Preview: Live at Leeds 2019 – Second Raft of Names Announced

Firmly established now as the award-winning home of music discovery and a springboard for new talent, Live at Leeds is once again set to showcase some of the most significant talent in the industry, bringing together bands and artists who will epitomise the sound of the year and beyond.

Leaders and live favourites will be joined by exciting artists just breaking through.  Kate Tempest, acclaimed as one of this country’s most vital artists, will demonstrate in her spellbinding way just what happens for someone who is able to do what she wants.

Trailblazing Drenge, with their undeniable punk energy, big singalongs and fiery hits, will celebrate their return with their third album, Strange Creatures.

The BRITS Critics Choice winner, Sam Fender, is bound to be in huge demand with That Sound, Play God and Dead Boys, whilst Yorkshire’s own The Sherlocks, having worked incredibly hard up and down the country, will deliver what is bound to be a ‘sweating, pumped-up set’, spot on for those big festival occasions.  The Sherlocks have this to say:

“Really looking forward to playing in front of the Leeds crowd again! We will bring the Rock N Roll. No backing tracks.  How many bands can say that these days? Bring it on!”

At Live at Leeds there is an air of expectation which is almost palpable, about which act will become your next favourite.  Every venue and almost every door has the potential to hold a surprise.   Just one example is Confidence Man, who have carved out their own world over the past year, crammed with disco-pop and belly laugh observations to go with the bright lights and sparkling moves.

Mini Mansions offer something rather seductively special, too, with quality not to be denied when they debut at Live at Leeds this year and The Slow Readers Club, also making their debut, are set to reach the dizzy heights.  Aaron Starkie of The Slow Readers Club said:  “It’s great to be announced as part of a festival known for being ahead of the curve with new music. It’s a great lineup this year, and this will be our first time playing the festival. Can’t wait.

Slow Readers Club. Photograph by Miley Stevens

Scotlands Fatherson will bring emotive alternative rock for what is promised to be  ‘a special set full of hearty anthems’.  Ross Leighton of Fatherson”We’re really excited to be coming back to Live at Leeds this year. We had a great time in Leeds on our last tour and have been itching to get back since”

Set for huge things in 2019 after supporting The Wombats and Pale Waves, Bloxx commented on returning to Live At Leeds – saying   ‘Live at Leeds is one of our all time favourites to play. Classic festival in a classic city. 

Indoor Pets will hit the stage, fresh from the release of their anticipated debut album ‘Be Content’, and Irish trio whenyoung with their guitar-laden hits as they prepare to dominate.  About joining the Live At Leeds 2019 bill, Indoor Pets said:   “Leeds is one of the best towns in the world for live music and it’s always a pleasure to be in the vicinity of some proper tough northern bouncing crowds. I’ll brew the Yorkshire Tea, you just get yourselves limbered up.”

WOOZE will deliver a full-on tour de force of a band on the rise, and returning VANT, sitting alongside another of Scotland’s exports, The Snuts, will see the curious packing out rooms to see what comes next.  Hotel Lux, rising Sheffield stars Sophie And The Giants, fresh-air weavers Swimming Tapes, pop-hook maestro Dan D’Lion, breakthrough revivalists Fur and Norwegian post-punk rippers Spielbergs will all be there, commanding the stage.

WOOZE said:  “We’re over the moon to be playing Live at Leeds this year. We’ve heard really good things about it for ages so excited to be part of it. It’s also going to be our first time in the City of Leeds, for our sins, which has been long overdue.”

 Mattie VANT is keen! :

“So excited to be heading back to Leeds for the first time since 2017. No better way to mark my return than a Live at Leeds slot. I’ll be playing some old tunes and some brand new ones as well. YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE.”

It doesn’t stop when you think it might!  Add into the mix Ed The Dog, Lice, Spinn, Pizzagirl, Cavetown,  Jesse Jo Stark, mysterious new rap game-changers 404,  Apre and Body Type, and we’re all reaching those dizzy heights!

Jesse Jo Stark. Photograph by Rose McLaughlin.

Pizzagirl said:

“hello! I’m takin a business trip out the bedroom to bring a creamy thick dose of rockstar energy to the bangin LIVE AT LEEDS! it’s gonna be epic n great! come hang with me I need the friends x”

Rachel Chinouriri, joining the lineup today, said:

“I’m so excited to play! Live at Leeds will be my first festival, and my first show outside London!”

