Playing seven new songs in total, including a b-side, the frenetic crowd gave as good as they got from wall to wall in the brilliantly intimate venue. The only thing sweating more than the walls was Miles himself who ferociously bounded around stage encouraging the more than willing crowd to get involved.

Kane mixed new and old tracks brilliantly together, with songs from his debut album The Colour of The Trap sitting effortlessly alongside the as-yet-unreleased songs. ‘Quicksand’ into ‘Inhaler’ provided the moment of the evening; it was some way into the set and with everything going so well it just felt like what rock and roll in the modern era of music should sound like.

A rousing rendition of ‘Give Up,’ the lead single from Kane’s upcoming album also proved to be a highlight with the audience near fever pitch. Closing the show was ‘Come Closer’ which saw Stoke City footballer Peter Crouch and wife Abbey Clancy enthusiastically joining in with the extended “Ooooooooooo” and “Ahhhahhhhh’s” before Kane and his band mates left the stage.

Re-emerging, a softer rendition of ‘Colour of Trap’ is followed by the title track off his new album 'Don't Forget Who You Are.' After proclaiming “This is the proudest moment of my fucking life” the first few rows of the audience showed their appreciation by bursting onto the stage as the final song and a fantastic gig came to an end.

Earlier on in the evening, fans were treated to a six-song acoustic set from Kane in the nearby Heebie Jeebies bar.

Below: photos of Miles Kane getting seriously sweaty for JD Roots

American young punks The Orwells excited the packed out Haunt with an energetic performance fuelled with fun, romance and youth, exactly what was needed when you thought that you couldn't digest any more music. With a frontman in Mario Cuomo the band have a fresh feel with a hapless and chaotic attitude as he towered on stage, there is something mesmerising about him and his bandmates, maybe slightly more-so than their shambolic music.

It was then the ever improving Swim Deep. The Birmingham boys just keep getting better and master catchy indie tunes and dreamy pop equally well. 'Honey' is vibrant, it is easy to get lost amongst the floating 'She Changes The Weather' and then there's 'The Sea' that shows maturity and ambition. The fresh-faced quartet kept spirits high with their uplifting tone and final number 'King City' ticked all the boxes for a band worth getting excited for.

The final headliners were Tribes who performed on the eve of the release of their sophomore record, Wish To Scream, with a set of the best bits from Baby and a few from its follow up, highlighting why this band are about to become one of the most important bansa in this current wave of guitar groups. New tracks such as 'Dancehall' and 'Sons & Daughters' sat well amongst 'Corner Of An English Field' and 'Sappho' but the progression is obvious and this was a great way to end three days of brilliant live music, in a city that embraces creativity at an event that brings focus to emerging artists and well sourced talent.

Bring on #TGE14!

Luckily what I did see was worth it. Gunning For Tamar brought energetic instrumentals to the Alcopop Records hosted stage. They were loud and captivating with an ode to Battles as they blasted heavy riffs with precession. Then there was Straw Bear at Blind Tiger who appeared confident as they won over every festival goer with their powerful on stage charisma and humourous lyrics.

But the night belonged to Australian rapper Iggy Azalea who put on quite a show at The Warren. Arriving at the venue late with rollers in her hair but all was forgiven as soon as she bounced onstage like a kid on fizzy pop.

Her DJ hyped the crowd with Kanye West tunes, bringing party vibes to the venue that could have been packed out ten times over. Then it was her turn. Dressed in tracky bottoms and a sports bra she made gym get-up sexy as she worked the crowd into a frenzy with her slim figure like some kind of glammed-up work-out video. Her moves were nothing compared to her two dancers who vigorously shook their bums and booties throughout the set.

Tonight Iggy Azalea had a lot to prove. This was her first big outing since the breakthrough single, 'Work' became one of the songs of 2013, there was plenty of expectation riding on this set but she easily delivered. Her fierce raps were spat out super quickly whilst her crowd interaction was second to non.

When current single, 'Bounce' began to room almost exploded with joy but it was closing number Work that was the real show stopper. Iggy needent have been there as the crowd sang every word like it was their story, the rapper ended the song amongst her fans, taking selfies and showing her appreciation. Sometimes rap is boring live but this girl is a superstar in the making.

I might have spent more time walking venue to venue and hanging out in queues than actually seeing live music but that just highlights the popularity of the festival which has sold out for the very first time and the demand for catch new bands live.

The forecast rain stayed away allowing the sun the shine on what always feels like a seaside suburb of London which, for three days has been flooded with music. Whatever you're after, The Great Escape caters for it, there's everybody from the iconic Billy Bragg to undiscovered favourites playing every street corner, shop, pub, even restaurants, there's no escaping great live music this weekend.

The hotly tipped Tom Odell kept the crowds waiting with a sound check that overrun by a good half hour but it was well worth hanging around for. Playing in some beautifully ornate makeshift venue the blonde haired singer immediately wowed with his incredible voice and songs that went from epic pop to delicate storytelling leaving no stone unturned. The short set included Odell's three singles and a few from the forthcoming album which sound highly promising.

