One of the best parts about Leeds & Reading festival is that it conveniently falls on bank holiday weekend, and what better way to spend it than listening to some truly iconic, and emerging, musical talent. Lottie Murray reviews.
I’m sure you’re no stranger to Leeds & Reading festival. Whether you have attended yourself or just heard about the lineup through the grapevine, it is fair to say that it is up there with one of the most popular festivals in the UK. Since the first ever L&R weekend in 1955, it has certainly established itself as a staple for live music lovers over the years.
My first Leeds festival experience was in 2018 and although it was not that long ago, much has changed. Perhaps the biggest difference in the festival was the decision to add another ‘main stage’. This development, which happened in 2021, has allowed for a lot more artists to welcome a larger audience. During the weekend, I often felt a real sense of pride for some of my favourite artists who usually play in smaller venues such as Rough Trade and Rock City, just this year. In previous years, when there was only one main stage, the festival felt quite claustrophobic due to a lot of crossovers of popular acts. The introduction of another stage certainly helped to make this issue less prominent.
The jam-packed lineup meant that attendees were rarely left with nothing to do, that’s for sure. Even if it wasn’t always something music related. After a truly horrific train journey down from Nottingham to Bramham Park, there was simply nothing more appropriate to do than head on over to Main Stage East to sing my heart out with MUNA’s Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson, and Josette Maskin. This particular day was followed by Ethel Cain, Don Broco, Declan Mckenna, Steve Lacy, Bakar and of course Billie Eilish.
I could truly write an entire book going into great detail about all these artists, but I shall refrain. Headliner Billie Eilish was a personal favourite from the day. Regardless of whether you’re a huge fan of her music or not, her energy and commitment to putting on the best possible performance is, in my opinion, unmatched. Having seen her various times, it was evident that she curated a show which had the perfect balance of showcasing her popular stuff whilst still catering to those die hard fans among her Leeds and Reading crowds. I am particularly fond of Billie and Finneas' acoustically performed songs such as TV and When the Party’s Over because they showcase Billie’s raw, stunning vocals.
"Regardless of whether you’re a huge fan of her music or not, her energy and commitment to putting on the best possible performance is, in my opinion, unmatched."
On Saturday, we saw Alt Blk Era, Wet Leg, Sea Girls, Loyle Carner, and Sam Fender. The BBC Introducing stage has welcomed many artists in the past, such as Self Esteem, who are just starting out their career and this year Alt Blk Era performed a set on this stage. The sheer authenticity of Nyrobi and Chaya is reflected in their genre-bending sound. The two Nottingham sisters (aged 16 and 19) are an important addition to the music industry and are definitely ones to watch out for. Even at Reading and Leeds, they were confident and put on a fantastic performance.
The final day went out with a bang. Artists such as Arlo Parks, Holly Humberstone, Easy Life, and Inhaler were performing and despite the rain, the euphoric festival feeling hasn’t quite dimmed yet. Having never seen Inhaler before, I was impressed by their stage presence and really enjoyed their set!
Whilst many of the people who attended the festival in the Nirvana, Björk, and Patti Smith headliner days were infuriated by the lineup, the quality of the festival’s production and set design cannot be knocked. Rumoured lineups are already beginning to circulate so it will be interesting to see who will be performing in 2024…
Lottie Murray
Edited by Tabitha Smith
Cover and Featured Image courtesy of Reading and Leeds Festival via Instagram
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