Tonight sees The Shires roll into Gateshead on the crest of a wave, having broken the Top Ten with their debut. It's no surprise that this beautiful hall is packed to the rafters as we arrive as support John and Jacob are closing out their set. These two guys exude the spirit of Nashville and unsurprisingly they’re closing out with a track that was featured in the Nashville TV show.

As we kick ourselves wishing that we had been there earlier, the stage is reset for The Shires to make their entrance. They’re at the forefront of a country invasion in the UK, and borne off the back of the TV show , this duo has perfected some incredible tracks all of which are on show this evening.

'Nashville Grey Skies' is beautiful, and does really highlight their country sound. For some people it seems to be odd that these guys are British but they do make it quite apparent, the track 'Made In England' really highlights their pride in their home country.

It is quite clear to see why these guys have shot to such popularity so quickly; they have a really accessible and interesting sound. 'State Lines' brings proceedings down a notch, yet it only goes to highlight the beauty and the depth in this duos lyrics. There’s an obvious leaning toward American themes which runs throughout the evening.

Yet the stand out track for us this evening, is the wonderful 'Brave' this over excited crowd are completely hushed as they mesmerise us all with their incredible talents. The track itself is so delicate and so sweet, perhaps one of the most touching moments we’ve experienced in a while.

In a music industry crammed so full of bluster, and generic singer songwriter boredom, The Shires are offering something completely different and unique in the current popular scene, we’re sure that this will not remain that way for long. For us it was an adventure outside of our normal comfort zone, yet one we relished and truly enjoyed, these guys are currently honing their craft but it wont be long before they’re in considerably larger venues.

Arriving uncharacteristically late, we dart up the stairs of this beautiful old building, the thrum of the band above us emanating down the stairs, and, as we enter this grandiose venue, we’re greeted with a wall of noise. Whilst being dazed and confused by this incredible sound, we realise it’s the extraordinary Fever Dream.

Yet again we’ve arrived at the wrong end of the band's set, but from the short amount that we catch it’s an incredible force of noise. The beautiful vocals almost seem lost, yet the hooks that we catch are beautiful and excited. What follows is nothing short of incredible as the bands change over in record time.

Tigercats take to the stage in a little under five minutes, and they’re in ferocious form, providing the crowd with a blistering set; showcasing beautiful indie pop hit after hit with an obvious leaning toward newer material, 'Junior Champion', for example, really is a stand out track, its poppy vibe and brilliant hooks fill the room. Whilst time ticks on we’re transported away from the darkness and gloom to a world much brighter.

That said, 'Full Moon Reggae Party' goes down a storm too, their indie pop sensibilities really shining through. The spiky guitars fill the air, whilst the urgency and excitement of the lyrics liven the mood.

One thing we can say about Tigercats, they have an innate ability to brighten up any room and despite 'Sleeping in the Backseat' being quite a dark track, its upbeat and happy tone, can’t help but get our tired feet moving. These guys were always going to be a big hit with us.

Tonight, whilst their set is short, its also one of the most uplifting, exciting and interesting experiences that we’ve had in a very long time. The grandiose settings of this beautiful library assisted though, creating an incredible backdrop to an incredible night.

With a diverse array of acts on offer at Live at Leeds, it goes without saying that you're not going to see everyone you want to. Like any good festival, clashes are inevitable, and with the mad cross-city dash between some of the venues, you might even find yourself missing the end of one band in order to catch the start of another. Such is life however, and whilst there's a plethora of acts on offer, we've put together ten which will be well worth your time checking out.

The Cribs

Having only seen The Cribs live for the first time earlier this year, I was pretty gutted thinking back to how many times I'd passed up the opportunity to see them previously. Not any more. Whilst many of their mid-'00s peers have split, and those who haven't desperately cling to relevance, The Cribs have constantly impressed with each and every record, possessing an urgency that doesn't just transfer over to their live shows, but is increased tenfold by them. You couldn't have asked for a better headliner.

Pinkshinyultrablast

With all the media attention that's on Russia at the moment, it's important to remember the art and culture the country still continues to give us, and Pinkshinyultrablast should serve as the perfect reminder. With nothing in the way of politics in their music, the St Petersberg based quartet offer up pure glacial shoegaze for the escapist in all of us. Their debut album Everything Else Matters was a masterclass in encompassing electronics and ephemeral vocals. I can't wait to see them live.

Slaves

Weirdos of the moment, Slaves, are a duo from Kent, who are both massively noisey and harbour a preoccupation for, erm, biscuits. Having supported Jamie T around the UK last year, and taken the coveted opening spot on this year's NME tour, it seems Slaves are well on their way to becoming household names. And if their irreverent humour and anarchic noise are anything to go by, their live show will be something really special.

Joanna Gruesome

Clattering indie-pop from Cardiff now, Joanna Gruesome certainly aren't as heavy as some of the other bands that make the list, but their syrupy twee isn't without its own, sour bite. Having supported the likes of Los Campesinos! and released splits with Trust Fund and Perfect Pussy, the band's brand of twee is well-suited to a city known for its love of the genre. Expect a energetic set of sugary indie-pop at Leeds Beckett SU.

Eagulls

In what promises to be one of the most punishing yet rewarding sets of the day, home-town heroes Eagulls will be tearing Leeds a new one; their blend of claustrophobic post-punk and untapped hardcore aggression providing a cathartic end to the days antics, should your body need an aural cleansing. An almost masochistic alternative headliner to The Cribs, you can be sure that you'll wake up with a few bruises, should you chose to be part of the carnage.

Menace Beach

Whilst Menace Beach are, by some, considered to be a super-group of sorts, they're more accurately described as the embodiment of Leeds' music scene in its entirety. Though the band features a revolving line-up, it has, in the past, featured the likes of the ubiquitous MJ of Hookworms fame, as well as members of Pulled Apart By Horses and Sky Larkin. With their debut album Ratworld released earlier this year, not to mention their reputation as bastions of the city's scene, you can bet that their already incendiary live shows will be packing an extra punch that weekend.

Dry The River

Emerging around a similar time to the inescapable Mumford and Sons, Dry The River offer up semi-acoustic bucoliscim in the form of impassioned, though often somewhat moribund folk music. Cathartic in its sense of human understanding, but ultimately not the most upbeat folk on offer, expect a set of fraught, tangible emotion, and a brief but albeit welcome change from the frivolity.

Hookworms

Yet another band on home territory, Hookworms promise to pull one of the biggest crowds of the day; their blend of neo-psych and garage rock offering a mind-bending conclusion to the day's festivities. With their third album The Hum allowing the band's popularity to mount late last year, helping them find as much a commercial footing as possible, those who choose to see the evening out in true psychedelic style will be in safe in the knowledge that they'll be doing so with people with as little regard for their cerebellum as themselves.

Forever Cult

One of the more up-and-coming acts on this year's bill, but no less worthy of note. Leeds' Forever Cult are part of the Clue Records family and are set to set the UK on and if their 2014 was anything to go by. Fusing together scuzzy grunge with slight psych and metal tendencies, they're a band who lean to the heaver end of the spectrum without a doubt, unsurprising given their LS postcode. Well worth keeping an eye on the though, and one can assume they'll take to the stage relatively early, allowing you to still catch those bigger names later.

The Orielles

Local but not quite home-grown, Halifax indie-poppers The Orielles channel the spirit of '60s girl-groups and C86 indie in an amalgamation of sugary pop harmonies and twee-pop jangles. It's familiar stuff, but that makes it no less impressive. In fact, what makes the band all the more impressive is the relatively young ages of the trio, who's collective age probably isn't far from forty. Another band who'll probably grace their stage early on, be sure to check them out before those later acts.

Still yet to release their debut album Wolf Alice are currently doing the rounds on their biggest tour to date, that said the album is pencilled in for release in the not so distant future. So our expectations are rather high for this evening's encounter, yet there’s a healthy support roster too.

We arrive in time to catch Brighton’s newest exports The Magic Gang, with a debut single produced by of-the-moment producer MJ of Hookworms and as such expectations are automatically raised; the reality is however, they lack a little excitement yet they go down impressively well with tonight’s interesting demographic.

For us its all been heard, seen and done before, though we’re certain that they shall soon penetrate the cultural zeitgeist. We may be wishing that we could take these words back, but for now we'll stick to our guns and prepare for this evening's exciting headliners.

The lights dim and the smoke bellowing out filling the venue, they waste no time in laying into opener 'Fluffy'. An ironic name many may say as Ellie serenades the heaving crowd; the excitement gearing up when comparing this to the last time they graced a Newcastle stage: the band are packing even more firepower now.

Their set has obviously widened and they’ve honed their sound, it's now tighter than ever, as Joff bounds around the stage like an over excited puppy yet fails to miss a note. In my mind they need to be careful that their on stage theatrics don’t overshadow their utterly brilliant music.

Early on they play 'Your Love’s Whore' and it is a particular favourite, its monolithic sound and heavily reverbed vocals fill the room. Ellie delivers it perfectly its an epic rock song, a corker to have in your arsenal, that is a constant theme throughout the set tonight. The band's sound has really filled out, yes it's polished but it has really brought the bands best side out.

'Soapy Water' sees the band showing a slightly different side, the spiky guitars are reduced allowing an entirely different sound to break free. One that is very welcomed in what is otherwise a phenomenal onslaught of guitar driven rock music. As the set closes out 'You’re a Germ' sounds unbelievable and is arguably the best track of tonight, its power and wall of guitar is crazy yet they hold it together so well.

The band are welcomed back to rapturous applause, the crowd only have one track on their minds at this point and Wolf Alice don’t disappoint with a rabble rousing roof raising version of 'Moaning LisSmile'. There couldn’t have been a better way for these guys to close out tonight's set. As they leave the stage we know this is one to savour as it’ll not be long before these guys are playing much larger venues.