LIVE: The Royston Club Flourish at The Wardrobe

Written by Will Cooper
Edited by Eve Moat

There’s something quite special about The Royston Club. As an unashamed lover of some summery indie rock, the sweet nostalgia produced by the Wrexham quartet just seems to hit the spot. Their infectious sound persists throughout the band’s debut album, Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars, released in June this year. Made up of re-recorded versions of early singles and new tracks, this new album and subsequent intimate record store tour generated plenty of excitement within their fanbase, leading to the UK portion of their headline tour completely selling out.

Headed by frontman Tom Faithfull, The Royston Club have been on a roll this year. The band kicked off 2023 with the release of several singles from their upcoming album, followed by some big shows in support of Two Door Cinema Club and The Academic. The Welsh four-piece have been no strangers to Leeds either; they played Millenium Square in support of indie-juggernauts The Wombats in July, as well as closing out the summer at Leeds Festival. After peaking at 16th in the album charts, a sold-out tour is the cherry on top of a thrilling year for the indie rockers.

A night at The Wardrobe set the scene for the sixth night of their tour. Support was provided by Overpass, who warmed the crowd up with a loud, fast-paced set – ‘3AM’ and the catchy ‘Otherside of Midnight’ stood out in what was an unrelenting performance. Soon after, The Royston Club entered the stage and immediately burst into ‘Blisters’, the lead single off of Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars. Defeatist lyrics are contrasted with bouncing riffs and a groovy bassline, with a singalong chorus to match, making for the ideal opener to set the tone for the rest of the set.

Such themes of nostalgic lost love bleed through most of the band’s songs, continuing in ‘Shallow Tragedy’; Tom and songwriting guitarist Ben Matthias shared an intimate moment over the same mic during the relief-ridden bridge, belting out “I don’t mean to be so crude, it’s what you drive me to!” The show continued with a blend of old and new, as the 2019 debut single ‘Shawshank’ was followed by new album opener ‘The Deep End’ and its relentless drumbeat, reminiscent of The Strokes or second-album Fontaines DC. The Wardrobe’s low ceilings and sunken pit allowed Tom’s powerful vocals and the band’s faultless instrumentation to flourish.

A rousing rendition of ‘Cherophobe’ dropped the pace and energy of the crowd down. Although lacking the orchestral backing of the studio version, the performance gave the crowd a much-needed breather before the final three songs of the evening. Fan-favourite ‘Mrs Narcissistic’ was the first of the strong trio; warm and rosy riffs complemented cutting lyrics, that just beg to be screamed back at the band. The catchiest chorus of the night followed in ‘I’m a Liar’; ladened with driving drums, it has all the hallmarks of an absolute indie classic. This perfectly led on to ‘Mariana’, a festival-ready closing track. Scathing lyrics reminisce about whirlwind summer romances, crudely demanding to know “Why are you so f***ing dim?” This marked the end of a polished performance from the young band – such precision that’s truly beyond their years.

The hour-long set absolutely flew by, leaving fans wanting more; a sense of excitement lingered, as I wondered if that was merely a taste of what was to come in the future. The next time The Royston Club return to Leeds, a bigger venue will almost certainly be waiting for them.

PREVIEW: The Darker the Shadow the Brighter the Light – The Streets return to Leeds after a 4 year absence

Written by Thomas Dent
Edited by Eve Moat

The Streets: the long time project of Birmingham born producer, vocalist and DJ Mike Skinner have returned with an exciting new album, companion film and tour. The UK and Ireland headline tour consists of 15 dates beginning on 22nd October in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Streets will be heading to the O2 Academy in Leeds on 4th November, the 9th date of the tour:

