May has certainly turned into festival month, with events in Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Brighton, Bristol, Manchester and Nottingham - to name just seven! - all happening over the next weeks.
We’re already one gorgeous Bank Holiday weekend into the year, which means that City Festival season is pretty much upon us. Kicking it off in a big way this weekend is Live At Leeds.
Now one of the most established inner-city jaunts on the calendar, this year the line-up is once again stacked with emerging talent; with an incredible buzz around Brit Award winner Sam Fender to Sports Team and Sea Girls, as well as more seasoned acts like headliners Sundara Karma, Tom Grennan and Metronomy. Mix this in with around 100 other acts over 20+ venues and you get the picture of how LAL’s grabbed itself an award or two.
But where to start? Do you try get bang for buck and camp a bigger stage? Should you try find an under the radar act in one of the city’s amazing venues? Will some of Yorkshire’s homegrown talent be the real one’s to see? Well, you’ve only got one day in the city to figure it out so we thought some suggestions might help. Here’s our absolutely non-definitive guide on how you could spend your Leeds Saturday by three of the Little Indie reviewing team.
Braden Fletcher
HalfNoise - 12:30pm (Brudenell Community Room)
Start your day right and upbeat with HalfNoise in one of the finest small venues in the country. The Brudenell Social Club is a great venue to get you into the swing of Leeds’ more student oriented areas and you can make your way back into the heart of the city after seeing Zac Farro’s (also of Paramore, this is very different) band; but not before you’ve seen…
Childcare - 1pm (Brudenell Main Room)
Blending indie-pop with RnB styles, London’s Childcare will really get you in a party mood. They’re intricate and groove-laden whilst somehow also being energetic and sharp. You won’t regret starting your day at the Brudenell with that as your pre-lunch double bill.
The Pearl Harts - 1pm (Hyde Park Book Club)
Of course, if that isn’t your thing and you want some two piece heavy blues rock’n’roll maybe with a spot of brunch then look no further than the Hyde Park Book Club for The Pearl Harts before you head back into the bustle of the city centre. Their live show has bite to it and this venue has everything you could want packed into a small space.
Drenge - 3:15pm (Leeds o2 Academy)
Once you’ve had lunch you’ll want to see something big and possibly dread-inducing right? Drenge’s set at the o2 Academy isn’t one to miss. Not only will they be playing material from their latest record 'Strange Creatures', but they’ll be packing a lot into their FULL HOUR set opening the Academy stage.
SPINN - 5:15pm (The Wardrobe)
Worried that you still might not have caught the ‘gem’ of the weekend? Head on down to The Wardrobe. Neatly nestled next to the BBC’s HQ, you’ll find possibly Liverpool’s best new band downstairs just after 5pm. You’ll get vibes of The Smiths and Bombay Bicycle Club with a heavy dream-pop injection all delivered with bags of character from the chaps in SPINN the day after their debut, self-titled album comes out.
Cassia - 6:30pm (The Church)
If you’ve really got yourself worked up into a summery feel by now, the one place you’ll really want to go is a Church, right? Fortunately, this Church is now a brilliant venue that hosts Manchester's Cassia in the early evening. A band as influenced by Hawaiian and afrobeat sounds as Two Door Cinema Club or Vampire Weekend; they’ve made a massive name for themselves from the north downwards and have just started touring their debut album Replicas after it’s release earlier this month. This one will be a party.
Kwassa - 7pm (Belgrave Music Hall)
Choices will have to be made around dinnertime and if Cassia isn’t that choice, a trip to the Belgrave (who’s canteen is top notch) to see Kwassa very much should be. His new EP, 'fka kyko' (because he is the artist formerly known as KYKO) is out now and it’s infectious, upbeat and the perfect pairing to Dough Boys Pizza and an ice-cold beer. Trust us, you won’t regret that choice.
ZUZU - 8pm (Oporto)
With a string of releases over the last few years, it feels like 2019 is finally going to see Zuzu making some big steps and we’d like to think it would all start headlining one of Leeds’ best independent venues. Get yourself a pint of Oporto’s own beer and soak yourself in their neon as the sun goes down to Zuzu and her indie-pop band.
Indoor Pets - 10pm (Brudenell Main Room)
Their debut album came out last month and they’re supporting Weezer next month, so now seems like a good chance to catch one of the most exciting bands in indie rock. Indoor Pets (formerly Get Inuit) have gone from strength to strength in the last few years having been on tour with the likes of Ash, Clean Cut Kid and The Big Moon and a few big ones of their own. They’re going to smash through this 45mins like it’s nothing; just you watch.
