Live at Leeds: In the Park has made changes to its line-up.
The brand new, one-day festival in Leeds has added new talent to their headliners, filling the day with popular indie and alternative artists from around the world.
The Vaccines, Holly Humberstone, Sports Team and The Snuts will be joining the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club, Arlo Parks, Easy Life and Sea Girls at Temple Newsam over the Queen's Jubilee weekend.
Nothing But Thieves were originally set to play but has since had to cancel and their headline slot will be replaced by The Vaccines on Saturday 4 June.
Joining the line-up, Alfie Templeman, The Pigeon Detectives, Cassia, Laruran Hibberd, Tribes and Dream Wife have all been confirmed to perform alongside The MYsterines, Kid Kapichi, Coach Party and Zuzu.
The location is home to some of the UK’s biggest alternative festivals like Slam Dunk and Newsam Park but this will be one of the most impressive stages for ‘Live at Leeds’ to date.
Joining the headliners are a whole load of smaller bands like Honne, Confidence Man, ADMT, Courting, Finn Askew, L’Objectif, Molly Payton, Porij and The Royston Club.
Image: Live at Leeds
The popular festival is usually held each year across the inner-city centre, with artists playing at a range of Leeds venues, but it was pushed back until October this year due to pandemic-related restrictions.
As a result, the Live at Leeds team have decided that the multi-venue traditional Live at Leeds will be hosted in October 2022 and an outdoor one-day festival will take place in its usual May spot.
The traditional Live in Leeds, which takes place in Leeds city centre, is due to go ahead in October, but no acts have been confirmed for this event.
Leeds legend Kevin Sinfield is set to take on his seventh and final 7 in 7 challenge this month.
The former Leeds Rhinos captain will begin 7 in 7: The Grand Finale next Sunday 27 September.
Wondering what on earth that is? Allow us to fill you in.
Sinfield will be running an ultra-marathon every day for seven days, and this time it's across the north of England including a special stop off right here in Leeds.
Not only that, but the challenge will bring Sinfield back to some of the places that have played a huge part in his rugby league career.
The route will visit all 12 English Betfred Super League grounds, starting at Hull KR before travelling through Yorkshire and eventually crossing the Pennines towards Manchester where Sinfield is from.
Here in Leeds, we can expect Sinfield to arrive at Headingley Stadium on Wednesday 30 September at 11:14am, before leaving towards Pudsey Civic Hall at 11:40am.
The challenge will then finish at Old Trafford on Saturday 3 October, where Sinfield will arrive ahead of the Super League Grand Final.
Since the first annual challenge back in 2020, Kevin Sinfield and his team have raised over £11 million for the MND community with six charities set to benefit once again from this years fundraising.
It's an amazing challenge for an amazing cause, and you can donate and find out more about the challenge here.
Good luck Kevin and the team, we know you'll smash it.
Fences at Leeds Playhouse – walls, wounds and what we leave behind | Review
Declan Kelly
Leeds Playhouse delivers a powerful story about the walls we build.
August Wilson’s Fences is a powerful and deeply personal family drama, exploring race, fatherhood, ambition and the emotional scars that can be passed from one generation to the next.
At Leeds Playhouse, the strength of the production lies largely with its cast. Ray Fearon gives Troy Maxson a commanding presence, balancing humour and charm with a growing sense of anger and resentment. It is an uncomfortable performance at times, but one that keeps you invested in Troy even when his actions become increasingly difficult to accept.
Madeline Appiah brings real warmth and emotional depth to Rose, while Josh Tedeku captures Cory’s frustration as a young man determined to make his own way rather than inherit his father’s limitations.
Image: Supplied
For me, though, Act 2 is where the production really comes alive.
The first half feels comparatively restrained. That isn't necessarily a criticism of the performances or Wilson's writing, but having experienced previous Headlong productions, I went in expecting a little more theatrical imagination from the staging. There were moments where I felt the production could have pushed the material further visually.
Act 2 begins to deliver that.
The rotating set adds movement and energy, while the bright LED lighting works particularly well with the live music, creating a more heightened atmosphere as the family's tensions reach breaking point. The production suddenly feels more visually ambitious, and the design starts to work hand-in-hand with the emotional journey of the characters.
Images: Supplied
The fence itself is an effective recurring image, initially a practical task, but gradually becoming a representation of Troy's need for control, protection and separation. The more the story unfolds, the more the fence feels like a barrier between Troy and the people he loves.
There is a lot to admire here, particularly in the performances, and Wilson's writing remains as relevant and affecting as ever. However, I couldn't help feeling that some of the theatrical ambition found in Act 2 could have been introduced earlier.
Ultimately, Fences is a moving and thought-provoking evening, with a particularly strong second half. For me, it was Act 2 that turned a solid production into a genuinely memorable one.
Running until 23 September at Leeds Playhouse, get your tickets here.
Sophie Smith -
4th March 2022 
