Top 5 Acts - 2014

[Babyquack]

Alright so we always have a nice round up thread like this - top 5 acts you saw over the entire weekend.

I guess it could be interesting to see what people at home though of some of the acts through the tv coverage and live streams too so if you want to do that, then just say you're basing it off the coverage.

I'll start off...

1. QOTSA - superb set. I'd even go as far to say as faultless. No I Appear Missing but I didn't even care in the moment as I was just soaking up moment.

2. Jimmy Eat World (main stage) - didn't make it to the futures set later on but I loved the entirety of their main stage slot. The crowd were really up for it and they sounded great as per usual.

3. Brody Dalle - oh my was she awesome. The entire set she was just on fire the whole time - the only reason this isn't my favourite set is due to the lacklustre crowd.

4. Gerard Way - even though no one knew any songs, he somehow managed to fill out the tent and get the who crowd moving. I was near the back and it was a full on party even before midday had hit! Great start to the weekend.

5. Blink-182 - I'm a fan but I was watching with a megafan and that made it all the more better. Great sing alongs and just a generally great time to be had if you're even a casual fan of the band + they played Stay Together which was awesome

NOW YOU GO.

[lightning1000]

Eesh, slim pickings tonight.....

[Mash011]

1. Arctic Monkeys

2. Vampire Weekend

3. The Hives

4. Queens of the Stone Age

5. Royal Blood

no reasons cos I'm lazy

[mattgimmeshelter]

1. Royal Blood

2. QOTSA (Song for the Dead was perfection... honest perfection)

3. The 1975

4. Enter Shikari

5. Disclosure

Had a great weekend overall. I liked AM, but i've seen them perform so much better, and Alex was blatantly on cocaine.

[TenInchToenaiIs]

I'd say he was on Ketamine

[giantwagon]

1. Royal Blood - I know they've been hyped up so much, but the buzz in that tent before they even came on stage was ridiculous. Felt as though I was watching a really historic show for RB - kind of like they were establishing themselves 'up a level'. Despite it being my fifth time seeing them they somehow still manage to make it exciting, and all in all it was a fucking great set.

2. Blink-182 - They just pipped QOTSA to 2nd place because it was the most fun I've had at a gig in a long long time. It was just hit after hit, which, for me, was perfect. First Date and Always were highlights.

3. QOTSA - Really really great as per usual. Not a lot more I can say about their set that you lot won't already be thinking to be honest. A Song For The Dead was my highlight. My only grumble is, like Babyquack, the lack of I Appear Missing, but I wasn't really expecting it anyway.

4. The Wytches - They were just really really good. I can't think of anything else to say other than that they did so well in such a tough slot.

5. The 1975 - They played a fairly standard setlist but I love them and they were a hell of a lot of fun.

[JSmurphy]

Enter Shikari

Paramore

Nero

Royal Blood

Queens of the Stone Age

[Andre91]

1. Don Broco- I'm a massive fan so I'm probably biased, but they smashed it. Crowd was great and the band seemed to be having a ball. Perfect festival set.

2. Die Antwoord- I can't even describe them, other than surprisingly brilliant. They're a couple of absolute fruitcakes, but they put on an incredible live show.

3. Paramore- I thought they pulled off the headline set really well. Great setlist, great live sound and the crowd was really passionate. After seeing them three times previously and always considering them underwhelming, they were the best I've ever seen them. I'm happy for them.

4. A Day To Remember- Awesome. Mental crowd, great set.

5. Vampire Weekend- Utterly brilliant, a good bit of fun. They brought the sun out which was perfect.

[therefused]

letlive

wonder years

queens of the stone age

royal blood

bombay bicycle club

[#FreeComTruise]

Only from the BBC coverage but might as well..

1. QOTSA

2. Paramore

3. The 1975

4. Blink 182

5. Royal Blood

Just on The 1975.. Matty's voice has gotten so much better live over the last year and half, obviously not a very popular act on here but I'm really impressed with how far they've come as a live act. I think they surprise a lot of people when they see them.

Was disappointed with the ADTR coverage, Jeremy's voice sounded terrible

[mattgimmeshelter]

Only from the BBC coverage but might as well..

1. QOTSA

2. Paramore

3. The 1975

4. Blink 182

5. Royal Blood

Just on The 1975.. Matty's voice has gotten so much better live over the last year and half, obviously not a very popular act on here but I'm really impressed with how far they've come as a live act. I think they surprise a lot of people when they see them.

Was disappointed with the ADTR coverage, Jeremy's voice sounded terrible

The 1975 put more effort and energy into their set than anyone over the weekend.

Yeah Matt Healy wants to be this rockstar, but he still focuses on performing to a good standard live. They owned their set this year, i'd say what they should do is take a year out and release a new album, then play a massive slot in 2016.

[Yellow_Fellow]

The 1975 put more effort and energy into their set than anyone over the weekend.

everyone who saw Baby Godzilla disagrees for good reason

[Babyquack]

2. QOTSA (Song for the Dead was perfection... honest perfection)

This - It truly was perfection.

3. QOTSA - Really really great as per usual. Not a lot more I can say about their set that you lot won't already be thinking to be honest. A Song For The Dead was my highlight. My only grumble is, like Babyquack, the lack of I Appear Missing, but I wasn't really expecting it anyway.

The bugger of it is, they played 1 more song at Rock En Seine on Sunday and it was I Appear Missing

[the wonderwhy]

1. Royal Blood

2. QOTSA (Song for the Dead was perfection... honest perfection)

3. The 1975

4. Enter Shikari

5. Disclosure

Had a great weekend overall. I liked AM, but i've seen them perform so much better, and Alex was blatantly on cocaine.

I'd say he was on Ketamine

Whatever he was on it made him looking fucking ill. Shame really as they were the pretty much the opposite of when I saw them at Finsbury (so glad I went to that now...)

But yeah anyway top 5:

QotSA - As has been said, simply fantastic. Stepped up to headline status easily, worked the crowd well and just fucking rocked. Could've done with I Appear Missing and Avon etc, but that's not their fault and I imagine if they'd had 15 more minutes both of those would've been played.

Royal Blood - Awesome. Great energy, great sound, great riffs. Couldn't ask for more from two blokes with some drums and a bass. Can't believe I saw them playing in grotty venues not long ago.

Gogol Bordello - Perfect end to the weekend. Lock Up was (half) full of people dancing and bouncing. Great fun.

Misty Miller - Such a huge voice for a little girl. Great, no messing 70's-inspired rock n' roll. Hope she gets herself around the festival circuit a bit more next year.

Blood Red Shoes - Like Royal Blood they make a hell of a lot of noise for just two people. They do well to fill the main stage as well. Got the crowd going really well too.

[the wonderwhy]

Oh yeah and an honourable mention to Paramore who, as I said earlier, were surprisingly good fun. Like QOTSA they showed that this co-headlining bollocks was a waste of two perfectly legitimate headliners.

[Babyquack]

I caught the end of Gogol Bordello - looks fucking unreal. I was worried there was going to be a riot when the stage DJ told the crowd there wasn't going to be anymore The security were really worried too - they grabbed extra help from the guys on the arena entrance to help get people out haha

[the wonderwhy]

Yeah, felt sorry for the bloke on the mic at that point.

[justanothername]

Ok then. Gonna do mine from 5 to 1 for suspense (but if you have been reading the 2014 thread you'll know what number 1 is anyway )

Hounarble mentions - Gnarwolves, Paramore and Bombay Bicycle Club

5. A Day To Remember - When I saw ADTR in Manchester the cloackroom was full so I had to put up with this jacket that made it so warm inside, let alone moving so it did kind of ruin it a bit but this time I could do what I want and it was a blast. I remember when I heard the chanting for Downfall of Us All and looking at my mate then pushing everyone back to make a pit. Also singing along with my best mate who is an ADTR fanboy made it a bit more special

4. Enter Shikari - Not everyone cup of tea but I loved it. Shikari are one of my favourite bands and they didn't disappoint at all. Solidarity was a real treat for me and I loved it and so did many other people. The pits were the best all weekend and I gladly do it again. But there is not much else to it really.

3. letlive. - How Jason Butler has that much energy I do not know. He also has asthma so where he gets it from is mystery to me but it made for one crazy set in the Lock Up. The slower version of Pheromone Cvlt was outstanding and Renegade 86 was just insane. Jason crowd surfed to one of the support towers, climbed one of the towers to then just jump off it and was lost in the crowd for most of the song. Despite the fact that the set was cut short it was still brilliant. Everyone singing the bridge to Muther after the sound had stopped was something to behold.

2. QOTSA - Missed them on the arena tour last winter and I have heard things about them being boring at festivals but they were on top forum. It was so much fun, and Song For The Dead was just pure perfection! I loved it and I even made a load of friends during it. We'd open up pits to do smooth dancing, air guitars and what I know as a hug pit where we all got in one big group hug and jumped up and down together. Some good times there and 2nd is nothing to be snuffed at all

1. The Wonder Years - Once every festival there could be one act that just blows you away and for me that was The Wonder Years. Such passion, emotion and energy was put into this set. Everything was perfect and for me it is very close to Biffy Clyro next year. To put it in perspective about how much I loved it, when they had finished I was trying to find my friends to tell them how awesome it was despite the fact that I wanted to see Every Time I Die straight after. Soupy grabbed my face during Came Out Swinging and was singing in my face for a bit and it was brilliant!

