Vaccines set to headline Live At Leeds event

Exciting indie rock favourites The Vaccines have been announced today as the headline act for this year's Live At Leeds event.
The Vaccines, headlining Live At Leeds.The Vaccines, headlining Live At Leeds.
The Vaccines, headlining Live At Leeds.

The one day festival takes place in Leeds city centre on Saturday, May 5 with a full to the brim line-up of established and best new music names.

Topping the bill with what’s sure to be a definitive Live At Leeds moment on the brand new Leeds Festival Stage, guitar kingpins The Vaccines will roll into view with a set of explosive indie anthems that will have thousands singing along in unison.

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One of the most exciting British guitar bands of recent years, their electric presence has seen them travel the globe, with songs like ‘If You Wanna’, ‘Teenage Icon’, ‘Handsome’, ‘Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’ and ‘Post Break Up Sex’ lighting up crowds with unparalleled ease.

With new album ‘Combat Sports’ on the horizon and a new era for the band beckoning, The Vaccines next glorious step will be laid out in full as they return to top the bill at Live At Leeds.

Speaking about their headline slot at this year’s Live At Leeds, The Vaccines said: “Whether at our own shows or at the festivals, Leeds has proved itself time and time again to be one of the best audiences in the world. We really mean that.

“It was the first chants of ‘Yorkshire’ in 2011 that made us feel like we’d truly arrived. Having spent most of last year living in Yorkshire too ,and recording our new album there, this will also be somewhat of a homecoming - even if only in our heads. We can’t wait.”

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After a staggering 2017, Bristol punk starters Idles will head to Live At Leeds with one of the most formidable live shows going.

Full of searing aggression and pulsating rock kicks, their debut album ‘Brutalism’ became one of the most celebrated of last year. Prepare yourselves for a live performance bound to blow the roof off with unbridled energy.

Blending influences, jack-in-a-box surprises and sugar coated hooks, Superorganism are one of the most talked about bands of the year so far and will be heading for Live At Leeds.

Coming together from a variety of different backgrounds and homes around the globe, the result is a band flowing with creativity and unabashed fun - calling to mind the infectious beats of The Avalanches.

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Also added to the Live At Leeds line-up are the powerfully independent Nadine Shah, pop groover Rae Morris, blistering garage-rock favourites Yak and the infectious Bad Sounds.

Excited to be returning to Leeds, Rae Morris said: “I first played Live at Leeds in 2012 so I’m super happy to be returning again with new music. So many of my first gigging experiences happened around Leeds with it being one of the closest cities to Blackpool where I grew up.

“It’s a special place and audiences are always amazingly enthusiastic which I love.”

Ensuring the best in new music has a home across the city, Live At Leeds boasts the biggest line-up of established artists and future superstars all in one place.

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Building a loyal following through countless tours, the ramshackle sounds of Cabbage will head to Live At Leeds, promising an explosive show full of cuts from their upcoming debut album ‘Nihilistic Glamour Shots’.

Beloved alt-rock trio The Xcerts head to Live At Leeds this year, packed with anthems ready to be screamed along to from their latest storming album ‘Hold On To Your Heart’.

Lucid dreamer Cosmo Pyke will be serenading the city faithful with his gorgeous indie-soul, showing why he’s set to be the next big creative force in British music, while the ripping riffs and crowd-moving kicks of King Nun will be lighting off with frenzied euphoria and proving why they’re set for the big time in 2018.

Liverpool phenomenon The Night Cafe will bring their immediate cocktail of soaring indie hooks and all-encompassing sounds to the festival, continuing their stunning rise as one of British guitar music’s next big sensations.

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Leeds fans Cabbage said: “We 5 mustache-teers are more than excited to be playing Live at Leeds this year.

“Leeds is a city that is close to our hearts as it functions as an alternative base for 40% of Cabbage. Nonetheless we will bring that devoured swashbuckling Mossley charm that everyone loves to make a noise about and deliver a music show that is choreographed to have the same effect as the brown noise. Bring bog roll. See you at Leeds.”

Joining an already stunning bill across the city, Live At Leeds is all about finding music fans’ next favourite act - and this year is no different with a vast range of fresh names, including Sea Girls Demob Happy, Mullally, Adam French, Easy Life, The Van T’s, Forever Cult, Leeds’ own gender-morphing electro duo Kruum, Pom Poko, The Blinders, Love Ssega, Low Island, Fizzy Blood, Sheafs, The Beach and Oddity Road.

These names join the already announced established stars Circa Waves, Peace, The Horrors, Ash and Pulled Apart By Horses and trailblazing new favourites such as The Magic Gang, Pale Waves, Blaenavon, Spring King, Anteros, Tom Walker, Ten Tonnes, Sam Fender, Will Heard, Louis Berry, Sorry, Boy Azooga, Alaskalaska, whenyoung, Bloxx and Yungblud.

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Festival promoter Andy Smith said: “This year is arguably looking like our strongest line-up yet. We’re really pleased to finally share with you that The Vaccines will return to head up the bill at Live at Leeds 2018, back after a triumphant sold out show at Millennium Square for the festival back in 2013.

“Their album Combat Sports is one of the most anticipated releases of the year and we can’t wait to see them play their classic sing along anthems live at this year’s event, they are one of the most revered guitar bands of the decade!

“This year also has one of the most diverse collections of critically acclaimed emerging artists. From Pale Waves to Dermot Kennedy, Catherine McGrath to Cosmo Pyke and Bruno Major to Bad Sounds. We also add Idles, who will bring their ferocious punk sounds and eight-piece indie pop sensations Superorganism who will be bringing their impressive live show.

“As you can see from the nearly final line-up, we have the biggest array of new music to showcase over the bank holiday weekend, this is what Live at Leeds is all about for me. Expect early shows from big bands, secret sets still to be announced and you might just find the next big thing along the way.”

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Live at Leeds is a festival within Leeds International Festival, the UK’s leading metropolitan festival of new ideas and innovation, which celebrates local creativity and international culture while creating one of the biggest events in Leeds.

For ticket details, head to: https://www.liveatleeds.com/