Leeds Conservatoire has an ongoing partnership with Sound City. As part of this, the festival team has selected artists from the conservatoire to perform at Sound City 2024: the eighth year in a row.
Sound City, which takes place in Liverpool, returns to its multi-venue roots between Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May with a super selection of artists for music enthusiasts. This year’s headliners are Caity Baser and The Snuts.
The four Leeds Conservatoire artists selected for Sound City 2024 as part of the partnership, and highlighted below, are Coal Mob, Kiosk, Kristina Stead and Rushbonds. All four will perform on Saturday 4 May.
A number of other artists connected to the conservatoire have secured spots separate to the partnership, including King No-One and Venus Grrrls.
Coal Mob
Courses Studied: BA (Hons) Music (Business) and BA (Hons) Music (Production)
Discover Coal Mob on multiple platforms via their Linktree
Coal Mob is a five-piece post-punk outfit slowly becoming a prominent act within the Leeds music scene. For three years now, they have been cleverly combining post-punk principles with unique genre mixing and a heavier edge, inspired by the likes of Shame and New Order.
Intense guitar and bass riffs are backed by powerful drum work and synth melodies. After releasing their first single ‘Bounce,’ which received great reception being played on BBC Introducing, Coal Mob have gone from strength to strength, dedicated to building a loyal fan base and delivering an electrifying show every time. Their most recent single ‘Ceiling’ is out now to much acclaim.
Find out more about Coal Mob in this interview with SOUNDSPHERE, plus this interview in House of Indigo Magazine.
Kiosk
Course Studied: BA (Hons) Music (Popular)
Discover Kiosk on multiple platforms via their Linktree
Members of Kiosk originally crash landed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 and are now based in Leeds where they make sugary electronic-infused art-punk. Their alien interpretation of terrestrial music explodes in a hyperactive chain reaction - often leaving punters speechless from the mind-shattering cosmic horror of their live show. Like Jockstrap meets Deerhoof meets those fun little worms from Men in Black II.
Find out more about Kiosk in this guide in The Guardian, plus this interview in House of Indigo Magazine.
Kristina Stead
Course Studied: BA (Hons) Music (Songwriting)
Discover Kristina Stead on Instagram and Spotify
Kristina Stead is a solo Leeds-based singer-songwriter and sonic, sunshine storyteller. Her music evokes a sense of childlike wonder and fantasy while dealing with the earthiest realities of life. Kristina's music brings a fresh take on the traditions of many songwriters before her, invoking the likes of Anais Mitchell and Sufjan Stevens.
With Kristina’s new single release ‘Letter to My Friends,’ coming soon on 12 June, follow her on Spotify and Instagram to travel with her on this journey of music, madness, live shows and festivals.
Rushbonds
Courses Studied: BA (Hons) Music (Popular) and BA (Hons) Music (Jazz)
Discover Rushbonds on multiple platforms via their Linktree
Rushbonds are a Leeds-based experimental indie band. After meeting during their first year of studying at Leeds Conservatoire the members began merging their different identities and influences into one integrated sound.
The band are making waves around the Leeds circuit, bringing an eccentric stage performance to venues including Belgrave Music Hall, Oporto, Hyde Park Book Club, The Wardrobe and Project House. They have also supported Trudy and the Romance in Leeds as part of the Smashed Up My Fender EP tour, and VC Pines in Newcastle as part of the MRI tour.
