The first Live At Leeds of the year boasted an impeccable line-up.

So, the summer festival season is finally here. The great exodus to random fields around the country across the May Bank holiday. For Live At Leeds, this year it’s a little different, coming in two flavours. This week saw the new In The Park rendition, bringing all that indie hustle that we’re used to in one field adjacent to Temple Newsham. 34 artists on five stages in such a close-knit space was certainly a tantalising prospect. 

Tom A Smith was our first listen of the day, a last-minute addition to the roster of talent that was on show, in lieu of Lime Garden. Soaking up some of the first-on acts is always a joy, which usually results in finding a new talent that you would have otherwise never experienced. Tom A Smith was not an exception to this: emotionally charged and complex songs filled his set and quickly attracted a fair crowd for the time. Wolves was a favourite of the set and is certainly worth a listen.

After a quick early currywurst lunch, it was up the hill to the DIY Big Top for Dream Wife. I’ve heard that Dream Wife put on a loud and unforgettable live performance, and it was certainly true. Leader singer Rakel Mjöll can go from the softest solo to an absolute ferocious scream in a split second, perfectly seen in Let’s Make Out. The level of working the crowd was unreal too. Getting us all behind a guitar battle in the song Sports! between the two guitarists Go and Podpadec was certainly memorable. 

One of the wonderful facets of Live At Leeds, in general, is the ability to stumble upon a great act while actually on your way to another venue. In The Park turns this feature up to ten on the dial. During a crafty bar trip (before Holly Humberstone took to the main stage), I stumbled into hearing distance of Kynsy’s set. The Irish artist had just started singing her latest release, New Year, and it was certainly enough to get me to stop and pay attention. With the voice and energy of a song that wouldn’t have been out of place in the earlier Dream Wife’s set, Kynsy was certainly a great find for myself and anyone in the tent at the time.

Now there are always going to be those unfortunate timing clashes of bands at festivals. A clash of two favourites where you’re going to have to make a split-second decision, or somehow split yourself in two to see both. In The Park had Sports Team v Courting, an unfortunate clash for the latter. And, after an excelling showing by The Blinders on the hilltop, the decision was made. Sports Team it was.

Whether it’s the frankly bizarre onset antics of frontman Alex Rice or yet another sneak of GULP!, the band managed to fill the growing crowd around the main stage with an abundance of energy; mini-mosh pit here, beers in the air there, an all in all spectacular sight.

After a return to the Dork Presents tent to see Zuzu perform, and then the indie giants The Vaccines — who seem to be a band that for many encapsulate their teenage years in the early 2010s. Even starting with Wanderlust, a single from their 2021 album, their entire set still felt like a trip down memory lane.

Unsurprisingly, when any intro to a song that belongs on What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? started, the crowd would erupt into a nostalgic clap of thunder. Lead singer Justin Hayward-Young clearly absolutely loved the chance to be performing on the day, and we loved to see it. Glorious.

Concluding the night in style: Bombay Bicycle Club. There is something very warm about already having a rather good spot in the crowd and watching hundreds of people hastily embarking down the hill, arriving from the just-finished sets of The Pigeon Detectives and Easy Life. There’s nothing better than a capsule of early-mid 2010s vibes to close the night on the now increasingly cold and dark backdrop of Temple Newsham. 

Overall Live At Leeds: In The Park was a great day of music and enjoyment. The festival’s biggest strength is probably its strong calibre of main acts it has always managed to recruit, and that was true on the day also. It may have had a few teething issues here and there, but nothing that could not be sorted out for round two next year. 

Live at Leeds will be back this Autumn – In The City this time. 100s of artists, across many of the great venues that the city boasts – what’s not to be excited about? Currently announced acts include Pale Waves, Working Men’s Club, Anorak Patch, Sophie May, Opus Kink and Chappaqua Wrestling. Get your ticket here — this isn’t one to miss.