Gigraphy Review - Leeds Festival 2024, Day Three

By the third and final day of this year's instalment of Leeds Festival we were running on little sleep with our bodies starting to run on fumes - but another stellar lineup quickly had us forgetting that fact. From can't-miss up and comers like Dead Pony and The Last Dinner Party to crowd-pleasers with star power like Raye and Lana Del Rey, Day Three of the festival carried on what had made the previous two days so amazing.

Below you'll find Christina and Josh's final reviews of this event, and we hope to see you again next year for another unforgettable weekend.

Dead Pony

A band that will be familiar to many who’ve been to a few festivals this year, our third and final day of Leeds Festival began with Scottish punk rockers Dead Pony. We’ve caught the band a few times now, from their run supporting Against The Current to recent appearances at 2000trees and YNot Festival, and they’re always a joy to watch. Kicking off the set with a remix of Pendulum’s “Voodoo People” to get the crowd moving before they charged into their own track “IGNORE THIS”, Dead Pony knew they were dealing with a tired, hungover crowd - not that you would’ve been able to tell thanks to their ability to get people riled up. Vocalist Anna Shields put on a fantastic display, breaking out all of the dance moves and crowd work tactics at her disposal to make sure the day started right. Getting right up in the crowd’s faces at the barrier so close she was nearly joining the fray, her energy was infectious to a degree where they had pits opening up before it had even hit 1pm. Things only got better as they brought out Derek the dead pony, a huge inflatable horse that was tossed around the audience that added a playful feel to the set. Combined with the intense tracks that demanded your intention, there was no better way for the final day to begin. With a headline tour on the horizon in December, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t grab a ticket.

The Last Dinner Party

Yours Truly

Next up were Yours Truly, who delivered an explosive set despite having only landed in the UK from Australia a few days prior. They’d hit the ground running with the first show of their headline tour before performing at the weekend with the rest of the tour ahead of them, though you wouldn’t have known they were still struggling from jetlag had they not announced it themselves. Lead vocalist Mikaila Delgado stormed onto stage to hit the crowd running, immediately giving it her all as she bounced around the space and called for as much energy as possible.

Fontaines D.C.

Fontaines D.C. blew the roof off at Leeds Festival. We walked into their show having not really listened to them before, but boy had we wish we had earlier! They kicked things off with "Televised Mind" and had people screaming along to "Jackie Down The Line."

They also played songs from all their albums taking us to some dark places with "Death Kink," then getting everyone jumping around to "Boys in the Better Land." Seeing people waving flags and belting out every word showed how Fontaines D.C. knows how to get a crowd going and keep them hooked.

Their music really struck a chord turning songs like "I Love You" and "Favourite" into more than just tunes - they became moments to remember. When they wrapped up with "Starburster," it was obvious that Fontaines D.C. had done more than just play a show. They'd shared something meaningful - a display of heart, skill, and a strong bond with their fans. Mad respect for their Palestinian flag on show, too.

Raye

Back to the main stage where we would remain for the rest of the day, nothing could’ve prepared us for the performance we were about to see from the star that is Raye. Backed by the Flames Collective choir, Raye took us on a musical journey through her backlog of tracks ranging from the emotional to the dance-inducing, all the while continuing to interact with the crowd and have an infectious smile on her face. This crowd interaction was what made Raye feel like one of the most genuine artists we’d seen during our time at the festival, speaking to specific members of the crowd that she had seen enjoying her performance and making sure everyone felt involved and invested in the performance. Before the incredible showcase of Raye’s range during her track “Ice Cream Man.”, the singer took a moment to open up and be vulnerable about her struggles and feelings about her past and time in the music industry, letting the audience see a side of her that you can only really experience during a live event. Assuring the audience that it was the only more dour track of the set, she carried on into her dance music past with pulse-pounders like “BED” and “Prada” to get the crowd moving once more. Raye’s set was certainly a spectacle, and the sheer amount of talent and range on display from the artist was a wonder to behold. It’s amazing how an artist can have already accomplished so much, and still be one that you can’t afford to not keep an eye on.

Lana Del Rey

The final act we caught of the festival and one that a great many in attendance had come to the festival to see, Lana Del Rey put on a performance that was certainly worthy of being a Main Stage headliner. Accompanied by plenty of stage dressing, backing dancers, and live musicians, after a bit of a delay Lana immediately leapt into her performance, enrapturing everyone with her signature ethereal style of music and vocals. The start of every track was met with deafening screams from the crowd, and you couldn’t look around without seeing tears in someone's eyes at seeing an artist who clearly meant so much to them in person. Lana could’ve easily put her microphone down and let the fans do the rest, as every word to every song was sung with heart from the audience - sometimes she even did let them do the work as she held out her mic with a smile on her face.

Her performance of “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but I have it” was a bit of a strange one, with a hologram of herself doing the singing before she appeared once again at the end of the track after an outfit change ready to end the show with a bang.

“Young and Beautiful” was a poignant track to end the show with, winding things down but keeping emotions high. Lana, her backing dancers, and the audience all gave it everything they had for this track, bringing things together beautifully. As the track faded away, “It’s just a burning memory” by The Caretakers took its place, with Lana waving to her countless fans as the fireworks began and the end of the set was upon us. For those who Lana’s music means everything to, this will have been one of the most memorable performances of their lives. Beautiful, emotional, and moving to say the least, we couldn’t think of a better way to end our Leeds Festival experience.