From Greasy Boy to Number One: FEET’s Unforgettable Night at Brudenell

George Bolger on 5 December 2024

On Tuesday 12th November I was lucky enough to go down to Leeds’ best music venue, the Brudenell Social Club to see FEET on their UK tour. As soon as I walked in and saw the venue packed with the typical Leeds indie kid musos, I knew it was going to be a good night. The gig promised a stellar lineup and I was particularly excited to catch local bands Gravy and L’objectif on the support slots.

Gravy kicked things off with an energetic set that had the crowd hooked from the instant. As a young band they already show remarkable energy and promise. Their latest single ‘Five to One’ translated well live, brimming with raw energy and a contagious groove. It’s clear this band has a bright future ahead of them. Lead singer Harrison stood out not just for his vocals, but also for the way he worked the crowd. As a local band, his banter and connection with the audience made their set feel especially personal. His confidence and wit gave their performance an extra spark, turning curious attendees into instant fans – also have to mention, I rate the Stella themed merch idea too lads. 

Next up was L’Objectif, another Leeds-based band that has steadily been building momentum, especially since the release of their March 2024 EP, The Left Side. Their tight musicianship and blend of post-punk, synth pop and indie influences had the audience swaying along. I first saw these guys supporting Alfie Templeman back in 2022 at Beckett’s Student Union and had been a fan ever since. Tracks from their EP such as ‘The Dance You Sell’ and ‘ITSA’ stood out for their emotional depth and strong vocal hooks which paired with the heavier side of some of their older material such as Drive in Mind – my personal favourite – proved why they’ve become one of the city’s standout acts. There’s something special about seeing a local band play on home turf, and L’Objectif delivered a performance that felt equal parts captivating and polished.

Then came FEET, the band I’d been waiting to see live for years. I’ve been a fan since their quirky, genre-blending debut album, What’s Inside is More Than Just Ham (2019). Their humor, energy, and unique take on guitar music hooked me back then, and with the release of their second album, Make It Up, in June 2024, they’ve only grown more dynamic and interesting. Finally witnessing them in person felt like a long-time coming event for me. FEET launched into the night with Good Richard’s Crash Landing, the opening track from their debut album. It was a perfect start, full of the chaotic, psychedelic charm that defines the band’s sound, and the crowd erupted. Without missing a beat, they dove straight into Changing My Mind Again, a personal favourite of mine. Hearing it live brought a whole new energy to the track—it was raw, infectious, and irresistibly fun. The band’s ability to seamlessly blend nostalgic nods to their early material with the evolution of their newer work was impressive, making their set both a journey through their discography and a celebration of their growth.

From there, they expertly balanced their setlist, weaving together old fan favourites and standout tracks from Make It Up. High-energy numbers like Greasy Boy had the crowd bouncing and shouting along, their anthemic quality proving they were made for live performance. But it wasn’t all fast-paced indie rock chaos. Tracks like Why Would I Lie and Dog Walking offered a welcome pause, showcasing the band’s more introspective side. The slower pace and poignant lyrics highlighted FEET’s lyrical depth and musicianship, providing a refreshing contrast to the more frantic moments. These quieter interludes gave the set an added layer of sophistication, proving that FEET can do more than just get a crowd moving. 

FEET’s recently released single, Number One, which dropped earlier this month, was a standout moment of the set. Its infectious synth hook had the crowd grooving from the first note, and hearing it live added an extra layer of energy and excitement. The track’s polished production translated perfectly on stage, blending seamlessly with their newer and older material. Near the end of the set, they pulled out fan-favourite Petty Thieving, a moment of pure chaos. Frontman George took it to the next level by diving into the crowd, surfing over a sea of moshing fans while belting out the lyrics—a fitting climax to an unforgettable performance.

FEET closed the night with Chalet 47, a perfect finale that captured their inherent energy and left the crowd on a high. The song’s infectious rhythm and singalong vibe had everyone dancing as the set came to an end. It was the ideal way to wrap up an evening of class bands, with FEET once again proving why they’re such an exciting and versatile group. From start to finish, the night at Brude was a celebration of live music at its best whilst showcasing the talent from local bands here in the Leeds scene too.

Words by George Bolger

Tensions rise in Ukraine following Russian Invasion

George Bolger on 14 March 2022

Tensions in Europe have drastically risen again in the last couple of weeks with Russia launching a full out invasion of Ukraine, the first major political conflict in Europe since the Second World War.

Russian forces have attempted a full-scale assault on Ukraine, with its military attacking the country from the north, east and south targeting key points of interest including the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

It has also attacked major cities and areas of strategic importance to the east of the country including several key airstrikes in both the second city of Kharkiv to the east and the port city Mariupol which is home to over 500,000 people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended his actions claiming the invasion is necessary to defend Russian sovereignty and protect the East from increased NATO influence in the region. 

Putin’s actions have been condemned by numerous politicians and heads of state across the globe including President Biden who stated, ‘this invasion will cost Russia dearly’.

In response to the invasion, several countries including the UK, have placed their most severe sanctions to date on the Russian state, including targeting Russian financial institutions, multinational companies and individuals in the UK with ties to the Putin regime. 

