More Than a Genre: Country Music’s American Roots and Global Rise

Hannah Howard on 8 December 2024

Growing up in sunny Ventura, California, country music was always part of my day to day. Sure, I listened to all kinds of music – rock, hip hop, etc. – but the station 100.7 FM was always on. Ventura isn’t a cowboy town, but your average coastal surf town where you can find rodeos, line dancing, and plenty of country music around. While I don’t necessarily blast country music as much as I did when I was younger, it’s always there. Like a pair of Doc Martens – you don’t wear them every day, but you never forget about them.

As a kid, country music was huge. And honestly, I went through a whole phase in middle school where I fully embraced it, boots and all. I literally wore cowboy boots for a whole year like they were going out of style – still crying after all the blisters I got. I would belt out Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” like I’d been through a dozen heartbreaks, even though I was a 10-year-old girl who hadn’t even kissed a boy yet. The point is, country music was everywhere, and I was fully immersed in it, even if I didn’t really understand the lyrics yet.

The thing about country music is that it’s woven into the daily lives of many Americans. It’s not just a genre you listen to on car rides down the highway, but acts as a soundtrack to life. Whether it’s a tailgate before the college football games, the opening song at a rodeo, or a good ol’ classic line dancing bar, country is always there. It’s about the community aspects, storytelling, and about cherishing those feelings we all experience together. Some of my greatest memories as a kid was going to the state fairs, where country music thrived. Sure, the music talks about trucks, beer, and love, but that’s a part of the American experience that’s shared from coast to coast.

As someone who’s lived in three different countries over the past four years, I’ve noticed something: country music is getting popular outside America?? The genre I thought was a U.S. staple is growing globally. People abroad I would meet joked about country music singing about rednecks and beer bellies, but lately, they’re actually… liking it? (gasp, I know!) It’s like people woke up and realized country music isn’t just for truck driving, whiskey drinking, overall-wearing folks. I mean, I’m not a hillbilly, and definitely not a redneck, but that never stopped me from tapping my foot along. It’s everyone’s music now – and it’s a big deal.

More recently, the genre has taken a whole new direction. The top charts aren’t filled with familiar voices like Luke Combs, but are now welcoming names like Shaboozey and Dasha, who aren’t traditionally country at all. So why the shift then? Part of it is that these artists are bringing in a new generational approach to it. People crave something different, and these artists are shaking it up by adding pop and hip hop flares, even though people think they still sound basic (as in me, I am said people). Even Chappell Roan added country-inspired elements to her newest release “The Giver”. But here’s the thing: today’s ‘Top Country Charts’ just don’t itch my brain the same. With artists like Shaboozey and Dasha in the top charts, their sound is far from the twangy, storytelling vibe that pulled me in as a kid. Compared to the songs I grew up with, a lot of them now sound a bit… well, generic. There’s something that the OG artists had – Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Gretchen Wilson – that just made their music stay on repeat. Even though I love how country is evolving and welcoming new sounds and artists, there’s a little part of me that misses the older country.

It was Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter (2024) that took people by surprise, with adding unexpected collabs like Post Malone joining in on country and showing that anyone with heart and soul can add to the genre (I’m still obsessed and Cowboy Carter will definitely be on my Spotify Wrapped!). Months after that release, Post Malone released his recently Grammy nominated country album F1-Trillion, blending his styles with the OGs like Dolly Parton, Blake Shelton, and Brad Paisley. This fusion feels very intentional showing it’s a reinvention, and reshaping country music to fit into the fast-paces globalized world we live in! Although the genre stayed the same for years, stand out artists like Post Malone are contributing to breaking and rewriting the traditional “rules” bound to the genre.

Seeing country go global is exciting, as it’s not just American-centric anymore. Country music is getting more international attention, with festivals popping up in Europe, Australia, and South Africa. As much as country is transforming, the old-school vibe is still very much alive! It’s actually not going anywhere. Sure, the genre evolved with pop and rap collaborations, but the heart and soul of singing about the love, loss, and life of the country, will never leave. Now, let’s be honest. Even though I don’t listen to country music on repeat like I used to, it’s still around me. Whenever I hear a country song abroad, it always makes my heart happy, as if I’m getting a little piece of home again. It’s funny how something can become less about the music and more about the culture itself. So, whether you’re a diehard country fan, a casual listener, or someone unfamiliar with the genre, one thing’s for sure: country music is here to stay. Through genre-blending collaborations and international festivals, country remains a universal language of love, loss, and life’s simple pleasures.

Words by Hannah Howard

Review: Infinity Song’s Live at Leeds Debut

Lucas Assagba on 8 December 2024

A slow burn is a hell of a thing. It’s one thing to be promised something, but something else entirely to be told you have to wait for it. When Infinity Song’s soundcheck ran into their Live at Leeds set by ten minutes, I was frustrated, as anyone would be, but I trusted their talent, and their ability to bring something to the table. I knew if I stuck around, the wait would be worth it.

