Temple Newsham housed the incredible Live at Leeds festival once again this year and with a stacked line up filled with fresh new talent as well as legends, the day was only going to be an incredible one.
Starting my day off I went to catch Corella, a band I've caught on a few occasions and always at festivals and when you see them it's understandable why they are always invited. They get the crowd going and they set the atmosphere up for the day ahead. Their upcoming tour is going to be massive and if you get chance you definitely need to catch them!
Then I headed myself up the hill to go and catch Freddie Halkon, I absolutely love this kid, he is the future of indie rock and I could listen to him on repeat daily and even though he didn't draw the biggest crowd of the day, the fans he had there were die hard and sang along to every song he performed. An exciting future ahead and a very big sold out show at the Octagon coming up. Keep an eye on this kid.
Over to the MainStage I went to catch a band I've listened to for a while and have never been lucky enough to catch, Sports Team.
This band are just magical, the performance is a great mix of laid back rock with a hint of post-punk and the chilled vibes just make for a perfect listen and watch for a Saturday afternoon in a field.
Sticking with the MainStage, I stuck around to catch the newly renamed Hard life after a 2 year break after an insane lawsuit in which saw the band have to change their name, and in their return it was like they'd never gone away. Murray joining the crowd on a few occassions went down well with the crowd who have quite clearly missed these guys and it's clear to see why. From start to finish the crowd were bouncing and singing along with the East Midlands band.
Now we have to go back to an earlier comment I made about legends, and this next act certainly fits under that category.
Natasha Bedingfield was welcomed with a huge crowd and an even bigger cheer erupted through the fields. The "Unwritten" singer held the crowd in the palm of her hands as she performed banger after banger in her 40 minute set which just flew by. A natural performer and someone adored by everybody. I'm so glad I chose to go watch her set as it certainly didn't disappoint.
Although The Amazons have been around since the early 2010's I've never really listened to them so I headed over with some friends to check them out and I must admit, They are definitely a band I want to listen to again and if the chance pops up to see them live, I'll probably take it. The crowd loved every minute of their set and Matt's vocals were so good. A strong performance by a band who have learned their craft and perfected it.
Now for a hometown band, The Pigeon Detectives. Over their 20 year career I've probably seen them 20 times, and they never fail to make me smile dance or sing. This band are just so joyous to watch and Matt is just one of the best frontmen on the indie scene. With possibly the 2nd largest crowd of the day, it was definitely a warm welcome home.
Performing hit after hit, you're just reminded of how incredible their discography is and just how many bangers this band wrote. I love this band and I cannot wait for the upcoming tour.
Now onto my last 3 acts of the day and the ones I was possibly most excited for.
Two incredible musicians who are also massive internet sensations in Arthur Hill and James Marriott, both carried huge crowds with them as well as fun, cheeky, lively performances from both. Plenty of crowd interaction and just two incredibly strong sets. Both are on for big things this year with Arthur recently releasing his new single "Appetite" and James getting ready to release his second studio album "Don't Tell the Dog"
Certainly keep your eyes (and ears) open for things they've got coming up and you definitely won't be disappointed if you catch them live.
Right, now the big one. I've absolutely adored Bloc Party since I was a little kid, with my cousin introducing me to "Silent Alarm" while we drove around in his car. The moment I heard "Banquet" and "This Modern Love" I knew this would be a band that would stay with me forever, and 20 years later here we are proving that point.
Boy did they live up to the hype I had built up to see these. Kele is such an incredible musician and front man and Bloc Party are just one of those bands that KNOW how to put on a show. No huge stage production, no big light shows. Just a band doing what they do best and giving the crowd the night of their lives.
As the night came to an end, it was time to reflect on what a chaotic but incredibly fun day it had been. Seeing acts I'd never normally see, as well as seeing one of my favourite bands as a kid. It was a wonderful day, spent with some great (and extremely talented) people and friends.
Here's to next year which is bound to be bigger and better!