The buzz is well deserved and he set the bar high for the rest of the festival, little lived up to it despite The Family Rain's valiant efforts at the Green Door Store whilst Curzes failed to win over the packed crowd at The Black Dove.

The Great Escape gets into full swing on Friday (17 May, 2013) with the likes of Temples and Klaxons.

The US band performed their packed, hot and sweaty show at London's iconic Scala venue. A few short months ago they performed just up the road at The Lexington - which is essentially a pub with a decent-sized upstairs room for bands. The growth in Lord Huron's fanbase in such a short time is testament to their brilliance and destiny to be one of 2013's slow build, word of mouth bands.

Performing tracks from debut album Lonesome Dreams, the five-piece filled the stage with a sense of stateside charm - frontman Ben Schneider perhaps one of the few artists who could take to a UK stage and carry off a non-ironic cowboy hat during the show. Schneider also comes across as the sort of wholesome, decent chap who would lay his jacket (tweed) over a puddle for a female companion to cross without getting her shoes wet.

Easily likened to Fleet Foxes, Lord Huron have enough style (and most of all the songs) to rise above comparisons with other bands. Standouts included album tracks 'She Lit A Fire' and 'Lullaby', during which the band left Schneider on the stage alone to perform a haunting solo performance of the album's most sombre and soothing track. Closing the show on 'Time To Run', the band's most rousing and joyous moment, Lord Huron united the crowd in a moderate, Tuesday-appropriate jig. The perfect show for the most uneventful day of the week.

The JD Roots event sees the band returning to Newcastle’s Cluny venue, a place that the band holds some early memories from and is literally a stone’s throw (or steep inclined walk) from The Cumberland arms where the quintet’s first gig ever occurred and which earlier that day the band returned to fill out the tiny local pub to perform a quick acoustic set.

The evening first kicks off with the opening numbers from their latest album (The National Health) and unfortunately some early mic problems means Paul Smith’s vocals can be hard to be made out over the band, but the frontmans unrelenting energy and stage prowess means that the minor technical fault is hardly noticed.

After the current tracks are performed, the night continues back to the band’s early and well-known numbers to the delight of the Cluny faithful including Graffiti from their debut album and rousing band and crowd singalongs for Our Velocity and Questing not Coasting, after all this is hometown gig. With the local crowd clearly in the palm of their hand, the band give quick thanks to the opening support act Palace hailing from nearby city Hartlepool which receives a few cheeky boo’s as Newcastle’s ever proud dedication to hometown sport is recognisable even at a music gig.

With thanks given the evening continues on just as before with more tracks from The National Health and fitting to the occasion the band play a poignant performance of Take me Home.

After Girls Who Play Guitars, the band leave the small stage to let the packed out venue give a full volume demand for an encore to which they are only happy to oblige with the final three of the night closing out in perfect fashion with debut album track Apply some Pressure.

If you ask any long serving band about their local town they will tell you a venue that holds close to their hearts. For Maximo Park’s homecoming, its left them with another happy hometown memory made.

Regardless of whatever it is the ‘true’ metal community (whoever them may be) finds at fault with the Yorkshire five-piece, their technical ability and lyrical prowess is undeniable. As 2010’s ‘There Is A Hell…’ and this year’s ‘Sempiternal’ – which charted in the UK at a commendable No.1 – proved, Bring Me The Horizon (BMTH) are methodically taking the tired subgenre of metalcore skyward, both in terms of mainstream accessibility and serious musical progression.

However, the fact of the matter remains that singer Oli Sykes is a good lookin’ poser in need of having his motor-mouth stuffed with a sock, and the screaming crowd of teenage girls isn’t going to help matters of credibility. But who needs metal credentials when you have fans as dedicated as Sykes’? The crowd of tonight’s intimate KOKO show, in support of their new release, is nothing short of dumbfounding. The roaring cheers, the movement, the ear-piercing singing, the SWEAT; BMTH have the adoring crowd unequivocally won over from the moment they open with ‘Shadow Moses’.

It helps, of course, that Sykes causes pandemonium each time he even glances at the crowd, and can summon a formidable circle pit with just a single suggestive hand motion. It’s crucial, though, to look past all this, because at the root of this hubbub is a genuinely exhilarating performance, with near-perfect sound, and a short but sharp setlist of songs. Older cuts like ‘Chelsea Smile’ and ‘Diamonds Aren’t Forever’ (from 2008’s ‘Suicide Silence) deliver bruising breakdowns and thrashy shredding, with the latter prompting a ‘wall of death’ mosh pit, while fan favourite ‘It Never Ends’ confirms their knack for crafting a tuneful chorus.

Tonight’s setlist is, unsurprisingly, predominantly dedicated to newer material, and this is where BMTH truly excel. Now backed by a electronics programmer and keyboard player – Jordan Fish – songs like ‘Go To Hell, For Heaven’s Sake’, ‘Empire (Let Them Sing)’ and closer ‘Sleepwalking’ showcase the pained melodic metal style BMTH have discovered, underpinned by doom-laden keys and intelligent guitar-work. The only thing missing tonight is an outing of ‘Crucify Me’ from ‘There Is A Hell…’ – surely their greatest ever composition.

