Folk-pop perfection: Katy J Pearson transcends genre boundaries at Leeds Irish Centre

If you haven’t made it to Leeds Irish Centre yet, you have to take a look at their What’s On page and head on over. The very least you can expect is to enjoy the 1970s living room decor with a perfect pint of Guinness in hand. Pair that with a feel-good gig like Katy J Pearson, and it’s a perfect evening. I arrived knowing a few of her tracks but by the time I left, I felt like I’d just been to one of the best gigs of my life so far. Since I got back to my flat that night, her new album Someday, Now (2024) is one I played repeatedly until the end of term. 

Glancing at the merch table as I entered the venue, I was surprised to spot beautifully handmade brooches and trinkets with the label: ‘ALL JEWELLERY HANDMADE BY DANA GAVANSKI’ written in black Sharpie. I turned to face the stage to see Gavanski perched on a chair, acoustic guitar on lap, singing to an audience surprisingly quiet for a support act (a respectful hush which is, unfortunately, all too rare). I moved closer and enjoyed her final few songs of the evening. Looking around at the crowd – a mix of older and younger people, friends and families, it was clear that Gavanski’s synthy indie pop and almost mournful vocals was enough to charm those awaiting Pearson. 

Katy J Pearson and band impressed with a set list that encompassed her discography so far, interspersed with songs from the newest release Someday, Now (2024). They began with the album opener ‘Those Goodbyes’ followed by two tracks from earlier records, by which time Pearson and her band had established an atmosphere of joy. They all seemed chuffed to be there and I wondered if this was the feeling they create and share every evening? It felt unique to the room that night, though the on-stage rapport was familiar and extended to the rest of the room. This mutual enjoyment between musicians and crowd made for a night of unexpected comedy. With jokes being shared and shouted across the room (a particular mention goes to witty guitarist Benjamin Saunders and Katy herself) meant that at one point, the friend I was with whispered to me, ‘Is this a gig or a stand-up set?’.

Despite a strong pop influence in Katy J Pearson’s music, the depth to her tone and lyrical ability amplified as she manipulated her voice and setlist to direct the gig toward a more melancholic, contemplative state. Pearson signposted this shift with a cover of Vashti Bunyan’s ‘Winter is Blue’. The themes of Bunyan’s music, along with the finger-plucking guitar led her perfectly into ‘Return’, from Pearson’s 2020 album of the same name. This was the most heart-touching moment; a rumination on personal change, relationships and a journeying through life. A tear in my eye, and in many of those of the people around me, the warmth of Pearson’s gig was a comfort in the cold of a Leeds December.

The set ended with the most dance-y of Pearson’s singles ‘Take Back the Radio’, a fan favourite from 2020. Focus on the crowd’s experience was sustained through a joyous encore and I left Leeds Irish Centre feeling a genuine connection to the breadth of emotion in Pearson’s music as well as a desire to return to this special venue. For anyone who hasn’t seen Katy J Pearson live, I hope you too get to see her and her band someday, now.

Written by Francesca Lynes