This years Long Division proved to be a great success, showcasing a variety cutting edge new artists.

12 years ago, Long Division graced Wakefield for the first time, bringing new life to the city’s burgeoning music scene. Then, after a decade plus of highs and lows, organiser Dean Freeman decided it was time to close the curtain on the popular day festival.

It would turn out that my first time at Long Division would sadly be my last, so I made sure to make the most of it. June 10th rolled around and it was a blisteringly hot day. When I arrived at 2pm to pick up my wristband and head over to catch my first act of the day, hordes of festival go-ers were already soaking up the rays in the streets. I headed straight down to Venue 23, where Leeds-based indie boppers Sunflower Thieves were taking the stage. After unsticking my shoes from the floor I moved to the front of the crowd, a pint of cider firmly in my grip. The band started late due to tech teething problems, or rather barely any time for soundchecking (a common symptom of day festivals), but they pushed through and opened with a sweet acoustic number. I sensed that their stage presence was a little lacklustre at first, but once those initial nerves passed I started to enjoy the chill vibe brought on by the gentle synth and percussion. 

A swift amble over to Lobby 1867 and I sat down for Marnie Glum’s lovely little set. Between her soulful voice, poetic lyrics and expressive delivery, I was thoroughly impressed. She fingerpicked her way through beautiful written and emotive songs, switching from an acoustic to an electric guitar halfway through the set. Her songwriting reminded me of Phoebe Bridgers, and it’s likely that as a self-professed sad-song-maker, she draws inspiration from Bridgers.

Then, for a bit of musical whiplash, I treated myself to Opus Kink’s set back at the deliciously airconned Venue 23. The venue was packed out for the jazz-punk outfit, and when they kicked off they got a very warm welcome from the eager crowd. The whole performance was a real sensory overload in the best way possible. A cacophony of drums, keys, horns, and tambourines flooded my eardrums and I found myself foot-tapping my way through the set. The band’s stage presence was incredible and I definitely experienced a bit of the old collective effervescence.

I was determined to catch some shoegaze, so I watched both Van Houten and bdrmm’s sets. The former blended euphoric, building instrumentals with lo-fi guitars to create a hazy atmosphere in Unity Major Hall. Back at Venue 23, bdrmm’s hauntingly atmospheric soundscapes were punctuated by woozy synth and undulating percussion. I enjoyed both performances and was reminded of the impressiveness of the local and regional talent that was being showcased.

At this point, I was ready for some refreshments, so after grabbing dinner and drinks it was time for the set I’d been looking forward to all day. The Orielles took to the Theatre Royal stage in a “perfect state of delirium” (their words, not mine) and brought the funk. Around two songs in, the band got unexpectedly checked but shook it off, and their next track ‘Darkened Corners’ hopefully shut down any criticism. Their janky indie rock is totally unique, and on this song they played with tempo changes that reflected the band’s experimental ambition. I was waiting with bated breath for them to play my favourite track of theirs, ‘Bobbi’s Second World’, and was over the moon when the live rendition lived up to my expectations. They then went on to demonstrate their versatility with more stripped back, guitar-led tracks, as well as DnB-infused ‘The Room’.

I decided to end my day at Unity Minor Hall with pop fledgling Jessica Winter. She began the set with her back turned to the audience, gloved fingers elegantly playing air piano along to her opening track. Bearing in mind that it was 27 degrees that day, she was wearing a leather trench coat, much to my confusion. But then, she peeled it off to reveal… another trench coat. It was all so camp and I was obsessed. Aside from the theatrics of her stage presence, she delivered borderline operatic vocals as she performed her pop bangers such as ‘Like A Knife’, ‘Clutter’, and ‘Psycho’.

The day was magical from start to end. Other than a few sound issues in some venues, the festival seemed well organised and it’s clear that it has been much-loved over the years. It’s sad to see it go, but here’s hoping this won’t be the end of a once-thriving music scene in Wakefield, but rather the beginning of something new.