Forget Glastonbury, Wakefield Cathedral was on the festival trail last Saturday for the city’s Long Division musical festival– and there wasn't a mud bath in sight.
The Grade 1 listed building hosted the headline act, Billy Bragg with his inimitable blend of folk, punk and protest song - and earlier in the day there was an impressive musical line up that included post punk legends The Membranes, with a full choir accompaniment; King Creosote, The Surfing Magazines and Charlotte Hatherley.
Billy is pictured with residentiary canon and devoted rock fan Revd Derek Walmsley.
Wakefield Cathedral was one of more than a dozen venues including St Austin’s RC church and Warehouse 23 that hosted a huge range of live music and a full arts programme for this year’s Long Division festival. BBC Radio Leeds set up a studio in the Cathedral from 3pm on Saturday as part of the BBC Introducing a stage outdoors in the nearby Bull Ring.
Prior to the festival the sub Dean of Wakefield Cathedral, Canon Tony Macpherson said: “The Cathedral is proud to be part of this city-wide event which has grown year on year. We are a unique venue here in the heart of the city, open and welcoming to all, and are really looking forward to sharing our beautiful building with a new audience.”
Other events as part of the Long Division festival included Write Place, Write Time, a panel on the writing and creative process of music featuring Billy Bragg and The Guardian’s deputy music editor, Laura Snapes at Wakefield Town Hall.
Some of Wakefield’s homeless community also worked working with artist, Richard Wheater, on a project to communicate their stories to the wider public through a series of extraordinary neon signs. These were displayed at the festival as part of A Manifesto For a New Wakefield supported by Arts Council England.
Pictures, The Membranes, post punk legends who played at Wakefield Cathedral as part of the Long Division festival.