More about: Live At Leeds

Live At Leeds: In The City once again cemented its position as the jewel in the crown in the northern musical calendar. Bringing together over 150 acts in a clash-central, rampant day of music, saying we are spoilt for choice is putting it lightly. We squeezed as much as we could into an action-packed, inspiring day in Leeds City centre – here’s how it all unfolded: 

It all began straight at the deep end. I was pleasantly surprised to find Oporto, the gem of Call Lane, completely packed to the brim by 1pm for Seraphina Simone, whose voice aged like fine wine over the course of the set. ‘Milk Teeth’ has an infectious chorus that serves as a fitting launchpad for her current sonic identity, transfixing the whole room. This set was a marker that Simone is made for the centre stage, carrying class and confidence as she introduced us to her reflective, upbeat brand of alt-pop. Aside from a few technical difficulties at the start, Simone showcased an impressive live show that put a sparkle on every face in the room. A deserving winner of the first ‘this venue is now at full capacity’ tweet of the day.

From the posters and polaroids of Oporto, next up was a trip to the slightly lengthier, chic setting of Headrow House. Greta Isaac is an artist I’d merely heard of by name, until what proved to be a set that would steal the day. It’s everything you love about pop music: soaring lead vocals, an impeccable stage presence and two talented live band members that were clearly in love with their instruments. Closing number ‘PAYRI$E’ brought the roof down with a level of intensity that sits somewhere in between Charli XCX and The Prodigy. Visually, there was space for the individuality of each musician to shine through amidst a well-rehearsed unit that clearly has time for some spontaneity. I left the room with the firm feeling that it’s just a matter of time before the catalyst that will ensure Greta Isaac takes the world by storm. 

What ever happened to The Pale White? After a classy debut album released in the depths of the pandemic, things have been relatively quiet in the way of new music. Truth be told, I’d forgotten just how fantastic they are. It was a welcome burst of nostalgia to hear tracks like ‘Glue’ and ‘Take Your Time’ on a stage in Leeds once again. Thunderous would be an understatement for Tom Booth’s bass tone. You could feel it pierce your veins as the Geordie alt-rockers laid down a reminder of what the fuss was all about. A satisfying, masterful performance – be sure to brace yourself for that second album.

One extreme led to another, and this took the form of the pin-drop silence of Mill Hill Chapel, the idyllic setting of Sofar’s curated stage. Step forward, David Keenan. The Irish poet-slash-songwriter has taken an introspective, more orthodox approach for his forthcoming album Crude, set to be released exclusively on vinyl. As he opens up his mind on this new material, I look around to admire a scene of unconditional attention throughout the whole chapel. The chit-chat was minimal but insightful, and Keenan’s softly spoken, calming voice provided a chance to breathe and live in the moment. Commenting on the acoustics of the chapel, he joked that “half the work’s done for me”, perhaps playing down the sheer quality of his musicianship. 

Seating at Mill Hill Chapel was a luxury that was quickly discarded in favour of a sprint to Brudenell Social Club to catch the last minutes of Melin Melyn at the top of their game. The bilingual Welsh six-piece dazzled with a tight saxophone solo that sums up their brand, mashing humour and identity with excellence. Happy Gathering, the title of their latest EP, paints an appropriate portrait of the room as I saw it. 

Pies and pints were the order of the day at the Brude, if you managed to get a minute between the back-to-back dual stages. Some of the lucky ones amongst us stumbled across a free catering voucher on the sticky floor, after Bull scattered theirs into the crowd at the end of an intricate performance. It’s a jam-packed period for the band, who had already played a hometown afternoon set in York and are set to support Pavement in Leeds this coming Monday. Perhaps they channelled that exact chaotic energy through rejuvenating, vibrant tracks from their 2021 album Discover Effortless Living, which certainly won over a new fan in me. Caked in sweat by the end, you can clearly rely on Bull to always give it 110%.

There was a steady stream of people making the ten-minute trek to Hyde Park Book Club as Bull’s final chord rang out, clearly sharing the same panic as myself about entry. For Swim Deep to be headlining HPBC felt like a gigantic booking, yet as I luckily made our way down the narrow staircase, the anticipation in the basement hit me. Swim Deep have been the talk of the town for a decade for a very good reason – and that timeless sentiment still holds truer than ever. The band look like they could be 16 and 40 years old at the same time, giving us a brief history lesson in fashion with some striped shirts and jumpers on show. The anthems from Where the Heaven Are We remain eternal, and a reminder that there is arguably no greater power in live music than nostalgia. 

Down an even narrower staircase, Sela played host to a one-of-a-kind performance from Luxury Goods, with the Sheffield pop group performing an unplugged set as a duo. A mellow, enchanting vibe resonated around the bar, which left me with just a taster of what they can do, edging to experience them in their fully-fledged, fascinating form. I have the utmost respect for any act who chooses to headline a stage with a special stripped back set – which tells you all you need to know about Luxury Goods’ ambition. It’s no surprise that Live At Leeds is such a significant festival for new music when there is a bottomless, self-fulfilling pit of homegrown Yorkshire talent to choose from.

Closing the night with an hour-long set at The Wardrobe, indie stalwarts Spector unsurprisingly incited one of the day’s most raucous crowds. While this festival is all about emerging music, you need a strong set of headliners to finish the day – and Spector tick that box with flying colours. ‘All The Sad Young Men’ was the final straw for my voice, and you could taste the sweat in the air off the back of their blistering anthem ‘Chevy Thunder’. It was a tough pill to swallow knowing that Connie Constance and Pale Waves were also playing just a mile or two away, yet once the choice is made, you can then truly appreciate what’s in front of you. 

As the afterparty raged on downstairs in The Wardrobe, I left the festival feeling wholly satisfied, with not even a blip of regret on the ifs, buts and maybes from when I first glanced at the clashfinder. It’ll continue to be the first date in my diary for many, many years to come.

See the view from the pit, captured by Cara Kealy:

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More about: Live At Leeds