Home-coming gig for The Cribs at biggest Long Division festival

The Netherton brothers launched Long Division 2014 with a sell-out gig at the recently renovated Unity Works venue.

It was their first public hometown performance since 2007.

More than 3,000 people turned out for the fourth annual festival, which featured 115 performances as part of a weekend music event and an arts fringe festival.

Saturday’s music line-up included Leeds-based The Wedding Present, Sheffield duo Slow Club, Summercamp, Welsh musician Gruff Rhys and alternative rock-group Bleech.

The Fringe festival on Sunday featured Faceless Theatre Company, discussion and listening panels, live album recoring and craft workshops.

Dean Freeman, festival director, said: “We experimented quite a lot this year, with new venues, the big Friday gig and the weekend tickets, as well as making big efforts over the summer and on the weekend to find ways to get the young music fans and bands in Wakefield involved.

“By getting a band as big as The Cribs, getting NME coverage and having BBC Leeds broadcast live from the festival, it feels like we are achieving our aim of celebrating Wakefield as a city, and its many talented artists, more than ever.

“We feel very proud

of all the bands that

played, and the amazing local support we’ve had.”

Tickets are already on sale for next year’s festival, which runs from June 12 to 14.

They can be bought at https://billetto.co.uk/long-division-2015