The Live at Leeds Preview…
My last trip to Temple Newsam was as a 15-year-old for Leeds Festival 2002. This year, I will be returning to cover Live at Leeds for the first time for TotalNTertainment. After misreading an email, I erroneously wrote this article and it turns out they no longer require a preview but I’ve written it now and the constant need for content demands that I might as well publish it somewhere…
5. Courting
Liverpool quartet Courting released their second album New Last Name in January 2024 to much critical acclaim. The NME described the record as “…something close to remarkable” and the band have built up a cult following as a live act. As the festival opener, Courting will bring their inimitable brand of electronic rock and are sure to be the perfect start to what promises to be an excellent day of music.
4. Seb Lowe
How to describe Oldham solo artist Seb Lowe? Jamie T for the north? Yard Act if they were a bit more pissed off? All of the above? Whatever the classification, Lowe will be unmissable when he takes to the Dork Hype Stage as the second headliner. The thought of Lowe belting out ‘Terms and Conditions’ to a tent full of half-drunk Yorkshire folk is what festivals are all about.
3. White Lies
As much as it makes me feel old, White Lies are elder statesman of the UK indie rock scene and they are also one of the most celebrated live acts. With no new album since 2022’s, As I Try Not to Fall Apart, their set at Live at Leeds promises to be a career-spanning retrospective that will no doubt see the ground shake at the Clash Big Top. White Lies are a band that means so much to so many – not just a live show, but almost a spiritual awakening.
2. Melanie C
Hear me out on this. I’ve seen former Spice Girl Mel C at an indie rock festival before and despite being primarily a pop artist, Sporty Spice is good value as a live act. She plays with a live band, you know more songs than you think you do and she’s a Spice Girl for God’s sake. What more do you want? It’s just a shame she doesn’t wheel out Bryan Adams for that song (although she still plays it anyway).
1. The Cribs
The Cribs are not only one of the finest live bands of their generation but also arguably the best band to come out of West Yorkshire. Ryan Jarman and Co. returned from a three-year hiatus with 2020’s sublime Night Network and the band will no doubt be playing with extra fire in their bellies following the sudden and tragic death of their frequent collaborator Steve Albini. Having seen The Cribs over ten times, I can confirm they are a band that everybody should witness at least once. It will be the biggest party of the weekend.