New Upcoming Artists: the reformed Live at Leeds in the City
Written by Richard O'Brien Edited by Eve Moat
Up and coming, varied, independent – all words that could describe Leeds as a city and it’s most
authentic music festival Live At Leeds in the City. While Leeds Fest may grab all the headlines, it’s
Live at Leeds which truly represents Leeds musically.
Held annually in October, the festival run by Futuresound and Leeds City Council is played across
venues in the city center and surrounding areas. The aim – prompting new, largely undiscovered,
and emerging musicians.
Like a pick and mix, as you dive your hand in and scoop out an assortment, some you will like and
want more of. Others, you might put back in the box. Similarly, a dive into the previous acts who
have performed at the festival will bring up some acts that have aged well and others verging on
cringe-inducing. Mumford and Sons, Bombay Bicycle Club, Ed Sheeran, James Blake, Jake Bugg, Alt-J,
Catfish and the Bottlemen, Royal Blood, Circa Waves, The Academic, George Ezra, Clean Bandit. The
list goes on. I will let you decide which side of the aged well to cringe-inducing kaleidoscope the
previously named acts end up on. Undeniably, however, the festival attracts global artists when their
resale tickets are closer to £5 than £500.
This year’s iteration of the festival, like previous years, will take place at the city’s most iconic
venues. Expect more niche bands to be playing at Brudenell Social Club and The Wardrobe. Whereas
the headline acts will inevitably perform at the bigger venues including O2 and Leeds Beckett’s
Student Union. For those unfamiliar with Leeds, Live at Leeds in undeniably one of the best ways to
explore the city’s music scene and venues.
While seeing one or two of the headline acts and a couple of medium-sized acts might justify the
admission fee of around £45 (after the “administrative fees” are added on), the joy of the festival is
discovering those unheard-of acts. Hanging around for the next act because you have an hour free.
Getting to a venue early to ensure you have a front-row spot for the following act. Or, for some,
staying at one venue throughout the day with the only excursion into the sunlight being to grab a
bite to eat. Almost by design, the festival ensures you see artists you otherwise wouldn’t.
Another consequence of the design of the festival, which I am still undecided if it is intentional or
accidental, is that it answers the critiques of summer music festivals. No more wardrobe nightmares
due to unexpected weather, leaving you in the cold to think about your mistakes. Rather than
vendors capitalising on a captive audience to hike prices, a quick Tesco meal deal (other
supermarkets are available) while journeying between venues buffers the assault on the bank
account. Yes, it does have it’s downsides, namely a longer journey time between venues, but the
format certainly alleviates some turn-offs for those less keen on summer festivals.
Despite my disappointment at The Mysterines seemingly removed from all mentions of this
upcoming lineup since the initial reveal, the overall picture of artists still looks exciting.
Wunderhorse, Cassia, and Corella appeal to my admittedly basic, indie pop/rock music tastes. But
with nearly 125 acts confirmed so far, there will undoubtedly be something to appeal to those with
more niche music tastes.
While Leeds Fest or headline acts grab headlines and attention, just like the city itself, supporting
smaller acts and venues is the purpose of Live At Leeds In The City. Like a music-themed open-top
tourist bus, the festival allows you to tour the city’s best venues and some of the latest emerging
talent. And as with Ed Sheeran, you can say I saw them before they were cool (or uncool).
Live at Leeds In The City takes place on Saturday 14th October with tickets still available online
from Live At Leeds’ official website for £42 plus booking fees.
