The Musical Mastery of Michael Kiwanuka – Live at the Piece Hall 2024

Written by Erin Clark
Edited by Eve Moat

Allow me to set the scene, dear reader. It’s a disappointing drizzly Thursday evening, as me and my partner are racing down the M62 towards Halifax – both suitably tired from days of respective master’s thesis writing and production running, yet both seeking solace in the fact that our shared evening was soon to be soundtracked by the wonderful musical stylings of Michael Kiwanuka. A short car ride, and a good few navigating steps later, we joined the masses that had gathered despite the adverse plans of the weather eagerly anticipated the arrival of the artist – ponchos donned and pints clutched. The Great British summer. 

To the setting of a warm orange glow, and the soundtrack of thunderous applause, Michael Kiwanuka graced the stage. Not only equipped with his own awesome musical talent, the singer also took to the stage with an arsenal of exceedingly talented individuals providing support in the form of both impressive backing vocals and instrumentation. Each as adept as the next, the group of performers on stage convened in their mutual musical interests to provide a deliciously heartly feast for the adoring crowds. Though I’m sure that all in attendance would be in agreeance that the weather could undoubtedly have been better, the masses were satiated purely basking in the warmth conjured by Kiwanuka’s musical warmth. 

The congenial music introduction of Kiwanuka and the amassed crowd was the 2019 single ‘Piano Joint (This Kind of Love).’ Though this wasn’t the most energetic start to a gig that I’ve ever seen, I am definitely in favour of a gig start which provides an accurate cross-section of the artist’s discography, rather than providing a high energetic standard which most artists fail to maintain following the start of the set. The winding road of the song invites the listener to enter into existential introspection alongside the artist : 

“All I know is
My oh my, this kind of love
It’s taken me from my enemies
Don’t let the pressure get to me
My oh my, it’s bad enough
Could you stay with me?
Don’t let me go
Sadness and fury is all I know”

A group of people on stage with microphones

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Image Credit: Rhodes Media

An energetic gear shift came in the form of the perpetually upbeat single, ‘You Ain’t the Problem,’ which was welcomed by the crowd as if the song was a much-adored old friend – which may be partly accounted for by the track’s soundtrack of the 2020 Men’s Euros and the subsequent popularity from this accolade. The irresistible groove of the song entailed that the crowd was soon pushing through any sort of rain-induced blues by dancing to the beloved single – with the very literal act of dance being twined with the metaphorical dance of repeatedly putting up and taking down rain hoods in time with the intermittent rain spells. 

A few songs later came a truly unexpected sonic treat, in the form of a surprise duet with critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas. The two formidable forces met and vocally mingled over the common ground of Kiwanuka’s ‘Rule the World’ from his sophomore album Love and Hate, released in 2016, which adeptly provided the musical landscape for both musician’s talents to be thoroughly exercised. Kiwanuka’s dulcet soft tones fused beautifully with La Havas’ capacity for effortlessly strong belts which resounded throughout the historic walls of the venue. This performance was equal parts delectable and refreshing, a truly goosebump-inducing surprise. 

As the appreciative crowd’s rapturous applause gradually toned down, the instantly recognisable primary notes of Kiwanuka’s anthem ‘Hero’ enounced from the stage. The politically-charged anthem encapsulates the artists experience of racist prejudice, and perception of perpetual global violence against Black people, existentially questioning if his heightened cultural platform over others makes “him the Hero now” – masterfully combining heavy lyrics with equally heavy, wailing and climatic guitar riffs. The whole of Kiwanuka, but ‘Hero’ in particular, is exemplary of the artist’s emotional, existential and ultimately heartfelt musicianship – an album which so well-deservedly received the ultimate accolade of the Mercury Prize. Kiwanuka is truly a master at his craft, and this single’s performance in particular reiterated my love for the musician’s absolute artistry. 

A person singing into a microphone

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Image Credit: Rhodes Media

As the musical tendrils of Kiwanuka’s backing band exited the stage, the artist was revealed in his stripped-back acoustic form, reminiscent of the theme of the artist’s first album – the eloquently tender Home Again. Following a touching introduction about his personal mental state prior to the release of his critically-acclaimed debut, the artist (acoustic in hand) strolled through performances of ‘Rest,’ ‘I’m Getting Ready,’ and ‘Home Again’ in a simultaneously rapid and relaxed succession. This tripe bill of some of the artist’s oldest work highlighted his touching journey from an exceedingly talented, yet unguided uni-dropout to the thoroughly well-rounded and artistically ambitious individual who stood in front of me atop the stage. 

