REVIEW: LEOPALLOOZA, NR BUDE (2-4/08/13)
Now in its eighth year, independent Cornish festival, Leopallooza returned greater than any previous year. Set in ‘The Wyldes’ of Bude in fields borrowed from cows, August 2nd-4th was dominated by the youthful festival, otherwise known as ‘the greatest party in a field’. Living up to its name with its masses of musical talent from regulars of Man Like Me headlining Friday to up and coming Jacob Banks closing on Sunday.
Leopallooza organisers Lee, Sam, Matt and Cai give up their time to organise and run the festival along with a healthy array of local volunteers. The festival still remains imaginative and quirky from their sustainably created Official Guide Book, containing a hand drawn map of the festival and endearing rules to their honest approach of the festival. Their ethos is to discover new acts and retain their love of music for a fair price.
This year, Leopallooza (also known as Leo to it’s regulars) saw its biggest headline act with the return of Bastille, who previously played as an under the radar act last year. The rain stayed at bay as excited crowds manned their positions at the main stage to absorb Bastille, including covers of R’n’B City High – What Would You Do and ended with an encore with Swiss Lips singing Pomepeii.
Other highlights was the Jack Gear World Tour mountain bike intervention. After months of creating the BMX course, the crowds flocked to witness the heats, practice sessions and finals throughout the day of the daring bikers pulling out their tricks over the huge mud jumps.
Not only has the line up grown, but the size of Leo is ever increasing. Gone are the days of one field and even one day. We now experience the chilled Friday afternoon to the main party on Saturday and the hangover soothing family day on Sunday. Other stages include The Rooks Nest which showcased a more rocky taste under the circus like structure with Exit International and Bad for Lazarus. The Tree Line stage, where Saturday night party goers rush to for their last fix of music plays all day with local DJ’s and Panda who closed the festival Saturday night.
Thom York, the lead singer from Radiohead and Massive Attack’s Daddy G were rumoured to be at the festival and played a DJ set at the backstage after party on Saturday night. (We saw Daddy G surfing earlier in the day on the North Cornwall coast – Ed)
Congratulations to all the Pallooza team for the music and our hangovers, and we are all in anticipation for Leo’s 9th birthday.
Words: Emma Henderson