22nd Oct - Belfast @ The Telegraph Building
23rd Oct - Dublin @ 3Olympia Theatre
24th Oct - Dublin @ 3Olympia Theatre
26th Oct - Nottingham @ Rock City
27th Oct - Manchester @ O2 Victoria Warehouse
28th Oct - Sheffield @ O2 Academy
2nd Nov - Glasgow @ O2 Academy
3rd Nov - Newcastle @ O2 City Hall
4th Nov - Leeds @ O2 Academy
9th Nov - Liverpool @ The Mountford Hall
10th Nov - Birmingham @ O2 Academy
11th Nov - Birmingham @ O2 Academy
13th Nov - Norwich @ The Nick Rayns LCR
14th Nov - Bournemouth @ O2 Academy
16th Nov - London @ Alexandra Palace

This is their first full tour of the UK since 2019, as a planned tour in 2022 was cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns and Skinner has opted to stick mostly with festival slots since then. Support is being provided by Hak Baker, Joy Anonymous and Master Peace, so I am expecting a high energy night and hope that The Streets play a good mix of new and old tracks. Tickets for the gig in Leeds are now fully sold out, as is the case for the majority of the tour due to very high demand.

The tour is in support of the new album The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light, Skinner’s first full studio album since 2011’s Computers and Blues and his first release since 2020s
collaborative mixtape None of Us are Getting Out of This Life Alive. The Streets began a campaign to tease the album, which was released on 13th October, with lead single ‘Troubled Waters’ on 12th July. Since then, 2 other singles were shared by Skinner, ‘Too Much Yayo’ and ‘Each Day Gives’. The album is said to be “inextricably linked to the dancefloor, with tidal waves of bass, garage and house laced in, an experience akin to stumbling through different rooms of the club. Skinner, as always, is the keen eye tying his disparate world together, shining with his customary lyrical wizardry and eclectic production.” I personally believe the album is a real return to form for Skinner even though it features a different style for him, with more of a focus on garage and dance beats rather than the catchy hooks and rap styles of his earlier works. Despite this, it may be his best effort since 2004’s A Grand Don’t Come For Free which earned The Streets a Brit award for best male solo artist in 2005.

Skinner has also dedicated his long hiatus to writing, directing, shooting, editing, scoring and funding a film which carries the same name as the album. In an interview with Sky News at the film’s premiere on 16th September, Skinner said of adding the final touches, “It was completely bonkers. I didn’t sleep literally for a week. I could have gone on, to be honest, I could have gone on for another six weeks. But, you know, you don’t finish a work of art. You just abandon it”. He also admitted that the film was “a nightmare” and became “an obsession”. It is described as a “stripped out noir murder mystery based in London’s clubland. The songs on the album soundtrack the film and also play the role of narrator of the film”. The film was shown at Everyman cinemas across the UK and reached the end of its run on 6th October at Screen on the Green cinema in London.

The Streets being back really is something to get excited about as they are legends of the contemporary UK music scene. This tour is not about recapturing past glories, it is about what Mike Skinner is creating now and there seems to be a heady sense of optimism building over his new musical direction with this album.

LIVE REVIEW: JAWS are Biting Back into Business at Brudenell

Written by Millie Cain
Edited by Eve Moat

As we arrived at the crown jewel of Hyde Park’s independent music scene, Brudenell Social Club already had a swarming crowd of individuals in dark wash jackets with cans of £2 beer in hand awaiting JAWS’ arrival. The social club on Monday night was a warm haven against the treacherous October downpour, yet people still crowded outside clutching half-damp cigarettes with the distinctive smell of blue razz lemonade floating in the air. As soon as my flat mate (and occasional musical prodigy) Jack and I ran into the building, there was an immediate homely feel, calls across the room, and familiar nods of heads, made even more lovely by the eclectic soundtrack and cheap bar.  

There was a real fizz of excitement in the air, it didn’t feel like a Monday – the bar spun with the ambiance of a well-awaited Friday night, as students and locals alike bopped their heads along to Leeds’ own post-modern grunge band “Slow Team” who had the mighty job of supporting, and packed a punch as the alternative three piece burned out their souls to their home crowd and JAWS fans who were lapping up their seemingly endless energy.  

