11 best acts we saw at Live at Leeds In The City 2025
Contact Music headed to Live at Leeds to take in the hottest new artists.
Despite increasingly dreary weather, thousands of music fans made this year’s edition of Live at Leeds In The City one to remember. Rather than letting spirits be dampened by the rain and cold, venues across the city were filled with people waiting to discover the next big thing. And, with a phenomenal line-up to rival its closest competitors, The Great Escape and Eurosonic, the one-dayer not only provided a springboard for future stars but offered unbeatable value for money. At just over £50 – or under £40 for students, of which there were many – the organisers should be commended for placing such an emphasis on affordability, especially in the current climate of overpriced shows.
After 11 hours spent darting between Leeds’ vast range of great gig spaces, here are the 11 best artists we saw...
Lover’s Skit
Kicking things off at The Key Club, Lover’s Skit wasted no time in proving why they are Stockholm’s most thrilling new export. Despite a small lunchtime crowd, vocalist Nathalia Aránguiz and producer Ove Jerndal tore through their uncompromising debut EP All Rights Reserved. The blistering electro-punk-rave of Bad Lyfe and the satirical Poor Business Man certainly blew any cobwebs away.
Sean Trelford
As the latest signing to Island Records’ new imprint Adventure, Sean Trelford is quickly becoming the name on everyone’s lips. That hype came to life in Leeds, where he and his band performed to a packed upstairs of Santiago’s bar at noon. “It’s early for a lazy teenager like myself,” he joked, having earlier described his music as “lo-fi indie bull***”. This charmingly self-deprecating analysis belies the intricacy of his Declan McKenna-like songwriting, particularly new single Naked, which closed the set. With a debut EP, Ulcer, out in mid-December, we are predicting very big things in 2026.
Billianne
James Keane
Accompanied by a seated live band, Billianne transformed Headrow House into a living room jam session — so much so that the Canadian’s mid-song chat was paired with jazzy keys. Baby Blue was suitably soft and comforting, while Future Emma demonstrated her effortless, show-stopping range. Meanwhile, the upbeat Crush – another highlight from her brilliant debut album Moses of Transportation – had a trio of girls dancing together. Illuminated by golden strobes as she moved between tempos with ease, Billianne’s talent was undeniable.
Aaron Rowe
Aaron Rowe’s performance in the intimate basement of The Wardrobe was a real treat for the 100 or so in the crowd, not least because the Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist had not yet performed in the city, but because he recently wrapped a UK arena run with Lewis Capaldi and will tour Australia with Ed Sheeran in 2026. Nonetheless, his feet remained firmly on the ground, and he really gave Leeds his all: unreleased tear-jerker Please Don’t Hate Me was followed by Talking With You, which, written about his 80-year-old uncle whom he doesn’t see very often, held the room silent. The patiently-anthemic What’s Wrong? chronicled his attempt at running away from family chaos, before his rendition of breakout debut single Hey Ma closed the set in heartfelt fashion. Alongside strikingly raw lyricism and an incredibly powerful voice, he made time for banter, especially with the Irish lads in the crowd. A true working-class hero.
Witch Post
Gracie Hall
We have been following Witch Post since their debut EP. It’s safe to say the duo – consisting of Scotland’s Dylan Fraser and Montana’s Alaska Reid – delivered. After the dark indie of Rust set the scene, Dreaming brought the grunginess of their sound to the fore. Recalling the great pie and mash at Brudenell Social Club, where they previously made their Leeds debut, won a big cheer too. They brought things down for the hushed Spell, with a warning from Reid that “you’re gonna be disappointed for just a little bit”. However, that wasn’t the case at all: while it was certainly quieter than what came before, the pair’s haunting harmonies were hypnotising; just when it seemed like the song was coming to an end, an instrumental outro of crashing drums and meaty riffs erupted. By closer Chill Out, Fraser had fully loosened up: his leather coat was on the floor and he was swishing his hair around. Newly signed to Partisan Records, where they join Geese, Blondshell and PJ Harvey, their unjustly modest streaming numbers are sure to skyrocket soon.
Monster Florence
Tom Sunderland
The term genre-defying gets thrown around a lot these days, but Monster Florence truly are. In the midst of a UK tour with Rizzle Kicks, the six-piece collective (including three interacting MCs) fused formidable, rapid-fire raps about real life with synths and drums in front of a packed crowd at The Wardrobe. Their song Borstal was a clear fan favourite, and their performance was unlike anything else on the line-up.
RIP Magic
Gracie Hall
RIP Magic’s show at Belgrave Music Hall was untouchably cool. Shrouded in hazy strobes, the Sorry spin-off project and London's most buzzy live band walked on stage to buzzy synths as their namesake flashed in cryptic fonts on a tiny screen. The production almost drowned out suited vocalist Marco Pini, who headbanged ferociously as the guitarist, keyboardist and drummer added extra noise. As he barked into the mic and laser-like synths created a War Of The Worlds-like atmosphere, it quickly became an audiovisual assault on all the senses. Their upcoming UK support tour with Fcukers makes total sense, even though what he’s saying in songs like Dox and Loot are only just decipherable in a live setting. Nonetheless, their reverb-heavy onslaught was utterly transfixing.
Punchbag
London sibling duo Punchbag’s hedonistic electro-punk-rave-pop is impossible not to jump around to. Pretty Youth and You Used To Be So Sexy, the latter berating modern social media obsession, had gaggles of mates bouncing together. Vocalist Clara was a ball of energy and, by closer Live Laugh Love, they had m the majority of the room jumping – impressive for a song that’s not even out yet.
Man/Woman/Chainsaw
Freshly signed to Fiction Records (home to home to The Cure, St. Vincent and The Horrors), the buzz at The Wardrobe was palpable ahead of six-piece Man/Woman/Chainsaw taking to the stage. The London-based group’s cacophony of sounds winds in thrilling directions – often in the same song – and the fact that they alternate vocalists at the drop of a hat made their show even more exciting. The contrast of a live violin paired with headbanging isn’t something that you would see every day, either. A huge “f*** yeah!” from a guy in the audience certified it was a winning combination.
samxemma
Despite a criminally small crowd, samxemma brought the party to Headrow House. The Manchester-based producer-vocalist duo’s set-up was refreshingly DIY, as live guitar added extra weight to their laptop beats and auto-tuned vocals. Given half the chance, fans of Charli XCX and 100 gecs will lap up their sugar-high hyperpop, particularly the sweat-inducing title track from the duo’s recent EP, and one of our top bangers of 2025, HOT BOYS MAKE HOT MUSIC. It’s just a shame that more people weren’t there to embrace their club-ready euphoria.
Jalen Ngonda
Headlining at Leeds Beckett Student Union with the full setlist from his own tour, what a treat it was to bear witness to the incredible musicality of Jalen Ngonda and his brilliant band. Performing to a packed generation-spanning audience, his vocal range was incomparable; the note he held at the end of Anyone In Love was immaculate. With an hour-and-a-quarter to play with, Ngonda happily basked in the grooves, as did the crowd. His extended renditions were lusciously languorous, and the simmering moments showcased his unflappable ability. The beautiful love song Just As Long As We’re Together became a clap-along anthem, before an encore for which Negonda sat at the keys for a spellbinding solo cover of The Look of Love by Burt Bacharach. Soon after, a group of lads started a football-style chant in adoration. “Some of y’all caught a cold today,” he noticed, full of gratitude. Of course, it was his biggest hit, If You Don’t Want My Love, that sent everyone home beaming.
