UK bands prove to be the highlights of this year's Sziget

Sziget festival runs over a week in the middle of August. Day 0 as it is called is only open to campers and usually takes the format of one classic rock band. This year Bruce Dickinson landed Iron Maiden's 757 plane as part of their world tour and launched the festival with a set from one of Britain's most ever successful rock bands. As the pit was restricted access (only British Photographer allowed in was from The Times) I decided to squeeze my way towards the front of the gig where I was surrounded by every Maiden fan from what seemed like the whole of Europe.

The set lifted from the start with Maiden blowing through most of their 80's hits. The energy levels were high throughout with the trio of guitarists standing on the front of the stage weaving their own version of metal magic. It may be nostalgia but my favourites were 'Aces High' and 'Number of the Beast'. Still it seems to me Iron Maiden are one of those bands that will never grow old. They can still put on a great rock show and blow away some younger bands with their stage presence and banter.

Walking back to my tent at the end of the gig the only thing that concerned me was the number of metal heads who were everywhere I looked. Nothing against them as a group but I was wondering if I had been transported back to Monsters of Rock or Download as it is now called.

Overnight the metal heads vanished and a much more 'normal' selection of Euro festival goers emerged from their tents, more what I had been expecting - hippies with dreadlocks, students, kids and people in great bright Euro fashions.



So day one proper and USA's Anti-flag from Pittsurgh kick off the main stage. They hit the stage running with energy and instantly struck me as very similar to Green Day but with a harder edge. As you'd expect from the genera of punk, the band engaged in antics like bassist Chris stage diving clean into the crowd and then encouraging the biggest running circle pits I have ever seen at a festival. The stand out songs from the set which generated the most energy from the crowd was 'You can kill the Protestor' and 'The Bright Lights of America'.

Next up its MGMT who I've been meaning to see all summer to find out what all the hype generated by the likes of NME is about. To prepare for this I listened to their mucho talked about album prior to coming to Sziget and struggled to really get into it. In saying that as the Brooklyn boys launched straight into 'Electric Feel' and other such as 'Weekend wars' it all sounded slightly harder and rockier live than I had expected. By 'Time to Pretend' I was really getting into the gig especially as it was accompanied by mucho body surfing and dancing from the crowd.

I recently had the displeasure of seeing a dismal set by the Pogues at T in the Park but my Irish jigging was enthused by a great set by USA's Flogging Molly who had the crowd swinging and screaming in the late afternoon sun with 'Requiem for a dying song' the stand out. The next up on the main stage was Alanis Moriseette who although she did not do it for me kept the crowd singing along with her extensive back catalogue of hits. If I was pressed I did really enjoy 'Not the Doctor'.

Last up for the day The Kooks came swaggering onto the stage and immediately launched into 90 minute set which took the crowd through both albums in high tempo. This was one of the most energetic sets I've seen from The Kooks, with 'Always where I need' and 'Naive' the tracks that struck the best chord with the enthusiastic crowd.

Onto Wednesday and The Presidents of the United States of America were first up on the main stage. This band who formed in the 90's and have been absent for the last few year's blasted their blend of grunge, punk and rock as they woke up the crowd with their high level hits such as 'Video killed the Radio Star' and 'Kick out the Jams'.



After an afternoon spent walking round the vast site (highlights included seeing a parade of gypsies music similar to the jazz parades of New Orleans and having my ears blown up on the Hammer World heavy rock stage by Hungarian death metal band Al-Om), it was back to the main stage to see Ricky from the Kaiser Chiefs shout 'How you doing Bucharest'! Close, but no cigar on the geography test. Things spluttered along through the start of the set with weak sound and a performance that I thought was a bit lame compared to the other times I've seen this band. Still after the halfway point the Kaisers were back and blasted out the hits such as 'Ruby' 'I Predict A Riot' and 'The Angry Mob' to send the crowd away happy with the bands reputation as great performers restored.

The only times I have seen Jamiroquai lately has been on Top Gear talking about his love of cars. After years of listening to his tracks it was quite a buzz to finally see him in the flesh. Jay Kay and his band hit the stage with 100% and took the crowd through a wide variety of his hits from the past. From 'Cosmic Girl' to 'You Give Me Something' it was a truly special experience from the Space Cowboy.

Away from the main stage I decided to check out some of the other smaller stages and caught the end of Mani Marley's set on the world music stage. He looks like his dad and has a great reggae voice with 'Still Blazing' being the stand out track for me performed to a packed crowd.