It was not long before arms were raised and clapping along to their new single “Match Point” which eclipsed the whole room, a bit more post-punk sound than the rest of their setlist- they’ve recently been leaning more into the sleek ethereal shoegaze indie that has weaved its way in over the last few years and has been done so fluidly by this band. Lead vocalist, Lucy, had ensnaring charisma, and her fellow bandmates Morgan and Max bounced off each other as their looping sounds pressed up against each other and filled the venue, cracking jokes throughout. There’s exciting potential with their recent change of tempo for huge growth, and they’re in the right place for people who will undoubtedly eat it up. 

JAWS’ arrival onto stage was met with louder cheers than could’ve been expected from the venue: a familiar hum of excitement, a sparking buzz filled the air as they launched straight into their arguably most popular single, “Stay In”, with a well-oiled groove, and especially cool elegance from bassist Leon Smith catching the whole room. The popularity of the song had a huge immediate impact on the crowd, with heads bobbing, and arms high, as the band slowed down for the instrumental builder of the song that gives it a real textured, layered quality from the Birmingham 4 piece.  

Image Credit: @musicthroughemiescamera on Instagram

The second song of their set, “Top of My Skull” from their new EP If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be Different, released in September, had a huge increase in tempo and the disjointed bridges injected a new lease of energy into the space. This new single is really taking a step away from the synth-heavy shoegaze indie that initially shot them to fame in 2012. Drummer Eddy Geach appeared almost as a sci-fi hero, nearly drowning under the crazy amount of cymbals, but which he appeared to navigate with incomprehensible ease.  

Noticably, the green lights flooding Brude added to the almost nonchalant, casual air of the band, while sounding so technically tight, as if it was a live recording. It was evident how polished and practiced every member was before embarking on this tour- especially it being their first one since 2021.

Image Credit: @musicthroughemiescamera on Instagram

New song “Are My Friends Alright?” brought back the synth, pop sound, and was well received by their cult-like crowd. JAWS’ fanbase has certainly been strong for the last few years, following them up and down the country on each and every new tour. In the recorded version, it has a faint autotune (almost Casablancas-esque) mumbling sound to it, that was mastered live by lead singer Connor Schofield.  

Their stage chatter however, was few and far between, with brief thank yous, an introduction and an actually quite funny anecdote about their previous Brudenell show, in which someone had crashed the stage to brush their teeth, was the extent of the conversation between the band and their audience. While they held a very well-respected and professional presence in the room, I couldn’t help but wish to hear a bit more from the band themselves.  

Before I knew it, they were closing with fan favourites “Be Slowly” and “Gold”, and the audience were electric from the first light riff of their final song, chanting along and polishing off an exciting show that was wrapped up in talent and drowning in potential.

JAWS have toured new EP If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be Different, which was released on 15th September, whipping around Northern-heavy venues in Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, with a home show in Birmingham, and a couple of Southern trips to Bristol and London. With how clean and polished they’re sounding, and the punchy new EP, there’s no doubt we’ll be hearing more from them soon, hopefully with some festival shows in the coming year.

Their new EP is available on all streaming platforms, and the band can be found @jawsjawsjaws on their respective social media platforms.

Setlist: 

Stay In  

Top of my Skull  

Driving at Night   

Are My Friends Alright?  

What We Haven't Got Yet  

Right Infront Of Me  

17  

Just A Boy 

Sweat 

Donut 

Be Slowly 

Gold

Dolores Forever Proving Themselves as an Indie Staple at Oporto, Leeds

Written by Richard O'Brien
Edited by Eve Moat

Let me take you back to March 2023, strangely with snow still on the ground in Leeds. Sat in the Leeds Student Radio office browsing a list of new songs provided by a promoter. While the list may have had 20 or 30 songs, one stood out. It was continuously clawing away at my attention each time I tried to continue my way through the list. That song was Dolores Forever’s ‘Good Time All The Time’. At the time, the band’s YouTube channel had 2 songs without videos. Since then, the band has slowly grown under the radar but is now ready for your attention with their first headline tour. While this may be their first headline tour, the indie pop group has been in the music scene far longer than you might expect.

