Dizzee Rascal Conquers Leeds Festival

When even the festival's security start dancing to the music, it's a pretty sure bet that something special is going down. So it proves with Dizzee Rascal's early evening set at Leeds Festival. Drawing what is the festival's largest Friday crowd on the Main Stage, it becomes apparent within seconds that what we're dealing with here is nothing short of a phenomenon.

Backed by a balls-to-the-wall rock band, the man born Dylan Mills handles this demanding festival crowd with a flair that puts most of today's other acts to shame. His enthusiasm and personality is so palpable that it almost seems as if it can be caught and given a hug of ursine proportions.

But this is a two-way process. Witness 'Holiday' -- a track that takes on an added poignancy as the summer begins to fade -- that sees the packed field dance as one. From the back to the front, from side to side, hands wave and feet move with a hedonistic abandon.

'Dance Wiv Me' sees a similar scene, while the encore of 'Bonkers' is just that. It's not often that a single act can unite people of varying tastes, but this is exactly what Dizzee does. His status as national treasure is most definitely assured.