Stage: Carling, Leeds
Time: Sunday, 8:50pm
Dress code: Casual, loose-fitting shirts. To a man.
In summary: Experimental as you like, these four experienced New Yorkers know how to rock, how to dance and how to loop atonal guitar riffs for many minutes at a time. Not the ideal festival fodder - about the most many in the crowd offer in response is the occasional determined nod of the head. Still, there is appreciation for a band of talented musicians attempting to forge a new sound.
Highlight: Distinguishing one Battles song from another can be difficult especially when they take just one pause in the entire set, to announce the last track. You could still pick out Atlas though, their lead-off single from album Mirrored and a chipmunk-vocalled electro-fairground of a tune. It received heavy applause from the crowd.
Better than: So many other current acts in that they're actually doing something new. There are moments when the carefully layered loops and rhythms achieve their aspirations of a transcendental experience.
Worse than: Watching the Bourne Ultimatum. Should Battles' aforementioned loops fail to work their magic, there is the possibility of being left a little bored. Ennui is not a risk when watching Matt Damon in Tangiers, fighting his enemy with a picture frame.
Talking point: Not much talking from the band at all. A brief gesticulation at the sound desk to fix a speaker was about as demonstrative as they got.
Mark out of 10: 6
Where will they be next year: At a boutique muso festival, probably where they belong.
