LIVE AT LEEDS: NEW MUSIC MEETS NOSTALGIA IN THE PARK

FESTIVAL ROUND UP by Lucy Holden

Temple Newsam Park transformed into a musical haven for one day, and what a day it was! The sun was (mostly) out, the bands were ready, and the crowd was buzzing with the kind of electric excitement only a festival this early in the season can ignite.

Live at Leeds in the Park, a sister-event to the city’s original multi-venue festival, offers a different vibe but retains its indie and pop roots. Unlike its emo-punk counterpart, Slam Dunk Festival, which occurs on the same grounds a day later, Live at Leeds is all about discovering the next big thing and basking in the indie glow.

With a stellar lineup featuring The Kooks, Declan McKenna, Mel C, and rising stars like Nieve Ella, The Clause, and The Mysterines, it was set to be an unforgettable day. The weather might have been a bit iffy in the latter half, but that didn’t dampen the spirits.

Kicking off my day was The Clause at the Temple stage, nestled at the park’s scenic lower end. Their early afternoon slot drew a surprisingly large crowd, setting the tone with a nostalgic yet fresh alt vibe. It was like the mid-2000s had made a comeback, but with a twist, and their almost confident yet cool energy was the perfect wake-up call.

After grabbing a pricey drink, I headed to the main stage, aptly named ‘The Cockpit’ after the beloved Leeds venue. Here, I caught Dylan John Thomas, Scotland’s current musical darling. The crowd was a hilarious mix – dads sporting brown Afro wigs to match Thomas’ notable hairstyle, and fangirls with “I love DJT” posters. Thomas had the crowd in the palm of his hand, even throwing in a cover of The Strokes’ ‘Someday’ that had everyone singing along.

A quick sprint to the Dork Hype Stage brought me to the tail end of Lucia & The Best Boys’ set. Their infectious energy and clear fan base made it worth the dash. Although, sometimes, leaving the main stage feels like a hard trek, but this was a pit stop I was very glad I made. I would definitely catch their whole set at the next festival bill that their name is on. 

Back at the main stage, Baby Queen took over with her mix of pop and melancholy lyrics hyper-focusing on mental health and growing up in this age. She admitted feeling a bit rusty, but her raw, intimate performance shone through. It was a treat for her fans, though newcomers might have wished for a bit more polish.

Corinne Bailey Rae, a Leeds native, faced a rough patch with sound issues and a late start, she arrived 15 minutes late, which cut her set. Starting with ‘Erasure‘, she had to contend with a sound outage just as she got into the groove. Five minutes later, the technical team resolved the issue, and Rae continued, but it was clear the glitches had disrupted the flow.

As a result of the main stage hiccups, I swung by Nieve Ella’s set on one of the smaller stages and was instantly hooked. Her energetic performance and commanding vocals were a festival highlight. Songs like ‘Girlfriend‘ and ‘His Sofa‘ were delivered with such passion that the audience couldn’t help but sing along. Nieve Ella’s interaction with the crowd was charming and genuine. “Sing every word back to me, Leeds” she urged, and everyone obliged, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere despite the modest stage setting.

Now, let us talk about Mel C, the ageless Spice Girl, brought a burst of nostalgia and energy to the main stage. Her set included solo hits and Spice Girls classics, delighting everyone from hen parties to families with young kids belting out every word. It was a joyous, unifying moment. Mel C’s high-energy performance lived up to her Sporty Spice moniker, as she danced and sang with the same vigour that made her a pop icon. Songs like ‘Never Be the Same Again’ and ‘When You’re Gone’ sounded as fresh as ever, while the Spice Girls hits like ‘Wannabe‘ and ‘2 Become 1‘ turned the field into a massive sing-along. Seeing toddlers and middle-aged fans alike united by these timeless tracks was heartwarming. Mel C captivated her audience, even playfully shouting “Yorkshire, Yorkshire” and then laughing about what her hometown of Liverpool would think of the chants. Remarkably, I never thought I’d say this, but her performance was arguably one of the standouts sets of the day, a sentiment likely shared by many who witnessed her full set.

Declan McKenna’s set was another standout, despite the torrential rain that hit midway. Classics like ‘Brazil’ for the TikTok girlies and ‘Why Do You Feel So Down‘ for his die-hard fans, had the crowd dancing through the downpour. Even if his track, ‘Brazil‘, is known to be a usual summer song with a beer-in-hand, it was at this point the sky opened up, and it really did rain hard. Despite this McKenna had one more song up his sleeve for the finale with ‘British Bombs‘, the politically charged anthem that ended with him shirtless, tie on his head, running the length of the stage. Even as the skies opened up, the energy didn’t wane; instead, it intensified. McKenna’s stage presence is something to behold, and he knows how to work a crowd, rain or shine. By the time he wrapped up with ‘British Bombs‘, the festival grounds had turned into a muddy mosh pit, with fans chanting and cheering as if the rain was part of the show. McKenna’s fearless engagement with his audience, even running along the stage to shake hands and high-five fans, showcased why he’s one of the most exciting young talents in the UK today.

There wasn’t much time to think, and no one wanted to stand around at this point in the horrendously pouring rain, so myself and many others almost ran up the hill and down again to catch some of the Circa Waves set. As the main singer, Kieran Shudall of the Merseyside-born band said, “f**k the rain, ay Leeds” although arguably they had nothing to worry about under their shelter, the crowd burst into energy with no one even caring about the fact that there was mud up their legs and hair dye running from so many people in the audience. With even a few lads taking their tops off, the rain seemed to bother absolutely no one. Ironically everyone had one last dance to one of Circa Waves’ top hits ‘T-Shirt Weather‘ before their frantic, energetic set ended to finish the day off with the headline act, The Kooks.

The hugely known and renowned band The Kooks were to finish the day with a huge display of red and blue lights and ultimate 2000s tracks like ‘Ooh La‘, ‘Junk of the Heart‘, and, of course, the infamous ‘Naive‘. With over two decades worth of bangers, the crowd didn’t seem to be moving anywhere and braved the weather to listen to the Brighton-based band. It was nothing short of anthemic and beautiful, and there is something oddly strange yet satisfying about thousands of people listening to old songs that bring back years of summer memories to start off the festival season in typical English fashion, fuelled with expensive beer, mud slides in the grass, and so much rain. 

Despite the hiccups with sound on some stages, the overpriced but standard festival drinks, and the bad weather in the second half of the day, Live at Leeds in the Park remains an essential part of the festival scene. There’s something for everyone, from nostalgic hits to fresh indie sounds, and it brings together a diverse crowd for a day of musical celebration. This festival is going no where. With its unique blend of discovery and familiarity that few other events can match. Live at Leeds in the Park is an unreal, hopefully never-dying festival for everyone to enjoy, and I for one, sure did.

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