IN THE EYES of the DIY festival purist, Leeds/Reading festival may be seen as a huge, corporate monster.

But, while the festival leaves anti-corporate hippies turning in their graves, it does have a philanthropic cultural agenda.

Among massive acts such as Rage Against the Machine and Metallica, the festival also hosts BBC Introducing, a stage dedicated to promoting a handful of unsigned bands. Among them are three Sheffield acts, Situationists, Skeletons and Darlings of the Split Screen.

The Situationists and Darlings of the Split Screen were handpicked by Sandman after the BBC asked the magazine to choose eight bands for its Introducing stage at Leeds/Reading festival.

Sandman ran a competition in which 200 bands sent tracks to the editors. Mark Roberts, editor of Sheffield's Sandman, said: "It's always fairly easy whittling it down to about 30 bands but that's when it gets tough."

Skeletons were chosen by the BBC's Steve Lamaq and Hugh Stevens, who discovered the band through its MySpace page, according to the band.

Darlings of the Split Screen

"We're not big on lyrics, we're big on silly noises," says Tom Wilkinson of Darlings of the Split Screen, "We buy old synths off eBay, we bought a new stupid one the other day – it's a child's drum machine that has been rewired."

Darlings of the Split Screen is determinately, unintentionally avant-garde. Among the instrumental kit is a typewriter and kids' instruments.

"Our music is not too premeditated – we have one song for which we recorded a cow bell and put it through different effects and it stopped sounding like a cow bell and we did a song the other day using a typewriter as a drum machine."

But obscure instrumentation isn't merely superfluous, according to Wilkinson. Bizarre sounds, created by objects as mundane as typewriters and as complex as retro synths, inspire the foundation of DOTSS' sound. Wilkinson says: "We write songs around new equipment or an overheard phrase."

Lyrical themes range from Hiroshima to cash (Money Matters) and, contrary to Wilkinson's assertion that the band is 'not big on lyrics,' Hiroshima's lyrics are engaging, dark and well-phrased. Sung in crisp, clear vocals, the dark subject matter is heard against a backdrop of bleeps like those of a child's toy gun – a fitting backdrop. The track builds to a floor-filler climax chorus laden with deep grooves.

"The further we get away from guitar, bass and drum the more fun we have," says Wilkinson. "It surprises me that people don't get bored of that combination. There is so much out there – synths are quite cheap.

"If a band discards one it becomes a big talking point, like with the White Stripes. It's weird, it's so traditional but we're not a traditionalist band.

"We all like the Beach Boys but we would never try and sound like them because there are many bands who have done that already – and exceptionally well."

But striving towards originality poses a dilemma: "If you try and think about being original you'd make yourself go crazy.

"There's two dangers – trying to sound like a past band and trying to sound special and unique.



"If you are aware of it you can stop yourself sounding like something else – hopefully," laughs Wilkinson, who, in his refined South East accent, politely admits that most of Darlings' music is tongue-in-cheek:

"We've got a new EP release called This is How We Roll, it's hip hop lingo, but obviously we are the least hip hop band. We've all got a guilty fascination with Justin Timberlake – he writes interesting songs. None of our contemporaries are crazy enough or stupid enough to try and sound like Justin Timberlake but we were never worried about being cool."

Skeletons

TO HEAR Skeletons speak one wouldn't associate the band with the Southern American gospel balls that dominate the band's vocals. Skeletons' subtle South Yorkshire accents reveal nothing about the band's aesthetic. But Skeletons isn't a band wearing its region on its sleeve.

Bluesy, piano-led songs align them with American traditions of popular music, with swingy song structures and libido-oozing vocals.

"Skeletons is direct about where we want to come from – a bluesy, indie rock aesthetic," says drummer Ryan Jenkinson, who cites Bruce Springsteen and Robert Johnson among Skeletons' influences.

"We're all versed in the blues thing and Liam (songwriter) loves his Tom Waits and Nick Cave and I'm into Buddy Rich and a long list of drummers."

Looking forward to Leeds/Reading, Jenkinson says: "It's really good for us – we've played the festival before as This Girl but the BBC Introducing stage is having us play as a brand new band.

"We are relatively new and many of the bands performing are well established – to be playing at this stage is fantastic."

Situationists

"We're trying to write relatively interesting music but with a poppy undertone," says Dan Shamplin-Hall, guitarist and singer in Situationists, which formed over three years ago after meeting at Sheffield University.

Situationists play indie rock with layers of spikey guitar and crashing drums (This City Holds Us All).

The band attract a strong student following and cult followers among Sheffield's indie scene – an audience that will soon multiply by hundreds when the band plays Leeds/Reading.

Dan Shamplin-Hall, guitarist and vocals, says: "I can't believe I'm sharing a bill with Rage Against the Machine. It will be like reverting back to being 14 when I wore a black hoody and listened to Nirvana."

Leeds Festival starts on Friday August 22. Darlings of the Split Screen and Skeletons play on Saturday at 3pm and 8.45pm, respectively.

For information about the competition visit www.sandmanmagazine.co.uk

MORE:
Listings Guide
Arts Guide
Film Guide
Theatre and Events
Music Guide