Leeds Festival 2023 review: Billie Eilish, Sam Fender and The Killers rock Yorkshire

Headliners Billie Eilish, Sam Fender, The Killers an many more brought their energy to Leeds (and of course sister festival Reading) creating a memorable and thrilling weekend for all those who went.

With an ever-expanding line-up each year, Leeds is a coming of age experience that many across Yorkshire will never forget, bringing people together for arguably one of the largest and most celebrated festivals out there.

Here's our look back at Leeds 2023...

With the sounds starting around noon each day and the arena gates opening around 10am, music lovers from far and wide were there in their masses.

Hardcore fans could be seen rushing in early on for their favourite acts to camp out the barrier, whilst other music goers used the opportunity to explore the site and use this chance to discover new artists.

There are two main stages at Leeds Festival: Main Stage West and Main Stage East.

The Main Stage East included top-of-the-bill headliners such as Sam Fender and The Killers, while the Main Stage West hosted second headliners such as Foals and The 1975.

The Amazons, ironically enough, were chosen to kick things off on the Friday at Main Stage East, as locals from the sister event Reading, this indie rock lot charged through what was an energetic and powerful set that was enough to wake any early attendants.

The set finished on a high as the band drove through the rock heavy favourite Black Magic.

Joesef took to the BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage in style for those who wanted to listen to some mellower outgoings.

With soulful choruses like It’s Been A Little Heavy Lately and his rendition of the well-known classic I’m Thinking Of You, the Glaswegian got everyone in the tent dancing and swaying along.

Next on was The Snuts, a dynamic bunch coming from West Lothian in Scotland and who gathered a sizeable crowd for what was a stimulating concert on Main Stage West. This group had previously attended the event and commented on being higher up the bill, which they deservingly were.

The band’s energy is reminiscent of the early 2000s rock scene – particularly so on hits from their first album and their current single Dreams, which finds them developing into a more energetic sound that can only be recognised as their own.

Following on, Leeds Festival goers got to witness a captivating set from Bakar on the Main Stage East. Faithful fans recited line after line like it was gospel. Hits like Hell N Back and The Mission were crowd favourites and with dreamy onstage visuals Bakar, was able to walk off stage knowing he’d given the audience a performance for the ages.

Rina Sawayama and Declan Mckenna were the next two performers to perform on the Main Stage East, with Rina first up after Bakar.

The Japanese-British artist was in dressed in a garment that suited her atmospheric anthems.

And with a set-list that included numerous tracks from her self-titled album, the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy the stylish musician – and if they hadn’t heard of her before, they definitely have now.

Mckenna, a London-based performer, came up next, with summer-ready indie pop melodies.

The set featured a fresh and synth-based take on earlier songs of his, with the track tempos somewhat adjusted.

The new twist gave his performance a more energetic and anarchic aspect that only Mckenna warrants.

Yorkshire crowds heard Sympathy and the new unreleased single Nothing Works for the first time, and both were received with the same intensity Mckenna brought.

The set saw the English performer end on the popular favourite Brazil and the soon-to-be indie cult classic British Bombs, the latter with powerful visuals illustrating headlines nicked from newspapers about Britain’s shortcomings.

This certainly was a powerful performance that rivals his Glastonbury set from a year back.

With many finding time for other artists and smaller stages it allows festival-goers to possibly find new acts – and the BBC Introducing Stage was the place to be to find rising talents, as it saw independent artists take to the stage to show fans what could be the next possible act to take to the Main Stage in years to come.

Acts such as Sam Fender, who have been apart of the BBC Introducing programme, have shown the possibility of being given the opportunity to perform in front of an audience previously unaware of their existence.

Top finds from this stage had to be the likes of Matilda Mann and Pixey, Matilda Mann being on the Friday whilst Pixey was positioned on the Sunday with a set just before The 1975.

The two female artists brought their respective styles and melodies to the stage, with Matilda having a mellower and more calming set, whilst Pixey featured a more energetic,

upbeat and pop driven set.