Truth be told, ‘worth it’ doesn’t even begin to describe it. When they opened their set with a nine-minute cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’, my jaw dropped, and my expectations went sky high. The four siblings, Momo, Angel, Abraham and Israel, and their accompanying band, operate as one unit, effortlessly harmonising with one another and giving each other space to show off; whenever they’d take a step back to let Israel shred a guitar solo, my eyes and ears were wide open.

Though synchronized to an inhuman degree, Infinity Song are overwhelmingly human. They strike a perfect balance between a band of classically trained musicians with a job to do, and a family travelling the world together. Fan favourite ‘Haters Anthem’ saw them at their most fun, as they huddled together and chanted the song’s hilariously spiteful lyrics with the audience; ‘I love the way it feels to be a hater / something’s so sweet about thinking that I’m better.’

They ended their set with my personal favourite, ‘Slow Burn’, and that it was. Starting off slow and mellow, and eventually making their way to double time, the band took my breath away with this performance. Just when you thought they’d finished, one of the siblings would step forward for another riff, another run, another solo; it’s very easy for a band to overstay their welcome onstage, but they could still be playing right this second, and I’d still be stood in the crowd, singing and swaying along.

Infinity Song are a real talent. The Roc Nation signees have quickly propelled themselves into the stratosphere, and I’m so grateful they landed in Leeds for the day. Rock music has never been more back.

Words by Lucas Assagba

Review: Eszter Vida’s Live at Leeds Debut

Lucas Assagba on 8 December 2024

‘You all look so defeated. Is it because you’re seeing me instead of English Teacher?’

Festival clashes are an ever-present evil. How could anyone choose between Beabadoobee and Jorja Smith, or between SZA and James Blake? I don’t doubt that rising star Eszter Vida was a little bit worried when she found out her Live at Leeds debut clashed with the Mercury Prize winning English Teacher, but where most people would crumble, she took it in stride. It’s an honour to call Eszter my friend, and my editor, and I can firmly say that even if my friendship, my career, and my life weren’t on the line, she would still be a highlight of my Live at Leeds experience.

I’ve had the privilege of seeing Eszter live a few times, but this set was her at her very best. Her band noticeably lacked a drummer, and while I expected her to pull through, I thought the set would hit a solid ceiling of momentum. Frankly, I’ve never been more wrong, and I’ve never been happier about it; the energy in the room was palpable as Eszter invited us into her world for a breathtaking thirty minutes. Her opener, ‘Kingdom’, was marvellously addictive, and since watching the set I’ve found myself singing the chorus over and over and over again; ‘What did I see in you?’

I always admire how different Eszter’s sets are to her recorded songs. Producer Evan Martin, who she’s dubbed as a ‘synth god’, joined her onstage, but their collaboration was far from uninteresting. Keeping a performance engaging is deceptively difficult, and while Eszter’s uniquely percussive lyrics were enough to draw me in and keep me there, I still found myself in awe of the sheer range of sounds produced by her band; balancing drum machines, synths, guitars and flutes is no easy feat, but from the way Eszter and her band jump from one soundscape to another, you’d think it was as easy as breathing.

Unreleased tune ‘Is This My Last Night With You? and closer ‘Ethereal’ were my personal highlights. It’s hard to bring energy to a crowd, but even harder to bring a performance from a boil to a steady simmer, and keep an audience captivated as you lay your emotions bare. Eszter seems to have mastered this, as I found my mind drifting around her lyrics like a planet to a star; ‘A basket of eggs smashed on the floor / I don’t want more / Let it all fall.’

Eszter Vida is one to watch. I don’t know where she’s going next, but I do know I’ll be seated in the front row, armed with endless praise and a glowing review. Big things are coming.

Words by Lucas Assagba

‘Your Sun Sign, Your Musician’ – The Gryphon Music Horoscope

Charlotte Trenbath on 8 December 2024

In astrology, the Sun represents the self. In other words, your Sun sign will be an indicator of your core identity, your ego, and your individuality.

Aries [March 21st – April 19^th] – Lady Gaga.

As the first sign in the zodiac, the Aries Sun is best expressed through a trailblazer like Lady Gaga. Ruled by Mars, the planet of war, Aries individuals run on passionate ambition, facing conflict head-on in true ram fashion. With the Sun exalted in the sign of Aries, self-expression is paramount and unwavering in the face of criticism – a fitting characteristic for a genre-blending, meat-dress-wearing pop pioneer such as Gaga.

Taurus [April 20^th – May 20^th] – Cher.

