by Tia Janowski
Festival season has officially begun and Live at Leeds: In the Park definitely started it off with a bang.
With an array of food stalls, a lot of bars and of course, five stages with 30+ acts across one day, this small festival definitely packed a punch.
Temple Newsam in Leeds was the perfect venue for the festival due to its large amount of space and incredible views, allowing plenty of open areas to watch performances from afar or relax with a drink. Getting to and from the festival grounds was made incredibly easy by the shuttle bus service located just around the corner from Leeds train station. Although the queue for the buses was busy at the end of the festival, the organizers were well-prepared with multiple buses arriving frequently. The festival also provided many food stalls, from vegan options to Indian and Japanese cuisine alongside classic festival burgers.
With five stages across the day, the setlist was meticulously created to allow a nice amount of time between acts meaning you could move from one stage to another without missing out on your favourites. The festival showcased a diverse range of Indie artists, including established acts like Two Door Cinema Club and emerging artists such as Ellur and James Marriott. Each performance exuded an infectious energy, keeping the crowd constantly engaged and dancing. Headlining the DIY stage, Cavetown created a relaxed and comfortable setting for the festival. Interacting with the crowd by getting them to dance along and complimenting people's outfits, the atmosphere felt very personal.
The only downside was that both Cavetown and The Hives were headlining different stages at the same time. With The Hives over at the Rolling Stones stage, if you wanted to see both acts you wouldn’t be able to see the entire set list of each act. Despite this, The Hives brought some of the best energy to the festival with a massive crowd all dancing and singing along to their best hits. By climbing over the railings alongside the stage, swinging around the microphone and making everyone crouch down to jump up during the final song, The Hives really knew how to get their audience to have a great time.
To headline the festival over at the main stage, Two Door Cinema Club took over the stage with their 80-minute set and never a moment to stop dancing. With a variety of well-known hits such as What you know, to some of their other songs for long-time fans, no one was disappointed. With psychedelic visuals across the main screen showing distorted faces, various patterns and women stepping on cigarettes, even if you were far away, there was always something to see.
The festival was very interactive and enjoyable, with a signing tent where fans could meet their favourite artists such as James Marriott and The Big Moon, who made an effort to engage with fans, both during their performance and when meeting them in person. They were very generous with their time, allowing fans to have conversations with them, get items signed, and take pictures without feeling rushed or pressured. During the festival, Ellur was one of the many performing acts who interacted with guests across the festival grounds which created a welcoming atmosphere where there was no distinction between the artists and the audience.
From lively crowds, everyone in their best festival wear and lots of beer thanks to the craft beer tent, Live at Leeds: In the Park definitely set the vibes for festival season.
Edited by Emily Duff