Leeds and York bands given chance to impress at Festival

Names of the bands who get to rub shoulders with the big names at the Leeds Festival after coming through the annual Centre Stage and Futuresound competitions have been revealed.
Leeds band Fighting Caravans with Blossoms at HMV Leeds. Picture: Andrew BengeLeeds band Fighting Caravans with Blossoms at HMV Leeds. Picture: Andrew Benge
Leeds band Fighting Caravans with Blossoms at HMV Leeds. Picture: Andrew Benge

The competitions give local bands the once-in-a-lifetime chance to win places on the line-up at the annual music extravaganza taking place at Bramham Park.

Since its initial launch by The Pigeon Detectives in 2009, Centre Stage has raised an incredible £200,000 for Martin House Children’s Hospice and provided a platform for over 190 young musicians to showcase their emerging talent.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This year’s winners are Yorkshire favourites Faux Pas, from York, who will be performing on the BBC Introducing Stage at Leeds and Reading 2016.

The prestigious Futuresound competition also returned this year, offering winners the coveted opening slot on the Lock Up Stage and five runners-up the chance to perform on the BBC Introducing Stage. This year’s winners are alt-rock Americana quintet Fighting Caravans, from Leeds.

Having battled it out against 39 other bands, they will play the Lock Up Stage alongside the likes of Good Charlotte, The King Blues, MGK and Arcane Roots. Joining them over the bank holiday weekend and all performing on the BBC Introducing Stage will be runners up The Indigo Project, Vexxes, Dusk, Adore // Repel and Night Owls.

Members of Fighting Caravans and Faux Pas were given the chance to meet fellow northerners Blossoms at HMV Leeds, during the promotional tour for their debut, self-titled album, which is heading straight for the top of the UK Album Chart this week.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Band of the moment Blossoms are also appearing at the Leeds Festival and in his introduction at the Leeds Festival press day at Bramham Park, event founder Melvin Benn talked about the band as the perfect example of what can happen to an act with the right breaks in the space of one short year.

Blossoms were unsigned when they played the Festival Republic Stage at their first Leeds and Reading Festivals in 2015. This year, they play on the NME / Radio 1 Stage, with a critically acclaimed album hitting the very top of the charts.

Weekend tickets for the Leeds Festival are £205 + £8 booking fee and day tickets are £59.50 + £7 booking fee with both available from http://www.leedsfestival.com/tickets

Related topics: