Leeds Festival: Festival creates winter wonderland

The only thing missing from the winter wonderland inside Anthony's Banquet Hall at the 14th Annual Festival of the Trees was the snow. And if the temperature outside had been 20 or so degrees cooler, the outer landscape would have matched the inner one. But much to the relief, no doubt, of adults and parents, the weather didn't cooperate, bringing a steady light drizzle instead of the fluffy white stuff. While Christmas was on full display inside the banquet hall kids of all ages will just have to wait a few more months for the actual thing.
But the Fortnightly Club, the 77 year old woman's organization which has held the festival since 1995, hit another homerun this year with 26 gorgeously decorated trees and dozens of designer level wreaths.This year's “People's Choice Award Winner” was “Christmas Is,” sponsored by the Fortnightly Club and decorated by Patti Lasher and Marion Coyne. Other awards handed out included those for most traditional, most elegant, best use of natural materials, most creative and most whimsical.One of the festival's signature crowd favorites is the two day silent auction for wreaths and trees, which will end today. Committee members update a giant white mark up board guarded by a Frosty the Snowman cutout as the bids come in. Minimum starting bids for trees is $75 and it's $25 for wreaths. The Fortnightly Club Committee will announce the grand winners at the end of the festival along with 24 raffle contests for everything from golf packages and ski lift tickets to dinner certificates, wine, oil changes and haircuts.Shoppers had a opportunity to pick up some early stocking stuffers from over 15 local vendors including Miranda's Gifts, Silver Find jewelry and Candyman Chocolates.Entertainment went on nonstop with Classical Cats, Hearts Content Trio, Rock Planet All Stars and others.Music and entertainment will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today along with another appearance by Santa, more silent auction bidding, mouthwatering goodies from the Festival Café and shopping with the festival vendors. Admission for children under 5 is free and the charge is $3.00 for everyone else. The festival is at Anthony's Banquet Hall, Route 23B, Leeds.

Leeds band's festival hope AUDIO, White Comic

Nine months they formed just ago but White Comic could already be playing Leeds Festival by the summer.
The four teenagers from Leeds and Wakefield are taking part in the Martin House Centre Stage competition.They have already been crowned top of the class at St Winifrid's Roman Catholic School, Featherstone, and will now take on the winners of other secondary schools in the area.The idea is to help raise cash for the hospice, and launch the career of the best musical talents in West Yorkshire.The top prize is the chance to play in front of thousands of people at both the Leeds and Reading Festivals – a slot donated by the event's arranger Festival Republic.Bands will also get a chance to bag other prizes such as time in a recording studio.But before that can happen schools must sign up.White Comic bass player Ben McGowan, 17, said: "People have been saying that we could be playing at Leeds Festival in a few years' time, but now we could be there in less than 12 months."When some of the bands were playing in the school hall, people were leaving, but as soon as we came on the place filled up and they were dancing and singing along. That was just amazing."The rest of White Comic are: lead singer and rythmn guitarist Nik Worsley, 15, from Castleford; lead guitarist Nathan Flower, 14, from Cross Gates and drummer Ryan Taylor, 15, from Featherstone.More than 150 schools across West Yorkshire have been invited to take part in the Centre Stage competition.Entries must be returned to Martin House by December 1.Each school is expected to hold its own internal heats, with money raised going to Martin House.The winners from each school will then come together to play in front of an audience of music industry professionals in a Grand Final in July 2010.Centre Stage is open to all Secondary Schools across West Yorkshire, for students aged 11 to 18.

scarecrow festival, Leeds farm hosts

There is something difficult going on at a Leeds farm after dozens of straw invaders took over.
Dozens of scarecrows have lined the pathways and trees at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm as part of the Scary Scarecrow Festival. Straw pirates were ready to set sail across the water on their own raft and a bunch of speedy scarecrow cyclists were ready to get on their bikes. Even the trees were not safe from the straw invaders when a cloaked scarecrow wearing a "Scream" style mask managed to climb up high in the branches. Local groups, schools, colleges and organisations all pitched in to create their own scarecrow for the farm's first festival.Visitors to the farm will be able to take a tour of the trail this week and then pick their favourite entry as part of a competition.Farm director Sue Reddington said that the idea to stage the Scary Scarecrow Festival came from the farm's horticultural trainer James Lee.She said: "I think that the idea was just for a bit of fun and to try and brighten up autumn."Some of the younger children that have been to see the scarecrows have been a little bit frightened by them but I think that everyone seems to like them and are finding it fun."The farm hope that if the festival is popular and pulls in the crowds then they will be able to hold it again next year.Sue Reddington added: "If the event is popular then we may hold it again next year but we will probably start making the scarecrows a bit earlier."We have had to keep popping out to the charity shops to buy some more second hand clothes for them."She said that her favourites included a scarecrow with stripy legs and the pirate invasion.Local schools that have been involved include: Middleton and Park Spring Primary Schools, Munroe Playgroup, Carr Manor, Primrose, Lawnswood and Brooksbank HIgh Schools as well as Kirklees College.There will be a ballot box in the EpiCentre and votes will be counted on Saturday at 2pm.The winners will receive free membership to the farm and prizes will be awarded for the best scary scarecrow in each category.

Vote for Leeds

Vote for Leeds

Vote now to decide the finalists in this year's UK Festival Awards.

Voting is now live at http://www.festivalawards.com/ Reading and Leeds have been nominated in the categories below in this year’s UK Festival Awards.Voting takes place in two stages. This is the long list round which runs until 14th October. The final shortlists will then be revealed and people can vote again for the final winners.

