On its tenth anniversary, this year’s line-up for Live at Leeds Festival was as enticing as ever. There was something for everyone, and the diverse range of people in attendance proved just how popular this event is. It really brings all music-lovers in the city together; running from venue-to-venue trying to catch exciting new bands is the most thrilling thing about the day, I think – just being able to see live music all day in Leeds’ gorgeously intimate venues is why so many thousands of people love this festival. We decided to check out some of the artists who we think are ones to look out for over the next year.
GIRLI
GIRLI is rapidly invading the UK scene, armed with sanitary products and all things pink. Her self-proclaimed genre of ‘urban cyber-electronic sugar dance pop’ pretty much epitomises everything that GIRLI represents. She’s staunchly feminist, on a mission to deconstruct stereotypes with tracks such as the scathing ‘Girls Get Angry Too’ and ‘So You Think You Can Fuck With Me Do Ya’. On stage, she was a blur of pink, bouncing around the stage distributing defaced sanitary towels, tampons for everyone to use ‘if you have a nosebleed’, and lo-fi personal mixtapes. Her DIY ethos is endearing, and she really makes an effort to connect with her onlookers. She doesn’t detach herself from the crowd; she’s in there with you, trying hard to emphasise that she’s just a normal girl with strong opinions. GIRLI’s punk mindset is what makes her so refreshing – she literally does not care what you think and you certainly can’t fuck with her.
TUSK
Leeds-based lads TUSK burst into their set at The Brudenell Social Club, segueing into their songs in a lightning-fast, Ramones-esque manner. Their sound is full, fuzzy and incredibly well-timed – the drummer kept the other members in check with his clean and inventive beats. Each one of them was refreshingly energetic, and they obviously love playing together. Although it became repetitive, TUSK are extremely talented. The lead singer has a great rock voice, and their fast-paced songs, although slightly derivative, were still fun and enjoyable to listen to. They even played a song that they’d written only the day before, which clearly shows that TUSK are a prolific and confident team.
Shame
If looks could kill, everyone present at Nation of Shopkeepers would have fallen to the floor the moment Charlie Steen took to the microphone. His death-stare pervaded the crowd, challenging each onlooker for the entirety of their set. Shame’s members may only be teenagers, but their demeanour is akin to that of seasoned musicians. Having supported the likes of Fat White Family and The Fall, and with expectations high – it’s safe to say they didn’t disappointed. If anything, their raw vitality was delightful to witness, powering through excellent tunes such as ‘The Lick’, ‘One Rizla’ and the coarsely-named ‘Gone Fisting’.
The crude, rude and half-nude frontman worked ferociously hard; climbing on tables, pouring beer over himself and the audience, gradually shedding clothes, pounding his chest, wagging his finger at us, mindlessly knocking over mic stands and amps – he’s obviously very influenced by other outlandish frontmen like Iggy Pop and Lias Saoudi. This kind of performance style can be either effective or cringey, but Steen doesn’t need to worry about this. His delivery was exquisitely raucous. Every single one of them gave a stellar performance – the drummer was mesmerising and one of the guitarists soldiered on after breaking a string during the first song. Not much could top Shame. They are fearless and a joy to behold – must be seen live to be fully appreciated.
Kagoule
Kagoule are an acquired taste, however when you acclimatise to their sound then you’re hooked. The trio have an effortlessly cool look about them, and they appeared to be very relaxed and confident. It’s hard to pin a genre onto their music; at times it was grungy, sometimes punk-y, the lead singer Cai Burns sounded like Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks, and Lucy Hatter’s vocals were really unique. One minute she sounded angelic, the next she was screeching. Between them, they created some grating-but-great harmonies, quite unconventional, which gave their set an edge.
The Shimmer Band
Watching and listening to the Bristol-born members of The Shimmer Band feels nostalgic. They all channel a look of the late-60s and 70s, and their sound harks back to the psychedelic movement of the late-60s which quite a few current bands seem to be gleaning from. That being said, their sound is so rough-yet-refined that they manage to bring a fresh twist to the nouveau-psych-pop scene. Frontman Tom Newman is cocky and charismatic, with Jagger-esque mannerisms, engaging stage presence and bold sunglasses. The band creates a wall of sound behind him, involving genuinely satisfying synth riffs, maracas, and echo-y vocal effects. Although their music borders the unoriginal, The Shimmer Band is sonically powerful and destined for great success.
Live At Leeds continues to find itself at the top of the game when it comes to showcasing the freshest new talent. No doubt many of the acts on show today will go on to bigger and better things and it’s just as equally assured that Live At Leeds will put on something even splendid next year. A real highlight on the festival calendar and a perfect way to kick off the start of this summer’s musical feast.
Words by Zia Larty-Healy