Little Leeds Fringe brings a fresh approach to the festival calendar

The Little Leeds Fringe festival will debut on the 8th of February. The four-day festival provides a platform for an eclectic selection of creative performances. It’s the first fringe festival to be based at Leeds University. The fringe festival will attempt to showcase the work of exclusively new companies and individual performers.

The Little Leeds Fringe has been organised by a group of students from the School of Performance and Cultural Industries at Leeds University. Leeds University’s first fringe festival has been produced with the support of the Leeds For Life Foundation and the stage@leeds Young Entrepreneurs Programme. The programme ensures that entrepreneurial drama students can produce their own shows without the financial burdens that go with it.

Linda Horsburgh, the director of The Little Leeds Fringe said: “I am exceptionally passionate about the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, my whole year essentially revolves around the way in which I will be taking part in it each August. I love the idea that fringe festivals promote a platform for non-professional companies to showcase their work.”

The performances range from a provocative show called ’The Hungry Bitches Cabaret’ to an immersive gaming installation called  ’End Game’.  One of the main focuses during the development of the festival was an open-access attitude to group and individual performers, Linda Horsburgh said: “Our philosophy was that if someone could create a full performance then we would put it in our festival. So far we haven’t turned anyone away.” She continues: “I wanted a chance to celebrate all the talent that Leeds students have to offer. There are obviously various other cultural activities that take place across the University and in Leeds during the year but none that bring together all aspects of performance from stand up to experimental physical theatre.”

A studious crowd is expected over the four-day festival but organisers are working hard to engage a local audience. Linda Horsburgh said: “This is the first year that this has been created and being students ourselves our resources currently lie within the campus boundaries.”

Some of the performances are ticketed and they all cost under £10 and some tickets are as little as £3.50. On the 8th of February the Old Bar at the bottom of Leeds University Union will host acts such as: instrumental quartet, Sax Addict Quartet; folk band, Bestfriend; and solo-singer Phoebe Katis, who recently toured America.

Art installations will be held at The Hidden Cafe from the 8th to the 11th of February. Gemma Li’s ‘Sunset Venice’ offers viewers an alternative portrayal of typical Venetian scenery. The Hidden Cafe will also host ‘Nebula’ by Natalie Winwood, the piece highlights the media’s influence over public consciousness.

With such a varied collection of creativity the future looks bright for the new-born festival, Linda Horsburgh said: “I couldn’t have done the things I’ve done without the key support of the stage@leeds Young Entrepreneurs programme, Leeds University Union or the Leeds For Life Foundation. But I am very keen to expand the festival in the future.”

Live At Leeds line up announced at launch event

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Example, Ladyhawke, Los Campesinos, and The Subways are among the long list of local and international acts playing Live At Leeds 2012. Leedsound was at yesterday’s launch to find out how Live At Leeds has expanded and to listen to the hushed tones of Sam Airey, who sang a couple of songs to cap off a successful evening at The Wardrobe.

Futuresound promoter,  Simon Stevens is responsible for booking the acts for Live At Leeds. Leedsound spoke to Simon about the expansion of the festival:

Simon talks to Leedsound about the unique aspects of Live At Leeds in comparison to other city festivals like Dot to Dot and Camden Crawl:

The Futuresound promoter talks us through the booking process:

Click here to see a full list of bands announced so far.

Art fans anticipate Gary Hume exhibition

On the 2nd of February 2012 Leeds Art Gallery will premiere Gary Hume’s ‘Flashback’ exhibition. The exhibition is part of The Arts Council Collection which tours to showcase the best that British art has to offer.

The exhibition will feature pieces from Hume’s early career, such as, Moonbeam Rising (1994), Four Feet in the Garden (1995), and ‘Water Painting (1999). Leeds Art Gallery visitors will also have the chance to see Hume’s American Tan XXVIII 1 which expresses issues surrounding the power of American culture. On the 29th of March Leeds Art Gallery will host a conversation between Gary Hume and curator and writer Andrew Renton, tickets are available for £5 and £3 for concessions. Leeds Art Gallery curator, Sarah Brown said: “We are hoping for significant interest as Hume is a major contemporary artist who has not previously exhibited here.”

'Baby Bird I'

Gary Hume is one of Britain’s most celebrated contemporary artists. In 1996 Gary Hume was nominated for the Turner Prize but lost out to Scottish artist, Douglas Gordon. Born in Kent, Hume first rose to prominence with his collection of abstract paintings which were based on the design of the doors at St Bartholomew’s hospital in London.

He was part of the Young British Artists (YBA) generation along with artistic luminaries such as Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin. In 1988 the Goldsmith graduate contributed towards a group exhibition called ‘Freeze’. The exhibition became synonymous with the YBA generation and presented the varied work of sixteen budding students at Goldsmiths University.

'American Tan VI'

Gary Hume represented Britain at the Venice Biennale in 1999 and the Bienal de São Paulo in 1996. Gary Hume recently summed up his career, he said: “The best thing that’s happened in 20 years is what I’ve learnt – that I absolutely love moving paint about. That’s all I care about. All I want to do.”

Head of the Arts Council Collection, Caroline Douglas, said: “It is testament to both the artist’s generosity and the strength of the works acquired by Arts Council Collection that we are able to bring this substantial overview of his career to museums and galleries in the UK.” The Arts Council Collection was formed in 1946 and currently boasts one of the largest collections of post-war British art. The collection will go on to exhibit at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, the new Jerwood Gallery, in Hastings, and Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Leeds City Council executive member for leisure Councillor, Adam Ogilvie said: “Following on from the amazing exhibitions devoted to Damien Hirst and Henry Moore at the gallery last year, which proved hugely popular, this is the perfect way to start 2012 and we think people will be fascinated when they see these wonderfully eye-catching paintings and sculptures.”

Winner of 2011 Northern Art Prize to be announced

The winner of the 2011 Northern Art  Prize will receive £16,500 and each of the runners up will take home £1500. The nominees are Northumberland’s James Hugonin, Shropshire-born and Wirral resident, Leo Fitzmaurice, Huddersfield’s Liadin Cooke, and Richard Rigg who lives in Newcastle.

The Northern Art Prize Exhibition has been running since the 25th of November at Leeds Art Gallery. The gallery in the heart of Leeds has been hosting talks with the nominated artists and judges over the past two months. Writer, curator and Northern Art Prize judge, Matthew Hearn said: “Looking at the history of the prize, they’ve recognized experience and dedication to the practice rather than going for the young and trendy person.”

The prize has been celebrating Northern contemporary art for five years and can be won by a new or established artist. Judge and Director of The Hepworth in Wakefield, Simon Wallis said: “As ever you’re looking for originality, I think that’s the thing we’re always on the look out for, something that really does seem to be forging some new ground.”

Leo Fitzmaurice: Post Match

Nominee, Leo Fitzmaurice re-presents everyday objects inviting viewers to see common objects unconventionally. Aspects of Leo Fitzmaurice’s work highlight awkward visual concepts from normal urban environments, he said: “The work I’m going to put in is going to take two forms. One is going to be a data projection of mobile phone images.” He continues: “The other part is a kind of more historical take on landscape which is going to be a re-hang of Leeds Art Gallery’s landscape paintings. I’m going to follow the line of the landscape and hang the paintings so they’re touching each other so as you walk along it you’ll read one continuous view”. Kate Farrell, Curator at The Lowry in Salford Keys nominated Leo Fitzmaurice, she said: “I love his use of everyday objects; he quite mischievously changes what the viewer is used to seeing.”

James Hugonin at work painting one of 200,000 marks

Prize nominee, James Hugonin has already won The 2011 ACE Award for Art in a Religious Context. Each of his four paintings exhibited in Leeds Art Gallery have taken up to a year to make and overall they involve over 200,000 individual coloured marks. James Hugonin said: “I’m constantly engaged in some form in the practice, whether it’s notebooks, whether it’s drawing grids, whether it’s painting marks, it never leaves me alone.”

red room - Liadin Cooke

Irish-born Liadin Cooke has been nominated for her delicate combination of language within a visual platform. She said: “I’m an artist who uses a wide range of materials, really choosing the medium to suit the idea. I get ideas from all over the place, there’s not one particular thing, it’s literally this curiosity I have of the world around me.”

Two Writing Desks, False Drawer - Richard Rigg

Richard Rigg has been making waves by re-engineering objects such as desks to create engaging and unlikely visual pieces. He uses a wide range of skills such as carpentry and photography. Richard Rigg’s said: “The work is going to be mixed up rather than placed together, it seems like it will be a really interesting show to be part of.”

Thought Bubble floats into Leeds

Thought Bubble festival arrives in Clarence Dock, Leeds this week as part of Leeds International Film Festival. Thought Bubble is a sequential art festival which is running from the 14^th of November to the 20^th of November. The festival is the largest annual sequential art event in the United Kingdom and attracts a wealth of national and international comic book luminaries.