These new additions join a stellar cast of previously announced names heading to the City, building on Live At Leeds’ unrivalled reputation as the essential home for the soundtrack to the year ahead. With the trailblazing Sundara Karma, revered game-changers Metronomy and man of the moment Tom Grennan topping a bill boasting the likes of Black Honey, Swim Deep, Dream Wife, Goat Girl, Easy Life, Gengahr, Marsicans, Another Sky, Sports Team, Squid, Gently Tender, Fuzzy Sun, Lauren Aquilina and many more.

Speaking about the second wave of names joining the Live At Leeds 2019 bill, Festival Director Andy Smith said:

“This year’s Live at Leeds line up is one of our most eclectic to date, and we’re really proud of how it’s shaping up. We have been trying to get Kate Tempest for years so I’m pleased that it has finally happened. It’s fantastic to see Drenge returning with a new album in time for this year’s festival and I can’t wait to see Confidence Man live again.

Sam Fender is an artist we’ve been supporting for a while, we booked him for our One’s to Watch events last year, so it’s great to have him back at the festival having recently been crowned Brits Critics Choice, we think he’s going to have a huge 2019.

Live at Leeds has always supported guitar music, and this year is no different with a huge representation of young British talent, including The Sherlocks, whenyoung, The Academic, Larkins and The Slow Readers Club.

Emerging talent is at the centre of everything we do, so also happy to be adding hotly tipped new acts such as Bloxx, Indoor Pets, the brilliantly named Death By Unga Bunga and Kojaque.

Still some more to be announced and as usual one or two surprise performances, we can’t wait for May when the summer starts.”

Latest Announcement:

Drenge / Kate Tempest / Sam Fender / The Sherlocks / Confidence Man

VANT / The Academic / The Slow Readers Club / Elder Island / Mini Mansions

Skinny Living / whenyoung /

Apre / Bloxx / Cavetown / C Duncan / Indoor Pets / Fatherson

Larkins / Redfaces / The Snuts

404 / AK Patterson / Alex Francis / Altopalo / Average Joe

Bessie Turner / Body Type / Brand New Friend / Brunswick

Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard / Childcare / Cruel World / Curb

Dan D’Lion / Dayo Bello / DBoy / Death By Unga Bunga

Declan Welsh And The Decadent West / Delilah Montagu / Ed The Dog / Eve Belle

Everyone You Know / Ferris & Sylvester / Foxe / Fur / Heavy Rapids / Hot Milk

Hotel Lux / In Your Prime / Jake Germain / James Gillespie / Jesse Jo Stark

John Buckley / Jvck James / Kojaque / Kwassa / Le Boom / Lice / Lion / Lowly

Luvia / Max Rad / Millie Turner / Odina / Patawawa / Pizzagirl Rachel Chinouriri Ruston Kelly / Ruthane / Sam Tompkins / Sea Legs / Shadowlark / Sinead Campbell / Sophie And The Giants / Spielbergs / Spinn / Swimming Tapes / Talkboyy

Tamzene / Tertia May / The Collier / The Golden Age Of TV / The Hubbards

These New South Wales / Tranqua Lite / VC Pines / WOOZE

Previously Announced:

Sundara Karma / Tom Grennan / Metronomy

Black Honey / Dream Wife / Goat Girl / Ibibio Sound Machine / Swim Deep

Easy Life / Eli Ingram / Gengahr / Lauren Aquilina / Marsicans

Aaron Smith / Aeris Roves / Alligator / Another Sky / Beabadoobee / Benin City

Big Society / Bilk / Black Belt Eagle Scout / Chappaqua Wrestling

Dancing On Tables / Far Caspian / Fuzzy Sun / Gently Tender / Giant Rooks

Greatest Hits / Heavy Lungs / Horror My Friend / Household Dogs / Ivory Wave

Jeffe / Kawala / Kingswood / Lauren Hibbard / Lucas Watt / Mae Muller

Malena Zavala / No Hot Ashes / Ormstons / Retro Video Club / Sad Boys Club

Saint Agnes / Saltwater Sun / Sports Team / Squid / Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam

Sun Silva / Swimming Girls / Tamu Massif / Teeff / The Dunts / The Mysterines

The Pearl Hearts / The Skinner Brothers / Thyla / Walt Disco / Wild Youth / Zuzu

Tickets for Live At Leeds, 4 May 2019 are on sale now, starting from £38 + Booking Fee.

Available from https://www.liveatleeds.com/

Feature photograph  Dream Wife  provided by Sonic PR.

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