Leeds Festival Snapshot: Day 3

And so, it's all over for another year. Apologies for the lateness of this blog, due to iPhone/Safari disagreements. Full review to follow, but here's some random thoughts of Day 3 of the Festival Republic end-of-summer shindig:

Faith No More - Most people had gone to swoon over Caleb and his Kings of Leon on the Main Stage, but those people left in the NME tent were treated to a performance of quite awesome power from Mike Patton and his reunited men. And, for some reason, they treated us to the Eastenders theme tune too.

Little Boots - Maybe not the typical 'Leeds Festival' type of act, but she had the whole tent jumping in unison to Stuck On Repeat. She even invited her amusingly inebriated brother up on stage to wish him happy birthday, and then her entire family invaded the stage. Bless.

The Horrors - Considering their latest album is so damn good, this was a major disappointment. I know it's their shtick to be a bit grumpy and mysterious, but they looked disinterested and bored throughout. Shame

Florence & The Machine - Last year, she played to a handful of people on the Festival Republic stage. This year, she's Mercury nominated and drew the biggest crowd of the weekend to the NME tent.

The Big Pink - On at the same time as Florence, but those who ventured out of the rain into the Festival Republic tent were treated to a fine set from one of this year's best discoveries. Dominoes already sounds like an anthem in the making

Jack Penate - The year's most unlikely reinvention continues with a show of unrestrained energy and joy. He even lost his natty white shoe when diving into the crowd during Let's All Die. So he did the rest of his set barefoot.

Jamie T - Another packed out performance, and judging by what he played on Sunday night, the upcoming album Kings & Queens should quite a listen.

Instigate Debate - Carl Barat, Clint Boon, Jon McClure, NME journo Jamie Fullerton and a competition winner called Sophie debated the future of British music. Very entertaining, especially with Rev McClure in full on rant mode, tearing into the NME ("when you've got young kids in their bedrooms dreaming of making it onto your cover, and you stick two fuckin' comedians like The Mighty Boosh, or a fuckin' kids programme like Skins on the cover - well, that's a fuckin' disgrace Jamie") and lambasting 'landfill indie' ("any band who says they're indie and they're signed to Warner Bros - well, they can just fuck off"). I often find the Rev a tad annoying, but he was spot on throughout this debate. A good way to kick off Sunday.

Weirdest rumour of the weekend  - Overheard on Saturday night: "Quick, get yourself to the Alternative Tent. Jay Z's playing now. Honest". He wasn't.

And now we're back, away from the rain and the mud and already thinking of next year's festival. Who'll be headlining? The rumours start now (our money's on a debut solo show from Noel G...)

Leeds Festival Snapshot: Day 2

So, day 2 of Leeds Festival at an end already. Here's some thoughts on the day's highlights.

Radiohead - 2 hour headliner set, the first half was gloriously atmospheric and then they cranked it up a gear. Ending with Paranoid Android, Just and Everything In Its Right Place. What's that? You were expecting Creep? Silly billy.

Broken Records - more people should know about this Edinburgh seven-piece. Intense Arcade Fire style rock with a healthy dollop of Celtic folk. Brilliant

The Hot Rats - aka Gaz and Danny from Supergrass covering, among others, Beastie Boys, Roxy Music, Doors and The Beat. Tremendous fun

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - I still say their last album dragged in parts but live they remain formidable. A gorgeous acoustic version of Maps moved more than a few people to tears

Frank Turner - weirdly, he leaves me cold on record. Live, the intensity and joy he creates is a thing to behold

The flag ban - ok you can see the stage now but the flags added to the atmosphere for me. It's not quite the same without them

That 'Yorkshire' chant - it's a bit annoying really isn't it? Can we stop it now please?

One last blog tomorrow night and remember to follow us live tweeting on Twitter @musicOMH

Leeds Festival Snapshot: Day 1

I'm blogging this on a phone, so it'll be reasonably short - but here's some thoughts on Day 1 of Leeds:

Them Crooked Vultures - Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones' supergroup made an unannounced appearance at the NME tent at around 4pm. Imagine QOTSA with some Zep flourishes backed by one of the greatest drummers in the world. And by God could they play.