The festival offers people the chance to attend workshops, lectures, and watch specialist sequential art films. Thought Bubble 2011 culminates in a comic book convention on the weekend of the 19^th of November. The convention offers fans a chance to interact with and learn from 300 sequential art writers and illustrators. A unique luxury of the convention is the level of intimacy and the direct interaction between fans and writers; an opportunity which isn’t as prominent in other forms of art.

The festival has expanded every year since its inception in 2007. Thought Bubble’s Development Manager, Clark Burscough said: “We always hoped that Thought Bubble would grow, we just didn’t expect it to be so fast. The way in which interest has grown is phenomenal, and that’s the main reason we’ve been able to expand from a one-day convention to a week-long festival.” Another reason for growth of Thought Bubble could be the impressive and expansive collection of guests.

Clark Burscough said: “Due to the size of the guest list this year it’s hard to pick any one attendee who’s most hotly anticipated. First time attendees include Tim Sale, Adam Hughes, Posy Simmonds, Jeff Lemire, Gail Simone, David Aja, and Dave Gibbons, so it’s great to be able to put together such a strong roster.”

Americans Tim Sale and Adam Hughes are among the flagship guests. The Eisner award winning Tim Sale has worked on Spiderman and Batman comics and his artwork has appeared on the award-winning TV show Heroes. Adam Hughes has drawn cover art for Catwoman, Wonderwoman, and Tomb Raider and has been awarded with Eisner and Harvey awards. Adam Hughes said: “I’m looking forward to Thought Bubble very much.”

Thought Bubble is keen to showcase the work of talented British artists. Cambridge-based Dave Shelton won the inaugural Leeds Graphic Novel Award in 2010 with his book collection of Good Dog, Bad Dog. Dave Shelton said he was looking forward to: “Opening the gold envelope to announce the winner of the Leeds Graphic Novel Award.” He comically added: “And having conversations about pens.”

It is a testament to Leeds that Thought Bubble has never moved from its northern roots. A large amount of sequential art events occur in London. Clark Burscough said: “Leeds was chosen primarily because we all live here, but also because we felt that the North was lacking in a big comics event. We didn’t want London having all the fun.”

Jeffrey Lewis at the Brudenel Social Club

The BBC need to hire Jeffrey Lewis in some capacity because his gigs never fail to inform, educate and entertain. Jeffrey Lewis delivers on a manifesto which our public service broadcaster struggles with.

Fans were informed and educated on the history of a very famous Venetian merchant traveler. They learnt about Marco Polo through the medium of a singing lecture backed up by projections of Jeffrey Lewis’s charming and relevant illustrations. Jeffrey educates the crowd throughout the set with segments of his impressively broad knowledge with anecdotes and factoids. The constant stream of information cleanses palates between songs.

The band’s touring to promote their new album Dream Songs which came out earlier this year. They played a selection of songs from the new album including an elegant rendition of I Got Lost. Nan Turner of Schwervon! is joining the band for the tour and fitted in comfortably. She sang harmonically with Jeff whilst playing on what looked like a child’s keyboard.

Halfway through the show Jeffrey Lewis began talking about his passion for 60′s psychedelic music. Jeffrey’s musical influences are genre-spanning and perpetually-obscure. In keeping with the theme the band performed an uncharacteristically raucous cover of The Pseudos – Long Way To Nowhere. Jeffrey Lewis looked like he was genuinely enjoying playing The Pseudos, an enjoyment which isn’t as obvious to see when he’s playing Dream Songs.

The crowd at the Brudenel were lapping up an instrumentally-tight performance and there was a chance to witness a rare pogo amongst a usually timid Jeffrey Lewis crowd. To the delight of a crowd full of smiles Jeffrey bid farewell to Leeds with a tongue-twisting version of the Mosquito Mass-Murderist rap.

Friday Focus

Every Friday leedsound will focus on a local band.

This week our attention has travelled 14 miles down the M621 and arrives at its destination: The Spills. They hail from Wakefield but have been spotted frequenting venues accross Leeds. They’re signed to independent label, Philophobia Music, who also have the talented and bass-heavy Runuaround Kids on their books.

The Spills have a new album out but leedsound stood to attention in 2010 when the Smoke Signals EP came out. The EP is faultless, every song is filled to the brim with a healthy dollop of bass, and the riffs are expertly slotted in and around a simple drum beat. There are elements of grunge-revival which is smoothed over with back-to-basics rock.

The new album Occam’s Razor is a bargain at £7 and you can try before you buy on bandcamp. The new album shows musical growth with more emphasis on the complexities of guitar riffs and solos. It’s pretty hard not to enjoy The Spills. They’re unpretentious, a throwback with a modern twist.

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