Wakefield fans urged to snap up Long Division tickets

The music event, held across the multiple venues in the city, will return to its usual June slot this year after 2020's was cancelled to the pandemic, and last year's was held in September.

With bands continuing to sign up to play the upcoming three-day celebration, including indie-rock stalwarts - Sea Power - the first batch of early-bird tickets have already sold out.

Under the guidance of a new three-strong team, with director and founder Dean Freeman taking more of a back seat, there are calls for more locals to get involved.

Eva Davies, the festival's new live events assistant, who also works for a record label in Leeds, said: "Putting on gigs is hard in Wakefield, and it can be hard to get people to come to them, but we want to start building a strong scene.

"Long Division has a strong loyal fanbase from Wakefield, but we do tend to get a lot of people coming from Sheffield and Leeds.

"We really want people to come who have never been before.

"When people mention live music in West Yorkshire, they always look to Leeds, but it would be nice to get Wakefield mentioned as well.

"We tend ot get a good mix of headliners and local bands that have been around for a while, and young people who are just starting out."

Looking westwards, Eva says they are taking tips from a similar festival, Sound City in Liverpool, which has become a huge three-day multi-venue event.

She added: "It's a festival with an amazing reputation. What it has done for the music scene in Liverpool is really inspirational."

Nine venues will be hosting the Long Division festival from June 10 to 12.

To help spark interest, a series of monthly gigs are being set up by the the festival organisers, the first being this Saturday, February 19, in The Red Shed on Vicarage Street.

Halifax vocalist, Ellur, will be performing. Tickets are £6.60 and are available here. Two more are planned in March and April at the Mechanics' Theatre.

A new free one-day festival - Wakefield Live - is also planned for September.

"It's about getting people from Wakefield, who have never seen live music, and showing them what it's like," added Eva.