Leeds festival

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Review & photos - Liam McEvoy

Leeds Festival 2026 arrived with a sense that things were going to be a little different. Taking place at Bramham Park from Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 August, this year's festival represented something of a new chapter, with a major overhaul of the site, new stages and, most significantly, live music beginning on the Thursday. 

The festival had traditionally treated Thursday as the opening day for campers rather than a full day of headline entertainment, but 2026 changed that with Kasabian becoming the first-ever Thursday night headliner.

Thursday therefore felt like a genuine festival day rather than simply the prelude to the weekend. Arkayla had the honour of getting proceedings underway on The Grid, bringing a youthful indie energy to a gradually filling arena. Their appearance felt particularly appropriate for an opening slot, with the band making the most of the opportunity and immediately giving early arrivals a reason to head towards the main stage.

Next came The Lathums, whose melodic indie-rock fitted perfectly into the Leeds Festival landscape. Their set helped increase the atmosphere as more and more people made their way into the arena, before the anticipation inevitably turned towards the evening's historic headline performance.

Then came Kasabian. Having previously headlined Leeds in 2012 and 2017, the Leicester band returned to make history, taking the first-ever Thursday night headline slot. It was an inspired choice: familiar enough to draw a substantial crowd, but energetic enough to make the first Thursday feel like a proper festival night. Serge Pizzorno and the band delivered a hit filled performance that embraced the occasion, with the crowd singing along to the band's biggest songs. 

The fact that the weather stayed dry throughout their set, despite earlier concerns about thunderstorms, only added to the feeling that Leeds Festival had successfully opened a new chapter.

Friday demonstrated just how much variety Leeds Festival could pack into a single day. Holly Humberstone brought a more introspective and emotionally charged side to proceedings, followed by Julia Wolf, whose contemporary pop sound provided another change of pace. Over on The Grid, Blossoms delivered one of the day's standout performances. Their polished indie sound and collection of instantly recognisable songs made them a natural fit for the main stage, with the audience responding enthusiastically.

Elsewhere, Violet Grohl represented one of the festival's most talked-about emerging names. Performing on the new Canopy stage, she demonstrated why the festival continues to be an important platform for the next generation of artists. The Canopy was specifically introduced to showcase new music, and performances from artists such as Grohl showed the potential of the new space. 

Wisp brought something completely different to the Ballroom, with her alternative influences providing a darker, heavier contrast to the indie and pop performances elsewhere. Kneecap then turned up the intensity, bringing their confrontational, irreverent brand of hip-hop to The Gallery. Their performance was precisely the sort of unpredictable festival experience that can turn an already good day into a memorable one.

As darkness descended and Chase & Status took over The Grid. The duo have become synonymous with enormous festival performances and Leeds was no exception. Their combination of drum and bass, electronic production and live instrumentation transformed the field into one enormous dancefloor. They were the perfect act to close Friday, with the energy continuing well beyond the traditional headline set thanks to the festival's late-night programming. The official schedule placed them on The Grid from 9.30pm, following Florence + The Machine. 

Saturday arguably provided the widest musical spread of the weekend. Skye Newman was among the younger artists making an impression, while Villanelle, fronted by Gene Gallagher, demonstrated why the new Canopy stage was becoming one of the festival's most interesting destinations. The stage was designed specifically around emerging artists, and Villanelle's appearance fitted that remit perfectly. 

Unpeople provided a heavier alternative edge, while 4AM Kru brought jungle and drum and bass influences to The Gallery. The latter was particularly effective for those looking to escape the traditional guitar bands and immerse themselves in something more dance orientated as they delivered a set with relentless energy from start to finish.

The build-up to the evening's biggest performances eventually led to Charli xcx, who arrived in Leeds as one of the weekend's most anticipated headliners. Her headline performance was suitably ambitious, blending pop, electronic music, attitude and elaborate production. The performance demonstrated why she has become such an influential figure in modern pop, while still giving fans the huge festival moments they had come for.

Alongside the headline spectacle, Fontaines D.C. provided a completely different flavour, bringing their brooding post-punk sound to the festival. Their ability to create atmosphere in a huge outdoor setting was particularly impressive, and their appearance reinforced the strength of the rock and alternative side of this year's line-up.

