The legendary Live at Leeds is expanding and launching a major new event this summer.
First launched back in 2007, Live at Leeds has traditionally taken place in venues across Leeds city centre with the event providing a springboard to aspiring acts as well as giving fans an opportunity to see some big names in intimate surrounds. Some of those who have performed at Live at Leeds on their way to stardom have included Ed Sheeran, Stormzy and Royal Blood among many others.
This year, the Live at Leeds team are debuting Live at Leeds: In The Park which is happening at Temple Newsam on Saturday, June 4. Those on the bill include Bombay Bicycle Club, The Vaccines, Sports Team, Sea Girls, The Pigeon Detectives, Arlo Parks and Confidence Man.
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Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard, who has a major role in booking the acts, has talked to LeedsLive about what to expect from the new event - which is due to be attended by thousands of people. Joe said: “It is really exciting, especially after the downtime of the last couple of years. Obviously, this year, we’ve been getting back into events more but doing something to this scale is mega exciting.”
As we all know, the coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on big events and the hospitality industry. Plans for the extension of Live at Leeds had been previously mooted but didn’t go any further for obvious reasons. Joe explained: “It had been on our minds before the pandemic.
“As it looked like we were coming out of the pandemic we thought maybe this is the chance to try something different. We’d thought about moving Live at Leeds, the metropolitan version, into October. Then because of the pandemic, we couldn’t do it at our usual time so it forced us to move it into October and it went really well.”
This move has freed up a gap in the summer to launch a big outdoor event in one location with Temple Newsam being seen as the ideal home from the off. Joe said: “It was our first choice. It made sense to do it there as there’s existing events happening on site - we are the day after Slam Dunk. It means all the infrastructure is there. That’s easier to slot into than starting something at a brand new site.”
Live at Leeds is known across the country as a great opportunity for new musical artists to make a name for themselves. This is a fundamental foundation which remains with the new In The Park offshoot.
“The thing we’ve tried to keep between both events is championing emerging music,” Joe explained. “The Dork Presents area is where we’ve tried to give a big space to emerging artists. That’s what we’ve carried across from (Live at Leeds) In The City to The Park. It is still trying to be new music focused. Trying to keep that angle as much as possible.”
If you want to catch some local artists who are being tipped for big things then Joe’s picks include ADMT and The Longue Society. While, higher up the bill one of the main acts Joe is excited for is Arlo Parks.
He said: “Seeing her for the first time is going to be pretty mega and I’ve been a lifelong Bombay Bicycle Club fan as well.”
Creating a festival line up is always a huge pressure, particularly with a new event, and Joe offered a little insight into how that jigsaw gets put together. Joe said: “It is something I’ve done for a while and the events have gotten bigger over the last 12 years I’ve done it.
“I’d say it is more challenging when you get to bigger artists. That’s the big thing about doing this but the same principles still apply. You still have to concentrate on the same thing of getting the right acts and curating the bill. You’ve just got to apply that on a bigger scale.”
So, what of the response to the new event and its line up? Joe answered: “It is quite humbling in the nice things which people have said. Obviously, because the event hasn’t happened before, people have only had the line up to go off and everyone seems to like it.
“Our usual Live at Leeds customers seem to be onboard and it looks like we are gaining a new set of fans as well. Lots of nice things are being said which is a relief.”
Joe confirmed if the new In The Park event is a success then it will return next year with the Leeds city centre event continuing to happen later in the year. In 2022, Live at Leeds: In The City will take place on Saturday, October 15.
We can expect line up details about Live at Leeds: In The City to be announced in the coming weeks. We’ll, of course, keep you posted on those details.
Tickets
If you’d like to go to either Live at Leeds festivals this year then ticket information can be found through the team’s website.
To find out the latest big gig and event news in our city you can visit our Best in Leeds homepage. There you will also find a guide to great things to do in Leeds.
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