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Providing a performance formidable enough to distract from dire weather conditions, Michael Kiwanuka did nothing but exceed every expectation I had prior to witnessing his mastery.  

Immense musicality and ethereal vocals, coupled with visually beautiful graphics behind the artist, provided so much more than a gig experience. And there we have it, a brief synopsis of Kiwanuka’s succinct, 18-track set neatly compacted into an exceptional sensory experience. Kiwanuka is an artist who’s artistry needs to be physically witnessed in order to be fully appreciated. 

This event is part of the summer series ‘Live at the Piece Hall 2024’ sponsored by TK Maxx; for more information about the upcoming gigs including Loyle Carner, Pixies and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, visit https://www.thepiecehall.co.uk/culture/.

Australasian Rockers Crowded House say ‘Oh Hi’ to Halifax’s Piece Hall

Written by Erin Clark
Edited by Eve Moat

Reaching into the depths of my childhood memories always reaps a reminiscence of the much-loved score that soundtracked my upbringing. With parents with vastly different music tastes, the score featured the contrasting musical stylings of Michael Jackson, INXS, Gladys Knight, Del Amitri, Electric Light Orchestra and Savage Garden, to name but a few – with the sole meeting place of their separate interests being their mutual love for Alanis Morisette’s ‘Jagged Little Pill.’ A crown jewel in my mother’s affinity for Australasian rock, and a solid installation in this constant musical rotation was the discography of Crowded House – specifically their revered album Woodface. Unbeknownst to them, Crowded House are very much the genesis of my love for biting and snarky social critique enveloped in thoroughly thoughtful and witty lyricism. 

This explains how I now find myself in the crowd at their gig at the Halifax Piece Hall, as a now 22-year-old, at least 20 years younger than the next youngest attendee. The one night the brand grace this stage brings with it a warm, balmy summer evening which shattered a streak of recent dreary rain spells – with the irony of this not being lost on those in attendance, who were undoubtedly hoping for the band to bring ‘the weather with them.’ After quickfire energetic support from the eldest son of the band’s frontman, Liam Finn – which seemed more akin to a standup set than a supporting slot due to the musician’s quips – the audience was eagerly anticipating the main event. 

To rapturous applause, the five-piece graced the stage. Due to a both artistic differences with former guitarist and keyboardist Tim Finn (and frontman Neil Finn’s elder brother), and the untimely passing of former drummer Paul Hester, the current lineup looks somewhat different to the band’s string of previous incarnations. Since 2020, the lineup has consisted of the two mainstay pillars vocalist Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour, as well as renowned producer Mitchell Froom on keys, and Finn’s sons Elroy and Liam joining on drums and guitar respectively. The marvel of the venue and the sweeping landscape is not lost on the band, as Neil Finn proclaims his love for both the sublimely romantic county, and (on a more relatable note) the wealth of good alcohol West Yorkshire produces – with the one exception of this love being the wave of hipster artisanal IPA’s, with the vocalist jesting that he has never desired to drink something with an “aftertaste of dandelion.” Harkening back to the historical origin of the architectural marvel of the Piece Hall, bassist Nick Seymour humorously remarked that the sole remnant of the venue’s cloth trading legacy was the band’s own merch stand – a tongue-in-cheek plug for merch sales which received a great laugh from the good-natured crowd. 

