Pigeon Detectives among first names for Live at Leeds festival

The award-winning Live at Leeds festival has announced the first names for their 2017 event, which officially kicks off summer's huge outdoor music season.
The Pigeon Detectives, included in the Live at Leeds line-up.The Pigeon Detectives, included in the Live at Leeds line-up.
The Pigeon Detectives, included in the Live at Leeds line-up.

After previously hosting the very best in new talent which saw Ed Sheeran play in front of a 100-strong crowd at Leeds’ Cockpit five years ago and Sam Smith play in the Holy Trinity Church just three years ago, the festival was the first place to see Mumford & Sons, Clean Bandit, Bastille, The 1975 and Rudimental in Leeds before they all went on to fill the upper reaches of the charts.

Leading the announcement for 2017 is raucous punk duo Slaves, who will be returning to Live at Leeds after their now infamous Brudenell Social Club headline show in 2015 with their newly released, Mike D of Beastie Boys fame produced, record ‘Take Control’.

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Joining them will be returning Leeds’ adopted sons Wild Beasts who will be performing at Live at Leeds hot on the heels of their acclaimed new record ‘Boy King’ and sold out two-night residency at Leeds’ famous Brudenell Social Club.

Also appearing at the ground breaking metropolitan festival is Australian psych-indie/dance band Jagwar Ma, London indie rockers White Lies and indie-poppers Teleman.

And one of the big highlights is likely to be provided by Leeds’ own indie legends The Pigeon Detectives, who will release their eagerly anticipated new album, Broken Glances through resurgent Leeds record label Dance To The Radio early next year.

Having long established itself as the best place to see the next big new band, Live at Leeds lives up to this reputation yet again with the addition of bands on the verge of making it big, like Norwich based teenagers Let’s Eat Grandma who recently appeared on Later... With Jools Holland alongside KT Tunstall to critical acclaim and Brighton’s Black Honey, who’s Guardian championed dark, slick and shoegaze guitar pop has been earning them an ever growing legion of fans.

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Also on the line-up is Birmingham’s Jaws, who’s fuzzy, blissed out indie has seen them make waves this year, London four piece The Big Moon, fast rising Reading based rock band The Amazons and prolific Brighton pop quartet The Magic Gang.

Live at Leeds is best known to audiences as a place to discover the next big thing and this year is no exception with an array of emerging talent and artists that reside in Yorkshire announced for the festival.

These include the hotly tipped psych-rock of Team Picture, the subtle jazz tinged electronica of Lamia and Clay, the fast rising indie rock band that have filled some of the city’s best venues again and again.

Andy Smith, head booker for Live at Leeds said: ‘We’re really excited to reveal the first bands for Live at Leeds 2017.

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It’s great to welcome back local heroes the Pigeon Detectives and Wild Beasts, it’s been 7 years since Wild Beasts last joined us.

“Alongside them is a plethora of exciting established and new breaking artists. Slaves re-join us after totally smashing the Brudenell Social Club in 2015. White Lies and Superfood return after lengthy stints away and keep an eye out for the Amazons, Blackwaters, Fangclub and Freak, all pressing forward with the new wave of guitar and punk music that encompasses what Live at Leeds is all about.”

The Pigeon Detectives’ Matt Bowman said: “Live at Leeds is a glorious inner-city celebration of live music (from the smallest fledgling bands in the dirtiest grungiest venues right up to the headlining super stars at Millennium Square)!

“It’s something for everyone, that belongs to all of us and we should be proud to be a part of it (both bands and punters).

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“We should treat Live at Leeds as an institution and we must continue to hold it dear to our hearts.”

Live at Leeds will take place on Saturday, April 29 with hundreds more artists to be announced.

Tickets are on sale now from Lunatickets.co.uk, See Tickets, Crash and Jumbo Records.

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