Pearl Jam at Carling Festival Leeds 2006

Working hard during the week I forgot that I had a ticket to see Pearl Jam and Placebo on Friday. I hadn’t even checked when/where it was. All I knew was that come friday, I was going to see Pearl Jam again. Would they be as good as canberra? Will they play all the new songs that I haven’t heard? Time would only tell.
I managed to find the venue details the night before and thankfully the bands I wanted to see weren’t until the evening, thank god!
I made it in to Leeds by the afternoon on my second attempt. After having to get off my bus after only 3 stops to run home and get my festival ticket ( you know that ‘I’ve forgotten something feeling’?)
After another long bus trip I made it to Carling, with hours to spare.
What to do?
I wandered and people watched of course!
Festival types aren’t your usual headrow types, there were dreads and wellies as far as the eye could see.
So I stuffed around getting wrist bands to swap for my ticket. Fare the well ticket, hello plastic wrist strap. Score.
At last, the main stage. Soon to be the holder of the great bands. But there was some kick arse metal coming from it. Slayer! Man they’re good. They’re old, but they’re still good.
And still singing about death. Which is even better that they’re older and closer too it.
After grabbing some refreshingly yummy vegetarian food, it was time to heard up to the stage for a good spot to see Placebo, and then Pearl Jam. I figured that if I hearded early, ( 3 hours ) I should get close to the stage for Pearl Jam…
The band was great, Placebo and Pearl Jam rocked. I moshed for about 3 hours at the front. Not by choice, but that’s where the crowd shoved me. When against so many people, it’s usually better to go with the flow. But after three hours I needed to make a surgical exit,
Caught the bus back to Leeds, and taxi’d home. I’d recommend Leeds Carling Festival to anyone!