Leopallooza 2022 provided a weekend of amazing music from a variety of talented artists, here are our top 5 performances from the weekend
Our favourite festival Leopallooza has come and gone and as always has left us with memories and experiences we will never forget. It once again proved to us that is arguably one of the best festivals in the south-west, the line-up was spectacular, the vibes were immaculate, and as always the staff, crowd, and security were all incredible as well as professional. Leopallooza truly is a stunning festival and one that continues to impress. As always there were certain artists and performances that left their mark more than others, and it was exceptionally hard to narrow it down to just five. However, without further adieu here are our top 5 performances of Leopallooza 2022.
Opus Kink
Opus Kink made their Leopallooza debut this year on their iconic wooden mainstage, which has been renamed as the Ade Burt Memorial stage, a member of the Leo team that sadly passed away this year. The Brighton chaps came down with a conquering hammer from the opening notes, bringing a much needed boost of energy. Their anarchic sound that is all encompassing, enticing, and bursting with energy is normally heard in the darker corners of smaller venues across the land but during this performance the band proved they are mainstage worthy. The brass section danced eloquently with one another, all the while bouncing off the chaotic synths, guitar, and vocals. Their stage presence was damn near bewildering, as the all flailed and danced across the large space. You cannot help but be hypnotised by Opus Kink.
There is no doubt in my mind that Opus Kink will be a band that will be dominating mainstages across the land within a year. To be able to witness this at our favourite place and a location so stunning was nothing short of an honour.
Wooze
Picture this.. the weather was just about to take a turn, the ever threatening rain was looming and after a few crisp beers our hearts were ready to be well and truly blown. We made our way into the MONO tent only to be greeted by a man in a yellow suit with a cravat, one of the world’s most photogenic frontmen, and a guitarist and bassist donning yellow bandannas throwing themselves around the small stage. The excitement that filled our bodies was palpable and the performance and music that Wooze provided was everything we wanted, no needed. Wooze blend such a fascinating combination of sounds, there’s indie, rock, pop, and a variety of other sub genres. In layman’s term the best way to describe Wooze is if David Byrne and David Bowie had a child and then raised said child in the trendy parts of London. At its core their music is fun, bouncy, and daringly infectious.
There set at Leoaplloza may arguably be my favourite from the whole weekend, it was such a delightful surprise and will be a show I will never forget. It was overflowing with fun and good vibes, something that after a few beers was most welcome. If you have the chance to watch these lot live, I urge you to snap tickets IMMEDIATELY.
The Big Moon
The Big Moon are arguably one of the UK’s most exciting bands. They first blew into the scene with their stunning debut album ‘Love In The 4th Dimension’ (2017), which was followed by 2021’s ‘Walking Like We Do’, an album that captured the best elements of their sound and explored it further. In that time the band have become known for their energetic live shows, as well as heart wrenching performances of their most beautiful tracks. In a relatively short time the band have built a strong back catalogue of tracks to play live, each one as beautiful as the last. Their performance at Leopallooza was nothing short of stunning and superb. It had everything, bouncy energy, big riffs, and most importantly (and the bands strongest element) eye watering songwriting and soaring delivery. Even their cover of Fatboy Slim‘s ‘Praise You’ nearly brought a tear, they unified a field under this track and threw the audience into wave of hands, dancing, and smiles. It was a beautiful moment. Of course they also played their classics such as ‘Your Light’, ‘Cupid’, and ‘Take A Piece’. In addition to this, with their new album around the corner we also got new music too, including latest single ‘Wide Eyes’.
The Big Moon provided a burst of energy that was much needed on a drizzly Sunday and proved why they’re one of the UK’s most exciting bands.
FEET
FEET made their merry way back down to Cornwall for Leopallooza, off the back of a massive headline tour that saw them fill out the Scala, London and open for The Rolling Stones. They proved their worth and more with their show at Leopallooza, solidifying them as one of the UK’s most fun and exciting bands. Unfortunately they were a member down but guitarist from Bull picked up the mantle and charged mightily with the FEET chaps. It was everything you’d expect from a FEET show, four likely lads shaking and grooving, presenting their off-kilter indie charm. It was high energy, entertaining, and daringly contagious performance.
Having seen FEET countless times, I can confidently say that this was one of their standout shows, it was certianly a standout performance at Leopallooza 2022.
Saloon Dion
Kid Kapichi Saloon Dion set the Mono tent aflame on the Saturday, providing their chaotic brand of indie/post-punk. It was a last minute slot for the Bristolians, who conquered their debut show at Leopallooza. The vibes were good, the tent jam packed, and energy was extremely high. It wasn’t long before the bands infectious ability to spread madness through a crowd had taken hold of the Mono tent. Beer was flying, people were jumping, and almost everyone was smiling, including the band who looked like they were on cloud 9. Saloon Dion filled a slot at a festival that was intended for a much larger band, a band that has had more success (so far), yet played like a band that wholeheartedly deserved to be there. The days are young for Saloon Dion but based off that performance, there is no doubt that they’ll be considered one of the UK’s best live bands.
Keep your eyes on Saloon Dion, they’re going to absolutely explode in the coming years. Every person that saw them in the tent that night got a snippet of their domination and a rare opportunity to say, “I saw that band at Leopallooza before they blew up”.
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