As the opening chords of subheadliners Circa Waves’ most popular song ‘T-Shirt Weather’ filled the air, the energy at Leed’s Temple Newsam Park was still palpable, even if us punters were ironically soggy.
The song, a quintessential anthem of carefree summer days, perfectly encapsulated the crowd’s hopes for the festival: a day bathed in sunshine, filled with unforgettable music and the daring possibility of wearing white trainers outside in England. The morning started with the promise of clear skies and vibrant performances, and for the most part, the weather—and the lineup—delivered.
Vistas
Scottish indie trio Vistas brought their signature enthusiasm, setting the precedent for the day. Despite being one of the first bands on stage, with the tech team still fine-tuning the sound levels on The Cockpit mainstage, they maintained a lively and engaging performance. Performing without Jamie Law, their passion and energy remained undiminished, showcasing their resilience and adaptability, with set highlights including ‘Retrospect’ and ‘Stranger’.
Radio Free Alice
I’d never heard of Radio Free Alice before yesterday, but their crisp and bold basslines emanating from the modestly sized Dork Hype tent drew us in, with their bass player carrying his peers, even stepping in to play saxophone on one track. Frontman Noah Learmonth thanked the Australian government for allowing the outfit to travel from down under, and we’re hopeful they’ll be back again, with their set boasting borrowings from British indie staples The Maccabees and Bloc Party, as well as the yearning delivery of Jarvis Cocker.
Beth McCarthy
I’m not sure who was happier to be at Live At Leeds: Beth McCarthy or me. With more energy than a golden retriever on speed, McCarthy filled the stage with her one-woman show. While it might be nice for her to be surrounded by a band rather than relying so much on backing tracks, she more than made up for it with her crowdwork – tactfully introducing some of her less-than-PC material in a way that accommodated the family-friendly event, and dancing in between showcasing her impressive vocal range. Highlights included TikTok favourites ‘She’s Pretty’ and ‘IDK How To Talk To Girls’, as well as forthcoming single ‘Good Bi’, set for release on 31st May. Turns out if you’re a bisexual woman looking to meet other bisexuals, all you need to do is head to a Beth McCarthy gig where you’ll find plenty of girls with nose piercings stood with their doting boyfriends. Jackpot.
Baxter Dury
Watching Baxter Dury perform was a uniquely captivating experience. Sort of like what I imagine would happen if your dad looked like Petyr Baelish from Game of Thrones, and got weirdly into magic as part of his mid-life crisis. Donning a pale grey suit and neckerchief that was removed and put back at on at several points during the set – along with, inexplicably, a bejewelled fencing mask?! – the crowd experienced a thoroughly entertaining set with standout tracks including ‘Miami’, ‘Cocaine Man’ and the fred again… collaboration ‘Baxter (these are my friends)’. Due credit has to go to Dury’s bandmates, who despite looking like his bored stepchildren, were among some of the best musicians the festival put forward. Given how spellbound we were, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was something occult going on after all…
White Lies
White Lies are somewhat of a contradiction with frontman Harry McVeigh’s beaming grin slightly at odds with their chosen opener ‘Death’. Having – wrongly – not really kept up with the band since 2013’s Big TV, there were a few points in the set where I found myself lost but a glance around the tent let me know that everyone else was suitably enthralled. Highlights included ‘To Lose My Life’, the rousing and apocalyptic anthem ‘Fairwell To The Fairground’, and infectious ‘There Goes Our Love Again’. Their juxtaposition of dark lyrics with a buoyant stage presence created a memorable set that had them high up in the day’s ranking.
Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets delivered a nostalgic journey through their discography, transporting the audience back in time with beloved classics such as ‘Two Doors Down’ and ‘Young Love’. Their inclusion of a personal favourite – ‘Serotonin’ – added further depth to a wide-ranging set that saw kids on shoulders singing along with just as much gusto as our eponymous young lovers, with the past blending seamlessly into the present to create a moment that felt truly special.
The Cribs
Unfortunately, our experience of The Cribs was marred by poor sound quality – as it was for Corinne Bailey Rae on the mainstage earlier in the afternoon – so much so in fact, that we left the tent. While the Wakefield outfit is known for their shouty delivery, the inability to discern any lyrics at all was disappointing. Though the Jarman brothers aren’t known for their melodic voices, one expects to at least hear some words enunciated during a performance. It’s a shame, as The Cribs’ energetic presence and raw sound are typically highlights of their live performances.
Circa Waves
Not wanting to let that experience dampen what had on the whole been a great day, we opted to brave the rain to see Scouse indie rockers Circa Waves, who never disappoint. The band powered through their jubilant discography, with hits including ‘San Franscisco’, ‘Sad Happy’, ‘Do You Wanna Talk’ and ‘Movies’. Frontman Kieran Shudall got us all to say “fuck the rain” several times throughout the set, before finally acquiescing and giving us the ironic closer ‘T-shirt Weather’.
The Kooks
Closing out the festival in conditions that the less idealistic might more typically associate with a May Bank Holiday in England, Brighton indie sweethearts The Kooks took to the main stage – which looked a world away from the hodge podge of kit and equipment that it had been earlier in the day. Lights and engaging visuals did a lot of heavy-lifting to keep the crowd from noticing how soaked through they were, and while it was enjoyable to sing throwback hits such as ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’, ‘Ooh La’, and ‘Seaside’, frontman Luke Pritchard’s dad dancing wasn’t enough of a reason to stay for the final songs, opting instead as we did to be one of the first people back on the shuttle bus to the train station, where we embarked on a very soggy journey back to Sheffield.
England weather 1: 0 May festival
Words by Beth Kirkbride & Jack Mann
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