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who has links to Arsenal and Everton football clubs, is one individual targeted, as well as former Russian deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov, who has had imposed a travel ban and full asset freeze. 

Moreover, the London Stock Exchange has ceased trading with major Russian firms such as EN+, Gazprom, Lukoil, Rosneft and Sberbank as of 3 March 2022, significantly limiting Russia’s capability to trade in pound sterling with similar sanctions from the US and impacts of trade in US Dollars for the state. 

The US, EU, UK and other allies say they have agreed to remove some Russian banks from the Swift payments system also significantly impacting the Russian economy.

Despite the heavy sanctions and global condemnation, Putin continues his offensive campaign into Ukraine this week with the missile shelling and capture of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhia in the South East of the country. 

Russian forces have also taken over the infamous Chernobyl nuclear station in the North, whilst Ukrainian cities and points of interest are still under attack from Russian airstrikes.

These have reportedly resulted in 2 civilians being killed in the city of Zhytomyr, west of the capital Kyiv, as well as strikes on oil depots in the capital.

Further strikes on oil depots in the town of Vasylkiv, in central Ukraine, close to Kyiv have seen the mayor raise his concern for the toxic fumes that have resulted from the aftermath.

The consequence of the conflict has formed a new, severe refugee crisis on the continent with thousands of Ukrainian people being forced to evacuate their homes and flee to neighbouring countries such as Poland to the north.

BBC News has reported a 27-hour-long queue of women and children on the Moldovan border as of 4th March. 

From this, further controversies have also risen with foreign nationals living and studying in Ukraine reportedly struggling to be able to leave the country. 

Students of African and South Asian origin are reportedly being passed over for aid and evacuation assistance over Ukrainian nationals, according to some sources.

In order to protect citizens from oncoming attacks and retaliation from Ukrainian forces, President Zolensky of Ukraine has introduced a curfew in the capital from Saturday evening to Monday morning. 

Kyiv’s Mayor and former heavyweight Boxer Vitali Klitschko has stated anyone seen on the streets during this time will be considered a ‘Russian saboteur’ and will be liable to attack from the Ukrainian forces. 

This news follows shortly after air raid sirens were heard in the capital on the 3 March at around 10pm at night signalling more Russian missiles inbound to the capital.

Despite the continued attack on Ukrainian sovereignty and democracy from the Russian state, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated they do not believe the Russian forces are progressing as initially planned “They are suffering from logistical challenges and strong Ukrainian resistance,” a short statement released on Twitter reads.

The MoD said Russian forces have sustained casualties and some have been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces. 

Nevertheless, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has commented saying she believes this conflict could continue for a considerable amount of years with no clear diplomatic solution in sight as of now.

Leeds alumni Alt-J change up their eclectic sound on new album ‘The Dream’

George Bolger on 28 February 2022

From Crypto to COVID, our own University of Leeds alumni Alt-j released their latest album ‘The Dream’ last week with yet another changeup to their eclectic sound.

With a divergence from the more uncouth and messy sound of 2017’s ‘Relaxer’, The opening track ‘Bane’ sets a great tone for the themes of vice and memory found within the album with its dark, ominous instrumentation alongside Newman’s thundering choral vocals describing a boy’s strange fixation for drinking cola. Also including a lovely flute sample towards the end of the song from their track ‘3WW’ found on their third album. Following this comes the pre-released single ‘U&ME’ which features the familiar bluesy verses found on their older works which could be argued to sound monotonous after a while however this is contrasted with a catchy chorus that would make it very difficult to forget the name of the song but avoids the same monotony one might expect. Following on with the moody tone of the album created by ‘Bane’, ‘U&ME’ continues this rhetoric whilst juxtaposing its sound with Newman’s lyrics about a fun summer holiday which works well for the overall theme of the album.

Other standout tracks include the aptly named ‘Hard Drive Gold’ detailing how a teenager is able to become a crypto millionaire in the 21st century we live in. Including adlibs from both Joe and Gus’ mums. The rise of the chorus and use of the school choir blends very well with the melodic drive found in the verses. The tracks ‘Happier When You’re Gone’ and ‘Get Better’ return to the morbid focus on death and loss with the former offering a serious, intimate look at struggle in the times of a pandemic with lyrics such as ‘I still pretend you’re only out of sight in another room’ and ‘staff smuggled in the card I meant’ gives listeners a vulnerable insight into how the pandemic affected many of us with an acoustic sound.

The second half of the album offers more interesting moments including the quirky Barbershop quarter intro on the song ‘Walk a Mile’ leading into a drawn-out bluesy record along with the dreary guitar in the latter half of ‘Losing My Mind which take the song to an abrupt but ominous ending.

Finally, the album ends with a more uplifting note in the song ‘Powders’ which offers a dreamy, laid back take on teenage romance within Newman’s vocals and a mid song talking script recorded by Thom and his partner. Overall, The Dream’’s strengths lie packing not just alt-J’s typical futuristic, eclectic edge , but a darker side remeniscing of nostalgia too which as a combo comes across fantasically and avoids the pomp and pretentiousness found in other artists work nowadays.

You can catch alt-J on the May tour of the UK and Ireland, they visit the O2 Academy in Leeds on the 9th May.