In terms of business and industry, The Northern Powerhouse may be just so much PR propaganda on the part of the government, but when it comes to a vibrant music scene and metropolitan festivals, the north really is up there, with Yorkshire truly leading the way. Reading counterpart Leeds festival may be the biggest and best-known event of the summer, but it’s Live at Leeds, Tramlines (Sheffield) and Wakefield—hosted Long Division that offer by far the best value for money, while simultaneously catering to the more discerning audience and offering something fresh.
Big festivals have their place, but it’s on the smaller festival circuit that bands build their reputations, and Long Division affords the chance to see up-and-coming acts in intimate venues, as well as cult acts and also some bigger names.
By way of bigger names this year, Friday night’s event boasts Gang of Four, while Sunday’s now-traditional live album recording finds Leeds trailblazers Post War Glamour Girls giving their back catalogue a working over while introducing some new material ahead of album number three.
It’s on the Saturday where it all goes off, though, with a huge array of bands playing across the town through the day and evening. Field Music are the obvious big draw here, but then, equally, Los Campesinos!, Brix & the Extricated (boasting more Fall legends than The Fall and probably more likely to play songs you’ve heard) and bis are all names with enough heft to more than justify the £25 ticket price.
Punk legend and renowned music journalist John Robb brings the mighty Membranes to Wakefield, and things are sure to get sweaty.
But the joy of any festival is often to be found exploring the acts a little lower down the bill, and the lineup for Long Division this year features longstanding W&H favourites Her Name is Calla, as well as Juffage, grunge-poppers Allusondrugs, and recent discoveries Fizzy Blood. RM Hubbert, previously hand-picked to tour as support for The Twilight Sad is very much one to watch, his astounding guitar work paired with an honest, humble delivery.
You could also do a lot worse than checking out Napoleon IIIrd and Earache-signed alt-rockers from Nottingham, Kagoule.
Did we mention Fear of Men, Emma Pollock, Malcolm Middleton or Forever Cult?
We could go on, but you get the idea. The biggest problem you’re likely to have with such a wealth of quality artists playing around the town on a single day is deciding which acts to miss.
