Video: Leeds Festival preview

Big-hitting stars such as Blink 182, Queens of the Stone Age and Arctic Monkeys will all be gracing the stage at next month’s Leeds Festival.
Local band Crybabycry.Local band Crybabycry.
Local band Crybabycry.

But, for many fans, the annual music bash at Bramham Park also offers a chance to see bands that are just starting out on the road to rock ‘n’ roll fame.

And yesterday the up-and-coming acts appearing on the event’s BBC Introducing Stage were revealed by organiser Festival Republic.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They include Scottish synth-pop trio Prides, London soul singer Moko and Bombay Bicycle Club collaborator Rae Morris.

Local band Crybabycry.Local band Crybabycry.
Local band Crybabycry.

Joining them will be names familiar to keen watchers of the Leeds and West Yorkshire music scene.

Local acts playing the BBC Introducing Stage include Crybabycry, Allusondrugs and Vendettas.

Leeds five-piece Carnabells, meanwhile, have got the opportunity to impress with a coveted slot on the Festival Republic Stage.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jason Carter, head of live music and events at BBC Popular Music, said: “BBC Introducing are delighted to be bringing our stage to the festival for another year.

“Over the past few years it has been fantastic to see bands that have been completely unknown move up the stages at the festival, right up to the Main Stage, and this is another phenomenal new band line-up.”

The additions to the bill were announced as Festival Republic managing director Melvin Benn kicked off the countdown to the Leeds event in earnest with a press conference at Bramham Park.

Mr Benn said: “[The BBC Introducing Stage] is full of bands who graft really hard to get on these stages and it is a huge moment for them because a lot of young bands play in front of their mates and other people from the local area, and this time they get to play in front of strangers and if they can engage the strangers they’ve got the future.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Asked for his personal favourites from the overall festival line-up, he said: “Inevitably the Arctic Monkeys, it will be the third time I’ve seen them in as many months.

“I’m a huge fan and they are the best band around in the world for me at the moment, so for them to close the festival on Sunday here in Leeds will be a massive moment for me, especially when they had their first chance playing the Festival Republic stage as a new band many years ago. So, for that, it will be a really special moment.”

Formerly known as Mean Fiddler, Festival Republic began putting on outdoor summer music concerts in Leeds in 1999.

They were originally held at Temple Newsam in east Leeds before making the switch to Bramham Park, near Wetherby, in 2003.

This year’s festival will take place as usual over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

For further information, visit the www.leedsfestival.com website.

Related topics: