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Another hectic London festival season has just drawn to a close, but not before the city's music fans find one last chance to party at this outdoor shindig on Clapham Common.

Since 2005 indie dance music fest Metro Weekender has boasted the world's biggest DJs at its Saturday SW4 event and the creme de la creme of alternative rock at Sunday's award-winning Get Loaded in the Park.

Headline act The Streets, aka Mike Skinner and his band, displayed hip hop prowess and a stunning lyricism from the outset.

But Birmingham's finest also proved that his slam poetry could be matched with an easy showmanship, effortlessly holding the vast crowd in the palm of his hand with a clutch of his best loved hits.

When You Wasn't Famous had the audience singing along, the touching Dry Your Eyes made them literally moist-eyed, while encore song Fit But You Know It held its own as a brutally honest lads' anthem.

wild dancing

The much fancied Dirty Pretty Things, who supported Skinner & Co, didn't quite have the same stage presence, despite the rock n roll heroics of frontman Carl Barat and guitarist Anthony Rossomondo's death-defying dive into the audience.

Rock n roll heroics: Carl Barat

Not that anybody cared - the frenetic dancing and foot-stamping continued to DPT's guitar hooks and compelling punk pop sound. Bang Bang You're Dead, with its trumpet fanfare intro, choppy guitar work and infectious chorus, being a case in point.

Earlier, Brighton's The Go! Team had few problems dazzling the crowd, thanks to a fun-filled performance replete with wild dancing from hyperactive singer and rapper Ninja.

Theirs was one of the busiest sets I've seen in a while, boasting a line-up of two - count 'em - drummers, bass, harmonica, keyboards and guitar.

All this multi-instrumentalism was combined to good effect, especially during Ladyflash which kept the audience's hands aloft on a wave of sweet strings, soulful vocals and old skool scratches.

But it was one of the lesser known bands, London-based odd rockers Art Brut, who effectively stole the show.

electrifying showmanship

Their terrific, witty songs took on urgent new life in an outdoor setting and the band's impassioned performance turned the crowd into a jubilant, sweaty throng.

Art Brut with Eddie Argos, centre

Guitarists Chris Chinchilla and Ian Catskilkin tossed out guitar riffs with exuberance while frontman Eddie Argos' improvised commentary added an extra layer of humour.

He began Emily Kane for instance by turning to the band and screaming, "Ready Art Brut?", and then halfway through the song, implored us never to write lyrics about ex-girlfriends. They might just be in the audience, after all.

At the end of the night I recalled Mike Skinner declaring we were a "tough London crowd" who were hard to win over. In the end, it was the electrifying showmanship of acts like The Streets and not just the music that made us putty in their hands.

Collectively, we gave into our urge to have one last, let-it-all-hang-out dance before the curtain closed on the city's festival season.

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