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NME Festival Guide
2009

Arctic Monkeys bring 'Humbug' to Leeds Festival

Sheffield four-piece play stunning set despite minor technical setback

Arctic Monkeys played a stunning headline set on the Main Stage at the Leeds Festival tonight (August 28), showcasing songs from their new album 'Humbug'.

Alex Turner and co played a warm-up show at London's O2 Academy Brixton on Wednesday (August 25), making tonight's gig at Bramham Park only their second show since new album 'Humbug' was released on Monday (August 24).

The band - joined by their recently-recruited live keyboard player and extra guitarist John Ashton (their former soundman) - played seven songs from 'Humbug', including their single 'Crying Lightning', and also dipped into their two previous albums.

They performed anthems including Number One hit 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' and 'Brianstorm'. But, unlike at their Brixton show, they also played chart-topper 'When The Sun Goes Down', which was greeted with huge cheers as thousands of fans sang every word.

Introducing the song, singer Turner said, "Bear with us, we haven't played this one for a while," before adding, "Nice chords".

Earlier, the band were forced to briefly stop midway through 'Brianstorm' as the stage crew sorted a hitch before they got back on track. Turner also urged members of the crowd to "pick anyone up if they fall down".

For new album track 'Potion Approaching', Turner sang without his guitar. As they rounded off their set, the singer told the huge crowd: "Thanks a lot everyone, I've had a terrific time with you."

The band now head south to headline the Reading Festival tomorrow (August 29).

Arctic Monkeys played:

'My Propeller'
'Red Right Hand'
'Crying Lightning'
'Brianstorm'
'Still Take You Home'
'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor'
'Potion Approaching'
'Pretty Visitors'
'This House Is A Circus'
'If You Were There, Beware'
'When The Sun Goes Down'
'Dangerous Animals'
'The View From The Afternoon'
'Cornerstone'
'Only Ones Who Know'
'Do Me A Favour'
'Fluorescent Adolescent'
'Secret Door'
'505'


NME.COM will be coming live from both the Reading And Leeds Festivals sites this weekend (August 28-30). Stay tuned to NME.COM/festivals for news reports, blogs, video interviews and photos from the event.

Get next Wednesday's (September 2) issue of NME for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Plus have your say on this summer - fill in the annual NME Festival survey now to cast your verdict on 2009, and tell festival chiefs who you want to see next year.

Watch Arctic Monkeys' performance of 'Crying Lightning' live on the main stage at Reading Festival below:



Video courtesy of BBC.co.uk/readingandleeds

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Comments (6)

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vassemo 

Aug 29, 2009

little by little we getting tired with the monkeys thing.............

Trent17 

Aug 29, 2009

I just don't get this. Sure, it's not a bad album or anything, but if you want something 'trippy' or 'unique', listen to a Queens of the Stone Age album, they do it a thousand times better! and bleed music from every pore in their body!

thekillersandthewombats 

Aug 30, 2009

Poor Set, why did they decide not to play certain romance, mardy bum, teddy picker etc. 505, house is a circus, do me a favor, only ones who know, if you were there beware are below arctic monkeys standards, and there were way too many songs off their new album

sticky75 

Sep 2, 2009

A pretty dissapointing performance. After ages waiting to see them live they were at best average. The general consensus between the people i went with to see them was the Alex Turner was definitely off his face on some kind of drug. Humbug is nowhere near they're original glory.

bradpringle 

Sep 2, 2009

That was an awful set and everyone in the crowd knows it. Seven songs off a new album? If you want to do songs off the new album do a winter tour. Summer festivals, as pandering to the masses as it sounds, are for the songs everyone knows and loves. That was a truly terrible set with absolutely no enthusiasm from the band.

richardswain 

Sep 14, 2009

I was there and they were awesome. The new songs are fantastic live and red right hand was wonderfully sinister. To "thekillersandthewombats", the songs you have listed as "below arctic monkeys standards" are some of their best especially if you were there beware and do me a favour. Although to be honest, your profile name doesn't suggest you have a good choice in music.

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Arctic Monkeys
Pic: Tom Oxley

Arctic Monkeys Pic: Tom Oxley

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