Ruled by the planet Venus, Taurus Sun natives are endowed with a certain regal beauty that feels permanent in its steadied earthiness. It is no wonder, then, that the eternal ‘Goddess of Pop’ is also a Taurus. Cher’s patience, self-assuredness and penchant for material indulgence are prime Taurus characteristics. In her own words: ‘I am so slow to anger, you have no idea. I am such a Taurus. But when I get to a place of real anger… you just don’t want to know about it.’

Gemini [May 21^st – June 21^st] – Kendrick Lamar.

Naturally, an intelligent lyricist such as Kendrick Lamar would have a Gemini Sun. The Mercury-ruled sign is associated with the third house, the House of Communication, blessing Gemini natives with a keen mental agility. Lamar’s formidable storytelling skills and the intricacy with which he explores a variety of topics is synonymous with Gemini’s detail-oriented curiosity and dynamic communicative skills.

Cancer [June 22^nd – July 22^nd] – Lana Del Rey.

Cancerians are indeed the most likely zodiac to write flowing, poetic ballads about love and loss – Lana Del Rey is living proof. Known as the sign of the ‘mother’ [quite literally in Lana’s case] and ruled by the moon, Cancer Sun natives possess a notable intuition and a well of emotional depth. The sign of the Crab craves safety and home comforts, protecting its soft, sensitive core with a thick armoured shell. Lana tends to shield her private life, keeping the details to herself. But the emotional core of her experiences, Cancerian in its receptive tenderness, is laced into her music.

Leo [July 23^rd – August 22^nd] – Charli xcx.

As Leo is already ruled by the Sun, those with this Sun sign placement are blessed with a natural self-confidence and vitality, the kind that inspires lyrics such as ‘I’m everywhere, I’m so Julia.’ Charli seems to be circled in an ever-present spotlight; adoration flocks to the singer as though it were fated. Her bold magnetism and fearless creativity give her a natural Lioness dominance that shines with Leo’s expressive star quality.

Virgo [August 23^rd– September 22^nd] – Beyonce.

Beyonce is no stranger to her astrological Sun sign. In fact, two of her songs have ‘Virgo’ in the title. Grounded, analytical Virgos are notorious for perfectionism; they accept nothing less than flawless, holding themselves to meticulously high standards in all they do. Beyonce is renowned for her work ethic – with the singer being the most-awarded artist in Grammy history – and crafts both her music and her brand with a detailed, rigorous ingenuity.

Libra [September 23^rd – October 23^rd] – Childish Gambino/ Donald Glover.

The multi-talented Donald Glover is known for his range of artistic ventures. From his acting and writing skills to the majestic, atmospheric sounds of his 2016 LP Awaken, My Love!, Glover’s expressive labour carries an unequivocally Libran attention to detail. Symbolised by the scales, these intellectual air sings thrive on balance, so it’s no

Scorpio [October 24^th – November 21^st] – Jeff Buckley

Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, the most intense planet in astrology, associated with transformation and the psychological depths of our subconscious. Sun in Scorpio natives are people of extremes, people who write soul-shattering, life-altering lyrics like those of Lover, You Should’ve Come Over. The cherished late Buckley bore a magnetic, mystical creativity, expressing a Scorpio-adjacent plethora of deep, complex emotions through his music.

Sagittarius [November 22^nd – December 21^st] – Tina Turner.

The late Tina Turner demonstrated the key qualities of Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius – growth, abundance, expansion and higher learning. The rock star had an inspiring level of optimism and perseverance despite the personal hardships she faced, with a bold enthusiasm for life that is so often associated with the Sagittarius sign. Just as Jupiter burns brightly as the largest planet in our solar system, so too did Turner’s stage presence ignite a blazing, fearless energy.

Capricorn [December 22^nd – January 19^th] – Dolly Parton.

Yes, it’s true – Dolly Parton, who wrote an entire song about tirelessly working 9-5, is a Capricorn. The sign of the Goat is renowned for its resilience, with pragmatic Capricorns possessing an unrelenting capability to plough through even the most adverse of circumstances. Capricorn’s ruler is the karmic planet Saturn, which governs tasks, responsibilities, and time. Parton’s decade-long career is testament to Capricorn’s diligent longevity.

Aquarius [January 20^th – February 18^th] – Dr. Dre.

Aquarius are often hailed as the visionaries of the zodiac, brazen and spectacular in their unconventionality. Producer and rapper Dr. Dre embodies the rebellious spirit of Aquarius, as expressed in the 90s rap group N.W.A., with tracks like ‘Fuck tha Police’ protesting police brutality and racial profiling. He is unflagging in his innovation, from his popularisation of the iconic G-funk sound on debut album The Chronic to his launch of the best-selling Beats headphones

Pisces [February 19^th – March 20^th] – Kurt Cobain.