Bloom from Mann was a perfect encasement of the lovely weather that showed up for the Friday, and Just Move from Pixey saw the crowd moving to what was the selected anthem for the latest Women’s World Cup.

Steve Lacy, from California, came up next on the East Stage, as the musician famed for his melodious tones, drew a bucket-hat wearing crowd in full force for choruses that are inescapable anyplace you go on the internet.

The American musician finished on Bad Habit, the melancholic drag from catchy guitar and vocals, had anyone in his proximity chanting back at full force.

Main Stage West got to bear witness to the likes of Becky Hill and Imagine Dragons as preparation for the main headliner later that night.

Becky Hill performed renditions of well-known pop classics in her upbeat dance enthused style, her own anthems such as Wish You Well, was certainly crafted for radio and live performances, as the crowd could be heard chanting word after word.

With a set-composed of tracks that you would find on any pop-based radio station available. Becky backed by dancers and onstage props straight from a musical, certainly gave a dynamic show.

Swiftly following were the American and Main Stage West headliners Imagine Dragons.

The pop-rock band gave it their all as tracks like Believer and On Top Of The World saw the launching of playful props such as large balloons being launched into the crowd making for a dreamy rock atmosphere.

The band were faithful to the crowd by letting them know how much this moment meant to them, with powerful anthems and sing-along choruses they earned their right to position themselves this far up the bill.

Fans who went in early on Friday morning to claim a space at the barrier for Billie Eilish finally got to watch their beloved act as she leapt up onto the stage and as the lights dropped, flashing into red, the celebrated Bury A Friend chorus swung into action.

The hyperactive US star jumped around and took over the entire stage, bouncing around to the tunes she and her brother wrote together and which have become anthems for a generation,.

Her latest single What Was I Made For got its Leeds debut, which saw an emotionally and powerfully driven ballad be given the reception it so earnestly deserves. The track which featured in the modern-classic Barbie, was powerfully met with the crowd loudly reciting every single line back to her.

Live performances of songs like Bellyache / Ocean Eyes and All The Good Girls Go To Hell featured a performer at the top of her game.

The last two tracks saw loud audience reinforcements as the American closed on Bad Guy and Happier Than Ever, with confetti and fireworks to just add to what was an incredible climax to the first night of the event.

Saturday arrived, and to kick off the Main Stage East this time were Leeds residents Yard Act, the well-acclaimed band with rave reviews and who performed what was to be an energetic set with onstage dancers disguised as mannequins that would come into action which they would then sway to the lead-singers’s encapsulating vocals and dances.

Main Stage West were then introduced to indie rockers Sea Girls, the Manchester based band were in full force for their Leeds return, with well-known anthems amongst the indie audience such as Do You Really Wanna Know and Sick saw a crowd willing to please those onstage.

The Manchester lot truly put on a captivating set from a band that’s only getting started.

Mimi Webb and Wet Leg were picked for the Eastern stage, where they both sang dreamy melodic songs to a spellbound audience, with anthems such as Red Flag and Wet Dream from each artist respectively.

Both acts’ hypnotic guitar riffs drew large crowds, especially those curious about the fuss surrounding the new-to-the-scene Wet Leg, who have claimed several awards in recent years, while remaining relatively unknown to most.

After a performance like that the duo are certainly putting themselves on the map for indie rockers in need of a summer high.

Loyle Carner, a London-based performer, took to the East Stage, with an onstage presentation ripped directly from the streets of the capital city.

The hard-hitting lyrics focused on fundamental flaws in current society, such as toxic masculinity and how the perfect "man” would never exist.

He told the audience how fatherhood was impacting him and how much he misses his kid when he’s on tour - and he dedicated a song to him to convey how much he truly misses him. This emotionally charged and intellectually driven show packed a lot of passion and honesty that only Loyle Carner could provide to the Leeds crowd.

Then the music headed back to the West Stage, where the critically renowned Foals performed an indie-rock banger-filled set. The crowd was immense throughout the show, as the three used their catchy guitar riffs, loud powerful vocals, and pyro to truly provide the excitement befitting of a headline performance.