After becoming friends at a house party, both working as songwriters at the time, the duo of Hannah Wilson and Julia Fabrin decided to form a band. Dolores Forever was formed releasing their first single ‘Kilimanjaro’ 2 years ago. Since releasing that debut track, the band has been progressing towards their original goal of playing in stadiums. Although it could be easily misunderstood, this dream is not born from a place of vanity. Rather, it is a fear of being labelled an acoustic band despite producing songs that demand to be played loud. Over the summer, Live at Leeds in the Park was filled with that noise. On Wednesday night, Oporto was the next stepping stone towards that vision. While the end goal may not be playing Oporto, the duo certainly didn’t show that. Making their way through the sellout crowd, admittedly a small one given the size of the venue, the two were dressed in Alice in Wonderland-esc dresses. The perfect contrast to their grown-up lyrics focused on the trials and tribulations of womanhood in the modern age. From the bands perspective, most songs focus on either money, death, expectations, or a combination of all three.

As a band still awaiting their big, breakout hit after 2 years, the setlist felt evenly weighted. Rather than waiting the full hour set for their biggest hit at the end, the earlier parts were evenly balanced with the latter. I would argue the band fired out the blocks swinging with their best tracks. As evidence, three of their four most-played songs on Spotify and their latest single all appeared in the opening third of the set. Reliably, Dolores Forever bingo was checked off with all songs featuring at least one of the themes of money, death, or expectations.

Another band with similar existential fears is The Big Moon. And fans of the indie queens should look out for Dolores Forever’s new track ‘Shut up and Eat the Pasta’ which previewed halfway through the set. Much like The Big Moon’s ‘Dog Eat Dog’, the song combines genuinely emotive lyrics with humour and the mundane. “Is this as good as it gets?” The band asks dejectedly before shortly moving on to singing “Shut up and eat the pasta, it’s going to taste great”, something all students can attest to. A slightly less enjoyable part of the shared human experience, break-ups, are vividly detailed in the aforementioned debut single. Although most seasoned gig attendees could have spotted the change in tone as the drummer exited the stage two-thirds of the way through the set, the stripped-back acoustic style came as a welcomed surprise. With an emphasis on lyrics, the duo drew attention to their songwriting capabilities leaving no listener questioning their origins in the industry. Just take the lyrics “When I fell, I hit so hard. Landing on the bones of mountain climbers.” Despite this brief change in tone – and lyrics – the duo were down but not out. An unreleased song about the pressure of the music industry and the need to keep going, sung with both vocalists facing toward each other for the majority of the track, felt like an insight into the band’s genuine friendship. That friendship was on full display as Julia laughed whilst explaining how she had previously (and more importantly, accidentally) set her hair on fire in Oporto, or as Hannah nervously reminisced about her phobia of talking in front of large numbers of people.

If the closing of the set is anything to go by, Dolores Forever should get used to the crowds. Arguably no lyric felt more relatable to the audience than “Serotonin in my mind keeping me awake” featured in the closing song ‘Party In My Mind’. Leaving the packed Oporto, every member of the audience knows exactly what Dolores Forever meant with that lyric.

ALBUM REVIEW: Jorja Smith’s New Album is Not Falling Down but Flying High

Written by Emma Randall
Edited by Eve Moat

Jorja Smith’s highly anticipated second studio album Falling or Flying (2023) encapsulates a symphony of smooth jazz melodies whilst engaging in a steady empowering narrative through syncopated basslines. The prerelease of ‘Little Things’ remixed by DJ Nia Archive catapulted the song into a viral sensation providing a fiery, club track which served to highlight the genius of the singer. The hugely positive reception to the remix allowed excitement and anticipation around the newly released album to blossom. A perfect soundtrack to the new season of autumnal cosiness, demanding the quietness of your own presence while listening alone, Smith’s rich voice comforts the ears whilst her sweet melodies flow throughout each track.

