In just a little over four days’ time – on Saturday 22nd November 2014 – four of the city’s top independent venues will open their doors for the start of Leeds’ inaugural High & Lonesome Festival. A one day event, High & Lonesome is a wonderful celebration of the influence of Americana in modern music.
The event will run from midday until 11pm at the beautiful Grade I listed Georgian building that is the Holy Trinity Church; relative newcomer, and most welcome addition to the Leeds live music scene Belgrave Music Hall; Oporto; and Leeds’ oldest public house, Whitelock’s, with after-hours parties being held at both Belgrave Music Hall and home of the long running Monday night Gaslight Club, the Oporto bar. All four venues are within easy walking distance of each other in Leeds city centre.
Complemented as it is by a series of additional fringe events including a record fair, film screenings, pop-up acoustic sessions as well as themed street food and drinks menus, the main staple of the High & Lonesome is unquestionably live music.
A truly exciting line-up – especially selected to reflect the extensive influence that Americana has on contemporary music, ranging from roots to rock’n’roll and from bluegrass to the blues – is drawn from a wide range of both national and local talent. Headlining High & Lonesome is the ever-evolving and supremely gifted Patrick Wolf who will be performing a special solo set in the ethereal setting of Holy Trinity Church late on Saturday evening.
An exceptionally strong supporting cast includes the fabulous young Scots songstress, Rachel Sermanni, the equally enchanting South London singer-songwriter Misty Miller, those wonderful West Yorkshire legends Ellen and the Escapades, fellow Leodian Paul Thomas Saunders – whose debut full-length offering Beautiful Desolation is sure to appear in many a “best album of 2014” lists – and yet another largely unsung local talent, the country/roots/blues musician Serious Sam Barrett.
Further top drawer support appears courtesy of Newcastle folk minimalists Ajimal, the York-based collective Boss Caine, led by Daniel Lucas, and the seriously talented Leeds-based orchestral folk sextet, Hunting Bears.
The full line-up of artists – including individual stage times – can be seen here
Tickets for the festival – at the absolute bargain price of £18 – can be purchased here from the legendary Leeds record shop Jumbo Records
Dead Young Records presents the very first High & Lonesome festival at various venues in Leeds city centre on Saturday 22nd November 2014