With remarkable energy, which was reciprocated by the gathered masses, the band sprung into their 23-track set, storming through their first two tracks, ‘World Where You Live’ and ‘Teenage Summer.’ These two tracks paved the sonic way to the first real hard hitter of the roster, which came next in the form of the adored Woodface (1991) single ‘Fall at Your Feet’ – at this point, I would be lying to you if I said that at this point it was easy to hear Neil Finn’s stunning vocals above those of the crowd. The achievement of a pleasant harmony on behalf of a West Yorkshire crowd is something that I never thought I’d witness, and from the looks on the band’s faces they were equally as surprised as I am. The passion was palpable, and the reciprocal love from band to audience member was incredibly moving. Skilfully leaping from varying temporal excerpts within the band’s four-decade career span, the five-piece provided a fulfilling musical buffet which was sure to adequately entertain a fan at any age, from any walk of life, and with any subjective musical favourites. For a band no longer in their infancy, their talent is certainly as robust as ever. It was at this point where the paternal origin of Liam Finn’s humour became apparent, as his father Neil began to freely omit and edit lines to Temple of Low Men’s 1988 ‘Sister Madly’ to include one of the Piece Hall’s marketing phrases hung from a balcony banner reading ‘independent stores to explore across every floor,’ a phrase which the singer became hyper-fixated with, mentioning the slogan a healthy few times throughout their set. Just as Liam Finn was at the precipice of a climatic guitar fill, he froze in motion with left arm raised – only become unfrozen when his father sang to the tune of the bridge “My eldest son, he always goes to extremes.” 

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Image Credit: Rhodes Media

The production commendably saw to the inclusion of all audience members and their needs, providing an accessible viewing platform, a team of congenial festival angels offering out sun cream by the dollop, and a wealth of friendly staff who were ready, willing and able to provide any assistance to the some 6,000 gig-goers. A definitive contender for stealing the band’s thunder was the enthusiastic BSL interpreter to the left of the stage, who not only ensured the inclusion of any hard-of-hearing attendees, but she also managed to keep up adeptly with the band’s improvisations and off-the-cuff setlist edits. One such edit was in the spontaneous addition of a Split Enz cover of the 1975 single ‘Sweet Dreams,’ which reached the band through written request aboard a paper plane thrown from an audience member – a plane which Neil Finn remarked was ““not very aerodynamic.” Indicative of the band’s reverence for their adoring fanbase, they appeared ever-willing to fulfil this request. 

A few songs later came the much-anticipated double bill of their two most commercially successful singles, ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ and ‘Weather With You.’ As Elroy Finn left his stationed drum set towards the rear of the stage for a front-row guitar playing stand beside his father, Neil Finn remarked that the barrage of guitars (now totalled to four – including bass) was “like the Eagles.” To which his eldest son Liam retorted “You should join them next, Dad,” (a callback to Finn’s membership of Fleetwood Mac since 2018) which earnt him a quick “Fuck off.” Arms waving and lights held high, 6,000 Yorkshire-accented voices joined Neil Finn in rejoicing at the altar of Crowded House, united by a shared love of the band’s most popular songs. 

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Image Credit: Rhodes Media

The band’s penultimate song was Woodface starting tune ‘Chocolate Cake’. The biting lyricism of the anti-capitalist take on Western consumerism and its pitfalls, dictate that this has long been my mother’s favourite of their singles, and by what can only be described as purely biological reasoning – is subsequently one of mine also. Though the single received little critical attention in America, due to its heavy social critique of the country’s cultural, the track has long been an adored undercard for the most devout of fans. Showcasing some of the best examples of Crowded House lyricism, ‘Chocolate Cake’ (much like its culinary namesake) was a musical treat which has sparsely been enjoyed during the band’s tours – but its scantness only makes it all the more delectable: 

“Not everyone in New York would pay to see Andrew Lloyd Webber
May his trousers fall down as he bows to the queen and the crown
I don’t know what tune that the orchestra played
But it went by me sickly and sentimental

Can I have another piece of chocolate cake?
Tammy Bakker’s got a lot on her plate
Can I buy another cheap Picasso fake?
Andy Warhol must be laughing in his grave

[…] The excess of fat on your American bones
Will cushion the impact as you sink like a stone”

Rounding off the set with 1988’s ‘Better Be Home Soon,’ the night’s events shifted down the metaphorical gears via the soothing ballad. To rapturous applause which I’m sure travelled far from the confines of the open-air venue into the surrounding rolling hills, the band bowed simultaneously and expressed their upmost heartfelt gratitude to their adoring fans. Another great gig banked for the legendary act. Soundtracking a dazzling evening with their arsenal of intricate, sun-drenched songs, Crowded House effectively refashioned the historic Piece Hall into a languid oasis at which their adoring fans could gather and collectively bask in the sonic glory that is Crowded House. 

This event is part of the summer series ‘Live at the Piece Hall 2024’ sponsored by TK Maxx; for more information about the upcoming gigs including Loyle Carner, Michel Kiwanuka, Pixies and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, visit https://www.thepiecehall.co.uk/culture/.

