Festival Review: Live at Leeds in the Park 2023 - Temple Newsam Leeds, May 2023
40 artists. 5 stages. All for one day of music: the start of festival season is now.
We see this years' festival season kicking things off in the right way , as we trundle on over to Live at Leeds at Temple Newsam, which also happens to be the stomping ground of Slam Dunk North this year.
With scorching Bank Holiday weather to boot, it never felt a more perfect to embrace festivals again for the Summer. Of course, if the wood-fired pizza or the richly-swamped gyozas didn't treat you, you can always rely on the stalwart artists we had to peruse throughout the day.
Spearheaded by reliant Indie-giants Two Door Cinema Club, a Swedish bolstering of The Hives and DIY bedroom-pop alchemist Cavetown, Slam Dunks' pre-party in the park came with all the feel-good Summer vibes you can move your feet to. Of course, the festival certainly were not shy to let loose of an array of supporting artists either with the likes of Everything Everything lighting up the RollingStone Big Top like an enigmatic swan-song; while oozy sad-rockers Crawlers tore the roof off under the dome of up-and-comers DIY Stage. A go-to visitation for finding out your new favourite bands, the DIY Stage was LAL's alternative to BBC Music's Introducing Stage at Glastonbury - with the magic of exciting new music doing all the talking.
Undoubtedly so, we weren't presented with just one stage for the hottest artists right now to showcase their talents: oh no. We were also awarded with alternative magazine Dork sponsoring a dual-stage; a publication who is always down with boring. A quirky dynamic to say the least, both left and right featured some of the bands, artists, collectives, acts that you certainly need to be "in the know" about right now. A delivery of the best alternative, as Youth Sector tipped their fedoras to the funky drillings of perplexing indie-pop, while the outfits of Enola Gay and deranged Madness-esque Opus Kink fronted sprouting seeds to the future of punk. More surveyors plotting their course for punk domination was the off-kilter female-front of Panic Shack who performed on the right stage; and immediately accepted the mantle of stage headliner with both hands, firm and taut. Their explosive noise, witty lyrics and abrasive mannerisms chartered a performance that was not so easy to forget. It's safe to say that this Welsh punk quintet - an outright insane variation to safe indies' Wet Leg - are proving that DIY simply does it better.
On the main stage, we had sparkling Indie-tonics to wade us through the scorching heat as the bands became undoubtedly hotter - and not just in the temperature sense. Mancunian-belters Lottery Winners rang high and free in the sun before being spotted in the crowd catching some other acts strutting their stuff - while Kate Nash's iconic Foundations was the perfect solstice for the start of festival season for many this year. Those Wigan-locals The Lathums also brought together the newest in indie alternatives, as they showcased their recent release, From Nothing To A Little Bit More - which also happened to reach Number One, too. They weren't the only ones celebrating either. Australian three-piece of DMAs were orbiting some of the fan-favourites plucked from their recent, How Many Dreams? as they performed just after.
They weren't the only Australians to stop off at Leeds this May weekend either. Elsewhere, the brazen blue tarpaulin of RollingStone's Big Top was packed to the rafters for picnic-indie funkadelic Lime Cordiale, as they brought their crazy Aussie-ness; trumpets and all. While we were met with some of the newest and hottest bands in the indie spheres with the likes of The Big Moon and The Beths performing perfect soundscapes for the hot weather, we were also party to classic-cut bands from the noughties. Maximo Park performed their timeless hits, Apply Some Pressure and Books From Boxes, while The Hives lived large with their emphatic arena rock matched with an exhilarating on-stage artistry - as they have done so well throughout the years. Supporting Arctic Monkeys through their tour, while cherry-picking festival slots have set themselves for a huge return with their first new album in over a decade, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons.
Topped off with feathery indie singalongs from wheelhouse-favourites Two Door Cinema Club, it was a perfect resolution to end a day of fantastic music. A poignant moment to have as Undercover Martyn is played while the sun departs behind the horizon for the final time of the day; a double-act that seems somewhat incomplete at a music festival.
A knockout festival for all ages, Live at Leeds in the Park a must-attend for that notch on any festival-goers' belt. Missed out this year? Fret not, get ahead of the curve by purchasing your tickets for 2024 super early. Festival in a field not your thing? Why not delve into what Leeds' music scene has to offer In The City.
Words by Alex Curle
Photography provided by Zeitgeist