[mattgimmeshelter]

Whatever he was on it made him looking fucking ill. Shame really as they were the pretty much the opposite of when I saw them at Finsbury (so glad I went to that now...)

If I was them, I'd seriously consider actually doing a 2 year hiatus. Alex brings out another last shadow puppets album, then another year of quiet - tour dates and release the new album in the same touring style as they did with the AM tour.

They've overexposed themselves now, I think they should leave the UK tour dates now for a couple of years

Edited August 25, 2014 by mattgimmeshelter

[justanothername]

4. Gerard Way - even though no one knew any songs, he somehow managed to fill out the tent and get the who crowd moving. I was near the back and it was a full on party even before midday had hit! Great start to the weekend.

I was really disappointed by Gerard Way at Leeds and he was the worst act I saw all weekend (unless you count the minuet of Sleep With Sirens I had to endure to meet my mate before ADTR) and I just found him so boring. I didn't like any of his songs at all and just found to be generic rock songs

Also while I thought Royal Blood were bloody good, the crowd where I was standing was dead. I was even in the front area too. I tried to do it myself but no one was having any of it. But what made it worse was that on the other side of the NME was that the crowd was really lively but I could make my way over there

[JonSnuh]

1. Qotsa- no explanation necessary

2. Drenge- a big improvement from the first time I saw them and that was already really good. So raw and so much energy

3. Mongol horde- frank turner rules

4. The orwells- came on singing last nite by the strokes which was on the PA which was kinda cool. Crowd were well up for it throughout

5. Royal blood- great as usual. Can't wait for my album to arrive

[foolee]

1. Drenge - outstanding. Just a great band with amazing songs that are energetic live, deserve to keep getting pushed up lineups and are so underrated.

2. Vampire Weekend - love these guys, wasn't expecting much on an outdoor stage but they put my doubts to rest and were incredible. Wouldn't complain if they got pushed up to headliners on their next album as they are hard working and would be nice.

3. Jamie T - glad to have him back and see the new songs, looking forward to the album now, its been a long time coming.

4. The Orwells - rushed over after jimmy eat world and saw way more than expected so was chuffed and love it when a band enjoy it!

5. The Courteeners - just a good old sing along to finish the day

I was disappointed with QOTSA, just think they've got something extra at there on own shows and was a bit bored. Wembley was 10 x better and was never going to beat it so went and saw courteeners.

[Andre91]

I was really disappointed by Gerard Way at Leeds and he was the worst act I saw all weekend (unless you count the minuet of Sleep With Sirens I had to endure to meet my mate before ADTR) and I just found him so boring. I didn't like any of his songs at all and just found to be generic rock songs

Also while I thought Royal Blood were bloody good, the crowd where I was standing was dead. I was even in the front area too. I tried to do it myself but no one was having any of it. But what made it worse was that on the other side of the NME was that the crowd was really lively but I could make my way over there

I thought Sleeping With Sirens were awesome

[Tobieski]

1- Palma Violets: I wasn't even planning on seeing them until Thursday Morning but my fucking god they were great, such energy in both the band and the crowd. Spent most of the set trying to Morris dance with some guys I met whilst screaming every word. Genuinely the greatest 40 minutes of my life.

2 - QOTSA: As pretty much everyone has said they fully stepped up to headline status with a great setlist. Smooth Sailing and Feel Good Hit of the Summer were personal highlights.

3 - Drenge: Absolutely insane performance, and the crowd made it. Cute outfits too.

4 - Bombay Bicycle Club: When Home By Now dropped I shed a tear or two, they just seem to get better and better live.

5 - Baby Godzilla: Watching the front man thrash the fuck out in the middle of a circle pit made my Sunday. The greatest train wreck of a performance I've ever seen.

[kemosabe]

1, Catfish and the Bottlemen - packed crowd a good sing along and a truely humble set of lads... honestly i couldnt of asked for anymore

2, JEW (Lock up set) really special set really as there were so few people... really fun

3, Bombay Bicycle Club - sing along woth mates at the end of the festival was just really fun

4, Chvrchs - Cant wait for a new album and tour now! Just a sing alobg and dance... loved it

5, Royal Blood... so fucking loud.