This Is Not TV

The Plight (DS) are old school metal complete with shorts and growls – this is hardcore, West Yorkshire style but Brazilian in ferocity. Make me proud, as do Middleman (FR), comeback kids in sportswear, still making songs to bounce to and smarter than they look.

Little Boots (NME); loath to say it, but she’s a lot more fun than I thought she’d be. More accessible than Goldfrapp, futuristic rather than retro and she gets her brother on stage for his Birthday. Bless.

Faris Badwan stalks the stage like a bad dream, king of the creepers and new Karl McCoy. The Horrors (NME) are making the most of their sepulchral new material, bringing the night to this corner of West Yorkshire. I’m an old goth, how can I not like this? I need a bit of a sit down, so I let The Big Pink (FR) lull me to sleep with their Spiritualised bothering shoegaze.

Waking, I wander aimlessly until Friendly Fires rouse me to dance. Their electro-carnival theme is still infectious, though perhaps they are in need of some new tunes – it’s almost a carbon copy of last year’s show but with better sound. But Ed Macfarlane sure can dance.

Suits. Old age. Satan. Eastenders. Faith No More may not be the biggest band in the universe as of now, but their being together on one stage at the same time is a miracle worthy of canonisation, and they play like it’s 1998. Mike is evil personified, theset is gloriously tongue in cheek with several renditions of the Eastenders theme tune amidst the eclectic set and even cut short they are nothing short of… awesome. I feel young again, but oh so tired.

Popularity: 15% [?]

The final part of the puzzle that is Leeds Reading Festival 2009 has been slotted into place in the shape of BBC’s Introducing Stage line up.

Comprising of a mix of Futuresound finalists, choice cuts from Raw Talent and bands selected by BBC Radio 1, the roster promises to be as varied and surprising as ever.

This is the second year for the BBC introducing stage, though Leeds Festival has featured an unsigned stage since the early 2000′s. Previous Introducing stage successes playing other stages this year are Grammatics, Pulled Apart By Horses and Dinosaur Pile Up.

The local music scene will be represented by Chickenhawk, The Old Romantic Killer Band, Wonderswan, Milk White White Teeth, Kinch, Ellen and the Escapades and Bear Driver. Futuresound winners Middleman will be playing the Festival Republic stage on Friday afternoon.

As well as the Introducing Stage line-up, recent Mercury Prize nominations have revealed that no less than 5 bands in the line up have been nominated (Florence and The Machines, The Horrors, Friendly Fires, La Roux and Glasvegas). “The crowds will have the chance to judge their own Mercury Prize,” quipped Festival Republic managing director Melvin Benn.

Full Introducing Stage line up:

• To The Bones
• Ellen and the Escapades
• British Intelligence
• Soft Toy Emergency
• Everything Everything
• Kasms
• The Ruling Class
• Goldheart Assembly
• Bear Driver
• The Teeth
• Horse Guards Parade
• Punch and The Apostles
• Boney Black
• The Living Daylights
• Chickenhawk
• Kinch
• The Old Romantic Killer Band
• Frontiers
• Our Fold
• Screaming Lights
• Come On Gang
• Kutosis
• What Makes You Beautiful
• Minnaars
• Sixty Watt Bayonets
• A PLastic Rose
• Surprise… Fire
• The NEAT
• Lovvers
• Wonderswan
• Milk White White Teeth

Popularity: 11% [?]

Spooky NME cover bitches with crazy hair and funny names. Beyond that, they are a band. This is their latest single.

It’s ironic that it bears the title ‘She Is The New Thing,’ as this track carries the dust, cobwebs and grave-stink of half a dozen influences from the last five decades. First, it comes stomping at you like the Cramps’ ‘Human Fly,’ Coffin Joe and Joshua Third doing their level best to capture the rotten-brained psychobilly legend’s inexorable bone-crushing rhythm ‘n’ riff combo. Next thing you know, Faris Badwin is taking you to the Monster Mash, bending your ear about his latest would-be squeeze and how the relationship is ultimately doomed. Cheerful, though, in a Syd Barrett moment of lucidity style.

The chorus is a different kettle of bats, with screams stripped from the burnt-out shell of the Special’s ‘Ghost Town’ twinkling with an iridescent patina of Madness’ catchiness that brings the whole thing home without upsetting its flow.

Schlocky as hell, this track smacks of BBC Radiophonic Workshop records and spooked-up teenage Halloween parties, but packs a pounding sledgehammer of a melody like Rocket From The Crypt. Different hair, different names but they make a decent mailed fist of other people’s music.

Popularity: 2% [?]