Hits like My Number and Olympic Airways were undeniable confirmation of the trio’s prominence as a must-see group.

The band also played newer hits from their recent album Life Is Yours, which saw groovier rhythms and outgoings like 2am and 2001 earn favourable reaffirmation from the audience.

The rock band concluded on a strong note with the song Two Steps, Twice.

Then it was Saturday’s main headliner and Sam Fender’s turn to take the main stage.

And the Geordie rocker arrived in style, complete with his full backup band on hand.

They began the performance with an unexpected but welcomed fan favourite The Kitchen, and a relatively rare shift in Sam’s setlist saw Will We Talk relocated to the second slot, allowing the single before it to stand on its own legs.

Will We Talk really set the tone for the remainder of the show, as when the renowned drumming kicked in, the crowd instantly identified the indie rock anthem and began bouncing to the drumbeat.

The strongly driven single Dead Boys, which is an emotionally and beautifully portrayed piece about Sam’s birthplace North Shields, quickly followed. It recounts the unfortunate stories of young men losing their lives to suicide.

To break the tension from the song prior, Fender swayed through the melodic anthem Mantra, the lyrically sensitive and calming anthem brought a sense of togetherness.

The calm didn’t last long as the legendary indie smash anthem The Borders sprang into gear.

The tune sounds almost identical to the studio version, which is a remarkable achievement since the recorded single is peak indie-rock with lyrics directly from his youth.

The chaotic character of the following two anthems followed – Spice and Howdon Aldi Death Queue - both tunes renowned for their capacity to produce an immense mosh pit anytime they are played live.

Throughout the songs, Sam checked in on the audience on a frequent basis and commended the crew on hand for doing their duties and helping festivals like this to stay safe for festivalgoers.

Sam then transitioned from harder hitting anthems to more sing-alongs, Get You Down and Spit Of You from his latest album encased the northerner’s ability to retain the crowd without having to play into tiring onstage antics to boost his performance, indicating his rise to the top solely off his songwriting capability and his backing band bringing a sense of oneness that is uncommon amongst most acts at the top of their game.

Power ballad The Dying Light was chosen to close out the initial set, with the Newcastle frontman taking to the piano as the band walked off stage. As the chorus slowly built up while he was playing the keys, it came to a halt as his pianist took over and Sam walked back to the front of the stage to take over on the guitar section, the emotionally and slowly built anthem comes to a boiling point as the lyrics build upon everyday stresses such as being afraid of death, the guitar comes in and Fender drives the anthem to its climax, the crowd were then treated to confetti flying off practically covering the entire stage in celebration.

Fender returned to the stage, accompanied by his band, and into the encore came fan favourite Saturday, this track with a simple yet relatable chorus saw the crowd in full force repeating the line time and time again, each louder than the last.

With an anthem suitable for a Saturday it cherishes in the fact that anyone, anywhere is wanting the weekend to come around to enjoy such events as Leeds Festival.

This left Fender with just two songs to finish, both of which are the titles of his two studio albums.

The first tune was Seventeen Going Under, which was received with a huge roar of excitement and was definitely the highlight of the weekend for many.

The indie-rock hit is unquestionably a British timeless rock anthem. Sam then praised the Leeds crowd for coming out in force for his concert and closed the action-packed set on a high note with Hypersonic Missiles, which featured pyrotechnics, fireworks and dreamlike onstage graphics.

With a performance for the ages and perhaps the finest set of the weekend, the Geordie can now relax and focus on his third studio album, which is anticipated to be released late 2024.

Unfortunately for everyone, the festival’s last day arrived far too quickly, as it was already Sunday.

The Main Stage West saw recognised musician Arlo Parks come to the stage, where she sung soulfully acclaimed tunes to those who arrived early enough to catch her set.

Holly Humberstone, another contemporary artist, joined the Eastern stage and delivered a soothing and enlightening show. Tracks like Room Service and Drop Dead drew applause from the audience, and despite the fact that the weather had been terrible that morning, the Leeds attendees soon forgot all about it.

