Live At Leeds In The City: Music festival announces first bands on line-up including Pale Waves and Thomas Headon

Music lovers flocked to Temple Newsam in their thousands on Saturday to enjoy the brand new Live At Leeds: In The Park.

The likes of Bombay Bicycle Club and The Vaccines headlined the show - in the first year that the festival has put on two events.

Fans enjoy watching Sports Team at The O2 Academy at Live At Leeds 2021 (Photo: Mark Bickerdike)placeholder image
Fans enjoy watching Sports Team at The O2 Academy at Live At Leeds 2021 (Photo: Mark Bickerdike)

The traditional 'In The City' festival is scheduled for October and the first names on the line-up have now been announced.

The multi-venue festival will be held across the city centre on October 15, with more than 200 artists performing on 17 different stages across the day.

Chelsea Bakewell and Joe Hubbard, the promoters behind the festival (Photo: Tony Johnson)placeholder image
Chelsea Bakewell and Joe Hubbard, the promoters behind the festival (Photo: Tony Johnson)

Headlining this year’s festival line-up is modern guitar-pop band Pale Waves, lead by Heather Baron-Gracie.

Heather said: “We’re super excited to be headlining this year’s Live At Leeds: In The City.

"It’s always been a great city for us and a fun one to play, we can’t wait to be back to play some tracks from our new album ‘Unwanted’.”

Indie-pop artist Thomas Headon has also been announced on the line-up, as well as Palace, Working Men’s Club and Baby Queen.

Wax Works perform at HiFi Club in 2021 (Photo: Mark Bickerdike)placeholder image
Wax Works perform at HiFi Club in 2021 (Photo: Mark Bickerdike)

The smile-inducing indie gleams of Will Joseph Cook will also grace the festival.

“The Leeds audience brings so much energy," Will said.

"I’m always gassed to be playing a show in the city. Brudenell social club was my first headline show in Leeds and it slapped, good memories there.”

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Live At Leeds is known for hosting big names alongside up-and-coming artists and this year is no exception.

Expect the insatiable electronica of W.H. Lung and the bubbling grooves of Los Bitchos, as well as 80s weavers Highschool, party-favourites Opus Kink and alt-dreamers Prima Queen.

Or discover the cinematic 90s-esque whirl of acts like Wynona or pop sounds from Claudia Valentina, Cate, Ellie Dixon and Beren Olivia.

"We're so excited to be announcing our first show in Leeds," Wynona said.

"This is an amazing event and line-up, showcasing so many talented emerging artists and we're just so happy to be a part of it.

"Being from Reading, we have always felt a strange affinity with Leeds and its music culture due to us sharing the Reading/Leeds festival line-up every year.

"In a weird way, it feels like we're all experiencing it at once, despite the distance.

"For us to get to travel and perform there for the first time is special to us"

Festival promoter Joe Hubbard added: “We're delighted to announce the first wave of names for the festival that started it all - Live At Leeds: In The City.

"It’s been formative for so many artists’ careers and we’re excited to criss-cross across Leeds City Centre this October to discover more of our favourite new artists who are set to take over in 2023 and beyond.

"Headliners Pale Waves are a great example of this, having stormed the Brudenell Social Club back in 2018 for an unforgettable set - so having them return to headline the festival as a whole is sure to be a real moment.

"With many more to be announced, it’s going to be an incredible day and we can’t wait to see everyone this October."

Here are the first names on the line-up

Pale Waves

Palace / Thomas Headon

Working Men’s Club / Sea Power

Baby Queen / Dinosaur Pile-Up

Los Bitchos / W.H. Lung / Will Joseph Cook

Bears In Trees / The Skinner Brothers

Anorak Patch / Artemas / Beauty School / Beren Olivia

Blair Davie / Calum Bowie / Cate / Chappaqua Wrestling

Cheap Teeth / Claudia Valentina / Dim Imagery / Ellie Dixon

Ellur / False Heads / Flowvers / George O’Hanlon

Harvey Jay Dodgson / Highschool / House On Fire

Izzi De-Rosa / Laundromat / Low Lying Sun / Oliver Keane

Opus Kink / Pleasure Centre / Pop Vulture / Prima Queen

Pyra / She’s In Parties / Sophia Alexa / Sophie May / Sprints

The Dinner Party / The Flints / The Gulps / The Native

The Queen’s Head / Tom A. Smith / Trunky Juno / Uninvited

USNA / Wynona

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