La Roux triumphs at Leeds Festival

Elly Jackson tells NME.COM she has no fear of Radiohead as she pulls in a huge crowd at Bramham Park

La Roux triumphed at the Leeds Festival tonight (August 29), pulling in a massive crowd despite going up against headliners Radiohead.

The set saw fans spilling out of the Festival Republic tent as Elly Jackson and her band performed songs from their debut self-titled album.

Speaking to NME.COM following her performance, the singer, dressed in a sparkly red and black jacket with a gold medallion, said she had no apprehension about competing with Thom Yorke and co.

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“The thing is, Radiohead are a different band to mine so they’re likely to attract a different crowd,” she argued. “It’s not like, La Roux and The Chemical Brothers are on at the same time, because that would leave fans thinking, ‘I like electronic music but I don’t know which one to go to’. It’s such a different style of music it doesn’t matter, that’s why they plan this festival like that.

“Still it was lovely to have so many people turn up and we always have good crowds up north.”

While they were animated throughout, singles ‘In For The Kill’ and chart-topper ‘Bulletproof’ saw the audience sing along with nearly every word.

The Mercury-nominated band also performed forthcoming single ‘As If By Magic’, which saw Jackson joke with her fans: “Pretend you know the words.”

During ‘Bulletproof’, the singer also had a bash at drumming. “That’s the first time I’ve ever drummed onstage,” she said afterwards. “We only rehearsed it yesterday and I was pretty nervous about it, but I didn’t fuck it up so I was happy.”

La Roux played:

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‘Tigerlily’
‘Quicksand’
‘Armour Love’
‘I’m Not Your Toy’
‘As If By Magic’
‘Colourless Colour’
‘In For The Kill’
‘Fascination’
‘Bulletproof’

NME.COM will be coming live from both the Reading And Leeds Festivals sites this weekend (August 28-30). Stay tuned to NME.COM/festivals for news reports, blogs, video interviews and photos from the event.

Get next Wednesday’s (September 2) issue of NME for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Plus have your say on this summer – fill in the annual NME Festival survey now to cast your verdict on 2009, and tell festival chiefs who you want to see next year.

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