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Spirit Of John
Spirit of John consist of singer and guitarist Josh Sheppard and Double Bass extraordinaire Adam (‘Legend’) Richards, this folk-punk Americana outfit can cause a raucous of stomping and hollering just about anywhere.
The Finnlys
Mixing honest, gritty musicianship with upfront and memorable song writing, the band have developed a hardcore of loyal and devoted fans. Having released their new single in May the band are now playing a host of dates along and have a new EP to release later this year.
Rob Galloway
Rob is an institution of the Leeds Music Scene. With former band The Yalla Yallas he gained a reputation for his heart on the sleve performances. He returns in as a re-galvanised solo artist to open the show with he brilliant blend of folk and punk.
Liz Reynolds
Liz Reynolds has one of those voices–relaxing, hypnotic and at times haunting. As a duo with Mike Caley’s subtle but effective guitar playing, they continue to leave audiences captivated. This has made the duo one of Leeds’ best-loved secrets.
Ben Pike
Whether is’t as a solo artist or as part of Leeds super goup Belleville Ben has become an established and hugely admired part of the Leeds music scene with his incredible and intricate guitar skills and deep blues vocals.
Sabrina Piggott
A Cobh native now resident in Yorkshire, Sabrina’s songs are full of a sense of open spaces and possibility. She has taken her rich traditional music background and fused it organically with an eclectic range of influences from Tricky to Kate Rusby, from Bjork to Kristen Hersh.
Matt Bentley
Matt Bentley is a singer songwriter from Burnley, but lives and has carved out his reputation as delicate and intricate performer here in Leeds while also recording four albums and running his own nights.
Soul Circus
Soul Circus will be known by most people who follow the Leeds music scene, having played Leeds Festival, Reading, Isle of Wight, supported Miles Kane Various Cruelties. Their recent single released May 10th, was the latest Soundpeople release and saw them continuing to get press, and attract followers across the country.
The Artists
The Artists bring a bright new sound to the indie music scene, uniting the texture of captivating melodies, strong lyrics, and swaggering riffs to produce a huge sound. The Artists are part of the ELFM Associate Band program that supports and mentors young, emerging Leeds-based artists.
Secret Sirens
Describing themselves as ‘Dramatic Pop’ Secret Sirens have an ability to switch form epic to intimate in a heartbeat. Having released their debut album last year, the band are already back in the studio working on the follow up. Returning for a second year expect tales of far off lands, stalkers and heartbreak…with killer choruses!
Talk To Angels
Mickey and Craig met at a house party, and once everyone else had gone home, they sat up all night, talking about a mutual love of certain bands such as Fugazi, Biffy Clyro and Weezer and figured out they should start one. With a new album on the way Talk To Angels are a band on the up.
Sea Of Green
Seas-Of-Green are a young DIY musical collective from Leeds. Positively genre schizophrenic, an ever changing, mutating, disbanding, reforming band who pride themselves on their pop hooks and being a little odd. Seas-of-Green are part of the ELFM Associate Band program that supports and mentors young, emerging Leeds-based artists.
Jamie Fletcher Band
More of a collection of friends than a typical band, Jamie has gathered together a group of talented musicians that show off his engaging and immediate songs to their full strength. A blast of pure pop goodness!
The Housekeeping Society
The Housekeeping Society are a West Yorkshire-based folk-pop trio – comprising Ric Neale, Spencer Bayles and Ivan Mack – whose new album ‘Postcards’ is a song cycle that takes as its central theme the rise and fall of the English seaside. The new album comes just a year after their acclaimed debut ‘This Way To Power’, which was informed by stories of late 19th-century northern mill-towns. Both records incorporate found sounds, gathered on location, which were turned into the loops that underpin the songs and stories.
Dancing Years (Formerly Joseph & David)
Two boyhood friends who write breathtaking songs of friendship, family love and loss Joseph & David have gathered an army fans from their live performances that have left audiences literally speechless.
The Black Sea
Albert Ross (formerly of Albert Ross and the Otters) is back leading a new band of lovers, skeptics, dreamers and hopeless romantics down a ragged path of righteousness and rock and roll.
Sam Thornton
Whether it’s with his bands Louis, Louis, Louis and Mojo 57 or on his own with an acoustic guitar Sam never fails to leave audiences stunned with his smoky blues voice and tales of wine women and song that transport listeners back to the good ol’ days.
Hayley Gaftarnick
From acoustic, soul, jazz to blues, folk and middle eastern, Hayley’s unique and soulful voice makes them her own. By continuing to support young, local artists with the various nights she promotes Hayley has become one of Leeds’ best-loved and respected performers.
Francesca Pidgeon
17 year – old Francesca Pidgeon only started writing songs last April when she joined ELFM’s Next Generation training programme but since then she hasn’t looked back. She spent much of last year performing at gigs and festival, culminating in playing to an audience of 15,000 people at the Leeds Lights switch on. Francesca is part of the ELFM Associate Band program that supports and mentors young, emerging Leeds-based artists.
Jacobean Ruff
What can only be described as an amalgam of solo performers, defunct bands and members of our very own Next Generation training programme, Jacobean Rough are a brand new band with a whole heap of history. Mixing up blues, soul, indie and anything else they can get their hands on this a band that will very soon have the words “ones to watch” attached to them. Lets just say we told you so.
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