Leeds International Festival starts this Thursday comprising of an eclectic line up of philosophical talks, poetry and all manner of cultural activities. We’re obviously a music publication so here’s a little run down of the music program going on from the 2nd to the 12th of May.

Falling Light – 2nd May – Corn Exchange

In his many years in the game, Daniel Avery never neglects any part of his performance: from the lights to the sound system to the music itself, everything is always in perfect balance whenever Avery takes the stage.

Falling Light, Avery’s collaboration with London design studio Flat-e for Leeds International Festival, stands as testament to this keen attention to detail. Combining original music composed by Avery specifically for this piece, Falling Light blurs the boundaries between musical performance and art installation. As an immersive light installation, it centres on a horizontal screen floating above the audience. The audience is intended to stand underneath and let the light wash over their bodies, contemplating the experience of light emerging from the darkness and enveloping the viewer, whilst simultaneously rendering the audience a participant in the work itself.

On 2nd May, Daniel Avery will perform his original composition personally by way of opening the exhibition, after which Falling Light will be on display at the Corn Exchange for the remainder of Leeds International Festival. It will be free of charge to all members of the public – Jemima Skala

Tickets are £13.20 (Consession) or £16.50 (Full) and you get can some here

The Unconference – 3rd May – Leeds College of Music

Returning for its third year The Unconference is Music:Leeds’ flagship conference. The event brings together speakers from across the country including the likes of BBC Introducing’s Abbie McCarthy, Skinny Pelembe and figures from across the Leeds music scene. Phil Taggart of BBC Radio 1 will be in town to give keynote Q&A at this years conference.

If you are in any way involved in the music industry in Leeds this is a must attend event, which is not something I say lightly. Across The Wardrobe and Leeds College of Music the event is packed with sessions on getting your music released, how to access funding opportunities and  opportunities to actually meet the people talking to you and get feedback on what you’re doing. – James Ward

Register to attend for free here.

Leeds International Festival x Inner City Electronic – 4th may – The Tetley

Crazy P – Photo by Richard Kelly

Coming off the back of their recent record release – “the Witness” –  Crazy P come back to Leeds as part of Leeds International festival 2019. Hosted by Inner City Electronic as a special one-off day and night party at the L19 Cube – part of the new and exciting South Bank Transformation outside what used to be the Tetley Brewery.

The soulful underground disco tech group (say that ten times in a row fast), always bring the party wherever they land and we expect much of the same from them this bank holiday weekend! The mixture of disco cuts, soulful house and deep electronic beats, alongside the luscious vocals of lead singer Danielle Moore culminate in a mesmerising sound any self-respecting music lover cannot help but shake their hips and get their knees up to.

If that doesn’t entice you to crack open a can of red stripe and break at ‘that funky shirt’ then fear not, the local flavour to the rest of the line-up that will have you rocking all day and night.

Leeds party starters Brudenell Groove promise to bring the best cuts with a great line-up of their ever rotating group of resident DJs. Playing alongside fellow Leeds locals Wollfer & Lovać from Hyde House and Reuben from Flux. If that wasn’t enough then 20:20 records founder, dance-music mogul Ralph Lawson back on his home-turf of Leeds is really the icing on the cake for what promises to be a well-rounded immersive experience celebrating the up and coming and established sounds of the Leeds music scene. – Alex Storey

Tickets are on second release at £22 and you get get them here

JUICEBOX with Yves Tumor, Tommy cash + more – 11th May – The Tetley/Live Art Bistro

Yves Tumor

JUICEBOX is perhaps the most outwardly radical night on the electric Leeds International Festival music program – more than just a club night or musical performance, we can expect an evening of things pulled apart at the seams to offer a glimpse of a future without binaries.

Bringing together an international melting pot of queer performers, JUICEBOX sees a stellar line up bending both gender and genre down at the L19 Village. The night features Estonian rapper and concept artist Tommy Cash, the enigmatic and experimental Yves Tumour, and “gay, femme, and fearless” grime star Karnage Kills, with turntablist extraordinare NikNak finishing off the bill.

With each performer holding reputations that are far from understated, expect things to be taken to the extremes sonically, visually and emotively from this electrifying night of subversion. If you’re after something that presents a challenge but want to stay strapped into your comfort zone then perhaps you might be better off perusing the rest of the LIF19 programme – this isn’t one for the the faint hearted or closed minded. For us here at Pretend though, the promise of a weird and wonderful world, deconstructed in the name of unity, is more than enough to see us down the front and on our feet – Eleanor Weinel

Concessions are £19.25 and normal tickets are £23.63 and you can get them here

 

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