On Friday The Cribs entered the main stage during the afternoon. I've seen them many times and you can't fault the energy that they put into the set, however I feel that their blend of Indie hits such as 'Mens Needs' and 'Be Safe' are better suited to smaller venues rather than the vast Sziget main stage.



Die Arzte, Germany's top rock band who claim half jokingly to be the best band in the world, entered the stage to a hero's welcome by the vast bus loads of fans who had driven to the festival from Germany. First off, the top festival award for most mental fans has got to go to Germany. I'm glad I spent the first three songs in the pit as I could not keep my eyes off the crowd (as well as the band). German crowds could run crowd surfing courses as I witnessed some textbook surfing of a dreadlocked German doing a 50m breast stroke with perfect leg kick. Back to the music, although I had no clue what they were singing about, they attacked the set with energy and by storm with 'Unrockbar' and 'Schrei Nach Liebe' turning the crowd into a frenzy and the German rock version of 'Walk like an Egyptian' proving that this rock band have a funny side.

I really had low expectations of the Sex Pistols gig but it was one of the highlights of the week for me. Where as you may walk past Steve Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook in the pub as regular guys the entrance of Mr Rotten dressed in an all in one hunting suit covered in Green Leaves with his bright orange hair completed with green stripe made an immediate visual impact. As they ran through the Pistols hits such as 'Holiday in the sun', ' God save the Queen' and 'Anarchy in the UK' it was a true history of rock at close range. Rather than the weak half hearted run through I'd expected, the band were tight and Rotten played his role in putting on a corker of a gig.

Onto Friday and I again took the opportunity to explore some of the other stages taking in some Chicago Blues and cutting edge Hungarian Jazz. Back to the main stage and Roisin Murphy played out almost as many changes of clothes (eight changes) on stage as hits. The disco diva certainly kept the crowd on their toes with hits such as 'Movie Star' and 'Overpowered'. Electro and dance may not be everyone's cup of tea for the main stage but Roisin pulled of a great set which kept the Euro crowd dancing into the evening.

One of my biggest disappointments of the week was Serj Tankian. As the front man of one of the world's top rock bands in System of a down, I had high hopes that his solo work would set the place alight. Serj took the stage looking like a lion tamer in the big top circus (White top hat and tails). Visually it worked but the music could not match it, as his backing band named 'Flying Cunts of Chaos' were all similarly dressed but in black. There is no doubt that Tankian is a lyrical genius but I'd class this set in the average pot as for a musical experience. In saying that 'Empty Walls' raised the game to more of what I would have expected from this guy.



Last up on Saturday night R.E.M. entered the stage to take the crowd through the vast range of hits from their back catalogue. For the first time the sold out signs were placed up at the entrance to Sziget as 70,000 music fans crammed into the arena to watch one of the most important bands in recent musical history. The set did not disappoint as Michael Stripe effortlessly entertained the crowd with hits such as 'The One I Love' and earlier gems such as 'Fall On Me' and 'Begin the Begin'. After two Andy Kaufman tributes the set finished with 'The Great Beyond' and 'The Man on the Moon'. This band may not be young but they have still got it and can still put on a top show.

So onto the last day. After the usual energetic set from The Wombats where you just can't be 'Let's Dance to Joy Division' as a festival anthem, and the disappointment of Pendulum's equipment truck crashing meaning they could not play, Pete Docherty's Babyshambles entered the main stage. Get over the periods of lame clatter from the Shambles and there was moments of genius from the band with 'Fuck Forever', 'Down the Albion' and 'Delivery' being as well played as I've seen for a while.

As for the week's closing band I have as a matter of principle something against the same headliner closing a festival for the second year in a row. Nothing personal against The Killers, I just don't think it should happen. That said, they were well up for the show with front man Mr Flowers looking impeccable as always on stage. As well as the usual Killers hits such as 'When You Were Young' and 'Sam's Town' we were treated to a great cover of Joy Division's 'Shadowplay' and some songs from the upcoming album in 'Tranquilize'. All in all they lived up to their headlining slot and closed the festival with quality. Just please pick a different headliner for 2009!

Sziget offers so much more than just the main stage. I really think you'd need more than a week to get to know this festival well. There is music for everyone. Apart from the World Music Stage and a Heavy/Death metal tent, there is blues, jazz, alternative and even a tent dedicated to Roma music from all over the world.

Give this festival a try, you won't be disappointed.

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