Back in February when the organisers of the enchanting boutique music and arts festival, Beacons, made the announcement that the event was to say goodbye to its spiritual home in the stunning Yorkshire Dales, it was impossible not to feel disappointed. Part of the announcement given on the festival website was: “Our desire to make Beacons more accessible combined with the opportunity to work with some amazing partners at some truly unique spaces, was enough to convince us that the time was right to move onto the next stage of the festival’s evolution”.
Naturally things change, plans evolve, and the next chapter of the Beacons story is about to ensue. Extended from a single mid-summer weekend into a full season spanning 12 weeks this autumn/winter, the newly christened Beacons Metro is to be based around an entirely new concept. The season will undoubtedly make the Beacons magic accessible to a wider audience, with events taking place not just in Leeds but also in the equally dynamic Northern cities of Manchester and Liverpool.
Here in West Yorkshire, a 3-storey, 11,000 square foot former textiles mill in the heart of the city centre, Headrow House, is to open its doors for the first time following a transformative refurbishment of what was a previously unused space. A new venue in the city is something everyone can get excited about, and we can only hope that the intimacy and electricity Beacons Festival was so celebrated for will be translated into this new urban setting. Although Headrow House is to play host to the main bulk of the bill, acts will also grace the stages of popular venues Belgrave Music Hall and Wharf Chambers.
Musically, Beacons Metro has so far announced a line-up comprising a range of genres. Headrow House offers post punk, grunge and alt. rock artists including Lonelady, Baby Strange and Palace among others. Many are relative unknowns, but with some events completely free of charge and others costing (so far) no more than £12.50, the season will be the ideal opportunity for the open-minded to discover some new talent.
Beacons has in previous years provided a stellar line-up of electronic producers and DJs, and fortunately it seems 2015 will continue to deliver on this front, albeit trading the escapist festival atmosphere for a more intimate clubbing experience. Erol Alkan’s Phantasy label is represented twice, with a particular recommendation going to analogue / electronica rising star Ghost Culture who will support electropop Mercury Award-nominated East India Youth, free of charge, on 2nd October for Headrow House’s opening party; while a mere 150 tickets have been released online for techno heavyweight Daniel Avery’s appearance on 20th November. Dixon Avenue Basement Jams will bring some dancefloor-ready house and techno in support of post-punk Factory Floor on 28th November and celebrated Leeds based promoters 20/20 Vision have curated an exciting line-up for 3rd October. Collaborations with Last.fm, Resident Advisor and Now Wave are also said to be in the works plus many more; the list just goes on.
Film, art and food will also be a focus of the 12-week season, although full details of these are yet to be announced.
More information about Beacons Metro can be found here.
Julia Connor