If Leeds Festival’s third day was anything, it was unpredictable. From the City’s own garage talent to one of the biggest names in British rap, the day moved effortlessly amongst genres, moods and generations — eventually culminating in a headline set from Dave that turned Bramham Park into one enormous singalong.
It felt right for the day to begin with Leeds’ very own Garage Flower. Bringing a local indie infusion to the festival’s opening hours, Garage Flower immediately injected much needed local flavour into the proceedings. There was a sense of occasion in watching a Leeds artist take to the stage on home soil, and the set provided an energetic introduction to what would become a long and varied day.
Next came Cruz Beckham and The Breakers, with Beckham continuing to establish himself away from the obvious expectations that come with his surname. The performance had a youthful, live band energy, with The Breakers helping turn the set into something considerably bigger than a simple introduction to a developing artist. It was an early reminder that Leeds Festival is as much about discovering the next wave as it is about its established headliners.
Kibo followed, keeping the afternoon moving before Jade brought another shift in sound and atmosphere. Both sets benefited from the growing festival crowd, with Bramham Park slowly transforming from a collection of stages into the sprawling, chaotic festival community it becomes by late afternoon.
Then came A Touch of Sombre, offering one of the day’s more atmospheric moments. Their darker sound provided a welcome contrast to the sunshine and constant movement of the Festival site. It was a reminder that amongst the big choruses and hands-in-the-air moments, Leeds still leaves room for something more introspective.
As evening approached, all eyes turned towards RAYE. Few artists in the current British pop landscape can move between vulnerability, soul, jazz and outright pop spectacle quite like her. Tracks such as ‘Escapism.’, ‘Prada’ and ‘Oscar Winning Tears.’ have given RAYE a catalogue capable of filling a festival stage, while her powerhouse vocals bring an entirely different intensity to the live setting. Her performance was one of the day’s undeniable standouts – emotional, theatrical and effortlessly assured.
Then came Dave, who closed out the day and delivered a headline performance that demonstrated exactly why he remains such a formidable presence in British rap. Tracks including ‘Starlight’, ‘Location’, ‘Thiago Silva’ and ‘Sprinter’ transformed the crowd into a sea of voices, with thousands rapping back every word.
However, it was the surprises that elevated the performance from big to unforgettable. First came Kano, a genuine icon of the UK scene, joining Dave onstage and creating a moment that connected grime’s foundations with its modern-day successors. Then came Central Cee, taking the already enormous atmosphere to another level. The reaction from the crowd was instantaneous; Bramham Park erupted.
It was a fitting conclusion to an eclectic third day: local garage, emerging artists, alternative sounds, RAYE’s genre-defying pop brilliance and, finally, Dave bringing out two generations of British rap royalty.
Leeds Festival day three didn’t simply build towards its headline. It took the long way there and made the journey just as memorable.
Main image by Ruby Boland.
