Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip impress those not watching RATM

Given that the entire world, and his dog, were heading towards the main stage tonight for the biggest event not foretold in the bible, your intrepid reviewer took it upon himself to see if the bastions of intelligent UK hip-hop could follow up last year's triumphant mid-afternoon set with a headline slot against the most eagerly anticipated act ever to grace the Leeds Festival stage.

Prior to the show, Scroobius Pip himself had said that that if he had a choice between seeing himself or Rage Against The Machine, he would choose the latter. On tonight's showing, that would be the wrong choice. Backed up by breakbeat and synth maestro Dan Le Sac, Pip was on fire for the full hour the duo were on stage, and it is difficult to imagine even one person leaving the tent disappointed.

The key difference between tonight's act, and the rest of the UK hip-hop scene is the intelligence on display, and given the venom with which he delivered the Dizzee Rascal sampling diatribe 'Fixed', this is a point not missed by Scroobius Pip. This is not an act that is afraid of tackling the difficult subjects. The magnificently chilling 'Angles' was introduced as "a song about child suicide and revenge murder", whilst sleeper hit 'Letter from God to Man' was simply stunning in its sheer power and impact.

Unlike so many artists across the weekend, Scroobius Pip ensured he got the crowd on-side early in the set, and the connection between the band and the fans was tangible. Given that much of the material would be unfamiliar to the majority of people inside the tent, this connection was essential, and proved that when an act makes the effort, it doesn't matter if those in attendance don't know the material. Even the most obscure tracks were greeted with rapturous adulation, and the effect that this has on Dan Le Sac in particular was clear for all to see.

As the unheeded cries for an encore died down, and the strains of 'Barbie Girl' pumped through the PA, the crowd left to mingle with those leaving the Main Stage, and one set certainly looked happier than the other. Given early reports that the self-styled Renegades of Funk were distinctly under-par, a certain Chuck D adage may well have been proved correct. "Don't believe the hype"... never were truer words spoken.

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