Voting concludes on 4th November with the winners announced at a gala ceremony on Thursday 16th November at IndigO2.

Pre-book your Leeds Festival Tickets online or call us at +44 (0) 207 403 0962.

Hot Rats dogged by sound problems at Leeds

The Hot Rats suffered sound problems as they made their Leeds Festival debut on the Festival Republic Stage.
The band – featuring Supergrass‘ singer and drummer Danny Goffey – played tracks from their forthcoming covers album, which is produced by Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich.
The pair performed a similar set to their warm-up gig at London’s Old Blue Last venue earlier this week, but they were dogged by technical problems.
Right from the kick-off, Coombes constantly found himself telling the stage crew to turn the sound up as they launched into The Velvet Underground’s ‘I Can’t Stand It’.
At one point Goffey also complained, “I think I got the wind in my ear”. It was only towards the end of the set when the pair performed their cover of Sex Pistols’ ‘E.M.I.’ that the sound improved, prompting Goffey to jibe: “That’s better, fucking hell, I can hear what I’m doing.”
But as they attempted to roll into the next track, the stage crew told the band that their time was up, causing Goffey to have a further dig as he complained: “I’d only just got the sound going. Never mind.”
Earlier, the band rattled through various covers of songs by The Doors, David Bowie and Gang Of Four, as well as a drum-heavy take of The Beastie Boys classic ‘(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)’.
As the pair launched into the track, Coombes, who mistakenly thought he was about to play ‘Crystal Ship’, told the crowd: “This a song by The Doors,” before Goffey interjected, “No it’s not,” prompting the singer to admit his error, adding: “OK, this is a song by somebody else.”
The duo were on jovial form, despite being dogged by technical hitches, with Coombes joking before Roxy Music’s ‘Love Is The Drug’: “Ray Davies was going to do this one with us but what can you do?”
The Hot Rats played:
‘I Can’t Stand It’
‘Damaged Goods’
‘(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)’
‘Crystal Ship’
‘Love Is The Drug’
‘Queen Bitch’
‘Mirror In The Bathroom’
‘Pump It Up’
‘E.M.I.’

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Leeds Festival 2009

It was typical northern hospitality all round this afternoon for Dizzee Rascal's on stage entourage with cries of "Who are ya?" greeting them at every over-confident turn.

Nothing warms the cockles of a Leeds crowd's heart more than a cock-sure nobody being taken down a peg or two and to a crowd loyal to the Rascal there was no excusing anyone trying to hog the lime light. Glaringly out of place on a sun kissed Saturday afternoon however, we can't help feeling nostalgic for the days he played in the dark and dirty NME Tent.

A few ligger snippets to satisfy your gossip longings now though. Alex Turner and Alexa Chung are mooching about backstage looking like a pair of haunted cuckoo clocks, along with 2005's finest The Queens of Noize.

Later I found myself the subject of ridicule for recognizing Ben Esser from the other side of a crowded field. What can we say? Hoxton pop floats our boat. We suspect child labour is being being used in the backstage bar to collect paper cups, possibly Tiny Masters of Today or maybe just normal children. Meanwhile, Frank Turner slips around unnoticed.

Tickets for Leeds Festival 2009 are available Leeds Festival Tickets .

Arctic Monkeys warm up for Reading And Leeds Festivals in Brixton

Arctic Monkeys warmed up for the Reading And Leeds Festival by playing the O2 Academy Brixton in London tonight (August 26).

Getting ready for the weekend's (August 28-30) headlining slots, the band played their first gig since the Monday (August 24) release of third album 'Humbug' with supergroup Them Crooked Vultures, woh played their first ever UK gig, supporting the Sheffield four-piece.

Kicking off with ’Humbug’ opener 'My Propeller', the band followed it with their Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds cover and recent B-side 'Red Right Hand'.

Pausing before playing current single 'Crying Lightning', frontman Alex Turner introduced the band by saying, "Hello, we're Arctic Monkeys," before jokingly adding, "Have we got time for one more?"

The band - joined by their recently-recruited live keyboard player and extra guitarist John Ashton (their former soundman) - then barely paused between songs as they performed a set that drew from all three of their albums with the likes of previous singles 'Brianstorm' and 2005 UK chart-topping single 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor'.

For new album track 'Potion Approaching', Turner ditched his guitar, trying his hand as an out-and-out frontman.

"Did you enjoy Them Crooked Vultures?" he then asked the crowd ahead of the next song, 'Pretty Visitors'. "I certainly did. We were fortunate to make a record with two of those chaps, and I can tell you they're a great pair of bastards. I'd like to dedicate this song to them."

Following 'Humbug' track 'Dangerous Animals', the band went right back to their beginnings, launching into 'The View From The Afternoon', the opener from 2006 debut album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'.

After a tender version of 'Cornerstone' Turner explained, "I'd like to take it down, take it down even further", before introducing 'Favourite Worst Nightmare''s 'Only Ones Who Know' and live favourite 'Do Me A Favour'.

"Have you had a good night, everybody?" the singer asked the crowd ahead of set-closer 'Fluorescent Adolescent'. "Well I hope it continues to be one!"

Returning for an encore, the band performed 'Secret Door' before finishing the night with '505'. "Thank you," declared Turner as his group wrapped things up. "Some of you I'm sure we'll see at the weekend."

Tickets for Leeds Festival 2009 are available Leeds Festival Tickets .