I Don’t Wanna Be anywhere else than a Rills show – Live at Oporto

Lincoln favourites The Rills brought their debut album Don’t Be A Stranger to Oporto, an exciting live show with unique elements that elevated their performance to the next level. It had been a while since The Rills had graced Leeds, having last played Live At Leeds In The City in 2023, so it was great to see them back again. I knew I was already in for a treat having seen them previously two times but this gig was even more impressive!

Support came from a local York lad, Ned Swarbrick who had beautiful blues guitar riffs and the ability to play guitar and harmonica simultaneously whilst making it look effortless. He may have been on the stage by himself, but he was encapsulating and was very engaging with the crowd. 

Then came the big show from the Formula One themed trio. Despite only being a trio, their dynamic works so well, and they take the live set up easily in their stride. It wouldn’t feel appropriate just to call it a gig because they have meticulously crafted their shows to make it a full experience. From start to finish, they didn’t just play songs; they had interludes that came from old Formula One post-race interviews and music that drummer Mason Cassar produced himself.

These interludes sparked my interest, so I spoke with Cassar about the live set up and found a newfound appreciation for the effort they put into their shows. He put together all the interludes himself based around the concept of their show being three acts and each act representing a lap of the race. He tapped into the feelings of racers and their thoughts at each part, which then helped the band customise their setlists. Cassar is a firm believer in albums and live shows being separate entities, where the album can be reimagined in new ways for the live environment. 

Their set kicked off with roaring engines to signify the race kick-off, and the band made their way through the crowd to the stage to launch straight into ‘Drive’. Cassar described the first act as the fast, obnoxious part of the race, which was matched by three fast tracks to convey drivers rushing to get to the front. This included fan favourite ‘The Angler’, which was well-received by the crowd. The next interlude set the tone for a dreamier, softer part of the set to demonstrate that state in the middle of the race where someone would be more introspective. Songs like ‘POV’ and ‘Your Dad’s Car’ did well to hook the audience on these feelings as they swayed back and forth to the music. The latter was a beautiful, reworked version just for the live show. Also, part of this segment was ‘Sirens’, which is a perfect showcase of how well singer Mitch Spencer and bassist Callum Warner-Webb’s vocals work together. 

This was further enforced by a longer interlude that was a compilation of different drivers getting interviewed over the years set within these dreamy background noises. ‘Angel In The Snow’, a personal favourite of mine, rounded up the second “lap” of the show, which got the crowd moving again, linking to what Cassar describes as that snap back to the reality of the race. This would be where the band would walk off stage, but due to the set-up, they stayed on the stage with their backs facing the crowd whilst this incredibly tense interlude compilation of drivers interviews who had lost played with deep pulsating sounds that shook the whole room. I thought that them staying on the stage the way they did really added to the suspense and helped to tell the story. It was a truly gripping moment as the audience was hooked in silence.

They then ended the set with Tik Tok viral hit ‘Bones’ and the absolute classic ‘Pyro’ which conveyed the final lap where the songs and the crowd burst into life. The Rills’ show was wonderfully curated and beautifully displayed their progress and talent with stunning vocal blends, addictive guitar riffs and powerful drum sets. It was made even more impressive as Spencer was playing with a broken collarbone! I would like to give a special thank you to Mason for taking the time to chat with me about the live set up and the thought process behind it all. I found it super interesting to hear and has given me a newfound appreciation.

Written by Ruby Macklin