling some of their more popular tracks, recommended by a blogger infact!
Next was Royal Blood, and I bet few have probably heard this name burning your ears recently, this band have sky rocketed in the past year to an insane level, I felt privileged being in the same room with, and whilst they unforuntely were cut very short by the sound man, gave the performance of a lifetime and had the pleasure of seeing in Dublin back in July. They blew me away, left me speechless, exhausted from never clapping so loud and they fucking deserve it. If you’ve never heard them give them a listen, in 10 years you’ll re-read this blogpost in shock at how far they will go!
Next we saw Wolf Alice, this wonderful act from London, the day was so surreal like a Spotify playlist knowing all my favourite acts were merely a few minutes walk away. The solos were my highlight as well as the lead singers all in white ensemble. For me the fashion is all part of the experience and the vast variety of messages people are trying to portray. For me Wolf Alice hits it on the head every time and I adore them so much!
I couldn’t believe it when I first heard it, one of my favourite bands, someone who I say sit a few feet in front of me when they first started out in a tiny bar in Manchester were playing the Main Stage, Peace! Most are them are barely recognisable to how I knew them, meet and spoke to them, before they were boys that finally grew up, we were stood in front of the sound engineers desk the perfect place for amazing sound and a great view. If this year taught me anything it taught me how I don’t have to be crushed at the front on the barrier to have an amazing time, most gigs I held back and for Peace it fit so perfectly swaying in the open air, with gorgeous sunshine beaming down. I’m so happy they played Float Forever in particular, a secret fave!!
The last few, next was Jake Bugg, and although I had seen him before at a festival I did find it better (would have been nice to at least see him crack a smile). We missed Chvrches that I was dying to see which was a bit sad but more the excuse to purchase tickets! The highlight of Bugg’s set was Broken, something he never plays much I find anymore and from the screams and hour long wait for the final act I could feel butterflies flying around in anticipation for Arctic Monkeys, we’ve been to see them three times now on the AM tour and they have been some of the best gigs of my life. They were UNBELIEVABLE. Every song had extended intros or outros and was an absolute dream. I heard a grim tale of someone being trapped at the front for 12 hours and crushed and for once I had the free energy to be so energetic. It was one of most memorable moments of my life and finished the festival with an absolute bang. Perfect.
Whilst I won’t miss water being £2.50 and a box of noodles being £7 I’m gonna miss the insane weekend I had, that even right now I’m still trying to recover from. Festival Fever I think the term is!
Leeds has a special place in my heart, and I wish I could ring it out of all it’s magic every year, and get to experience Glamping once in my life, I highly recommend you get a ticket for next year !
Did you go to any festivals this year?
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any items marked with a * have been gifted or sent to me to review