Tracing her journey into womanhood, the album opens with ‘Try Me,’ a lively and indie pop sound, allowing an expression of fierce independence to assert itself at the very beginning of the album. Smith sings to her past relationships and refuses to alter her true self-image creating her own identity absent of men. The second tack ‘She Feels’ reaffirms Smith’s attempt to create a version of her true self, she sings “They think that they know me here/ But I know you’d know I haven’t/ quite been myself for years.” After newfound fame during the release of her debut album Lost and Found, the singer’s five-year break and relocation to hometown of Walsall allows this album to meditate the effects of fame, challenging the ideas of self-identity. In a change of melody, ‘Little Things’ brings vibrancy and pace to the album following the opening two tracks. The syncopated, old garage style recounts the story of going to a club and having your eye on someone. This universal feeling is emulated in the track, the butterflies felt are literally imitated by the fast-paced synths. Blending seamlessly into ‘Flights skit’ British rapper J-Hus is introduced. Known for his features of Afroswing, the pairing works perfectly. The smooth R’n’B tones of Smith’s voice partnered with J- Hus’ slower rap provides ‘Feelings’ with a slower opening only to pick up power and pace towards the ending of the song. Smith’s deep voice also echoes Amy Winehouse in her ability to sing in a lower vocal range.

The titular track of the album ‘Falling or Flying’ reinforces Smith’s acceptance of life within the public eye and her ability to adapt her mindset to deal with the pressures of fame. Unable to tell the difference between flying up high or falling down low, Smith’s indifference to her perceived fame reassures the listener of her grounded mentality. Smith encourages the listener to think about the consequences of fame. The work that Smith has poured into the album resembles the work put into her own mentality against these pressures. The pop punk feel of ‘GO GO GO’ in the middle of the album showcases the wide variety of Smith’s vocal range, once again highlighting her versatility and ability to change the mood of the listener through a change in melody. ‘Try and Fit in’ continues the slower, indie inspired tone allowing for moments of peace and contemplation during the middle of the album.

Smith’s collaboration with Jamaican singer, Lila Iké on ‘Greatest Gift’ emphasises the importance of being there for each other through hard times. A clear friendship between the two singers manifests out of the track. Iké’s verse layers Smith’s vocals providing complexity and range to the track, as heard in ‘Cause you’re the greatest gift, just know that where you are is where you’re meant to be’. The song was recorded on Iké’s birthday, emphasising the title of the track, not only as a gift for Iké but also for their listeners.

In ‘Broken is the man’, Smith’s assertion of identity is clear. Her knowledge of her self-worth and independence speaks to past relationships and places the blame previously put on her to the men that have hurt her. In a sharp twist, ‘Make sense’ recounts the true and healthy love which provides Smith with a ‘home in you I’ve found.’ Smith’s smooth, deep vocals are echoed in ‘Too many times’ ‘Lately’ and ‘What if my heart beats faster?’ In ‘Backwards’, Smith’s higher pitched melody provides a welcomed change to the final tracks of the album, serving again to show the immense vocal range so unique to Smith. Smith’s assured voice and confident earthy tones propel this album into one of the best releases of the year. Her vocal ability soaring from low gravelly tones to high aerial notes signify Smith’s ability to cover the height of feelings between both states of flying and falling.