Many famous musicians have Pisces Suns, with the intuitive Water sign having a natural connection to art and music. Kurt Cobain, however, has four Pisces placements in his birth chart, as expressed through the late musician’s deep sensitivity to the world around him. As the last sign of the zodiac, Pisceans are the most empathetic of the 12, absorbing all that came before them with open-armed compassion. Cobain’s lyrics flow with an artistic introspection that mirrors the Piscean quality of pure emotional understanding.

Words by Charlotte Trenbath

Sports Team on their upcoming album: “The first record we’ve made that doesn’t sound like six idiots”

Ruby Smith on 8 December 2024

Ahead of a UK tour this month and the release of their third album Boys These Days in February, Ruby Smith caught up with Sports Team’s Alex Rice (vocals) and Rob Knaggs (lyrics, backing vocals, rhythm guitar) to discuss new music, offending people at their record label, and the hottest curry in Leeds.

Like their music, Alex Rice and Rob Knaggs are equal parts funny, honest, and sincere. They speak to me on a sunny October afternoon after a comical meeting with their label: “Every campaign you have a word with your press and radio people and someone will always suggest you do a gig on the Thames, and that finally happened again today. You have to talk people down from that being an entertaining idea. Rob I think offended someone at our label; he said ‘Ah that sounds like something Circa Waves would do’ and the guy was like ‘I think I worked on that campaign!’”.

It is no surprise that gigs play a significant role in the campaign for the band’s upcoming album. Live performance is a cornerstone of Sport Team’s identity; they are reputed as one of the most exhilarating and raucous acts in the UK. The Mercury-nominated six-piece indie rock group blend punchy guitar riffs and catchy melodies with witty, observational lyrics that offer sharp commentary on the absurdity of everyday life. Their shows are a celebration of the chaos of being young in Britain.

The raw energy of Sports Team gigs is captured in the group’s latest single, ‘Condensation’ – a lively track stacked with swaggering riffs and infectious excitement. Alex explains the importance of concerts to the band’s sound: “It is too much pressure to just rely on the music… When we first started playing there was always a sort of terror at not entirely knowing what to do with yourself when you’re on stage and it comes out as that sort of frantic energy you get. When we were getting into music as kids, the gigs were the bits we remembered. Going into London for a night with your mates and seeing these people we thought were heroes actually playing 500 cap rooms in London being like, ‘wow that was the greatest night of my life’. So I think when you see a bit of yourself in the crowd you’re playing to that’s always incredible. And it just feels more tangible as well; a lot of music now can get very about the streams report or radio report and stuff like that and if you do a press interview on Zoom or whatever it is, but it’s the live bit that feels very real.”

In contrast to the pulsating physicality of ‘Condensation’, the previous single is a shimmering, glossy tune that oozes sophistication. ‘I’m in Love (Subaru)’ glistens with the romanticisation of a Subaru Impreza, while a cynical dissatisfaction lurks behind the new car dream. Sonically, the polished and poppy elements mark a turn for the band.

While smouldering saxophone is a new feature, the glamorisation of mundanity is not. Whether singing about the M5, Wetherspoons, or Aldershot Municipal Gardens, Sports Team have always aimed to be the talisman for “Clarkson-core suburbs in middle England”. Alex explains, “We grew up in suburbs in boring towns in England and I think the whole kind of The Strokes style music that we grew up listening to was designed to make that feel like the least cool thing in the world”. Sports Team strive to “give value back to the way a lot of people live”.

Even as their career grows and they play to larger crowds across the world, nothing about the band’s outlook has changed. Their music has, according to Alex, “always come from a place of quite specific experience, and I think that’s where more where music is going now. People want to hear about the specific: they want to hear a specific roundabout reference, they want to hear a specific bar reference. I think those are the songs we love as well – when you create a mythology around the stuff that exists in your very particular life.”

He compares it to country music: “All that’s really doing is taking very prosaic stuff and making it everything. It is saying that tiny thing that happened in your life is important. I think that’s where our music has stayed – mythologising little things.”

Rob has a “vision of some kid sat in their room in America thinking about Aldershot and thinking ‘oh I wish I could visit there one day’. The glamour of that place.”

America to Aldershot is a lengthy pilgrimage, Aldershot to Leeds less so. The band feel very connected to this city: “I really like the Brudenell and we’ve played Live at Leeds loads of times.” Rob enthuses. “Al [Greenwood] our drummer is from there so it’s a city I feel like we know really well and enjoy coming back to”. Lucky for him, Sports Team return to Leeds on the 23rd November to play a sold out show at The Wardrobe.

The last time the band performed in Leeds was memorable not only for the gig but also for the antics beforehand. Rob reminisces: “We got a little bit over excited in some of the pubs and were drinking quite a lot, so we had to eat something to get ourselves ready for the show. So we went to this restaurant and had what was claiming to be the hottest curry in Leeds… The chef came out at the end and shook our hands, crying, unbelievably red, everyone in the restaurant on their feet clapping. It was beautiful.” “Yeah we got a certificate for it!” Alex adds.

