I saw The Prodigy at Leeds Festival 2002 and here's what to expect from their Isle of Wight show

The Prodigy - they were one of the big acts of my first Leeds Festival experience. Do you remember the one? It’s hard not to forget 2002’s event at Temple Newsam. 

That year saw Guns ‘n’ Roses headline the Leeds Festival alone, with The Strokes and Foo Fighters rounding out that year’s headliners. But for many, we remember that Sunday night at Temple Newsam and the rioting that took place.

Pretty daunting for a 19-year-old to experience by himself on a campsite with friends staying in a completely different area and hearing the calls of “you’re breathing in s**t” as the toilet blocks started burning. It was a strange experience and one that led to organisers moving the festival site to its current home at Bramham Park.

But being a young adult who had an insatiable appetite for almost everything in the music spectrum (I’ve even been known to argue why “Dancing Queen” by ABBA is one of pop’s greatest hits), I knew for sure that I couldn’t miss seeing The Prodigy perform.

It helped that they were scheduled to perform just before Axl Rose’s at-that-stage incarnation of Guns ‘n’ Roses, with current Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese behind the kit and the enigmatic Buckethead on guitar. So wading into a relatively large crowd, I was looking forward to my first live “Experience” of the electronica greats.

Always outnumbered, never outgunned

I wasn’t the only one super keen on seeing The Prodigy; what felt like hundreds descended upon the main stage, being swamped by a thorough cross-section of music fans. To the left, we had the clubbers, familiar with the group during their hardcore and techno eras (“Experience” era Prodigy - with the yellow “aciiiiiiid” smiley faces) while to my right were the alternative kids who got into the group after the successes of “Firestarter” and their smash-hit album “Fat of the Land.”

In front of me, cascading towards the front of the stage. of you the die-hards; those fans who followed Prodigy on the road like Dead Heads did with The Grateful Dead, who knew every drop from “Music For The Jilted Generation” and commanded everyone around them to jump up when the bassline to “Poison” kicked in. 

Then behind me - the curious, who were familiar with the group but perhaps still apprehensive about how a band could traverse between electronic music and punk rock. If I recall correctly, this was the same year that Atari Teenage Riot’s Alec Empire also performed, so it was a real eclectic mix for those interested in crossover appeal.

As Liam Howlett took his position surrounded by the litany of gear required for the band’s live performances - and not an iPod nano in sight on his rack of electronic equipment - we roared with approval when Maxim and the late, great Keith Flint bounded on stage. This moment, right here, was one of those moments that you couldn’t help but think that by rights “they” should be headlining this evening - if not for the unflagging legacy of Guns ‘n’ Roses. 

We didn’t have to wait too long for the first “banger” to be performed live; “Breathe” saw Maxim demand that we “breathe” with him as Flint seemed at that stage to have an obsession with drooling at this stage, as the camera focused on the charismatic frontman kneeling on the stage monitors while the song reached its calm-before-the-storm bridge. 

Flint, nonplussed that the camera was on him, opened his mouth while a full length of spit started to emerge, with the band member then laughing maniacally upon realising just how grossed out were all were in the crowd. Most of us anyway, I can only assume. 

“Bouncing around like I was stuck in a wave machine”

Unlike the crowds during Slipknot, Amen and, I can’t believe I’m saying this, The Offspring, rather than everyone smashing into one another near the front of the stage, the crowd were bouncing. 

I don’t mean that in slang terms either; it doesn’t matter if you were near the ice cream vendors at the side of the stage, doing your best to avoid the festival's wooden barriers that by that stage were being used as an outdoor commode, or adamant you’re going to sit there with your arms crossed until Guns ‘n’ Roses took to the stage. 

That combined energy was incredible; a joyous coming together of fans across the music spectrum, united by the crossover appeal of The Prodigy. I mean, I’m a heavy-set guy by my admission - I’ve always enjoyed a Wagon Wheel or three - but my placement in the crowd, shoulder to shoulder with others singing along with me saw even this guy lifted up and down like some wave machine I was caught in at a local pool. 

(As an aside, did anyone else watch Casey Chaos and Amen earlier that day when he ragged about Axl Rose having “fake dreads?” Good times, right?)

There was that awkward moment though when the electronica outfit performed “Baby’s Got a Temper,” controversial for its lyrics about the date rape drug Rohypnol. I didn’t know whether to join in with parts of the crowd who chanted along with it or if I should keep my mouth shut being around the female festivalgoers I met while camping. I opted for the latter, with my finger pulling the collar of my shirt to indicate to those around me “This is awkward, right?” 

As the band rolled off stage for a short amount of time, back they came to ensure we didn’t miss out on their smash hit “Firestarter,” before helping the Cosmic Psychos and L7 earn a few more royalty cheques closing with their cover of “Fuel My Fire.”

As the lights on the main stage raised, swathes of people left, but more started to arrive to prepare for the very special performance by Guns ‘n’ Roses to close out Friday night at Leeds Festival - and leaving us waiting for around nearly an hour “praying” that Guns ‘n’ Roses would perform to alleviate a potential riot.

Turns out we just had to wait until Sunday evening instead.

What did The Prodigy play at Leeds Festival 2002?

It’s been a few years, putting it mildly - but looking at Setlist.FM regarding their set, the blanks are starting to be filled in now. It doesn’t help that some of the material was meant for their “Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned” album which changed shortly after the muted response to “Baby’s Got a Temper.”

1. Nuclear (v.3)
2. Breathe
3. Little Goblin
4. Smack My Bitch Up
5. Trigger (v.2)
6. Play Video
7. Out of Space
8. Their Law
9. Night Boat to Cairo (Madness cover)
10. Poison
11. Baby's Got a Temper
12. Mindfields

Encore:

1. Firestarter
2. Fuel My Fire (L7 cover)

When are The Prodigy headlining the Isle of Wight Festival?

The Prodigy are set to headline Friday night at the Isle of Wight Festival on the main stage at 10:30pm.

Are there still tickets to the Isle of Wight Festival 2024?

Weekend and day tickets to this year’s Isle of Wight Festival, including day tickets for The Prodigy’s headline performance, are still available now through Ticketmaster UK.

Were you also at the Leeds Festival our writer attended and caught The Prodigy on the main stage? Were your memories slightly or wholly different to what Benjamin’s were? We’d love to hear from you - leave a comment down below or feel free to email him at [email protected].