Matthew Walker
Dream Wife - 3.30pm (Leeds Beckett SU)
Following the success of their self-titled album and headline tour in 2018, London-based three-piece Dream Wife are deservedly gaining a growing reputation. Delivering punk-pop fire, fury and feminism with a hypnotizing pout and pose, they are an intoxicating live act. Mixing riotous percussion, sprawling, furious guitars with confident vocals from lead Rakel Mjöll they won’t disappoint.
Gengahr - 4.45pm (Leeds Beckett SU)
North London quartet Gengahr are worth dropping in on. Falsetto vocals and dreamy, indie psych-pop guitars solos combined to cast an energetic yet hypnotic spell.
Swimming Girls - 5pm (The Chapel)
Nostalgia-driven dream-pop, with a dark and brooding edge from this Bristol band, will provide an interesting mix. Their music is captivating, bordering addictive, and should create a moody, yet melodic, atmosphere. New single '1 2 Many’ is a pop banger, taken from their upcoming EP ‘Existential Fears’, out on June 14.
Sports Team - 7.15pm (The Wardrobe)
London based six-piece Sports Team, combine bouncy, hooky guitars with fine lyricism reminiscent of 90s indie – with a touch more cynicism and wit – should make for an interesting and enjoyable show. Upbeat yet sneering / snarling always a great combination.
Black Honey - 8.15pm (Leeds University Union Refectory)
Another strong female lead vocal performance can be expected from Izzy B of Black Honey. The Brighton-based act have been pretty much touring non-stop since the release of their debut album and provide an energetic combination of pop hooks, hypnotic riffs with a nod to 70s dance music and dreams of Hollywood.
The Snuts - 8.15pm (The Wardrobe)
Ticking all the indie boxes, (catchy guitars, soaring anthemic choruses, etc!), The Snuts are a must see for indie kids and those just wanting a great show. Hailing from West Lothian, the four-piece are building a growing reputation across Scotland, and no doubt England in 2019, with high energy all-consuming gigs and 90s influenced, well-crafted songs.
Seafret - 8.45pm (The Church)
Breezing in from the East (Yorkshire), Bridlington’s indie folk duo (singer Jack Sedman and guitarist Harry Draper), currently veering more to the indie than folk with a slightly harsher, grittier sound than their debut album in 2016, will be worth catching.
Ellie Ward
Household Dogs - 2pm (Oporto)
Leeds-based five-piece meld elements of Americana and alt-rock with a gritty pseudo-country sound.
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard - 2pm (Leeds Beckett)
Buzzard with a definite buzz about them. Started as a studio project by Tibet bassist and multi-instrumentalist Tom Rees, now a foursome including ex-Tibet bandmate Ethan Hurst. Their songs explore weighty concepts of time, money, politics and vanity.
Chappaqua Wrestling - 6pm (Brudenell Main Room)
Manchester-via-Brighton's Charlie Woods and Jake Mac draw their key influences from Steely Dan, Beach Boys, Teenage Fanclub, and try to practise "sweet-americana music with an electronic swooning twist."
Declan Welsh & The Decadent West - 7.30pm (The Chapel)
The Glasgow-based Declan Welsh & The Decadent West combine politically charged, poetic lyrics with catchy riffs and important messages.
Walt Disco - 7.30pm (Brudenell Community Room)
On-the-rise Scottish five-piece with a Sparks-esque appeal and fronted by the enigmatic James Power, they are the quirky Glaswegians who will offer you something a little different.
Squid - 8pm (Hyde Park Book Club)
Brighton-based art-rock five-piece with crazy disco-punk rhythms. and an energetic line in live stage shows.
The Dunts - 8.15pm (The Chapel)
Self-dubbed “council-punk” four-piece The Dunts came charging out of Glasgow in 2017. A punchy punk sound, augmented by frantic guitars and pummeled vocals.
The Murder Capital - 9pm (Brudenell Main Room)
If you want a taste of the mighty talent coming out of Ireland just now, get in to see this post-punk quintet tear the roof off. New six-minute long single, 'Green & Blue' is menacing, controlled and intense.
Larkins - 10pm (The Lending Room)
Manchester guitar-pop combo with a way in combining 80s-inspired hooks with big choruses and a high-energy, engaging live set.
So that’s just a few tips from a long list. Who knows what we’ll catch on the day but we can promise you this; it’ll be a huge day, rain or shine.
For a full stage and time breakdown for all artists at Live At Leeds, see our previous post here
No comments:
Post a Comment