
Leeds Festival 2016
Your expectations of the shining sun beating down on you and a glittery shimmery exciting atmosphere. Grab your bucket hat and flower hairbands and enjoy the place you’ve spent hundreds of pounds on. Festivals they can be a time of self discovery or needing recovery depending on the weather. Leeds a few weeks ago took its toll, it rained and the whole festival became a mudslide but I was too excited to be there to let it bother me. Apart from abandoning my wellies on the bus I had great fun.
Leeds festival was an inspirational setting. I turned up having gone through a 40 minute bus journey from the train station. With my first bus pink wristband I got given I just hoped it would survive the journey and the festival without fading and not being valid my journey had begun. As I arrived at the campsite I was met with various queues. The first was to get my wristband which was light blue and sparkly, a nice touch as I like blue.
Sadly I was met with pouring rain, buckets of the stuff, as my friend and I set up camp. Unfortunately the tent was inside out and that wasn’t known to us until it was fully up pegs and all. A man wondered past and reminded us of our error, in which point my other friends then alerted us that we were in the wrong camp. As a rained on unhappy me trudged through to camp D we finally set up camp with the tent the correct way round. A swift unpack and we were set for our first night at Leeds festival.
Fast forward a day and we were all glittered up and ready to see some bands.
Biffy Clyro a Scottish pop/rock band made up of guitarist and vocalist Simon Neil, James Johnston Bass and drummer ben Johnston.
They bounded on the stage with such an energetic presence. They sang the whole of their new album and opened up with Wolves of Winter. Sadly I was getting food at that point and I heard it and went running to the main stage, almost dropped my noodles!
Raleigh Ritchie also known as Jacob Anderson this actor turned rapper and singer brings a quirkyness to the music industry. He’s one of those artists that wasn’t very well known until he dropped one song, but that doesn’t make him a one hit wonder, you should listen to the rest of his album too. I dragged my friend Mark to his set in the 1Xtra tent, and he started singing when he was backstage and got the audience all worked up. Then he just appeared still singing (no lip syncing !) He sounded exactly the same as his CD. I really enjoyed his set.
Fall Out Boy an American Rock band. Patrick Stump is the vocalist and guitarist, drummer Andy Hurley, bassist Pete Wentz and guitarist Joe Trohman. These guys were amazing they had all sorts going on. They had such huge crowd, and really rocked out on stage.
Maverick Sabre an Irish singer that sings very soulfully. He was very talented and sounded exactly the same live as he does in his recorded songs.
The highlight of Leeds Festival had to be when Skindred promised the crowd heavy metal I quote “Would you like to listen to the most satanic sh*t you’ve ever heard” then proceeded to play Justin Bieber.
Video of Skindred playing Justin Bieber
I saw a load more artists and they were all amazing, with such a great crowd, festivals always bring people together as you’re all there for the music, whether you like rock, indie, grime, pop and DJs. Festivals have a place for you all and I will continue to go all throughout my life as my style changes and grows.