Live At Leeds festival has reported the cancellation of its 2020 instalment today (September 23rd). This unfortunate news follows Live At Leeds previously rescheduling its one-day event to November 28th, from its original date, May 2nd.
Organisers of the event made the tough decision to cancel Live At Leeds to align with the new UK government guidelines concerning the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The headline act planned for Live At Leeds 2020 was Mancunian indie-pop band Pale Waves.
Additional bands confirmed for Live at Leeds were Brighton band The Magic Gang, alternative group Easy Life and rock band Shame. The Coral and American musician Ezra Furman were also set to play the city festival, where they would each deliver performances from various Leeds music venues.
Within a sorrowful but necessary statement, founders of Live At Leeds said “It may not come as a great surprise, but it will not be possible to go ahead with Live at Leeds 2020 as planned.”
The statement continued with “We’d hoped by moving the festival to the end of the year we stood the best chance we had of going ahead, but with the current guidance it’s now clear that won’t be possible, and certainly wouldn’t be the Live at Leeds experience we’ve all grown to enjoy.”
Organisers of the event also pleaded with music fans to maintain their ongoing support for record stores, music festivals and independent artists, stressing urgently that “they need your support now more than ever.”
Live At Leeds concluded their statement with a reiteration of the group’s ethos:“Live at Leeds is a labour of love. We run this event to introduce music fans to new talent, to bring people to our city and to support the venues, staff and talented freelancers that operate throughout Leeds.” The full statement can be accessed here.
In regards to the event’s return, founders have confirmed that Live At Leeds will commence sometime in 2021. Ticket holders will be able to claim refunds at the point of purchase, as stated on the Live At Leeds official website.
View this post on Instagram
#LiveatLeeds 2015 Alumni, Wakefield indie heroes @thecribs return to #Yorkshire in June 2021 for a special outdoor summer headline show live at @thepiecehall Halifax! Tickets go on-sale tomorrow at 9am from lunatickets.co.uk – don’t miss it! A post shared by Live At Leeds Festival (@liveatleedsfest) on
Live At Leeds was established in 2007. Founded to mark the city’s 800th birthday milestone, the music event partnered with both music promotion company Futuresound and Leeds City Council for over a decade. Featured film industries, music industry seminars and around 50 bands playing live in and around the city centre, Live At Leeds has something for every music lover!
In other news, Shame recently shared their comeback single, Alphabet. Manic and punky, Alphabet was released on September 10th. Shame also announced news of a comeback show recently, confirming they will perform at the Electric Brixton in London on April 22nd, 2021.
