I arrive into Leeds at 12 for what is set to be the biggest and might I add the strongest Live at Leeds all dayer yet. It is fairly in busy in the city already and there is a lot of anticipation for the bands that are playing today, but as with all music-related events with a strong line-up there unfortunately has to be clashes. I was hoping to catch Rolo Tomassi, but it wasn't possible so hopefully I will get to see them at a later date.Middleman (The Well): This is the first band of the day I manage to see and as they are based in Leeds there will be a bit of bias towards them. Unfortunately, although they seem like a band who play with confidence, their combination of guitars and rap really doesn't do it for me. However, for others this seems like a totally new combination as people are going crazy for them and after their set they receive a rapturous applause.
New Vinyl (Faversham): I was quite looking forward to seeing this band as I haven't managed to catch them live before, despite numerous support slots they have had. They are an okay band live, yet are not anything special, and it probably doesn't help that the sound at the Faversham isn't the greatest. I imagine that they have had better live performances. They weren't horrific, but they also didn't offer anything to blow me away.
Remember the Hurricanes (Faversham): Again the sound for this band wasn't that great and after some technical difficulties they manage to start their set. The guitar riffs are very good; however, the vocals maybe aren't strong enough. They are playing today to plug their headline gig at the Cockpit in July, so you would think they would mention it for the people that can't see the signs at the front of the stage - but they continue to play their set without a mention. The singer's mannerisms are very Gallagher-esque and it appears they see themselves as a kind of lad rock band.
Telegraphs (The Well): I caught Telegraphs last year at Live at Leeds 2009. They played Cockpit 3 last year so it was good that they managed to play in a bigger room this year. I also missed them on the Brigade tour last week so I was looking forward to seeing them. Yet again for me they played a fantastic set with a fantastic amount of energy. Bassist Hattie Williams asks the crowd to come forward and the crowd listen. They have some new material and it is just as good as their album material. They deserve much more success than they are having at the minute, so hopefully people will have seen them on the off chance today and enjoyed them as much as I have.
Germain (Leeds College Of Music): I went to see Germain as a friend has recommended them and as there is a fairly large distance between The Well and Leeds College of Music I am hoping that they perform well and are worth my effort. The lead singer opens with a joke: "Hello Wembley!". They are a very tight band and are clearly skilled in the instruments they play. Clearly not in music just for fashion they are definitely passionate about music and this is conveyed through their music, which is brilliant. I must say I am very impressed with this band because they offer something that is different to the other bands that are on today. They have sheer confidence, not arrogance, and even though the crowd isn't huge to see them they are very appreciative of the people who have come.
Twisted Wheel (The Wardrobe): I pop into The Wardrobe, which is over the road from Leeds College of Music, to check a few songs by Twisted Wheel. Having seen them support Oasis two years ago they seem to have progressed a lot and are very popular now making the crowd move with every song. I am very happy with their performance. I think they have had the general criticism due to where they are from, but although they fit the lad rock persona, due to their affiliation with Oasis, they are a breath of fresh air from The Strokes/Arctic Monkeys wannabes.
Gallops (Brudenell): After what I can say is a large distance walked I arrive at the Brudenell with the intention to see Ellen and the Escapades however I manage to catch the second half of the set by band Gallops from Wales. They have no vocalist so for an instrumental band they definitely go some way to impressing me and I am actually very fond of what they do. The vibes in the room are great; everyone is chilled out and appreciating the music they are witnessing. As the room is packing out I imagine they will have made an impression on a lot of people.
Ellen and the Escapades (Brudenell): There is a little break between Gallops and Ellen and the Escapades, and as the venue is filling up there is a lot of anticipation, as people are aware of their Glastonbury slot which is a fantastic achievement. Ellen Smith arrives on stage and she seems rather shy, but that doesn't stop them from playing a great set. They play through their set and are greeted with applause after each track, and they offer fans the chance to get a free promotional CD after the set. Definitely go see them if you get the opportunity as I believe they will impress a lot of people soon and may well be in line for some major success.
Sky Larkin (The Well): I finish the night where I started to see a Leeds favourite Sky Larkin. I caught them a couple months back when they supported The Cribs in Birmingham, which although they played a great set, people didn't really warm to them as much as I'd expect. So I was interested to see whether they would be able to reproduce that back on home turf. They are a great live band who get better each time I see them; they are a tight band and definitely go from strength to strength. If you haven't see Sky Larkin yet then you should definitely do so when you get a chance as they are rather feel good and it's a brilliant way to round of a great day for music in Leeds.
That's the end of the Live at Leeds 2010 all-dayer and it has again been a success, and despite the unfortunate clashes I have managed to see a good set of bands. The only thing is that they could maybe invest in some sort of shuttle services, which could be used to get from the venues because if you want to see bands on opposite sides of Leeds then you have your work cut out getting to them. However, on the whole the event is a success and I don't know what happens at the bigger events such as Camden Crawl, Great Escape and Dot to Dot so I may just be chatting rubbish.