By Sunday, the familiar feeling of a festival weekend coming to an end was beginning to creep in, but there was still plenty to see. Niko B brought his relaxed but charismatic style to the festival, while The Lilacs provided another dose of guitar led indie. Sombr was one of the day's most intriguing performers, appearing on The Grid before the final headline performances. His inclusion demonstrated just how quickly emerging artists can move into major festival slots.

Cruz Beckham and The Breakers were another talking point. Performing on The Canopy, Beckham's appearance attracted plenty of attention, but ultimately the important thing was the music, with the band taking advantage of a major festival platform to introduce themselves to a much larger audience. The Canopy once again proved its worth as a place to catch artists who could potentially become considerably bigger in the years ahead.

Jamie Webster brought his distinctive northern storytelling and working class songwriting to the festival, while Josh Baker provided a very different experience, keeping the electronic side of the weekend alive.

Then came Dave, tasked with bringing the main stage proceedings to a close. Dave's performance had the scale and confidence expected of a festival closer, combining the biggest moments of his career with the emotional weight that has become such an important part of his live shows.

Ultimately, Leeds Festival 2026 felt like a festival undergoing a genuine transformation. The introduction of Thursday night live music was the most obvious change, with Kasabian making history as the first Thursday headliner, but the wider overhaul was just as significant. New stages such as The Gallery, The Warehouse, The Ballroom and The Canopy created more distinct identities across the site and gave audiences greater choice.

There were enormous headline performances from Kasabian, Chase & Status, Charli xcx, Fontaines D.C. and Dave, but some of the weekend's most rewarding moments came from discovering artists further down the bill. From Arkayla and The Lathums opening the festival to Violet Grohl, Villanelle, Wisp, Unpeople, The Lilacs and Cruz Beckham and The Breakers representing the next generation, there was a constant sense of new talent waiting to break through.

With four days of music now established at Bramham Park, Leeds Festival 2026 felt less like simply another edition of the event and more like the beginning of a new era. The Thursday experiment worked, the new stage configuration gave the festival a fresh identity and the strength and variety of the line-up ensured there was something for almost every musical taste. 

Review & photos - Huw Williams

One of the hottest and busiest bands around just now, The Molotovs played an electrifying set in Leeds Beckett. 50 years on since punk first rocked this country, this is a band that is keeping the scene alive and well. 

Just a glance around the venue showed that, while there are some younger fans connecting with the sounds of the young London duo, there are plenty of punk and mod scene veterans, judging by the vintage of some of the tour t-shirts on show. This is perhaps the fourth time they’ve played Leeds this year, either headline or support slots, but it epitomises their attitude to just getting out there and rocking an audience as often as they can. 

Their reputation is built on being on stage and delivering experiences that others will struggle to match.

There was genuine excitement in the queue and inside the student union - Leeds Beckett was packed out for this one, a testament to that hard work. Originally slated for The Wardrobe, this is a serious venue upgrade and there would still have been those who were disappointed not to have got tickets to another sold-out show. Matt and Issey confidently and calmly emerged from backstage, to a roar from the crowd. It’s the calm before the storm. 

Opening with Johnny Don’t Be Scared, they’re very quickly into their stride. Matt, sharp and stylish with a mod look, delivered the lyrics with attack and urgency. Issey adds a unique visual element alongside her accomplished bass licks, dancing, posing, posturing constantly through each song. The pair rattle through an 18 song set in a little over an hour, mixing songs from their well-received debut record Wasted on Youth and their highly anticipated follow up Welcome to Urbia, which is due out next April.

The set list demonstrates the momentum that’s building behind them. We’re only really getting to grips with the explosion of this band on to the scene, while they’re already looking ahead to what comes next. A cover of Bowie’s Suffragette Citycloses out the main set, acknowledging their influences before re-emerging with a couple of belters - 2025’s No Time To Talk and Come on Now - which leave the crowd wanting more. There’s surely no better way to leave a show, wishing you could stay in that moment for just one more song. It just means you have to make sure you get a ticket next time around. 

And there will be a next time. The show is relentless, their rise is similar. Their work ethic, even more so. With more than 600 shows under their belt, they have developed a live act that is hard to beat.

Outside Organisation