Spicy curries are not a habitual pre-gig tendency for the group, but when asked about post-gig rituals Alex confesses the first thing they do after coming off stage is always the same: microanalyse. “Talk every bit down, try and get hold of a desk mix, and analyse mistakes. Our bassist Oli [Dewdney] gets quite adamant, it is funny to say to him something like ‘You missed the third root note in the second track’ and just make it up and he will spend the rest of his week fixating on getting hold of a desk mix to prove that untrue.”

Harsh critique is not only done to mess with mates, but is a genuine part of the band’s rehearsal method. Rob explains “we have a process we like to call a witch hunt. When something is sounding bad you go round in a circle and everyone has to play what they were playing really slowly while everyone else stands there and critiques it, which is quite horrible actually.”

Clearly, Sports Team do not shy away from intense processes to produce results. Their upcoming album, Boys These Days, was created in Norway with producer Matthias Tellez (previous work includes Girl in Red and CMAT). Rob describes how the process differed from their other records: “we’re using the studio more as an instrument in its own right. Rather than doing 50 different guitar pedals to get a certain guitar tone there’s a bit more freedom to play around with different sounds and not necessarily have everything live in the room.” Their earlier music “had this super Pavement-y kind of slacker-y sound… you would go to the studio after 7pm with 2 cases of beer and by the time you’d finished them the song would be done. And it sort of sounds like that – there’s a kind of ramshackle element to it… On our first records we always sort of thought of ourselves as these polymaths, you know like we were the modern day reincarnations of Steely Dan or whatever. I think this is maybe the first record we’ve made that doesn’t sound like six idiots with guitars and drums and stuff in a room.”

On the other hand, “in some senses the process was kind of similar … It’s always just about trying to enjoy yourself. When you go into a studio for a month, you just want to be having fun and surprise yourself”.

As a result the album is “quite an insane mix of things”. Rob reveals that the songs range from “country western” to “very ACDC rock” to a tune in which “Riceys voice goes quite ethereal, it kind of sounds like Daughter”. Genre is dead. Sports Team are very much alive.

Words by Ruby Smith

The Marías concert: Fairies are real and I saw one with my own two eyes.

Aria Aristotelous on 8 December 2024

Stepping out of a dream, María Zardoya took the stage in a haze of soft lights, her presence as captivating as the stories woven into their lyrics. The lovechild of María Zardoya and Josh Conway, accompanied by their two bandmates, took over the stage at O2 Ritz Manchester, where they transported us to a place of pure romance, with lyrics speaking straight to the heart.

From “I don’t want to get lost inside the colour under my tongue” to “I live under your eyelids, I’ll always be yours,” the 16-year-old in me who first listened to these words, staring out the window and holding back tears, had been dying to cross them off my bucket list.

As the band stepped on stage, I stood in awe. A silhouette appeared, unaware of what I was about to experience. With wet hair and asymmetric clothing, as if she’d just dragged herself out of a pond – appropriate, given the album’s name is Submarine – Zardoya held us spellbound, every word a new wave to ride. With lights pulsing to the beat, the opener, ‘Hamptons’, set a mesmerising, almost psychedelic tone for the night. The crowd was urged to let loose, jumping and shaking off the worries of the day. When Zardoya tells you to do something, you listen – so we all jumped.

As time went by, one look around proved that no one in the crowd could stop dancing. The band did an exceptional job of pleasing both old and new fans, playing songs from their EPs all the way to their debut album—tracks like ‘Only in my Dreams’, ‘Cariño’, ‘Heavy’, and ‘Hush’. The band admitted that after their debut album, they weren’t sure if they’d release another. Thank God they did!

Zardoya’s stage presence felt angelic, and her chemistry with bandmate (and former partner) Josh Conway is one for the books. The way she moved across the stage felt like an apparition. It was as if the audience had stumbled into a dream, mesmerised by these fairy-like creatures singing you to sleep. Apart from their own songs, the band also played a cover of ‘Lovefool’. Although unexpected, their execution made the song their own with Zardoya’s soothing and ethereal vocals wrapping the song in a new layer of intimacy.

The concert’s most intimate moment arrived as ‘Sienna’ started playing. Zardoya, now seated and holding her head, drew us into a private reflection. Seeing her perform the song live felt like a glimpse into something personal, almost sacred. The song is, indeed, one that is close to the singer’s heart. It discusses a once-cherished dream of having a child with her partner – a dream that gradually dwindled as the relationship came to an end. The whimsical soundscape of the song gave the listeners the opportunity to interpret the music as they wished, with the weight of longing, of love lost, dreams unfulfilled – these feelings reverberating around the room. In that moment, ‘Sienna’ became more than a song; it was a story of intimacy and heartache accompanied by such vulnerability that the audience was left bewitched. For the ones in the crowd that were familiar with the song’s backstory, this was no ordinary performance—Zardoya was sharing a piece of herself with us, opening up and letting us see her not just as a performer, but as a woman with her own dreams and heartbreaks.