LIVE REVIEW: Mahalia at O2 Academy, Leeds

Written by Hannah Hudson
Edited by Eve Moat

Kicking off her UK and EU tour, Mahalia shook off her first-gig-of-tour nerves in an emotionally intimate show at the O2 Academy in Leeds, with a stunning performance that left the audience in a buzz of positive energy. For listeners like me who are curious to understand the stories behind the songs of an artist like Mahalia, this gig was a brilliant example of an artist inviting their fans into their world and personality. Weaving witty song introductions and off-the-cuff, goofy remarks between hip-hop beats and smooth neo-soul vocals, her authentic and open approach to live performance allowed her to completely claim the stage as her own.

Ahead of Mahalia’s performance, the crowd was warmed up by supporting band No Guidance, whose swoon-worthy harmonies, coordinated choreography and sculpted physiques transported listeners back to the heyday of boybands of the likes of NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. Finishing up with their 2023 EP title track ‘Is It A Crime?’, whose chorus asks “is it a crime to want them all? […] Too many beautiful girls in this world,” it was no surprise to see one band member casually throw up a ‘call me’ gesture at one lucky listener down below.

The brief interval following the support saw the majority female audience chatter between
themselves and slowly shuffle forwards towards the stage, eager to become part of the swell at the
front of the venue in full view of the stage in anticipation of the performance to come. Taking in the
audience around me, I felt a sense of comfort that I imagine many others feel when they come to
see artists like Mahalia – to some extent, you can assume the kind of person in the crowd by the
artist that they’ve come to see, and Mahalia’s distinctly feminine and emotionally candid lyricism
prompts the same feeling as having a coffee in the company of close friends (or depending on the
song, maybe a rum and coke in the club with your girlfriends).

Image Credit: @musicthroughemiescamera on Instagram

As the lights were suddenly lowered at 9pm, a supportive screech burst from the crowd as Mahalia
bounced onto the stage, a mane of long blonde braids flowing behind and visibly full of positive,
nervous energy. It was only suitable that the first track to be performed was ‘Ready’, the
introductory track to her most recent album IRL. This was swiftly followed by popular 2019 single
‘Simmer’ featuring Burna Boy, which saw both the audience and artist ease into the set as Mahalia
danced up and down the stage, singing to the crowd on all sides.

The end of the first two songs saw Mahalia take a sigh of relief, saying, “Okay I’m not nervous
anymore, I feel like I can release that energy!” Past her initial nervousness, the young artist
immediately eased straight into contextualising her new album IRL by joking about its creation
during the COVID-19 pandemic: “We had a panoramic, and that wasn’t ending, and it really felt like
heartbreak season; I definitely got my heart busted and broken but we’re here and we made it and
I’m very excited to just be here and just to be doing something real!” Seemingly feeling back at
home on stage, she breezed through a mix of songs from the new album such as ‘Isn’t It Strange’,
‘Plastic Plants’ and ‘Cheat’, mixed in with other fan favourites such as ‘Do Not Disturb.’

An acoustic, stripped back version of 2019 single ‘Grateful’ mid-set further showcased the strength
of Mahalia’s captivating vocals and songwriting capabilities, as she donned an acoustic guitar and
sang the melody to the crowd just like a lullaby. In similar stead, new album track ‘November’
featuring Stormzy continued the romantic atmosphere, with young couples in the audience
wrapping arms around each other and swaying to the rhythm.

The set then seamlessly slipped back into electronic backing tracks and funky live accompaniment,
with the band grooving alongside Mahalia and the audience to another swaggering new track,
‘Wassup’. ‘What You Did’ and ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ played out the set just before a brief run off-stage, swiftly followed by an encore of the new and old classics ‘Terms and Conditions’ and ‘I
Wish I Missed My Ex’ respectively.

Image Credit: @musicthroughemiescamera on Instagram

Even after the final song, Mahalia stayed up on stage and danced with the audience members at the front as the exit music played out. Her infectious warmth was felt throughout the room and as the crowd dispersed, each friendship group left buzzing with post-gig satisfaction while dancing out of the O2 Academy’s doors. Her deeply personal music and intimate approach to live performance will undoubtedly continue to attract devoted fans for years to come.