Marina And The Diamonds - 2010's next big star. Cracking songs, utterly charismatic and even apologised for wearing a tshirt which said 'I love Marina and the Diamonds'. "I know it looks really sad but I thought I'd be the only one here". Did we mention she's pretty damn adorable too?

The Prodigy - They tore up the main stage tonight - hit after hit with not one of the thousands watching standing still. Potty mouths though!

Arctic Monkeys - a set heavy on new stuff seemed to confuse the crowd but still provided us with one of the great singalong moments of the weekend in When The Sun Goes Down. Also, is Do Me A Favour one of the greatest songs ever written?

Ian Brown - King Monkey still can't sing for toffee but who cares when he brings so much stage presence with him? Stellify is one of the year's great singles AND he sang Fools Gold, thud making everyone very happy.

Weather - muddy, bloody cold at times and a bit wet. But it's not damped anyone's enthusiasm

More about Day 2 tomorrow and follow us on Twitter @musicOMH

Edinburgh Fringe 09: Internal and Barflies

What happens in Internal stays in Internal. We’re not the first to make this comment but the message still stands: the less you know going in about this new show by Ontroerend Goed the better.

This is the second part in a proposed trilogy playing with ideas of intimacy of which the magnificent Smile Off Your Face was the first instalment. We’ll say only that it’s a show for five audience members at a time and involves a one-on-one encounter. Tickets are by now pretty hard to come by and there were people patiently waiting in the hotel lobby (the show is hosted by the Traverse but takes place in a room at the Mercure Point Hotel on Bread Street) in the hope that someone wouldn’t turn up for their ‘date.’

Some people have found the experience therapeutic and liberating others conversely have found it quite violating and afterwards described feeling quite used. musicOMH, being naturally guarded, perhaps did not give herself fully over to the experience and remained rather detached but it is certainly one of the more memorable 25 minutes of the Fringe and one that has lingered, stewing and brewing at the back of her mind.

musicOMH was also lucky enough to see another hit Traverse show, Grid Iron’s site-specific adaptation of the world of Charles Bukowski. Barflies takes place in the Barony Bar on Broughton Street (15.00). Your drink of choice is waiting for you as you enter the bar with its offal red ceiling and corner piano. Keith Fleming and Gail Watson play two trademark Bukowski characters, the drink-sodden writer and the volatile, self-destructive female, equally booze-pickled, though they retain their Scottish accents. They rut and totter and clamber on top of the bar while Silent Dave the bartender plays a gravely version of Lilac Wine. We weren’t quite as taken with Ben Harrison’s production as some have been (it possibly helps if you are a fan of Bukowski’s writing) but we enjoyed our trip into this sordid yet creative world.

For more information on either show visit Traverse.co.uk.

Edinburgh Fringe 09: The Final Week

musicOMH is entering the homestretch: today marks the start of the final week of the Fringe. There is a buzz in the air about certain shows and some of the element of uncertainty inherent in Fringe theatre-going has been removed. Much of what we’re seeing now has been recommended or reviewed elsewhere. The hot tickets have been decreed and we are fortunate to have a couple of them smouldering in our pockets.

This means our hit rate is higher than it has been. We liked Crush at the Underbelly (15.15) a very well-acted two-hander about relationships in the internet age. Ella Hickson's Precious Little Talent at the Bedlam (14.30) is also is well worth seeing and it builds considerably on the promise she showed with Eight. We also really liked Frisky and Mannish’s School of Pop also at the Underbelly (21.00), but then they were already known to us. It was interesting to see them work an over-excited Friday night crowd in a bigger venue to the one we saw them in last time and their Lilly Allen does Noel Coward skit still made us laugh like a very happy drain.

We are forcing ourselves to acknowledge that we will probably not have time to see everything we want to see. There are simply too many things and not enough days left to cram them all in.

Edinburgh at least has remembered, if only for today, that it is August and therefore supposed to be summer. We are going to play in the sunshine while it la