It’s time to start getting excited, Dear Reader. We’re just a few months out from the unofficial start of our summer festival season. That May Day Bank Holiday weekend means one thing – Live At Leeds. Packed with (literally) hundreds of the best new bands on the planet, it sees one of the country’s most vibrant creative cities turned into a mecca of buzz, hype and awesome live music.
To celebrate, we’re holding a special Live At Leeds takeover. Over the course of the day (28th January 2020, in case you’re coming to this late – Ed), we’ll be bringing you all kinds of stuff from and about the acts playing this year’s event. If you’re going, it’ll help you plan out those all-important spreadsheets. If you’ve not yet picked up your tickets – well, what are you waiting for? You can grab ’em here, right now.
One of the buzziest new bands for 2020 – as per Dork’s Hype List, ‘FYI’ – Nottingham’s Do Nothing are starting their summer not only with a set at Live At Leeds, but a must-attend headliner at The Lexington in London (21st April). To celebrate, guitarist Kasper Sandstrom has put together this here playlist for us. “This playlist theme is funk and disco,” he explains. “My dad is a self-taught bassist, and showed me a lot of funk/pop growing up. I’ve found a new appreciation for it since I started DJing a couple of years ago.”
Kassin – Relax
Probably the funniest way anyone says “relax” on a song. Insane trumpet duet towards the back end.
Aretha Franklin – Get it Right
I never would’ve associated Aretha Franklin with music like this, but it grooves like nothing else.
Kindness – Gee Up
I actually downloaded this song from iTunes’ Single Of The Week about ten years ago. One of my favourite basslines, I just wish it was longer!
Makeness & Adult Jazz – Other Life
One of the first new artists we got really excited about was Adult Jazz. Their debut album is basically perfect, and this single they did with Makeness is a super fun departure from what they did on that record.
Herbie Hancock – The Bomb
I bought a record with some disco edits on called “Disco Bits” which had this track on it. I had no idea it was Herbie Hancock for months.
Al Jarreau – Roof Garden
This is one of those my dad used to play all the time. It’s kind of a ridiculous song, but it SLAPS. The video is the most 80s thing you’ll ever see.
Parliament – Give up the Funk
I only recently got into Parliament / Funkadelic, which is insane. My sister bought me ‘Mothership Connection’ for my birthday last year, and I’ve been obsessed with it since.
George Benson – Never Give Up On A Good Thing
Better than ‘Give Me The Night’.
Tower of Power – Soul with a Capital “S”
Talks a lot about soul while being extremely funky.
Shalamar – A Night To Remember
This song is just really fun and catchy; god bless Shalamar.
Live At Leeds will take place on 2nd May, visit liveatleeds.com for more info.
