The last of the really big UK festivals is now just a memory for 2006, with Reading and Leeds drawing to a close on Sunday night with spectacular performances to round off another headline grabbing event.

Room Thirteen was at Leeds for the duration, and you can check all reviews as we update them
Here.

Although the music is the part that should be given the most attention, the behaviour of the fans attending the West Yorkshire event needs recognition. In previous years Leeds has become notorious for final night trouble, in some cases full scale riots have broken out. In 2006 however, the local police have reported only a handful of arrests for minor offenses, with reported crimes counted at less than 150. The Love Not Riot campaign was visible at every turn, and far more after hours entertainment was provided. The main campsite this year featured a five-a-side pitch (which was often rammed), BMX ramp and an indie disco, as well as the silent disco and late night acts on the comedy stage. The traditional flash point of Sunday night passed without bother, although the first major heavy down pours of the weekend may well have been a factor in keeping things calm.

The weekend was rumoured to be a wet one in the run up, and aside from the odd passing shower this couldn't have been further from the truth until Sunday evening. Muse got all the rain for themselves, it's always entertaining to see those - usually girls - who have come dressed totally for the wrong occasion and there were plenty leaving the Main Stage at 11 PM that night.

Regular festival visitors will back me up here, this is a people watcher's paradise! The bloke drinking beer from a Wellington boot deserves a mention, and then there were the two people during Maximo Park's set on Friday night who took the Love Not Rioting motto very literally on the grass outside the Radio 1 tent.

Maximo Park were one of a long line of great headline acts across all stages this weekend. Pearl Jam's set on the Main Stage on Friday night is one of my all-time great festival performances. Primal Scream drew a huge crowd to the Radio 1 Tent on Saturday night, with even more joining them after the early end of the excellent Bedouin Soundclash in the Carling Tent due to singer voice problems. 'When The Night Feels My Song' wins the crowd participation award for 2006 without question!

Franz Ferdinand might be a very popular band, but given that they're no Muse or Pearl Jam there was nowhere near the same excitement for the Main Stage headliner on Saturday night. In fact by Sunday night I was loosing count of the amount of people who I heard saying they thought that spot should have been filled by Feeder. Grant and co played another faultless performance this weekend: Feeder playing Feeder songs, do you really need anything else?

The anticipation on Saturday for the Main Stage was focused on the home coming of the Kaiser Chiefs. Their set was obviously hugely popular, but didn't seem to have quite the edge to match the occasion: both band and fans need a breather from 'I Predict A Riot' and 'Oh My God'.

The same can be said for Arctic Monkeys, and a break is exactly what we're getting as the Sheffield act played their final gig until 2007, one year on from the festival moment that really launched them into the big time. Other Main Stage acts to go down a storm included Slayer, Belle and Sebastian, Dirty Pretty Things and Flogging Molly. The latter played two sets on the Sunday, first on the Main Stage and then later in the Lock Up Tent. Those to get the bottle treatment at Reading or Leeds on the Main Stage this year included Fightstar, My Chemical Romance and Panic! At The Disco.

The new acts who are currently loved in the press all got predictably massive crowds. The most impressive were Dundee act The View. A late addition to the Sunday line-up, they packed the Radio 1 tent even though they've only had one major single released. Usual suspects like Fratellis and Automatic also made their presence known in terms of size of crowd.

The Radio 1 Tent had a varied line-up as ever. Indie legends The Fall shared a stage with Peaches, who played her set in her underwear, Raconteurs, Dizzee Rascal and Boy Kill Boy. Hope of the State played what turned out to be one of their final gigs, meanwhile there was some well deserved recognition for Coheed and Cambria. Their lofty set time of second from the top did seem a bit odd given the limited support they've had from joint stage sponsors Radio 1 and NME in comparison to bands playing lower ddown. They didn't exactly pack the place, however there's was one of Sunday's most impressive performances.

The Lock-up Stage hosted its usual strong line-up, with a few departures being marked. Boy Sets Fire & Lightyear both announced that they were splitting up after their performances, meanwhile this weekend saw the final gig for Hundred Reasons guitarist Paul Townsend, as he leaves to pursue other interests.

Some things never change of course. There was the usual over priced food and drink, as well as a collection of almost famous faces in the crowd who you wonder if they're genuine music lovers or simply there to look cool. On a personal note, from the view of a first timer at Leeds with five Readings behind me; this version of the Carling Weekend is every inch as strong as it's older brother. It's one I have every intention of going back to and have already reserved August Bank Holiday 2007 as being a weekend when I head North from London once again.