Live at Leeds

This weekend sees the annual Live at Leeds festival taking place across our marvellous city.

With over 100 acts set to perform at venues big and small, it really is a fantastic day for the music fan who is happy to explore up and coming artists, as well as a few that have already made it.

Our Head of Music is responsible for hand selecting the finest tracks for each of our clients, so whether they’re a retailer, bar, restaurant or whatever, they’ll always have the best music to suit their customers. Here our Head of Music has gone through the Live at Leeds schedule and selected a few highlights for those heading to the big day…

Let’s start at the O2 Academy with South Londoner Jessie Ware. She has been described as one of the most exciting vocalists to emerge from the UK underground. She has worked with some well respected producers over the last couple of years including the brilliant SBTRKT. Her last single ‘Running’ was superb.

Also at the O2 are Niki & The Dove, who came 5th in the BBC Sound of 2012 countdown. We have been fans of this group here at Headland towers for nearly two years. Their single DJ Ease My Mind is a modern anthem. Their debut album is out later this month.

The band Spector are one of the most exciting up and coming indie bands in the UK and they’ll also be at the O2; see them in an intimate environment while you can because they are being tipped to be playing stadiums soon! Also on at the O2 is Ladyhawke. New Zealander Pip Brown is getting ready to launch her second album, and the first single from it ‘Black, White and Blue’ is a fine example of her music.

For your next act why not treat yourself to some Grime or Pop? Dot Rotten, who has been around for years in the grime world has made a name for himself with mixtapes. Dot is one of the UK’s best kept secrets, now being championed by Westwood and 1Xtra, he is ready to spread the word to a bigger audience with the help of a nice big new record deal. Check him out at the Leeds Uni Mine.

Around the same time, the modern day Dusty Springfield, Ren Harvieu will be performing at the Wardrobe. She was ready to launch her career last year until a freak accident in a London park led to two months in hospital and facing up to the possibility she might never walk again. Now fully recovered, her debut single Through the Night is just a sublime slice of lush pop.

Last year a 17 year old called Jake Bugg was asked to perform on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury and those who saw his performance knew they had seen something very special. He lists his influences as Donovan, Don Mclean, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix, He will be at the Cockpit 3 at 8.30.

Due to ill health, Headliner Marina and the Diamonds won’t be performing, which means the fabulous Lianne La Havas switches her show from the Holy Trinity Church to the main room at the Leeds Met. As a fan of music, I love it when I hear a new song that you just fall in love with as soon as you hear it. That happened a few months back when I heard Lianne’s track Lost and Found. The only word to describe the song is ‘Class’.

These are just some of the highlights I’m looking forward to; there are so many more treats to discover. Enjoy.