An act devoted to indie pop music is Easy Life, they took to the Western stage next, and their summer favourites seemed to bring the weather with them; when the skies cleared during the concert, the choruses were appropriate for the sun-kissed sky that dropped over them.

The bucket-hat wearing crowd was out in abundance for the band as songs like Pockets and Sangria were repeated back to the band in full.

Following Holly Humberstone on the Main Stage East were Inhaler, a modern rock band from Ireland.

The band, known for their committed cult-like fanbase, arrived energised for their rock-driven concert. The band performed songs from their first and second albums, with singles like My Honest Face and Love Will Get You There demonstrating their standing as artists to watch.

Frontman Elijah Hewson rocked the stage throughout, with songs like Dublin In Ecstasy eliciting the first mosh pits of the last day. The Irish favourites closed on a high note with It Won’t Always Be Like This and they will almost certainly return to the festival higher up the lineup.

Nothing But Thieves, an Essex-based band, quickly picked up where Inhaler left off by presenting comparable rock songs to the same stage.

The band began their act with the title track from their current album Welcome To The DCC, which included a synth-based rhythm and empowering lyrics.

It was a terrific way to kick off what was an overall lively set.

The rock-inspired songs are comparable to Muse, and the band undoubtedly delivered the same atmosphere as the famed band with whom they share similarities.

They rounded up what was a career highlight for the band, as they concluded on well-known rock hymn, Amsterdam.

It was then time for the Main Stage West headliners to take the stage, The 1975, who were called in to replace Lewis Capaldi, taking a break from the live scene after a difficult appearance at Glastonbury earlier this summer which has seen him take time off and walk away from live performances.

Frontman Matty Healy made a point of mentioning it throughout the concert and encouraged the audience to offer a huge cheer of positive reinforcement in recognition of Capaldi’s absence. The band took full advantage of the occasion to perform through tunes from their self-titled first album and filled their position in the lineup to draw attention to their early outgoings which many hadn’t heard live in years.

Tracks like Heart Out and She Way Out got the crowd moving and reciting the 10-year-old anthems back to them.

Even though this was supposed to be a playthrough of their debut album, they found time for hits from their other albums later in the performance, including Happiness and I’m In Love With You from their newest album.

As the set came to a conclusion, the band, renowned for its boisterous and rebellious frontman closed the concert with the soft-hearted and relaxing tune About You.

Matty revealed the projected European tour dates for next year and jumped into the crowd to briefly meet those at the barrier.

As the song faded away, Healy went back to the stage and thanked the Leeds fans for coming out.

Sunday’s headliners were up next, The Killers.

A band held at a collective high in the UK - the rock and roll Americans are appreciated to a standard here that their home country so severely lacks.

The band kickstarted the show with My Own Soul’s Warning, a long build-up hymn that culminates in a confetti-filled finale, suitably kicking off what was to be a moving night.

As When You Were Young quickly followed, the Las Vegas-based band realised they had the attention of all Leeds festival goers and powered through a series of anthems reminiscent of a simpler time for rock music.

Fan favourites such as Somebody Told Me and Spaceman received the recognition they deserve in British pop culture. The anthems they rocked can now be considered British heritage, as many festival goers grew up listening to their songs on the radio.

Mellower outgoings such as Read My Mind showed The Killers’ ability to encapsulate an audience and ensure the singalong anthems got the same treatment as the heavier tracks.

Caution is solid proof that The Killers still have the capacity to generate rock ready songs suitable for any festival or venue across the world.

The encore began with the single The Man, followed by the singalong anthem Human, a track for the ages, an anthem connecting with many of those in attendance’s childhoods.

Human is surely another reason why this band will be remembered as one of the finest Brit-American bands of all time.

The show as a whole was done right by the band as a whole, thanks to frontman Brandon Flowers’ enthusiastic performance.

Last but not least was Britain’s unofficial national anthem Mr Brightside, which was performed in its entirety with the loudest recitation of any song all weekend. The rock classic was unquestionably the perfect way to cap off what was an overall lively and must-attend event for music fans everywhere.

Leeds, it was a blast. Let's do it all again next year.