Reviewed on 27th August 2008.

Simian Mobile Disco

Live at Leeds Festival 2008 on Friday, 22nd August 2008

August Bank Holiday is upon us again and that brings with it Leeds 2008 and a rocking end to the summer music festival season.

Eureka Machines kick us off on the BBC Introducing stage and blast through the check list of how to open a festival: cheer the local city (Leeds); boo the sister site (Reading); interact with the crowd; complete assortment of hair: extreme-chops, mop-top, goatee, spikes and Mohican; worship the God Of Rock; offend the locals; rain, mud, beer, sun; guitar behind the head; and perfectly synchronised kick-jumps. Check, check and check. Probably the tightest bands of the weekend, but these are no Yorkshire skin-flints with Eureka Machines not only do you get a healthy dose of rock and roll, but 200 lucky, lucky festival bunnies got a free CD!

Adam Green conjures images of the pomp of Jim Morrison and the big-band folk/pop sounds of Divine Comedy. It's not captivating enough to stop us wandering off to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the festival in full-flow.

After brief stop-offs to see Holy Fuck and Hadouken! we're back at the NME Tent. The buzz surrounding Pendulum escapes me; they sound like one of the oppressively loud fairground ride's attendants has made it onto the stage. However, the thousands who packed out the tent would certainly disagree and appear to be having the time of their lives - at least from my view point by the strangely MC-less Dodgems.

Next Tenacious D laughed it up in a rock stylee. Then came beer - lots and lots of beer. This year we enter strange new world of Gaymers and Tubourg, the new official drinks of the festival - it's nice, foamy, cooling, and comforting; it's beer.

Sadly the end of Carling sponsorship also sees the demise of the cosy bar in the wings of the Carling Stage (now the larger Dance/Lock-up Tent). Never fear though, Simian Mobile Disco are here to ensure the party is well and truly started. The silhouetted duo's noise beats and psychedelic-synth-pop groove set the bar very high for everyone who follows.

Digitalism fail to reach the highs of SMD, CSS's infectious sense of fun comes close, as do Metallica - even with the volume only turned up to 8, the big-ego, big-stage, big-songs and big-pyrotechnics don't disappoint - close but no cigar, day one belongs to Simian. But remember kids: Metallica loves you!