The Japanese House LIVE: I Saw [Them] in a Dream

Written and Edited by Eve Moat

Albert Hall, Manchester. 10.05.24. A warm spring evening. A crowd. A band. 2 supports. And now you. It was like I Saw [Them] in a Dream.

Amber Bain’s musical alias The Japanese House played to a sell-out show at the majestic Albert Hall: one of my favourite venues and beautiful to see in the daylight. Usually as I head to the Albert Hall under the cover of dark, the venue usually looks very different, but this time, due to the clock’s just being turned back, sunlight streamed through the colourful floor-to-ceiling windows that still remain from the days when the building was a church. The stained glass windows really create a unique space and every one of the performers that evening commented on being able to see the audience due to the natural light – and how much they loved being able to see everyone’s faces (despite it being somewhat more daunting and scary).

Starting the evening was sibling duo Esme Emerson. Made up of (yep, you guessed it) sister, Esme, and brother, Emerson, they started the night off on a certain vibe: acoustic, mellow and beautifully artistic. Playing originals and covers, with one song sounding awfully like Miss Phoebe Bridgers to the entire crowd’s delight, they set a high bar for fellow up-and-comer Bonnie Kemplay.

A friend of another artist I have interviewed called May Payne, Bonnie Kemplay played into the hearts of the onlooker, tuning her guitar between songs and thanking the audience after every track. A musician with a cutesy style with an edge, you couldn’t not fall in love with her persona and her vocals. Also a female electric guitarist? What’s not to love!

We can’t go without mentioning the audience. Friends and strangers alike getting along like they have everything in common. Colours, style and personalities flooded the general admission where I was lucky to be. The creativity of the musicians reflected, portrayed and adapted by the crowd was incredible to see and I felt comfortable and free. Bonnie Kemplay summed up the audience perfectly (because no one is ever this nice for no reason right?): “my mum came to the London show last night […] ‘your crowd has a certain vibe’ […] ‘yeah mum, they’re all gay'”.

As if by that, it was time for the headliner: The Japanese House. Indie-pop, 80s vibe denim and fluctuating tempos mixed with warm vocals, it could only be them. Starting the set with ‘Touching Yourself’ probably says more than you need to know about their musical discography – and by that I mean it talks about often raw topics and difficult emotions such as in this case dealing with distance and lack of physical touch.

Image Credit: Eve Moat

Track 3 brought one of my favourite slightly more up-beat tracks, ‘Something has to Change’, and after seeing this performed live at Finsbury Park last year, I thought it couldn’t get any better than that. Oh but it did. Comparing the two shows is really like comparing apples and oranges, with a festival set-up for one and a more intermate setting for the other, but one thing they both have in common is how much they made my heart melt and fall in love all over again with indie music, the gig community and of course, The Japanese House.

Every song was incredible, with the next seamlessly linking from the last. The halfway point of the core setlist saw ‘You Seemed So Happy’, which may be one of my favourite drum-vocal combinations, with the rise and fall of Bain’s vocals getting the whole crowd to join in and the beats making each person dance. This continued due to the electronic influences and reverb on tracks including ‘Friends’ (which is so catchy you can’t not move to it) and ‘Chewing Cotton Wool’ (an emotionally-charged song but which works so well with this genre influence).

‘Saw you in a Dream’ of course was a certified banger – nothing much else needs to be said, it is incredible. With the core setlist ending strong with ‘Dionne’ and ‘Boyhood’ – with the latter making everyone happy-cry and in love, with Bain asking “do we have any queers out there?” and the venue consequently erupting with screams in agreement. “I could’ve been somebody else” hitting everyone right in the centre of their chests, showing how this music isn’t just musically wonderful, but that it means something.

Image Credit: Eve Moat

An exquisitely constructed encore followed, with the crowd being warmed up whilst standing ‘Still’ for a new unreleased track. “This is probably my favourite song that I’ve ever written” – Bain (2024). The track is very happy go lucky in its melodies – which is apt for a song titled ‘Smiley Face’ and once again, the crowd were bopping along despite not knowing the words. I can’t wait for this track to be officially released and I feel so privileged to have been at one of the first ever shows where it was played live.

The track that is my ‘Sunshine Baby’ drew the show to a close and I couldn’t have been happier. An immense evening where I loved every second of it. I am a strong believer in live music being the best way to listen to an artist as its the way they were intended to be heard originally, and as amazing as The Japanese House are in the studio, nothing can beat a live set.

I look forward to the next time I can see The Japanese Live and bring on the ‘Smiley Face’ release. It really did feel like I saw [them] in a dream.

Live At Leeds in the Park 2024 – A buffet of talent to kick off festival season 

Written & Edited by Erin Clark

As the first £8 pints were reluctantly purchased and the first portaloos christened, the 2024 festival season was ushered in this past weekend at Temple Newsam. The floodgates opened and the people poured in, wristbands were fastened uncomfortably tightly around wrists, and most of those in attendance were tipsy before even entering the event space – ahh, the comfort, grace and decorum of the great British festival. This year’s edition of the proud jewel in the crown of Leeds’ music events, Live At Leeds in the Park, boasted an impressive roster of performers across a jam-packed day of sets.  

The frenzied scramble of opportunity ensued – Do we grab a pint? Some food? Do we get some merch? Or do we run in the direction of the nearest music? We chose the latter and made our way to the ‘DORK HYPE stage!’ wherein we found the winner of LAL’s ‘apply to play’ scheme – Velkro. For a young star of a band formed a mere 9 months ago, an achievement as mammoth as performing at LAL should be well and truly celebrated. The band’s numerous performances across the country, from Brixton to York, and Manchester to Hull, goes a significant way in proving just how formidable this five-piece is. The effort freely combined qualities reminiscent of Pixies, The Cure and The Cranberries into their distinctly moody sound, entertaining a tent which was overflowing with eager spectators. It is a shame that their billing position in the line-up meant that they were not treated to the biggest audience they could’ve possibly performed to, but Velkro were truly a highlight of a dazzling lineup. 

Aside from the given task of entertaining the crowd, the undoubtable secondary task of the lower-billing artists is in the setting of an energetic standard for the rest of the day’s proceedings – a secondary task that I’m not sure Scottish-indie-effort Vistas accomplished. As the first act of the day to grace the main Cockpit stage, the standard is undoubtedly high, and as the droves of festival-goers herded through the gates and in- front of the main stage, a disappointing amount were convinced to stay and watch Vistas performance. For a crowd that wanted to be brought on side, to be energised, and to ultimately listen to engaging music – Vistas’ nasal vocals and simple guitar stings simply didn’t do in this case.  

I don’t know if the band simply fell victim to an unfortunate billing spot, or it was simply the fact that the music itself was reminiscent of an indie era long past (and not the good kind – the 2016-shallow-but-shiny-copied-guitar-riff-kind) – but Vistas ultimately provided a performance which was well and truly mild. There were definitely those who were visibly enjoying the performance, but in all honestly, these individuals seemed few and far between. But fear not disheartened festival-goer, plenty more acts are in store. 

Where Vistas failed to capture attendee attention and boost crowd energy, I believe Anthony Szmierek succeeded greatly. Szmierek’s high-octane indie-hip-hop tunes, and charismatic stage presence which sounded out across the event space effectively drowned out other acts with a much-needed injection of effervescence (that was noticeably lacking until this point). Under CLASH’s navy big top, the singer remarked that he had not long woken up before his 1:20pm set, yet for someone who may have still been rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he still managed to deliver a thoroughly energetic set for the crowds flocking from the Cockpit stage towards the audible cheers. The great British all-day festival demographic was summed up in the attendees surrounding me – a dad in a suit jacket, shorts and a fedora embarrassing his young children by parading around the area; a group of 16-year-olds with glittered faces, donning bucket hats and North Face shoulder bags; and a woman with a ‘Karen’ haircut waving a full wine bottle in the air. Leeds, how I love you. Szmierek music, which I hadn’t listened to prior to this performance, balanced indie-influenced stream-of-consciousness lyricism with a definitive dance hip-hop undercurrent which served to unite the diverse audience which had gathered – which is certainly no mean feat. 

In another display of light-hearted humour, pointing to a small girl on her father’s shoulders, Szmierek details how he had censored himself in the previous song after noticing her presence – changing from the work ‘fuck’ to ‘damn’. The people’s hero. Living up to his recently granted moniker as one of Radio 6’s ‘Artists of the Year,’ Anthony Szmierek was truly a treat to watch. As an artist who is amidst a definite rise, Szmierek’s performance assured all in attendance that this rise is founded and will only go on to continue. 

