By Becca Healy

In a time where many small venues are closing and similar all-day music events have struggled, Live at Leeds reigns true to to its roots, in introducing new artists and sustaining small venues.

Photo of English Teacher by Immie Hartley (@iihartley)

The celebrated indie all-dayer returns, with Mercury Prize winners at its heart. Leeds’ English Teacher have drawn attention to the need for support for grass-roots venues and this its what Live at Leeds has drilled down. Recently re-branded as Live at Leeds in the city, the autumnal day-festival that celebrates new artists reigns true in a climate where small venues are closing down. Over the years, different venues have been used to host hot new talent and an outdoor event with more established artists headlining has helped to increase the Live at Leeds brand and ensure success. Smaller venues used this year are the beloved-Brudenell, Doghouse, Northern Guitars, Oporto, Sela, Key Club and the Wardrobe.

The cultural picture of these kinds of events is mixed. The all-day festival with multiple artists model can prove to be a cost-effective way of putting on an increased number of live bands, as opposed to booking them separately. However, in a cost-of-living crisis, the initial pay-out to secure the day and ensure the logistics of organisation is tip-top (many things do go wrong!), is not cheap. Wakefield’s Long Division festival, with a similar raison d’etre to Live At Leeds simply couldn’t afford to keep going and ended in 2023. Whilst this project required a lot more attention as venues used were not usually used for live music, it will always feel a little heartbreaking that Long Division couldn’t keep going.

To book as many bands as Live at Leeds has, this must come at a cost. Many complain that the ticket price is expensive, including a gig-going student I spoke to who felt that £38.50 was not enough of a discount. However, this does seem fair for the number of artists and not an unfair increase, from previous years, given the economic circumstances.

This lineup is truly emerging and truly indie, with Everything Everything as the headliners. This seems to be the most notable band, aside from English Teacher. Live at Leeds performers tend to go on to do well and become more well known. When I attended my first Live at Leeds, I saw Kae Tempest, whilst sat at the back of Beckett Union. It shows the potential of a slot at the city’s festival for artists’ future.

Live at Leeds also gives space to Leeds artists, including Flat Moon, Van Houten and Fuzz Lightyear, amongst many more. What I am most looking forward to at this year’s Live at Leeds is my surname twin Willie J Healey, who I still haven’t managed to see. His loose, sunny brand of indie will be sure to keep me warm on what is always a cold day stomping from venue to venue. I am interested to see the development of lesser known, Kynsy, whose early single ‘Happiness Isn’t a Fixed State of Mind’ is pleasingly Strokes-y. Indie pop band Soft Launch, featuring ex-member of my teenage faves, The Strypes, are also coming to Live at Leeds and I believe are the ones to watch.

If you haven’t already, grab a ticket and mooch from venue to venue. The most exciting parts of an all-dayer is the wandering, un-planned venue drop-ins where you could find an artist that rocks your world.

Live at Leeds in the City is this Saturday 16th November. Tickets are available here.

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