The highlight is ‘Blessed With A Curse’, from their 2010 album, which is something of a haunting metal ballad, complete with bluesy guitar parts and a passionate vocal performance. The band’s fans scream back every word, loud and proud. “This is an excellent crowd”, mumbles Sykes, an understatement if there ever was one.

Setlist

Shadow Moses
Chelsea Smile
Alligator Blood
Go to Hell, for Heaven's Sake
The House of Wolves
It Never Ends
And the Snakes Start to Sing
Diamonds Aren't Forever
Empire (Let Them Sing)
Blessed with a Curse
Antivist

Encore:
Sleepwalking

Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, the frontman couldn't be further from home, but tonight's show demonstrates Nielsen and co are infinitely comfortable on stage together regardless of where they touch down.

The release of their second album, entitled 'II', implied simplicity, but the result could be considered anything but. A selection of catchy pop hooks were again turned on their heads through intriguing low-fi production and lyrics reportedly drawing on the singer's drug-addled isolation.

On the live stage Unknown Mortal Orchestra's repertoire is presented through a more expansive model than on record. Danceable pop song 'How Can You Luv Me' culminates in a woozy finale of distortion paired with drummer, Riley Geare, more than earning his keep with a Bonham-style onslaught that leaves him visibly fatigued.

The more recent material stands up tall next to tracks from their 2011 debut. 'No Need for a Leader' is rock 'n' roll anchored by a pulsating rhythm section that tips its hat to kraut-rock legends like Can and Kraftwerk.

Equally uncompromising influences such as Spacemen 3 and My Bloody Valentine can be heard during the set's more immersive moments, but 'II's infectious opener 'From the Sun' is a beautiful piece of pop.

The rendition perfectly complements what has been a sun-blushed bank holiday in Manchester. Maybe conditions that are normally so elusive cause me to get carried away, but the track's 60s sound wouldn't be too much of an anomaly on 'Revolver' or 'Rubber Soul'.

'Swim and Sleep' and the gorgeous 'So Good at Being in Trouble' cap a set that has proved to be something of a coup for The Deaf Institute.

The audience have been relatively quiet throughout the evening but it transpires this has certainly been due to captivation as opposed to disinterest. The reception from the crowd is wholly appreciative as the band leave the stage to a soundtrack of prolonged feedback.

But the chants of "more" soon become deafening, and an indication Unknown Mortal Orchestra don't always see an encore as a necessity comes when they return to showcase two covers. Incidentally, they couldn't be more eclectic.

The trio manage to make Otis Redding's '(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay' their own- complete with full whistle-along. Secondly, they take on Jay Reatard's 'My Shadow'. Geare again pushes himself to the limits of exhaustion, and the crowd are transported to Nielsen's garage to witness Unknown Mortal Orchestra's attempt at grizzly punk rock.

Personal favourite 'FFunny FFriends' is then married with another dose of unrepressed psychedelia that has lent itself perfectly to the band's performance all night long.

They leave the stage having toured the audience through shoegaze, soul, pop, and rock 'n' roll, on an exhilarating journey that few others could provide.

The Lumia Live Sessions kicked off last month with a spectacular event in Bristol where the eloquent Ghostpoet performed in a cemetery. The Finnish brand put their thinking caps on to discover an equally off-the-wall venue to host the Leeds leg of the sessions.

Hidden away on the outskirts of the city centre is Leeds Cage, a venue usually used for martial arts. The dingy building saw its gym equipment cast aside for an evening of live music where local band Department M and Fenech Soler performed on a stage that is more commonly the home of wrestling matches.

It was one of those places that blows your mind as soon as you enter. Punch bags draped from the ceiling, rowing machines are roped off as 150 people experienced intense live music in the surrealist of environments.

The long-awaited return of electro pop outfit Fenech Soler is over. It's been a traumatic few years for the quartet since being touted as the next big thing in 2010. Things were looking good for the band with a highly acclaimed debut and a handful of catchy singles until frontman Ben was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Luckily it was discovered early on and he was in the clear within two months. Having regrouped the band returned to stage for the Lumia Live sessions with set featuring material from their debut as well as healthy amount of new tunes, expected to feature on the forthcoming follow up.

There was an energetic vibe on stage which transferred into the crowd who shook their hips to the super slick synth heavy pop with high octane vocals. It's lazy to compare them to the likes of Friendly Fires and Delphic but there's definitely similar influences in there well polished set. It was the first time many of the songs had been played live but you couldn't tell, there wasn't any slip ups or nerves shown.

It was a unique experience seeing a band play in such bizarre surroundings, Nokia Music are on the right track when it comes to pull something exciting out of the bag.

Keep your eyes peeled for next months Lumia Live Sessions in Liverpool. More details can be found here.

It’s a shame that the equally energetic Hands don’t attract a bigger crowd – their forthcoming Synaesthesia album ranks amongst the most immediately catchy collections to bolt from the Kill Rock Stars stable. They bounce adorably and ecstatically around the stage, with the soaring pop melodies of songs like ‘Trouble’ suggesting there’s even better to come from a band who’ve really got this ‘hooks’ thing nailed. Keep an eye out; they could well be soundtracking your summer.

Suitably cheered, we head to The Kazimier for something a little grittier, and Bad Meds are happy to oblige. Something of a local supergroup, the band includes Vasco da Gama drummer Dave Kelly and Hot Club de Paris’ Paul Rafferty amongst their number, and as such the curious cognoscenti are out in force. Theirs is a fun and frantic take on the skate-kid hardcore of early Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, replete with knowing banter (“Has anyone been signed yet? That’s the ultimate aim of Sound City, isn’t it?”) and a gloriously sludgy cover of ‘It’s Grim Up North’. Instant favourites.

Meanwhile, up the road, the much-hyped TOY decorate the Anglican Cathedral with their mountainous noise and Cousin it haircuts - given the time they’ve probably seen their music described via the shoegaze cliché ‘sonic cathedrals’, you gotta wonder if they ever imagined they’d actually play in one. As it turns out, the venue suits their sound rather well, as woozy riffs pile into each other atop a motorik rhythm section. Some of the more subtle chord changes of ‘Colour’s Running Out’ feel a little lost in the melee, but it’s a small price to pay to have your hearing blown out so magnificently.

The dashing Dan Croll is somewhat easier on the ear, and his take on classic pop songsmithery feels positively heart-warming. An evident knack for a hummable tune is enough to make every song feel instantly familiar, almost masking the dextrous subtleties of the band behind him. More of this winsome loveliness please.

The day’s final trek to the Cathedral feels, ludicrously, like the furthest Gigwise has ever had to walk, but The Walkmen are more than worth it. As dapper as ever, the band’s newfound maturity sees the majority of the set pitching for a rather more windswept approach than the energised stress of old favourites like ‘The Rat’, and it suits ‘em pretty neatly. Difficult to believe that they’re more than a decade into their career when their manifest enthusiasm still feels so fresh.

It’s been a pretty stellar day thus far, and Gigwise begins to worry that something is bound to suck at some point. And so we come to the tipsters’ faves Savages – on hand to prove that if you’re gonna be bummed out, it should owe a debt to their own high levels of menace and intensity – they’ve drawn plenty of comparisons to Souxsie & The Banshees, but the taut funk of their basslines owes just as much to the hypertension of The Bush Tetras, while Gemma Thompson’s strafes of white-hot atonality flash across the stage like electric storms. Every song drips with vitality and purrs venomously: once bitten, you’re lost to ‘em forever. Band of the weekend? Don’t bet against it.

Melody’s Echo Chamber present a much more relaxed affair, as their dizzy psychedelic alt pop proves to be much less acrid. Their delicacy serves as a neat counterpoint to their tendency towards off-kilter shonkiness, making them lovably delirious in the best sense possible.

Over at Leaf, The Still Corners seem to be struggling with technical difficulties that delay their set by a full half hour. When their reverb-drenched indiepop finally gets going, there’s a palpable sense of relief, albeit underpinned by a sense of irritation that it’s taken this long to get going. As a result, Gigwise ends up at the back of the queue for The Oh Sees, whose sweat-drenched set creates such demand that the rickety old Kazimier struggles to cope. There are angry scenes as waiting punters realise they won’t get to see the show, but what we eventually manage to catch amounts to a furious blast of psyched-out garage rock. Bodies spill over the monitors as the heaving moshpit flings itself back and forth with reckless abandon; sweat-sodden riffs riding hip-swaying basslines that pummel the guts and spill out the messy yards of intestine within. You can’t help but love a good rock show.

Speaking of which, that’s precisely how Future Of The Left opt to close out the day’s events, spraying a rowdy 2am crowd with gallons of molten riffage and barbed witticisms. The somewhat inebriated audience dances, screams and collapses into dazed heaps on the ground, surrendering to the forceful rage of the band… but that’s nothing compared to what happens when FOTL unleash two classics by frontman Falco’s previous outfit Mclusky. ‘To Hell With Good Intentions’ sees the first outbreak of pure euphoria, while the bon mots of ‘Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues’ amount to a twisted singalong with everyone’s shit well and truly lost. They close with a cover of Andy Kaufman’s infamous ‘I Trusted You’ – a helluva song and bona fide contender for greatest piece of performance comedy ever devised. Which is as decent a summation of this Cardiff quartet’s modus operandi as you could possibly desire. Bed time approaches – not with a whimper, but a full-on roar.

Ok, we’re nearly done with the rhapsodising, but Sound City is as close to an encapsulation of Liverpool’s pop prominence as you could ask for. For Gigwise, the festival kicks off with a brief look at local lads Coffee And Cake For Funerals, whose silky r’n’b-tinges attract an impressive crowd early on day one. It’s about as far away from Merseybeat as you could imagine: subtle guitar chimes float spectrally atop dubstep-informed basslines and complex rhythms, making for an unexpected treat. Ok, some of their choruses sound as though they’ve been lifted from The James Arthur Guide To The X-Factor, but one suspects their ambitions are somewhat different to those of, say, James Blake. Either way, it’s a solid start.

We amble enthusiastically up the hill to the cavernous Anglican Cathedral, where The Loved Ones take advantage of their surroundings to break a few hearts with their understated folktronica. It’s cheating really – just as you think you’ve had all you can take of beardy fellas playing sad songs on acoustic guitars, along comes a band who nail the whole shebang perfectly. The ethereal cry of ’Wonderful Life’ sends us sniffling into the early evening, just in time for Kepla’s addictively weird set at The Kazimier. Electronic pulses bleed organically into one another, twisting and turning almost unnoticed into completely different rhythms before you’ve even had time to notice, while jarring blasts of sheet metal strafes keep you on your toes. The set ends with a wry grin from Kepla dude Jon Davies, and our toes continue to tap long after the beats have subsided.

Across to the Garage, and Esco Williams has the crowd eating from the palm of his hand. His brand of r’n’b is slick, commercial as hell and phenomenally catchy, but for all his gratitude and nice-guy smiles, it’s easy to see that his mind is set on bigger things. To that end, here’s the Gigwise conclusion: these songs are fun right now, but they won’t quite set the world alight – stick him in a studio with Andre 3000 or Frank Ocean on production duties and let’s see some sparks really fly. By now we’re just about ready to check out one of the acts hailing from beyond the city boundaries, and we trudge back up to the Cathedral for Noah And The Whale. Such an easy band to dislike, what with their university lecturer dress sense, unerringly affable politeness and propensity for inoffensive melodies that your mum probably likes. And it’s difficult to imagine that a band named after Wes Anderson’s head cameraman would do their best to be anything other than self-consciously odd. Luckily the band’s neat line in morose grandiosity proves to be their strength, and whilst they may not be the most mind-bendingly out-there beat combo on the block, their budget Arcade Fire- isms sure get the crowd going.

Timetable disruption means we only catch the final song of PINS’ set, but a stirring rendition of ‘Luvu4lyfe’ demonstrates why so many people are coming round to their feral, Lydia Lunch-indebted howl. Meanwhile Oneohtrix Point Never proves to be one of the day’s highlights, blasting other-worldly collages of fractured noise over glitchy, textured electronica. Like all the best acts who propped up the Warp and Rephlex stables in the 90s, Oneohtrix keeps one ear firmly to the future, but by removing the breakbeat, he allows himself space and scope to let his imagination cut fully loose. In short, he’s fucking ace.

There’s time to check out the slackered-up fuzz of New Zealand’s Popstrangers – all feedback-drenched squalls and nonchalant wails over chunky pop melodies – before Stealing Sheep set to repairing hearts broken by The Loved Ones several hours earlier. Sound problems onstage leave the band frustrated, but out front there’s nothing to worry about – songs are played out as whispers on the wind; ghostly apparitions that charm and soothe in equal measure. Lovely stuff. There’s just time to catch the end of Lunar Module’s analogue rave back at the Kazimier, providing further fuel for the argument that electronica has truly won the day today.

There’s a few murmured enthusiasms about Leeds’ own Blacklisters, which seems wholly inappropriate given the shape, size and indeed volume of their riffs. The Jesus Lizard mastered this sort of horribly brilliant chaos years ago, but it’s an absolute joy to see this lot breathing new life into it. Frontman Billy seethes his way through every last note as the band snarl around him: jagged, visceral, hypnotic. Just the sort of thing you wanna see on a Friday night. The synth-led drama of Bastille is always going to fall a little flat after that, but they still manage to turn a beer-sozzled Garage into a full-on party. The band feed off the good vibes pinging around the room, with the immaculately-coiffeured Dan Smith bouncing majestically around the stage. All in all, not a bad way to kick off Sound City 2013.

Although the set didn't alter from the three previous performances the capacity crowd were kept on the toes thanks to Beyonce's energetic performance. It was two hours of non stop entertainment with complex and precise dance routines, powerful vocals, soulful ballads, some of the best pop songs ever written and flying across the arena making the £70 ticket seem not so ludicrously priced after all .

The singer arrived on-stage to deafening screams from those lucky enough to get hold of tickets. Backed by an all female band and dancers (later joined by twin boys who messed about on-stage in a rhythmic manner) she kicked off with 'Run The World' which was made into a spectacle thanks to the impressive backdrop and lights, using shadows with the routines to create added dimensions.

Whilst performing it was high-impact show(wo)manship but there was lulls in the set during costume changes that seemed to take place far too regularly and for quite some time. Back on-stage Beyonce treated her adoring fans with a fair chunk from her last release, 4, just one from the Destiny's Child days but there were classics thrown in which have become modern day pop standards, creating a new blueprint for what has come since and they didn't disappoint.

The former Destiny's Child certainly knows how to work a crowd and not just with her incredible voice, when she's performing you can't look away, her perfect figure moves slickly in skimpy outfits coming across classy rather than trashy, the dancing is mesmerising and she zip wires into the centre of the arena as casual as you like before getting up close and person with her Beyhive.

It might seem pretty obvious to say that 'Single Ladies' and 'Crazy In Love' were the highlights but how can anybody top tunes that are so insanely perfect?

Running through familiar hits such as ‘Irreplaceable’ - which had a mexican wave type “to the left, to the left” crowd current flowing - ‘Love On Top’, ‘Run The World (Girls)’, and of course ‘Single Ladies’, the Queen of pop certainly proved that motherhood hasn’t slowed her down a single bit. Even making time to throw in a Destiny’s Child moment by performing ‘Survivor’, Bey urged the crowd to scream as loud as they could so that Kelly and Michelle would hear them all the way in America.

With not too many undesirable moments, her vocal delivery on ‘Crazy In Love’ sounded a little lackluster - probably due to performing it that many times - and her Whitney Houston dedication leading in to ‘Halo’ seemed predictable. Other than that her actual stage show was flawless. Featuring a mid air wire transfer to a second stage and an array of costume changes, the strongest part of the show had more to do with the amazing lighting sequence than anything else.

Giving fans lucky enough to be positioned by the stage the opportunity to feel close to the [seemingly] untouchable star, Beyonce even passed around the microphone a few times for a bit or audience participation.

While she did play new song ‘Grown Woman’, it was a surprise not to see the recently leaked ‘Back To Black’ Amy Winehouse cover she and Andre 3000 recorded added to the setlist - especially being that she was in Winehouse’s home city.

With a hype overload surrounding all of her shows - billed as The Mrs. Carter World Tour - the potential for haters to be out in full force has been high. However, regardless of if you’re a fan or not there’s absolutely no denying that the woman at Jay-Z’s side knows how to put on a show. A born entertainer through and through, the hype might just be justified.

Below: Beyonce, live at the O2 (great gig - terrible photos)

The electronica polymath seemed comfortable with the almost intimidating stage set-up - as well as the conventional drums and microphones, there were also DeLong's more experimental instruments, including joystick controllers and Wiimotes.

Looking slightly lost in a hoodie, but with his trademark facepaint glowing brightly, DeLong seems to find it difficult to gain momentum at first - due in part to the seemingly lacklustre audience. Despite previous live shows of DeLong's being described as frenzied dance parties, there's sadly no sense of that in London, with the crowd falling prey to the 'too cool to move' stereotype.

Maybe something got lost in translation.

There's no doubt that, dance party or not, DeLong's live show is still nothing short of impressive. The multi-instrumentalist moves around the stage, leaving nothing unused, and it's almost exhausting to see him playing various percussion instruments as well as singing and making full use of the different electronic gadgets and gizmos. DeLong records samples as he goes and seamlessly incorporates them into his set, winding together different threads of music to create something dizzying in its complexity.

'Happy' is a highlight, as DeLong uses a gamepad in order to play the song's signature hook, and it's beyond easy to get just as lost in the sound as the man himself appears to be. Most of the songs continued one after another, blending into each other and giving the impression of a continuous track with no end in sight - just DeLong throwing himself into the music and giving his energetic all.

Single 'Global Concepts' gets the biggest reaction from the audience, and finally sees some movement starting to happen as DeLong hits his stride - partly because it's difficult to stand still as he launches into the hook of, "Did I make you f**king dance?" Luckily, the answer can be 'yes' - from some of the crowd, at least.

DeLong's not leaving the UK just yet; he's playing KOKO and appearing at Live at Leeds, as well as returning soon for Reading and Leeds festivals. Hopefully, audiences will lose whatever sense of self-consciousness is causing them to stay stationary and, as promised, DeLong will be able to make everyone f**king dance.

Their backdrop was a large peace symbol, the lighting moody and atmospheric. As the band took to the stage, dressed like 90’s grungers with their starburst electric guitars and shabby hairstyles, they certainly looked the part.

They began with ‘Delicious’, a Stone Roses-like, gently thudding intro that’s chorus quickly sent the crowd insane. The sound quality was spectacular; Harry "Harrison" Koisser, the bands charismatic and incredibly rock n roll frontman revealed to the audience a camera lodged into the neck of his guitar, filming them throughout the show.

‘Follow Baby’ took the energy in the room to an unbelievable level, while they sang, “Follow baby, we’re gonna’ live forever baby,” it felt iconic. As they blasted through their album, thrashing about the stage and kissing each other (a lot) Peace put on a first-rate show.

The frontman then claimed that this was, “One of the best nights we’ve ever played” much to the delight of everyone present. They ended with the 10- minute- long, Binary Finary cover of ‘1998’ taken from the EP Delicious. Normally, if a relatively new band were to drop a mostly instrumental track of this length at a live show it would go down like a lead balloon. Yet, Peace’s rendition had the adverse effect.

The encore was ‘California Daze’, a dreamy, melodic rock track that was written whilst the frontman was promoting a club night in their native Birmingham, standing up all day with one of those big arrows pointing to the venue. They wrapped up their most killer track and biggest hit ‘Bloodshake’, inviting everyone to come and join them at a nearby pub afterward.

It was one of those gigs that just felt special. The kind of show that you will brag about to your friends in the future and say, ‘I was there’.

There aren't too many bands around that can produce such a feelgood, summertime vibe as well as this Bristol six-piece can with their amazing blend of West African percussion and addictive dance beats.

After an impressive warm-up set from indie-dance act Mausi, the crowd - some wearing vibrant facepaint in homage to the band they were waiting for - were packed into the tiny venue ready to be given a taste of the festival season.

As The Other Tribe members frantically tried to get their various bits of equipment up and running, fans were worried that the Bristol boys were going to do a 'Justin Bieber' as the minutes ticked away, but after 45 minutes, a smile and a thumbs up from guitarist Miles Metric we were underway.

Opening with their latest track 'We Should Be Dancing' was just what the XOYO gig-goers wanted to hear as the room was hit with a burst of live energy and huge synths from a band that looked more than ready to unleash their unique sound to crowds of thousands this summer. Metric recently told Gigwise that, "playing live is what the band love most" and that is something that comes across with every chord and every sound they create.

Then, without any breaks in sound whatsoever, came a medley of songs including 'Loose Dreams', 'Don't Need No Melody' and Summer Love' that whipped the crowd into an absolute rave-like frenzy as lead singer James Hill gyrated and and gestured to the first fews rows almost as if to say, "Is that all you've got?"

'Sing With Your Feet' kept the now sweat-drenched revellers jumping midway through the set before the band headed into the final track of their short but summer sweet set.

As they launch into 'Skirts', The Other Tribe have the crowd in the palm of their hands as a fair few fans proved that no matter how small a venue is, it's always possible to crowd surf. The Other Tribe have time their 2013 live appearances perfectly and you suspect the festival season is going to be pretty huge for this Bristol outfit.

The release in question was unveiled on Monday, and an indication the 24-year-old had no fear of the next step came when it was announced 'Overgrown' would feature cameos from musical royalty like Brian Eno and Wu-Tang's RZA.

But bringing the record to life on the live stage in the absence of such luminaries is a whole different challenge. Blake took to Manchester's Academy 2 last night to prove that he not only relishes that challenge but is all too capable of rising to it.

The set begins with the deep instrumental 'Air and Lack Thereof', which undoubtedly takes influence from Blake's time as a collaborator with electronic duo Mount Kimbie. The rendition culminates in a dose of pulsating bass that shakes the Academy to its foundations. Not a single word is uttered by the audience as an air of fixation takes over.

Many may say Blake's appeal is the seeming originality of his music, but a more accurate appraisal is that his effortless fusion of a cauldron of existing sounds that is most impressive.

The bass-heavy opener is followed up by a showcase of Blake's encapsulating vocal. 'I Never Learnt to Share' is apt as rather than harmonise with the members of his backing band, Blake loops his own vocal tracks over the top of each other.

'Lindisfarne' provides a moment of moody balladry that lowers the tempo, but is never at risk of losing anyone's attention- the reaction is wholly positive.

Blake's versatility then springs into action as he treats the crowd to an infectious performance of 'CMYK'. The song cut and pastes female vocals from Aaliyah and Kelis and redelivers them with a freshness that works perfectly in a small to medium venue.

Debut single 'Limit to Your' love is still a crowd-pleaser, but what would once have been pigeon holed as the standout of the set now sounds a little more ordinary alongside the intrigue of his latest material.

The set continues to dip and swerve through numerous genres- the bass-fuelled soul that some may see as Blake's signature is accompanied by trips into techno, electro, and R&B.

'The Wilhelm Scream' is an uplifting penultimate in the main set, and the singer-songwriter's confidence in his sophomore release is confirmed when he ends with recent single 'Retrograde'.

After leaving the stage, the deafening reaction of the crowd leaves Blake with no other choice but to return. "All you had to do was ask", he says as he re-emerges to play an all-together danceable version of 'Voyeur'.

Blake sampled Joni Mitchell's 'A Case of You' on two tracks found on his first album, leading to him releasing a full cover in 2011. The band disappear and as Blake sits alone, it is this that concludes the evening in poignant fashion.

When he gets up from his stool for the last time there is a mutual applause between him and the audience. 'Overgrown' has been integrated into the set perfectly. It demonstrates that despite his relatively tender years, and the broad collage of sounds he takes on, Blake cannot be considered as anything less than an accomplished and skilful performer.

You can easily spot the Hayley wannabes, with similarly dyed hair and lots of eyeliner. It’s actually quite comforting to know that this theme will continue generation after generation; you’ll know Paramore have lost their touch when girls stop trying to look like Hayley Williams.

Paramore bound on stage to a deafening roar; they’ve definitely been missed. ‘Kicking things off with ‘Now’, which is taken from their self-titled fourth studio album. It’s uplifting to hear the new material received so appreciatively, so much so that the crowd scramble forward in a mass attempt to get as near to the stage as possible. Every mobile phone in sight is in the air, it’s a rare occasion to see Paramore so close up and it looks like no one is going to miss this Instagram photo opp.

It’s nice to hear some oldies in the set too, where ‘Pressure’ reminds us this entire band have come so far from when they first started out.

‘Decode’ which was famously featured on the Twilight soundtrack is unexpectedly played, much to the crowds delight. If you were ever in any doubt of Hayley Williams singing capability and we have no idea why you would be, but if you were then this song will definitely silence any critic. Singing the chorus with her eyes passionately closed and backed up by such a tightly knit band the song triumphs as an anthemic surge of brilliance.

Witnessing such a mighty band in such a small venue really is remarkable; where there’s such energy you rarely catch anything but a glimpse of Hayley’s red hair, as she whirls enthusiastically across the stage. ‘That’s What You Get’ brings plenty of ‘whoa-oh-oh’s’, another head bobbing crowd pleaser that keeps the crowd participation rolling along nicely.

Returning onstage with an encore, Paramore surprise us with an acoustic cover of Alt-J’s ‘Matilda’, which allows Williams to flaunt her fantastic vocal range once more. Promptly followed by the new radio friendly hit, ‘Still Into You’ gets everybody bouncing up and down with their best fist pumping moves yet.

No surprises that ‘Misery Business’ is the finale, indeed it’s the pièce de résistance of the night. Glazing off that oh so yummy ice cream with the cherry on top that it needed. By now the crowd are lapping up every second, as they realise the night is drawing to a close; they’ve just witnessed the comeback of a band that are more technically enhanced and stronger than ever before. Welcome back Paramore, we salute you.

Many eyebrows were raised when these Royal Albert Hall shows were announced. Known for their idiosyncratic quirks of madness and raising toilet venues to the ground, the idea of Foals in such a world- famous and iconic monolith of entertainment jars the senses more than a little.

The response to the filthy funk furore of 'My Number' tonight would certainly clash will all Victorian notions of decency. But this is perfect. This is Foals, but amplified louder than ever.

Opening with the cinematic 'Prelude', they rise to the challenge with a game-changing performance that reflects sheer scale and towering majestic grandeur of The Hall.

Talking Heads' genius David Byrne once said that “physical contexts affect the way music is played and heard”, and he's right, but tonight you can't help but get the feeling that The Royal Albert Hall was built for the sole purpose of the epic 'Spanish Sahara' being played to its full potential.

The wide open sounds of 'Milk and Black Spiders' and 'Late Night' send waves of swooning adoration around the highest corners of the theatre, while the math-rock bounce of 'Balloons' and the pummelling rush of 'Providence' are loud enough to wake Prince Albert himself.

No one could have predicted the animalistic response to rock-beast 'Inhaler'. Never as the RAH seemed so uncivilised. And of course, it wouldn't be a Foals gig if Yannis didn't climb up something, our grand surroundings only seem to encourage him to scale ever greater heights as he completes a full lap of the stalls as he maniacally jerks to the wild outro of 'Two Steps, Twice'.

What Prince Albert would have thought of Foals' dizzying lazer display and the sight of five fearless freaks inciting circle pits inside his 'grand vision' will remain a mystery. But they more than met the design brief: Foals and the Royal Albert Hall – two truly magnificent British institutions.

The London band can already boast a No.1 debut album full of instantly catchy tracks that lend themselves perfectly to a live show. Tracks like 'Bad Blood' and 'Things We Lost In The Fire' have the crowd following every "ohh" and "uhh" that Smith belts out. The frontman deserves as many plaudits as he receives due to his energy on stage and the amount of talent he has.

Blessed with a voice that, to be honest, sounds too damn cool to be coming from his geek-chic image and extensive musical ability that sees him playing piano for tracks like 'Overjoyed'. It's easy to see why Bastille started out as Smith's solo project before he decided to find some friends to come along for the ride.

One of the most notable things about Bastille's self-proclaimed "biggest gig ever" is that there are no lulls in the set. Every song and every chorus sees the whole of Shepherds Bush Empire doing their best to sing along. Each track feels as big as the last and you'd be forgiven for thinking it was some sort of Bastille greatest hits set if you didn't know any better. 

Bastille perform at Shepherds Bush Empire, London

If a No.1 album worth of material wasn't enough, Bastille have also made two mixtapes which means they have some brilliant pop, dance and R&B remixes in their armoury to send the crowd into an aboslute frenzy at the drop of a hat. 

Frontman, Smith invited the first act of the night Ella Eyre back onto the stage to join them for a dancefloor filling version of TLC's nineties hit 'No Scrubs' which has everyone realising that they actually have the song's lyrics imprinted in their subconscious.  The nineties throwbacks didn't stop there either as Bastille can also call upon their version of Corona's 'Rhythym Of The Night' which is an instant crowd pleaser. 

After performing their No.3 single 'Pompeii', Bastille left the stage with pockets of the crowd continuing to sing the final choir-like chords of the single as if to beckon the band back on stage for another rendition.

Although a second round of 'Pompeii' didn't arrive, the audience on the balcony of Shepherds Bush Empire were left in total amazement as Smith popped out beside them to peform 'Flaws' whilst walking across the front rows of the venue's second tier. It was a nice touch from a band that are clearly completely humbled by the success they have seen and as Bastille left the stage for the last time, smiling broadly, you get the feeling they are still pinching themselves. 

Photos: Bastille take their Bad Blood to Liverpool's O2 Academy