Indie dance group Theme Park will have enjoyed a packed summer of al-fresco gigs by the time they arrive back in Leeds.

Their diary includes Tramlines, Latitude, Kendal Calling, Bingley Live and Reading & Leeds.

They are even hosting their own summer all-dayer with London’s newest indie-electro outfitŠMT.

But it is their homecoming of sorts that the one-time Leeds students are looking forward to the most.

Chatting to WoW as they headed to their first big festival of the summer, T in the Park, guitarist Oscar Manthorpe, said almost the whole band had lived in Leeds at some point.

“We have a lot of personal connection to Leeds,” he said.

“Me and Marcus both went to Leeds University and our drummer Phil comes from Kippax near Leeds.

“Bassist Rick also went to Leeds University.

“So every time we go there it's like a homecoming.

“We also love coming up north.

“Sometimes in London I get the feeling people have this attitude of stepping back and not really throwing themselves into enjoying a live performance.

“They'll nod their heads but the further north you go I feel like they're really there to enjoy themselves.

“They throw themselves about a bit and really get into the gig.”

The band’s breakthrough occurred in 2012 while Oscar was still at university but its foundations were laid before any of them were even born.

Bandmates, twins Miles and Marcus Haughton’s parents were friends with Oscar’s while they were mere twinkles in their respective parents’ eyes.

The Londoners became childhood friends, went to the same schools and then co-incidentally two of the trio ended up in studying in Leeds.

And it was while based in Leeds that the band had their break through.

Oscar said it had been a tough time as he was in his final year of an English and Philosophy degree while the two brothers had finished their studies.

The workload was even more arduous as the band also recorded their self titled debut album.

He said: “It was almost an impossible year, I was taking essays on the road.

“I would play a gig, have a couple of drinks and then go back to doing uni work.

“I was the only one, everyone else was partying and I was stuck doing my work.”

Having played the smaller Festival Republic tent last year, the boys are back this year opening up Sunday’s festivities in the massive NME tent.

Oscar said they couldn’t wait to get back to Bramham Park to join the party.

“Last year was so much fun so we're super excited for it,” he said.

“Last year we did two sets in a day.

“We played our main set early in the day and then we played a second set on a bigger stage ahead of some huge headliner.

“We hadn't told anyone we were playing it.

“Maybe 30 or 40 people came and it was in this huge tent.

“It turned out to be such a fun show.”

With the responsibility of launching proceedings in the 20,000 capacity tent, the biggest in Europe, the band are hoping people will be ready to go wild.

Oscar said they had been a little nervous in 2012 but were feeling good about next month’s appearance.

He said: “I was worried that at the super massive festivals the audience could be a little more judgmental, so I was wary.

“At smaller festivals I think people's expectations aren't as high.

“When you go to a big festival and you've got such an incredible choice of bands you're wary of people judging you harshly and you know they could just go and see someone else at the same time.

“Knowing the lay of the land now and knowing people did come and watch us and enjoy us, it's exciting to be back.

“It's less pressure in a way because people are there for a weekend and there just there to have fun.

“They're in a holiday mood, so it's definitely more relaxed.

“I love festival season, it's always really fun.”