Leaving the concert, I felt as though I’d fallen in love. The air of the train home was thick with romance, unspoken words and the lingering urge to reach out to people from past lives. I suppose that’s what love does to you—it stirs forgotten feelings and leaves you wanting more. Upon exiting the venue, struck by the reality of the outside world, the magic of the concert shall stay with me for a while as a refreshing reminder of how raw and enchanting this live performance was. It was a lingering experience, the echoes of the night still quietly humming in the back of my mind.

Words by Aria Aristotelous

Talk Of The Town: Silverfish

Joseph Macaulay on 8 December 2024

In the midst of a ‘mini-tour’ and university deadlines, Silverfish sat down with Joseph Macaulay to discuss the Leeds music scene, their identity as a band, and world-wide domination.

At the end of last month, I had the opportunity to see Silverfish in a sweaty and intimate affair at Leeds’s Oporto. For a band with only a handful of released tracks, I was struck immediately by how fully formed they sounded. Through their half hour long set, they showcased a diverse cast of songs that sold me on their sound. I met up with them to find out more.

Comprised of Tom Gannon (vocals), George Bolger (drums), Oliver Mullan (Lead Guitar) and Ben Norton (Bass, Synth), the four-piece formed at The University of Leeds in 2021. Following a gig at the University Union, the band found their feet playing in Leeds, as well as nights in London, Manchester and Liverpool, and an appearance at Y Not Festival. In October, they released their third single ‘Serpentine’.

We talked first about them starting out at the university. ‘BandSoc definitely helped in the initial stages’, says Bolger, but following their first appearances, they’ve had to make their own luck. They tell me of the surprise they have encountered in telling people they are a Uni of Leeds band; typically, the University’s more academic focus means that the majority of bands come from Leeds Beckett or the Leeds Conservatoire. ‘They have huge gigs at the union, but there’s not a scheme with the University to get university bands supporting’, points out Gannon. Such a relationship would seem prudent in developing a band who are undoubtedly a product of Leeds University.

As their name evokes images of the Leeds student living that brought them together, so too does their sound reflect the city. The multifaceted music scene of Leeds has proven to be the ideal environment for nurturing them. As Mullan describes it: ‘There’s so much good stuff from the conservatoire, so many good jazz musicians, it’s not just one genre. Hopefully, there never is a Leeds sound because then people would feel constricted to that’.

It’s clear that the band themselves do not feel constricted to any rigid sound. At the gig, each song was distinct, leaving attempts to liken them to anyone else an exercise in futility. Yet in these twists and turns, there remained a cohesive signature: the Silverfish sound is definitely alive!

‘There’s not a set mould for Leeds’, says Bolger, and conversation turns to the role of Leeds as a music hub. ‘It’s an underdog scene… it gets very overlooked because there’s cities like London or Manchester where it seems there’s more going on’, adds Mullan. English Teacher are inevitably mentioned as flag-bearers, but it’s bands like Silverfish that really help carve out a deeper established scene. It’s their live performances that they enjoy most, they say, and where they can begin to make a name for themselves as a band.

Referencing Charlie XCX (very media savvy lads), Norton mentions how the pop icon believes that ‘one song can have so many iterations’ and that playing live gives them the opportunity to experiment with their songs. This was evident at the gig, where they produced extended breakdowns and live embellishments worthy of a much more mature outfit. He describes how the band try to ‘hit a spot where [their music] is accessible to a wide audience, we’re not playing jazz, not yet… We’re slowly adding elements that make it sound a little bit more interesting.’ An intermittent use of synth – played by Norton simultaneously with his bass – added this complexity and gave depth to their performance. ‘The textures [of the synth] … stimulate more interesting songwriting’, he says. Indeed, every song has something interesting from the drums to the guitar hooks and vocals. They won’t settle for average.

Looking to the future, the lads want to keep gigging. Off the back of a year-long hiatus, they’ve hit the ground running with a string of dates forming a ‘mini-tour’. Next year, they intend on putting out their first EP, and from the songs they have played to the public it’s clear they have the momentum and songwriting ability to do so. After finishing uni, the question that all young bands face must be answered: ‘are we moving to London?’ Time will tell, but for now they are enjoying playing and writing. As Gannon jokes about ‘world-wide domination’, I can’t help but feel that in Leeds at the very least they will leave their mark. One thing’s for certain – Silverfish have come crawling emphatically out of the woodwork.

