Error
  • JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 366
  • JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 718
  • JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 367
Facebook Slider

Live At Leeds 2016: A Dozen Bands You Need To Check Out

  • Written by 

Live at Leeds

While festivals were once reserved for rural locations, it seems recent years have seen a proliferation of inner-city events across the length and breadth of the country. From Brighton's Great Escape to Sheffield's Tramlines. Liverpool Sound City to Stag and Dagger in Glasgow, these inner-city festivals are a far cry from the three-days of debauchery your more traditional festivals offer and instead provide a single day of venue hopping across your city of choice.

One of the most reputable of these single day showcases, is Live at Leeds. Often the start of many people's festival calendar, it's a sure fire way to find favourites for those festivals it precedes, providing punters with a veritable who's who of the year's most promising acts, a slew of home-town heroes and a few names you'll see a lot more of over the coming months. Ahead of this year's festival, we've selected 12 acts you need to see if you're attending.

 

TRASH

Not from Leeds, but signed to one of the city's best DIY labels, (CLUE Records) TRASH have rapidly made a name for themselves with their brand of heartfelt slacker pop. Rich in melody and self-deprecation, TRASH will kick off festivities on the Too Many Blogs stage (Oporto) at 12pm.

 

Natalie McCool

Liverpool-based songstress Natalie McCool brings her effortlessly elegant alt-pop the length of the M62 in order to play an early set at Nation of Shopkeepers. Creating a surprisingly full sound for a solo artist, Natalie's refusal to be bound by pop conventions allows her idiosyncrasies to bleed through in to her records and her live shows.

 

 

NARCS

The second band from the CLUE Records' roster, NARCS hit the DIY stage at Leeds institution The Brudenell Social Club at 1pm. Having caught the band at last year's Leeds Festival, we know they're not ones to be missed. And if you have a thing for all things CLUE, you'll be able to run from TRASH in time to catch them. Your legs won't thank you, but the band sure will.

 

 

Kagoule

Another band who quickly made a name for themselves last year, Kagoule's wonky indie pop recounts the heady DIY days of the '80s and '90s, completely belying their relatively young years. The band follow NARCS on the DIY stage, so if you make it all the way up there, stick around, you won't be disappointed.

 

 

Fizzy Blood

Fusing together the grunge for which the city has become synonymous, with classic rock flavours, Leeds locals Fizzy Blood promise to tear up The Key Club early on. Having already earned somewhat of a reputation with those in the know, their set promises to be a rammed and raucous affair.

 

 

The Jacques

After signing to 25 Hour Convenience Store a little over a year ago, The Jacques began to quickly make a name for themselves thanks to their indie oikishness and a sound reminiscent of The Libertines. Now heading in to their second season of festivals you can catch The Jacques at 2:30 at The Faversham.

 

 

Holy Esque

Fresh of the back of their debut LP At Hope's Ravie, Scottish rockers Holy Esque promise to bring a set of monolithic proportions to the Too Many Blogs stage at Oporto. Coming across as a more brooding Augustines, this is introspection at its most anthemic and not something to be missed.

 

 

Carnabells

Local lads The Carnabells will be a familiar sight to anyone who frequents Leeds' various venues. Their upbeat and punchy indie pop is sure to brighten even the gloomiest of days, providing the jangle-pop of the1980s with a distinctly contemporary twist. They play the Gigwise Stage at 5pm.

 

 

Where Fires Are

Leeds-based Where Fires Are create an atmospheric brand of alt-rock whose lyrical themes are matched only by the musical ambition. Intricate and intelligent, the quartet fall somewhere in between Biffy Clyro and Everything Everything and will take to the Briggate stage at 4pm.

 

 

Colour of Spring

Quickly following are local shoegazers Colour of Spring. A four-piece who manage to encapsulate the spirit of the scene that celebrates itself without being derivative. With a penchant for exploring dynamics, the band segue from lush dreampop to towerings walls of noise effortlessly. They play Briggate at 5pm.

 

 

Forever Cult

The last band from the Clue Records stable, Forever Cult make the leap from opening proceedings at Key Club last year, by taking to the Leeds Beckett stage at 5:30. Perfectly encapsulating the city's grunge scene from which FC come, their blend of warped slacker rock and weighty riffs will leave a lasting impression.

 

 

Los Campesinos!

One of two bands on the list that shouldn't really need any introduction Los Campesinos! are old hats in comparison to much of the line-up. As a result, their live shows are some of the best we've seen from bands of their size and will prove to be a hit at this year's festival. LC! play the Gigwise stage at 8:45.

 

Rate this item
(1 Vote)

Login to post comments
back to top