As the temperature waned, and the slow realisation that the summer clothes we had donned may have been a display of wishful thinking began to set in, we headed to the DIY stage to seek solace in the warmth conjured by Cosmo Pyke. Cosmo Pyke’s set was as soul-warming as it was refreshing, bringing with it an invigorating divergence in genre from an otherwise indie-pop heavy line-up. As a fan of Pyke from the beginning of his career, it was a true gift to get the chance to finally witness his artistry live. 

My solidly favourite act of the day was Leicester-born musician Billy Nomates. Nomates’ was one of, if not the only, solo performer to take to the stage, which may seem an unthinkable and exceedingly difficult task – yet as she marched and stomped in time with her ferocious lyricism under the navy canopy of the Clash Big Top, the singer quickly managed to prove herself as a truly formidable artist. Barefoot and clad in a black two-piece suit with metallic silver fringe, the musician came to the festival armed with all the energy of a woman scorned – reflective of her album ‘CACTI,’ Nomates presented a performance which was equally parts prickly as it was sincere. The whole set that was delivered was a treat to witness, but standout highlights from this set included: ‘black curtains in the bag,’ ‘same gun’ and set-closer ‘spite’. If you haven’t had the privilege of listening to Nomates’ music before, I would urge you to devote some time to an exploration of her musical catalogue.  

Showcasing her newest album, ‘Black Rainbows’, Leeds-native Corinne Bailey Rae was next to grace the main Cockpit stage. The first sentiment that the singer-songwriter expressed was her heartfelt gratitude at being able to perform to such an immense crowd in her hometown, which was met with significant reciprocal love from the pint-wielding masses.  I am a fan of the ambitious nature of the album, and the seeming divergence it represents for Bailey Rae’s musical career – yet a combination of the set being almost twenty minutes late, and several technical difficulties meaning that no sound could be heard by the audience, unfortunately saw the crowd dispersing to their chosen elective from the other choices of acts and stages. The wings of energy of the album, and Bailey Rae herself, were effectively clipped by purely circumstantial events of the day and ultimately, the crowd was not on side with the set. 

Next to the stage of the CLASH Big Top was a man who I am convinced had to have been a town crier in another life, Baxter Dury. Combining a sporadic bout of poses with a brash and forceful ranting vocal styling, Dury’s set walked the line between an agitated rally, and a critically reflective existential spiral. The self-described ‘posh and unwashed budget nepo baby’ entertained the masses gathered underneath the navy canopy by providing surface-level danceable grooves but dare to look (or listen) closer and a lyricism is revealed that is both consistently witty and self-critical. Dury shares many of the same motivations as IDLES in my view – both posh, and both attempt to make effective satirical music – yet Dury succeeds in doing so, where IDLES do not. By actively maintaining an intellectual level-ground with listeners, as opposed to infantilising and insulting listener intelligence as IDLES do, Baxter Dury’s music functions as a thoroughly self-aware, inherently scathing and fully realised stream of poetry that is as beneficial for the artist as it is to the audience member. 

Image Credit: Jacob Flannery / @jacob_flannery_

Next to grace the Cockpit stage, was real-life Spice Girl – Melanie C, in archetypal cross tattoo and sports bra get-up. Though her solo music received significant positive reception from the gathered crowd, there was an undeniable nostalgia-fuelled craving for some of her older tunes. As the beginning notes of ‘Spice Up Your Life’ sounded out, every woman above a certain age either squealed where they were stood or leaped up from their spots on the grassy banks to partake in the 90’s-nostalgia-fest. A seasoned veteran performer, Mel C then sprang into an energetic sprint of several Spice Girls’ chart toppers, before assuring the crowd that ‘it was okay that she was their second favourite Spice Girl,’ obviously only narrowly dethroned by Leeds-native Mel B. 

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Image Credit: Georgina Hurdsfield / @tinyraindropphotography on Instagram

From Spice Girls to Sea Girls – as the indie four-piece took to the stage of the Cockpit, the crowd that now gathered was significantly younger and spritelier than those who had congregated for the previous act. Evidently, from observing those around me, there was a palpable love for the band amongst the festival’s Gen Z attendees – but Sea Girls were definitely not for me as it felt like starter-indie-pop music with simple lyricism and repetitive fills. Listening to this type of music was undoubtedly a phase that I went through as a fresh-faced 16-year-old, but I can now say that I am firmly out of this phase at this point. 