Words by Joseph Macaulay

The Peter Pan Effect: Sabrina, Sex and Infantilisation

Jess Cooper on 6 December 2024

Let the record show that Sabrina Annlyn Carpenter is a grown woman, at the age of 25 years old. She may look small, “five feet to be exact”, but despite her size, Sabrina Carpenter is an adult who we can confidently assume lives an adult lifestyle. So why are people so disgusted that she is singing about said lifestyle?

Sabrina Carpenter has been in the music game for ten long years; and for at least the past five of those, she has been singing songs with explicit adult themes. Songs from her earlier sister albums Singular Act I (2018) and Singular Act II (2019), including ‘Almost Love’, ‘prfct’, and ‘Looking At Me’ can all be heralded as confident explorations of the female sexual experience. Safe to say, the themes of romance, mature relationships and more notably sex aren’t new for Carpenter. However, since her sudden boom in popularity this past year with playfully naughty smash hits ‘Nonsense’ and ‘Espresso’, the praising of her innuendo heavy lyricism and blunt lack of subtlety in these songs has correlated in a rise of criticism against the pop star. It has left many asking why she is performing such explicit songs to her young female audience.

This negativity reached its peak in the past few months, as Sabrina embarked on the tour for her sixth studio album ‘Short ‘N’ Sweet’, and attendees with young children were shocked at the overtly sexual nature of her performances. From wearing lingerie to perform in, to arresting an audience member with fuzzy handcuffs and acting out various sex positions during the bridge of her least subtle track ‘Juno’, many people, including parents and wider industry critics, have questioned whether Carpenter’s performances are suitable for her audience and whether she has taken it too far.

It is important to note that since the singer’s most recent chart toppers have gone viral on platforms like TikTok, Carpenter has gained younger fans than before and some of these can be as young as seven or eight; prior to this social media boom, Sabrina Carpenter listeners tended to be women aged between sixteen to twenty five, which is the age demographic that grew up watching her acting on the Disney Channel (more on that later). The question is though: is it up to Carpenter to change the themes of her self-expression and art in order to cater to younger audiences or is it inevitably up to the parents to audit concerts beforehand to ensure they are suitable for their children?

One of the most plaguing (and to me, the most ridiculous) reasons that people are horrified at Sabrina’s seemingly sudden embrace of sexuality is because of her childhood acting on the Disney Channel show, Girl Meets World. For the critics, they believe that she has a responsibility to cater to this Disney Channel audience, which would be young children between the ages of seven and eleven. This would be a rational argument, if Carpenter had been on Disney Channel recently and her appearance warranted her having this young fan base. But her Disney Channel career was ten years ago when I was a young child. I’m almost nineteen now and cannot fathom how people believe a relatively short (three years) Disney stint would cause Carpenter to be a perfect role model for children over a decade later. The children that watched Carpenter on television have now grown up and are the perfect target audience for Sabrina’s new music. Somehow, people believe that once a child star, means always a child star.

Sabrina, unfortunately, is not the only former child star that has been attacked for embracing all facets of being an adult. Olivia Rodrigo, another ex-Disney star, was constantly critiqued by parents on social media for what they were quick to call “excessive” swearing in her songs as well as acting out sexual behaviours in her song ‘obsessed’ during her most recent tour. When Miley Cyrus had her ‘Bangerz’ era, people freaked out, watching a former Disney golden child cut off all her hair and grind on Robin Thicke in live performances. Britney Spears, Dove Cameron, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato. The list is endless. Even artists like Taylor Swift, who wasn’t a traditional child star but did start her singing career at an incredibly young age with an infantilised image, have faced criticism for behaving too ‘sexual’ and ‘adult’. We seem to be obsessed with our female pop stars, especially when we feel we have known them since they were young, staying pure, innocent and never growing up. Simply put, we want Peter Pans.

Peter Pan Syndrome is a pop-psychology term that describes adults who are socially immature. Adults who reach the grown-up ages, but can’t cope or deal with adult sensations, emotions and responsibilities. In a way, we want our female pop stars to develop this state of mind; we want them to look adult and mature so we can sexualise them as and when we please, but they cannot have the emotional capability to sexualise themselves. We, as an audience, seem to desire a strange paradox that can never exist and wonder why women in the spotlight have public breakdowns when we demand this impossibility from them.

Sabrina Carpenter seems to be coping quite well with the pressure though, only doubling down on her overt sexuality. Hopefully, we don’t see a 2007 style Britney meltdown, or a Demi Lovato crash-and-burn or one of the many explosions when female pop stars are refused and denied their own freedom to express themselves. My only wish for Sabrina: she continues to climb all over that tour stage, doing whatever the hell she wants.

