Preview: City of Industry, Northern Monk Brew Co. 14th-16th August

‘A Celebration Of New Industry, In The Heart Of The Old’, reads somewhat epithetically the promotional material for what began as a simple collaboration between Holbeck brewing powerhouse Northern Monk and Leeds promoters High and Lonesome. The tagline’s register (to say nothing of its content) speaks to a certain, much-welcomed, cultural phenomenon, which sees the commixture of antiquity with modernity – heart metaphors capitalised in contemporary internet-entirety. So sits City Of Industry, a refreshingly unique 3-day festival held by a contemporary company that upholds the values of old for a young, living, breathing, modern audience.

The event sees the pulling together of Leeds’ great and good, of its independent champions and stalwarts from all cultural and creative corners. There will be music, foods, drinks, art, records and markets abound thanks to the litany of people, groups, companies, collectives, labels, bands and co-ops involved in this, the fruit of New Industry.

The weekender is spread across Northern Monk’s Chapter Hall and Refectory Garden spaces, and boasts some festival-long installations, including: a 50-tap bar with guest brews from Yeastie Boys and Cloudwater among Northern Monk’s own and many others; food from Indian street-food extraordinaries Bundobust, Belgrave stalwarts Patty Smiths, Sela Bar’s very own pizza bus and The Grub & Grog Shop; a beer market; a DIY record showcase and stall courtesy of Leeds collective Chunk; and last, but certainly not least, an exhibition curated by Drew Millard and Colours May Vary on the Industrial North.

The launch party on Friday 14th August sees a blistering line-up including music from DJ Format, Fingathing and Get Machine, Destroy, as well as both resident DJs and a slot for Jumbo Records. Saturday sees a free-entry High & Lonesome curated barbecue, with Red Sparrow Fall, The Sea Whores and Leeds titans Brawlers all coming out to play. Sunday is a special boat party hosted by local label Hide and Seek Records, featuring music from The Lake Poets, Sam Airey and Lilac’s Daughter as well as a 3-hour barge trip down the canal. Back at Chapter Hall, there’s a City Of Industry Film Screening including Kes, Saturday Night And Sunday Morning and Up The Junction from 3pm.

City Of Industry is prodigious in aim and scope, and incredibly exciting for those reasons. The ethos of Northern Monk and its festival bedfellows, coupled with the art and culture they and their friends bring to these spaces in Holbeck, reflects the best of Leeds; a community spirit, a love of good food, good sights and good sounds, and a healthy relationship with bountiful progress come together in one largely-free-to-access event well and truly for the community. We are invited, and not to go, in my opinion, would be a fault.

Find more details on the City Of Industry at their https://www.facebook.com/events/1596607763940267/.

James Grimshaw