The Sleepy Jackson

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Leeds Festival 2003

Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th August 2003
Bramham Park, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS23 6ND, England MAP
£95 for weekend (camping included), £40 any day

Daily capacity: 55,000

Sleepy by name, sleepy by nature. The foursome had obviously overslept as they plugged in and kicked off Sunday on the Main Stage. They didn't appear to be very awake then either, although this sun drenched version of Brian Wilson seems to get the feet a'tappin' this early on a Sunday. Comparisons with Brian Wilson are fairly apt as front man Luke Steele is noted for being utterly bonkers a lot of the time, something that manifests itself in the lyrics of a lot of the songs.

Maybe the summer's long tour schedule has been particularly grinding but Luke and the boys seem strangely muted for the first half, although the whimsical physcedelia of 'Good Dancers' seems to wake things up a bit, and from then on, it's quite a good natured laugh 'Come to This', and 'Don't you Know' reinforcing the pleasant vibe.

It's impossible to really pin down the sound of this band – it takes in everything from Gospel to Country and even George Harrison, but Steele's stage presence cannot be ignored – he whirls and wheels all over the place and at one stage even seems to be signalling his desire for a bit of a fry up by utilising his tour set of knife and fork on his axe.

The sound is appalling and there is the unmistakeable feeling of a band who have been out and about on the motorway too long, but do you know it's a great way to kick things off today when most people are in a fairly confused state.