Long Division Festival started when festival director Dean Freeman cashed in his NHS pension to fund a festival that could match up internationally renowned acts with local musicians. At the time, Wakefield didn’t have many proper venues, so early incarnations of the festival featured shows held in abandoned libraries and Wild West-themed nightclubs. The philosophy was to get acts to play anywhere and everywhere around the city. 2022 will be the 11th annual festival and the line-up continues to show why Wakefield is becoming a city which is making its name on more acts’ touring schedules. From the jazz and neo-soul fusion of the Sunkissed Child to the post-acid-house theatrics of W.H. Lung, Basement Leeds have made a list of all the acts you won’t want to miss this year.
W.H. Lung
Since completing their move from Manchester to their new base in Calder Valley, W.H. Lung are undoubtedly one of the UK’s most explosive live acts. Continuing in the North’s rich tradition of effortlessly brilliant electronic-influenced indie-dance, they’re a force of nature. Anyone who caught their smoke-machine and laser-beam drenched headline at Brudenell’s Social Club’s In Colour Festival will undoubtedly agree.
STRAIGHT GIRL
Leeds’ Clue Records described the art-terror of STRAIGHT GIRL’s live show as being ‘like watching Madonna on speed in the middle of an illegal rave’. I’m not sure there’s been a finer description of this self-professed ‘grave raver’ and I’m not sure there ever will be. Combining the club-ready electronics of Overmono with an anger that is authentic and visceral, their set will be one of the festival’s most frenzied live performances.
Listen to Straight Girl's single 'Look At Me' on Bandcamp here.
The Sunkissed Child
Everyone at Basement Leeds has been loving the live session that the Sunkissed Child recorded with the Recording Box. The band sees effortlessly smooth instrumentation, calling to mind Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, combined with the personal and confessional lyricism of vocalist Yasmina Nahas. Drawing on her experiences of living in Lebanon as well as Leeds, The Sunkissed Child are a unique part of West Yorkshire’s internationally-renowned jazz scene.
Fuzz Lightyear
Leeds’ Fuzz Lightyear are one of the city’s most notorious and sonically-enveloping bands. From doom-ridden stoner riffage to intricate noise-inspired soundscapes, this young 4-piece, recently bolstered by the addition of synth player Alex Calder, will be kicking things off in typically raucous fashion.
Blue Bendy
Local audiences were introduced to South London’s Blue Bendy when they recently played Belgrave’s Dark Arts Festival. Their songwriting is unique and eccentric, with funny, smartarse lyrics that feel like a genuinely fresh approach to the plunderphonic audio-experiments of Broadcast and Stereolab.
Words by George Orton
Long Division events spans across the weekend but the ticket for 11th June encompass the artists above. Buy tickets for Long Division here.