Reading/Leeds Festival Line-up reaction UPDATE! Part 3

NME/RADIO ONE STAGE ADDITIONS
READING SUNDAY
THE MUSIC
Hey remember us, you guys? When sounding like Kasabian was still cool? What do you mean that never happened?

HADOUKEN!
I would be tempted if I didn't feel as if I'd be woefully out of place here. I really didn't like "That Boy, That Girl", was only mildly interested in "Liquid Lives", and not been turned by anything I've heard since, but they are named after a move from Street Fighter. Hmm, decisions.

LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION
Test Icicles were arses, really. With songs like "Weezer vs. Foo Fighters" and "Boa vs. Python", their only release For Screening Purposes Only, was pretty shocking, only made up for the fact that their label signed them because they though they were going be like Franz Ferdinand. Anyway, regardless, they were amazing fun live, so much so that hearing them play actual songs was a great dissapointment. Lets hope that this, Dev Hynes' solo project, is a bit better musically.
CAJUN DANCE PARTY
They were one of my "bands to drop everything and see" last year but they turned out to be a bit wank in the "playing live" department. With an album newly released and another (apparently) on the way, lets hope their show has improved a little bit.

ADAM GREEN
Former member of the Moldy Peaches, Adam is touring his new album Sixes and Sevens.

YEASAYER
One of a clutch of a new wave of "experimental" American Indie bands alongside MGMT and Grizzly Bear, continuing the good work of their predecessors. Should be fun.

THE METROS
Sub-razorlight, sub-kooks, sub-kings cross rent boys all over cack, unfortunately from my neck of the woods, Saaarff Laandan.

I will not be covering the Lock-Up stage because I don't anything about it. It's unlikely that I will venture in there, but this does not mean I think it is all rubbish, just that I'm not that bothered. Or something.

DANCE STAGE
READING SUNDAY
CSS
Looks like I have someone to see instead of Metallica and The Cribs. CSS will have released their second album "Donkey" by then, which reportedly has a much more serious and rocky sound. The song "Rat Is Dead (Rage)" is availiable from their website now.
Can't wait to Hear: Their brilliant cover of L7's "Pretend We're Dead"

DIGITALISM
The German duo return to Reading to play another blistering set. I'd heartily recommend their album "Idealism" for any Daft Punk fans, or anyone who think Simian Mobile Disco are better than Justice.
Can't Wait to Hear: "Anything New"

SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO
So, the album was a bit weak, and the above mentioned Idealism was far better, but apparently these guys do a really good show and may well be a bit of a laugh. Their remixes are certainly better than their original stuff, anyway.
Can't Wait to Hear: Any of their remixes.

CHROMEO
These guys are a bit odd, and after two albums of their electrofunk stylings, they are still going strong. Fancy Footwork is the more recent, and the better of the two.
Can't Wait To Hear: "Fancy Footwork"

CRYSTAL CASTLES
The Canadian duo of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass return to the Dance stage with the new album under their belt. Apparently they are awesome live.
Can't Wait To Hear: "Knights"

LETHAL BIZZLE
Funfact: I saw Lethal Bizzle the other day having a waterfight outside the Wedgewood Rooms ahead of his gig later that night.

HOLY FUCK
These improvising electronic Canadians are said to put on an amazing live show, and having missed them twice already, I really want to see what they can do.

THE WHIP
After a string of singles, the Manchester electro-poppers released their debut album "X Marks Destination" not long ago. It's alright, but is a bit too much White Rose Movement and not enough Rapture.

ROBOTS IN DISGUISE
This trio of Mighty Boosh extras (Dee Plume is dating Noel Fielding and the entire band have appeared in both the series and the Live tour) are apparently in a band. And have released 3 albums. Who knew?

THE SHOES
Not a clue + laziness = end of post!

CSS @ Carling Academy, Brixton, 03/12/2007

It seems odd to me, with over 3 years (yes, I know, three whole years) of going to gigs in London, I have never been to the Brixton Academy. I've been almost everywhere else, from The Dublin Castle in Camden, to Wembley Stadium, in.. erm... Wembley. But never here. I thought it would be bigger.

And better.

While a slanted floor has its advantages (seeing everything from the back, for example), it does mean you have to put in safety barriers every so often so the crowd doesn't just slip down the slope and congeal into a warm, sticky mess. But herein lies the problem. People who forget or get there late push to the front and get stuck there. And don't know where to go. But I digress.

This isn't a problem, of course, for opening band Metronomy, who face a criminally empty room, and are currently working on their second album, provide the suitable robotic warm-up for the almost-headlining set from Justice. Dressed all in black, the live trio of Joseph Mount, Gabriel Stebbing and Oscar Cash, each with their own personal light display on their chest that looks like it was stolen from a Travelodge. For most of the set, these are combined with some interestingly lazy dance routines that involve a lot of pointing, and the result is that they look like some sort of Smart Price Daft Punk.

However, they save the best until last, with a group of similarly-light-clad dancers joining them onstage, bringing much need life to the set for the last two songs that were easily their best: "Heartbreaker" and current single "Radio Ladio".

www.myspace.com/metronomy

From Smart Price Daft Punk, to the heir-apparent to their French House throne, Justice. With a stage-set that includes a massive shining white cross, things look promising. Kicking off with the overlong and overblown intro song "Genesis", perhaps Justice have been told they will charged for every different beat they use, so they make sure their opening one lasts at least 15 minutes, drowning out everything else, with the occasional quiet bit in between.

Already, as much as it pains me to say, I was dissapointed, but looking forward, at least, to "D.A.N.C.E.", which unfortunately is horribly butchered from the opening with some sort of piano ballad, and doesn't really recover. Even "The Party" fails to make much of an impression.

The set does pick up however, with the always amazing "Waters of Nazareth" as well as fair few remixes slipped in, such as their version of "Atlantis to Interzone" and the ever-present "We Are Your Friends", but the damage has already been done, and I personally am dissapointed.

Your best bet is probably to just stick on the album and get a few mates over.

http://www.myspace.com/etjusticepourtous

After almost an hour of Justice, CSS quickly take to a stage covered in Christmas trees, while the crowd get covered in snow, and start out with album track "Fuckoff is not the only thing you have to show" before quickly heading into fairly new track "The Beautiful Song".

Although Lovefoxx tries to be her usual self, the band seem visibly nervous at playing such a large stage and this perhaps rubs off - the band aren't quite on top form tonight, and the playfulness that made them a festival favourite this summer is at a minimum.

The new songs also don't sit well alongside crowd-pleasers "Alala" and "Off the Hook", but all-too-soon the band saunter off backstage before returning for L7 cover "Pretend We're Dead". But the biggest cheer is always going to be for just one song. The band finish off the shortened set with the awesome "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above", making sure they finish with a bang that the rest of the set lacks.

With Lovefoxx promising before she leaves that the next time they play in England, the new album will be finished, but to be honest, based on tonight's performance, it doesn't seem like it will be anything special.

www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy