RIPPING into his microphone, the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl dispatched any fears that a sunny Sunday at the Leeds Carling Festival might be just a weekend wind down.

His fearsome set brought the curtain down on a fantastic final day, with some of the major highlights away from the main stage.

Those who braved the NME stage at an early hour were greeted to a fanfare from The Cribs.

Fresh and full of fire, it was an outstanding performance from the trio, one which proved too much for their more famous followers, Juliette & the Licks.

Miss Lewis may be a Hollywood actress, but a dramatic entrance and film-like display is not enough if the material doesn't cut the mustard.

Festival favourites The Charlatans restored matters and singer Tim Burgess set a tone continued with a set of awesome poise from Kings of Leon.

Regal they certainly were on the Main Stage. They were worth the hype. Pete Doherty and Babyshambles were not.

Doherty was all strut and pomp, but his public persona cannot hide his band's weak songs - and his weaker performance.

And while a huge crowd welcomed the Foo Fighters', a much smaller audience witnessed the return of Brett and Bernard, as the ex-Suede duo took The Tears to the second stage.

With a voice made to be heard live and a genius guitarist to match, these two gave a virtuoso display of passion and pain - and reminded us all why they were meant to be together. A perfect end.

Impressive Pixies pull out all the stops

SHADOWS cloaked Bramham Park in eerie gloom - the perfect backdrop for the Pixies' dark, warped genius.

All that was missing was the howl of wolves and flutter of bats, as Frank Black/Black Francis and Co frightened the life out of Leeds, and served a stunning reminder why they are probably the best band from over the pond in the last 20 years. Despite dressing like a Gap window - bassist Kim Deal even sported a Lorraine Kelly GMTV haircut - the recently reformed mid-aged rockers laid down an ear-splitting, spellbinding set.

Wave of Mutilation, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Bone Machine, Gigantic and a terrifying Debaser were highlights of a 20-plus song tour de force that dipped into a creatively mind-boggling back catalogue... and emerged caked in blood, screaming satanically in Spanish.

Black and Deal, who reformed after 13 years' silence, even exchanged a few pleasantries before a Walton-style farewell ended a sensational performance from worthy headliners of any festival.

Earlier, the epic Elbow showed why they will fill stadiums soon, before The Coral scowled their way through a workmanlike set. Bankers like Goodbye and Pass It On were rattled out fast amid furrowed scouse brows and technical glitches.

A large dose of hot fuss Vegas glamour from New Wave darlings The Killers improved the mood, attracting a massive crowd to the Main Stage.

Lighters filled the sky as frontman Brandon Flowers reeled off confident renditions of Mr Brightside and Somebody Told Me, although the anthemic All These Things... failed to be the festival singalong it clearly deserved to be.

Impressive as the rest of the day was, frankly, this was all mere appetiser before Mr Black's meaty main course stole the show.

Updated: 09:45 Monday, August 29, 2005