Thursday night at Leeds Festival proved to be a seriously strong way to open the weekend, on the new flagship stage, The Grid.
The Lathums set the tone before Kasabian took over and delivered a headline performance packed with nostalgia, energy and plenty of big moments.
The Lathums brought their familiar blend of heartfelt indie and huge, singalong choruses to the Leeds crowd. There is something particularly fitting about seeing the band at a festival like this; their songs feel made for open air stages, with thousands of voices able to turn their biggest tracks into something even more powerful.
Their set included some of the favourites that have helped establish them as one of the UK’s most loved modern indie bands, with The Great Escape, Fight On, How Beautiful Life Can Be and I’ll Get By giving fans plenty to get behind. The atmosphere built throughout their performance, with the crowd responding to every familiar chorus.
There was also a sense that this could be the beginning of another exciting chapter for The Lathums. With the band continuing to evolve, fans will no doubt be wondering what comes next. Could 2027 bring another album or a fresh batch of songs? There is certainly a chance that new music could be on the horizon, and if Thursday was anything to go by, there will be no shortage of people ready to hear it.
Then it was time for Kasabian. The Leicester lads came into Leeds off the back of a strong appearance at Boardmasters, with the band looked every inch the seasoned festival headliner.
From the moment they stepped onto the stage, there was a confidence about the performance, with Serge and the band immediately locking into the energy of the crowd.
Kasabian made sure to give Leeds exactly what it wanted, running through a selection of their biggest and most recognisable tracks. The classics landed perfectly, with the audience providing the kind of huge backing vocals that festival headline sets are built around.
One of the cheekier moments came when The Prodigy’s Breathe was teased during the set before Kasabian launched into a solid rendition of LSF. It was a brilliant little nod that added something unexpected without taking anything away from one of Kasabian’s defining songs.
Fire closed the show in suitably explosive fashion, with the Leeds crowd singing along to every word. It was the sort of ending that reminded everyone why Kasabian remain such a formidable festival act: familiar songs, huge choruses and an audience more than willing to give everything back.
As the final moments arrived, Serge thanked the Leeds crowd, declaring it their best Leeds Festival date of their careers and after a performance like that, it was hard to disagree.
Thursday had delivered two very different but equally enjoyable sets, with The Lathums looking towards the future and Kasabian reminding everyone why their classics still have the power to ignite a festival crowd. If Thursday is anything to go by, Leeds Festival 2026 has started with a bang.
Here’s to Friday…
Lathums: Photography by Georgina Hurdsfield @tinyraindropphotography
Kasabian: Photography by Ruby Boland @RUBYBOLAND
