Live At Leeds’ stage divvy up is here, and this year you’ll be able to find Dork in one of the fanciest venues going – The Church.
Heading up the bill are The Horrors, who released their fifth album ‘V’ last year. Pretty perfect, right?
Before them, we’ll also have London four-piece Stereo Honey, former Kaiser Chief Nick JD Hodgson, and local duo Krrum.
And as if that weren’t enough, there’s also Dork faves Bad Sounds and Ten Tonnes, and singer-songwriter Tom Walker, who earlier this week headlined KOKO no less.
It’s going to be loads of fun – as Tom from The Horrors will attest.
Hi Tom, how are you today?
I am well, thank you for asking.
Have you guys enjoyed 2018 so far? What’ve you been up to?
We had a couple of weeks to ourselves at the start of the year, but otherwise, we’ve been working on new music at [North London studio] The Church.
You’ve loads of shows over the summer, including Live At Leeds – is it a festival you’ve played before?
I don’t believe we’ve played it before – but sometimes it’s hard to remember all the festivals we’ve played over the last 13 years. It’s a lot. Leeds is always fun though. People know how to have a good time there.
Are you going to be hanging around all day, catching some other bands, treating yourselves to Greggs?
100% Greggs. Sausage rolls for days.
It’s pretty cool to be playing in a church, are you looking forward to it?
We record in a church, so we’re quite used to it at this point. Has it been deconsecrated?
No idea mate. Does a slightly different-from-the-norm environment change your set or approach at all?
It’s all about energy – environment influences that – but you can play the worst or best venues in the world, and the thing that makes it good or bad is the energy in the room.
You must’ve played some other unusual venues in your time, any particular highlights?
The tunnels under Edinburgh, on a beach in Italy, in castles, shops, forests, fields, apartments… we’ve conquered many environments.
What do you think is the key to putting on a good festival set?
If you find out can you let me know? As far as I’m aware there is no key. I wish it were that simple.
What’s your favourite thing about playing multi-venue city festivals like Live At Leeds?
I think the fact you often play inside means there’s a bit more of an atmosphere, or at least we can do our best to create one. And no mud.
How do you prepare for a summer of festivals?
Buying cost price Pimms.
Who else are you looking forward to seeing at festivals this year?
I look forward to being surprised by a band I’d written off or never heard of actually being really good.
What else have you guys got coming up?
New music and a range of toiletries.
Live at Leeds takes place on Saturday, 5th May in venues across the city. Tickets are on sale now, visit liveatleeds.com for all the goss.
