For £210 you could visit what is considered amongst the best new music festivals in the country. Heck, even Europe. Across two venues and 3 days, it has also been the mainstay of my summer.
My first weekend visit was in 2006 and I haven't missed one since. That's 8 Leeds Festivals in a row, for all 3 days. I can't even begin to count how many different live acts that is, nor how much it has cost in total. But certainly, I've had a great time.
Some fantastic moments have come from Reading and Leeds. Far too many to pick a favourite. The worst performance I ever saw was there too (naming no names). So, imagine my excitement when the 2014 line-up is revealed. After quite a few teasers from the OfficialRandL Twitter account, the hint at a double head-liner on one of the days, the net result was something of a let down. But why? Certainly, 2014 will be the first that I will not be there for the full weekend, and at this point, net even with a day ticket.
The music does not grab me. Now, I am the first to lay blame at my age. At 25, I am practically retired. Far too old for a festival. But hey, I like to think that I'm up to speed with music. I really do. I love it and I love nothing more than witnessing it live. That isn't stopping soon. But, if you want to call me out of touch, so be it.
No, in fact my main problem is that I have seen most of these acts before. I don't mean away from a festival either, I mean I have seen most of these acts at Leeds Festival itself, before! The problem is the festival is no longer representing what the younger audience is listening to. It seems as if it is trying to please the same audience that went back in 2006, only they are now older. There is a distinct lack of new music on show, yet it has always meant to be predominately about new music since inception. Keeping up with trends, heck, even setting them.
I am sure that it will be a great time with some incredible performances. But the festival is in danger of becoming, well, closer to 30 than 20.
Gone are the days of serious mosh pits, the fight to get to the front, the massive crowd sways, the Sunday night "riots". I was never a fan, always wishing that to go away. It has and I was wrong. These days, it's tame. Enjoyable, but tame and lacking in character. Relying on former glories with the line-up has a part to play.
I'll wrap up now, as I've rambled on for too long already. Even though it doesn't sound like it, I want to go to Leeds and Reading. But, with this music, I really can't. Here are the acts from the 2014 list, that I have seen in the past, at the same festival in previous years. Some not even long ago. As always, tweet me with how wrong I am about this.
- Queens Of The Stone Age
- Blink 182
- Paramore
- Vampire Weekend
- Deaf Havana
- Arctic Monkeys
- Imagine Dragons
- Foster The People
- The Hives
- Peace
- Courteeners
- Warpaint
- Temples
- Bombay Bicycle Club
- Chvrches
- Cage The Elephant
- Metronomy
- Bondax
- Klaxons
- Pendulum
(As an aside, haven't most people seen Jake Bugg and Disclosure live already, with their never-ending tours? I know I have)
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