Live at Leeds in the City 2024 - review with photos

Review by Gareth John

Photos by Jacob Flannery

FIRST established in 2007 to mark the city’s 800th birthday, and having hosted the likes of Stormzy, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Ed Sheeran in previous years, last Saturday witnessed the return of the annual city-wide music festival Live at Leeds in the City, hosting 144 bands across 17 venues in a 12-hour window. The festival prides itself on hosting a huge range of bands and artists, from the talented and undiscovered to the established and award winning and this year was no different.

This is a day I look forward each year and, with its midday start and rich offerings across this iconic city’s multiple venues, it feels special and somewhat indulgent to weave in and out of ‘gigs’ during daylight hours before transitioning into the evening programme of music as the sun begins to fade.

Given that there are around ten bands performing concurrently throughout the day, planning a programme for the day involves either military-precision timetabling, a more laissez faire approach or an attempt to blend the two. I chose the latter, drafting a loose schedule of options and spontaneous choices of venues and artists alongside must-see acts.

English Teacher perform at Live at Leeds in The City. Photos by Jacob Flannery

The day started with the excellent twentysomething Wakefield singer-songwriter Oliver Pinder performing in the upstairs at the Doghouse Bar and Bagel Shop. Usually performing with his band, today’s solo performance saw Pinder engage the audience beautifully with heartfelt songs, background stories, audience singalongs and humility and humour as he gently promoted his forthcoming Brudenell Social Club headliner.

The next stop was Northern Guitars Café Bar for the talented, Joni Mitchell inspired young troubadour Cordelia, her beautiful songwriting and storytelling flagging her as one to watch.

Mid afternoon saw the wonderful Belgrave Music Hall play host to the four-piece London-based Americana-tinged Terra Twin, the band performing to a packed audience with their Rolling Stones meets The Killers-style tight and catchy setlist.

Next stop was Headrow House for Gia Ford with her Aimee Mann meets Phoebe Bridges-influenced set and performing songs from her Elton John endorsed stunning debut album Transparent Things. Next on stage were Belgium music award winners BLUAJ with their country-tinged indie rock, their excellent set drawing comparisons to Big Thief and Maggie Rogers.

Returning to the Doghouse Bar and Bagel Shop, East Kilbride artists Connor McGlave displayed his stunning songwriting and beautiful vocal with a style and standard comparable to Dermott Kennedy and Kelly Jones. McGlave is a hidden talent who is worthy of much wider exposure.

While Manchester art-rockers Everything Everything were the festival’s official headliners, Leeds' very own English Teacher produced the truly outstanding performance of the day.

Fans at Live at Leeds in The City

Band members Lily Fontaine, Lewis Whiting, Douglas Frost, and Nicholas Eden formed English Teacher at Leeds Conservatoire in 2020, releasing their debut album This Could Be Texas earlier this year to much critical acclaim.

The accolades culminated in the band winning the highly prestigious Mercury Music Prize this year. A packed-out Leeds Beckett Students Union witnessed the band’s stunning musicianship and complex, post-punk yet dreamy songwriting, this evening’s set including album classics Albatross, The World's Biggest Pavement Slab, and Nearly Daffodils, closing with the stunning and best friend inspired Albert Road.

As part of the live music package, Live at Leeds in the City expanded in 2022 to include the Temple Newsam Live at Leeds in the Park. Held in May each year, the ‘Park’ edition kicks off the north’s six-month festival season with the ‘City’ edition closing it perfectly. Indeed, this year’s closure was perfect.

Given York’s rich range of music venues, ranging from the Early Music Centre to The Crescent, The Barbican and The Phoenix to name but a few, perhaps York could host a festival of this scale and nature in the future. Live at York in the City - one to consider perhaps?