Following Sea Girls at the Cockpit stage was Declan Mckenna – which from crowd reception alone seemed to be the day’s most anticipated act. Greeting the crowd with his instantly recognisable and quintessentially ‘Declan Mckenna’ kitsch costumes and visuals, the singer was welcomed by the loving crowd as though he was an old friend. 

With the crowd chanting the singer’s name to the tune of the familiar thump of the White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army,’ it didn’t take long for McKenna to unfurl into his offbeat and quietly confident persona. Reflective of his widespread popularity, the singer spared little time for menial crowd interaction, instead using the allocated time to blaze through various consecutive hits charting the course of his almost-10-year-long career. 

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Image Credit: Georgina Hurdsfield / @tinyraindropphotography on Instagram

I couldn’t help but admire the commitment of some of the crowd members, (most of whom donned Declan McKenna tour t-shirts) but my attention was piqued by two guys who had worn Brazil football t-shirts, arming themselves with Brazil flags in preparation for McKenna’s most commercially successful, and perhaps best-loved single. The love for Declan McKenna on behalf of the crowd was both palpable and electric, with the musician’s charismatic and passionate performance proving just why this was the case. I also never thought I’d be in a ‘mosh pit’ to some of Declan McKenna’s singles, but I guess there’s a first time for everything! Highlights from this illustrious set included: the politically charged anthem ‘British Bombs,’ the existential ‘The Key to Life on Earth,’ and obviously the indie staple ‘Brazil’ (throughout which I couldn’t see McKenna, instead having to see the backs of people atop shoulders.) 

Ironically, against the setting of a piss-wet-through field, the band whose most successful single refers to ‘T-Shirt Weather’ could not have been scheduled to perform at a less appropriate time. Circa Waves were unfortunately treated to a weaker, and significantly soaked crowd – with most of those in attendance choosing to see The Cribs who were conveniently performing underneath the shelter of the CLASH big top. It was at this point where the heavy rain began to push out a considerable amount of the festival’s guests before some of the headlining performances. Lucky for us, those who remained seemed in higher spirits than those who began to pile into their cars to head home. Not getting any drier, those gathered at the Cockpit to witness the last act of the day resigned themselves to make the most of the bad weather in true British fashion. Who needs to be dry, anyway?  

By the time that headliners The Kooks took to the Cockpit stage, the rain ponchos were out in full-force – or at least for those veterans who brought them as an insurance measure. For those unluckily not clad in weather-preventative clothes, the reality of the colds of the near future began to settle in. A dazzling jewel in the crown of the British music scene and arguable litmus test for an individual’s ‘Britishness’, The Kooks beamed through their impressive discography balancing their older material with newer singles. With sun-bleached and optimistic singles like ‘Junk of the Heart (Happy)‘, The Kooks brought a much-needed warming quality to an otherwise dismal setting. There was something so thoroughly moving about hearing the first song I remember loving as a small child, (the monolithic ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’) performed in such a way which was indistinguishable from the 18-year-old studio recording. Also, it was equally as moving to see a congregation of thoroughly sodden attendees abandoning all sense of inhibition and shamelessly unite for the last act, even if any movement of the feet meant kicking up wet mud with each step. The last song of the day fittingly came in the form of the band’s undeniably most popular single, Inside In/Inside Out’s (2006) scorned track ‘Naïve.’ As the crowd belted out the line ‘Hold on to your kite / Just don’t let me down,’ the four-piece were almost inaudible on account of the audience’s fervour and palpable love for the single. 

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Image Credit: Danny Payne / @dannypaynephoto

And with that, the 2024 festival season begins with a huge crash, mammoth bang and a gargantuan wallop. This year’s instalment of Live At Leeds in the Park had it all – a dazzlingly impressive roster of acts, electric performances from firmly established fan favourites, cordial introductions to your next musical obsession, mosh pits and dad-dancing, and of course, a healthy dose of rain (because what’s a British festival without some unfortunately humbling British weather.) 

Live At Leeds in the City takes place on the 16th November 2024 in various venues across the city. Find out more information here: https://www.liveatleeds.com/