Words by Jessica Cooper

Kneecap at Leeds Irish Centre: an explosive night of party and protest

Ruby Smith on 5 December 2024

The Belfast hip-hop trio bring a raucous, riotous, rowdy night of infectious energy to Leeds Irish Centre.

Pint of gorgeously creamy Guinness in hand, I weave through a sea of GAA jerseys and tricolour flags. A melodic mosaic of different Irish accents hang in the air, bubbling in anticipation of what we are about to witness. There is no venue in this city more appropriate for a Kneecap gig than Leeds Irish Centre.

DJ Provai, sporting his trademark tricolour balaclava and custom boilersuit, is the first to emerge onto stage and take his place behind the decks amidst the atmospheric ‘3CAG’ – the opening track to the group’s latest album Fine Art. Hushed excitement simmers throughout the room, fizzing with expectation and then erupting into boiling point when the throbbing beat of ‘Its Been Ages’ explodes through the soundsystem. Mo Chara and Moglai Bap bounce onto stage and jump straight into a confident flow. The final night of a sold out two-night stand is off to a strong start.

A high energy riot ensues as the trio bulldoze through banger after banger. ‘Sick in the Head’ sees a pit half the size of the venue open up and subsequently implode under the weight of fervent moshing. The intensity of ‘I bhFiacha Linne’ and unrelenting throb of ‘Your Sniffer Dogs are Shite’ have the crowd leaping with unbounded energy, ‘Fenian Cunts’ obliges the audience to sway and sing as one, and ‘C.E.A.R.T.A’ sees friends, lovers, and strangers on each other’s shoulders shouting along in unison.

A deeply political atmosphere of resistance permeates the crowd and stage alike: most notably in support for Palestine. Amongst the fans are Palestine flags, T-shirts, and frequent impassioned chants of “Free Free Palestine”. The show itself starts with a graphic on the screen behind the stage stating “Israel is committing a genocide against Palestine” followed by a series of harrowing facts and figures. The Palestinian cause is important to the group: Moglai Bap has been running 10km everyday of the tour to raise funds for Food Parcels for Gaza – a feat he encourages the audience to join in with, donate to, and be impressed by given the extra challenge of “the hangovers and the cocaine”.

This is unsurprising given the political nature of Kneecap. Their lyrics blend both Irish with English and the sharply political with the deeply funny. Vocal in their support for a united Ireland, and of course advocates for the Irish language, they are simultaneously thoughtfully unapologetic and hedonistically fun: rapping as much about civil rights as about drugs. Throughout the show they encourage the crowd to sing the anti-Thatcher tune “In a box, in a box, Maggie’s in a box!” – a task we take up enthusiastically. On brand for a Kneecap audience I spot a fan wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt, and one man even shouts out for an independent Yorkshire (Moglai Bap responds by admitting the band know shit all about British geography). Kneecap are divisive and offensive in the most inclusive and loving way. Their track ‘Parful’ celebrates how nightlife culture brings together historically divided Catholic and Protestant communities in the North of Ireland. Such an atmosphere of protest and party is in full force tonight. The colourful strobe lighting, contagious energy, pulsating bass, and hypnotic beats, elicit the euphoria of a really fucking good rave, and something else too.

The gig hurtles on at breakneck speed. Fans barely have time to catch their breath before launching back into the mosh pit to ‘Rhino Ket’ – a song Mo Chara declares is his granny’s favourite (anyone else’s nan love to yell “I’m k-holed off my head, this shit puts rhinos to bed”?). It certainly seems a favourite of the crowd who threaten to blow the roof when the end of the track crescendos into chaos. My personal favourite ‘I’m Flush’ does not disappoint; I’m actively giddy from the stellar performance and surprisingly lush sound system which does the blaring bassline justice. There is not a soul in sight who does not dance to ‘Get Your Brits Out’ – the punchy tune featuring the BBC news theme song and tongue in cheek lyrics that envision a messy night out with the DUP. By the time Kneecap reach their final song, the electrifying ‘H.O.O.D’, the room is dripping with enough sweat to fill the Irish Sea.

Each person lucky enough to be here will undoubtedly look back with gratitude at experiencing Kneecap perform in such an intimate setting: the band are already snowballing to mainstream fame and balance on the precipice of commercial success. Their self-titled semi-fictionalised biopic, which was met with both critical acclaim and a triumphant theatre release earlier this year, is now available on Amazon Prime (Mo Chara encourages the audience to watch it on dodgy boxes or illegal websites – “fuck Jeff Bezos”). The band already have their sights set on some immense performances, having booked international festival appearances including Coachella and a headline slot at Wide Awake, as well as supporting fellow Irishmen Fontaines DC at their huge Finsbury Park show next summer. There is no denying that Kneecap are on the upside of the see-saw. They will not be coming down anytime soon.

Words by Ruby Smith

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

George Bolger on 5 December 2024

On Tuesday 12^th 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