World Music Day falls on 21st June, offering an opportunity to celebrate Leeds’ extraordinary musical heritage.
Every year on the summer solstice people around the globe participate in World Music Day, the celebration of music which began as Fête de la Musique in Paris in 1982 and has since grown into an international phenomenon. Musicians of every level, amateur and professional, are encouraged to take their instruments outside and play, and free concerts fill public squares, parks, and streets. Today the celebration takes place in more than 700 cities across 120 countries. And where better to get into the spirit of the day than our own fair city, which has one of the richest musical traditions in the UK.
To get a sense of just how rich, and to gain an appreciation of the incredible variety of sounds and subcultures that have sprung up here, it’s well worth checking out the exhibition ‘Music Leeds Us: Celebrating 60 Years of Music in Leeds’ at Leeds City Museum until 28th June. Marking six decades of Leeds Conservatoire, the show traces the people, places, and defining moments that have shaped the city’s musical identity – from legendary gigs and grassroots movements to global sounds and local heroes. It’s a reminder that whatever you’re into musically, you’re likely to find it here be it goth, jazz, house, hip-hop, blues, punk, classical, rock, or folk.
The city has produced globe-conquering acts such as Kaiser Chiefs and Chumbawamba, while the University of Leeds boasts a substantial musical legacy. Like post-punk legends Gang of Four and The Mekons before them, the members of art-rock outfit Alt-J met while studying here. The Who’s Live at Leeds – widely regarded as one of rock’s best live albums – was recorded at the Student Union Refectory. Corinne Bailey Rae came up through the city’s long-thriving jazz, soul, and funk scene, while 90s mainstream pop is represented in the form of Leeds lass and Spice Girl, Mel B. More recently, indie-rock successes include Yard Act and English Teacher, and Leeds has long been an epicentre of dance music and electronica with Dave Beer and Ralph Lawson’s Back to Basics a clubbing stalwart and one of Europe’s longest-running club nights.
As a wellspring of fresh talent, Leeds has always been about nurturing and supporting emerging artists. Music:Leeds is a not-for-profit organisation established to develop music across the city and beyond and is a good starting point for anyone wanting to engage more deeply with what Leeds has to offer. Its Launchpad programme supports artists, musicians, producers, and composers across Yorkshire, and its wider network of events and workshops connects music makers with producers, promoters, and industry contacts.
While venues in the city have risen and fallen over the years, Leeds maintains a solid gig-circuit infrastructure. Brudenell Social Club, a local institution which has stood for over a century, has a reputation as one of the best venues in the country. It’s hosted everyone from Franz Ferdinand to Tom Jones and remains a nightly fixture for catching the best local and international acts. Elsewhere in the city, Howard Assembly Rooms, Left Bank, Hyde Park Book Club, The Attic, Seven Arts in Chapel Allerton, and Wharf Chambers all offer distinctive, eclectic, and inclusive live music settings.
Summertime ushers in festival season and there’s plenty round about to enjoy from Leeds Festival at Bramham Park to events at Harewood House and the newly relaunched Roundhay Park festival.
There’s always great live music to be found somewhere in Leeds any day of the week and some exciting local acts have caught our attention recently. For instance, The New Mysteries – an enigmatic concept project where alt-Americana and swamp blues merge with vintage pop stylings inspired by David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Dark synth-pop meets goth new wave in the soaring and enveloping song structures of Lines of Flight. And fans of Pavement, Big Thief, and The Velvet Underground should keep an ear out for up-and-comers, Nature Kids, whose gentle grooves underpin superbly crafted folk-rock arrangements with strong melodic hooks and inventive instrumentation.
So, for World Music Day, dust off that instrument you’ve neglected, gather some chums together for a singsong, get involved in a jam session, or just get out there to a gig. With something for everyone, when it comes to music, Leeds is a city best played loud!
Linesofflightmusic.com
Thenewmysteries.com | Musicleeds.co.uk
