Live at Leeds heads to Temple Newsam for inaugural ‘In The Park’ festival

Benjamin Forrest on 6 June 2022

Upon hearing that one of the largest and, let’s be honest, best metropolitan music festivals in the country, Live at Leeds, was establishing a classic outdoor summer festival, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I frequent Live at Leeds every year and it always proves to be a highlight of the Spring/Summer period, but on the other hand I was unsure whether a festival like Live at Leeds would work within the setting of a traditional outdoor festival. These doubts grew when I first saw the line-up for Live at Leeds: In the Park, which did seem to leave a lot to be desired if I am brutally honest. Much to my pleasure, though, Live at Leeds: In the Park turned out to be a roaring success and a brilliant day all around!

Hosted within Temple Newsham, which has also hosted Slam Dunk North since 2019 and was even the site of Leeds Festival for a few years in the early 2000s. With Slam Dunk having taken place the day prior to Live at Leeds, the grounds were already fully kitted out though, due to the size difference between the two festivals, some areas were closed off when it came to Live at Leeds. Whilst the indie-rock heavy line-up left much to be desired, the organisation of the festival certainly did not, the staff were all lovely and the day went off without a hitch (except perhaps the weather, which was very cold for much of the day). 

Although, as I have mentioned, the festival line-up was not to my personal taste, it did have some major pull for music fans – from the Mercury Prize winning Arlo Parks to the reformed 00s indie band Bombay Bicycle Club, as well as local heroes such as L’Objectif. The four stages provided a decent mix of acts to suit different tastes. Admittedly, despite my initial pessimism, over the course of the day I saw a range of great artists – some that I already loved and some that were newly discovered. 

The day kicked off with a set from West Yorkshire-based young punks The Lounge Society. The quartet seem to have a lot of momentum behind them, with releases on Golden Lion Sounds as well as legendary indie label Speedy Wunderground – who have previously released early work by the likes of Loyle Carner, Squid, Black Midi and BCNR. I had previously caught a bit of The Lounge Society at 2021’s Long Division Festival in Wakefield and, I have to say, the group seem a lot more polished now in comparison. The bassist/vocalist Cameron Davey, in particular, had a great driving energy to his performance and drummer Archie Dewis was like a machine. The group have some excellent, danceable punk songs with electronic influences (drawing comparisons to the likes of Folly Group), though I did find myself wishing for a bit more power. Perhaps it was due to the early nature of their set, or the relatively small crowd within the DIY Big Top tent, but the performance seemed to be somewhat reserved, as though the band were dancing around on the edges of power pool but refusing to jump in. Nevertheless, The Lounge Society provided a fairly decent start to the day, finishing their set with their Speedy Wunderground-released single Generation Game. 

The Lounge Society. Photo credit: @sarahoglesby_creative

Following The Lounge Society at the DIY Big Top were Macclesfield indie trio Cassia. Pulling an impressive crowd for such an early set (2:20pm), the three-piece appeared to be an early highlight for many attending the festival. The group deal mainly in feel-good indie tunes, similar to the likes of Circa Waves or Kawala. Whilst the band were not to my taste personally, their joyous indie rock seems tailor made for festivals and their songs (in particular their latest single ‘Motions’) would seem right at home in any Summer playlist. With a new album Why You Lacking Energy? set for July, Cassia are certainly ones to watch if you are into the indie rock scene. 

After a short break to visit one of the many food vendors at Live at Leeds (I mean, seriously, I’ve been to cities which have less choices for food), I returned to the DIY Big Top to see Dream Wife – who had previously closed out Live at Leeds in 2021 with a blistering set at Brudenell Social Club. If The Lounge Society had left me yearning for more power in performance, Dream Wife certainly delivered this, and then some! Empowering, danceable punk music and an immense stage presence meant Dream Wife’s set was one that definitely stood out on the line-up. The audience interaction was also some of the best I saw throughout the day, from spraying money (I presume fake money, though I was too far back in the crowd to verify) into the crowd to frontwoman Rakel jumping into the pit for the last song of the set – they certainly got the crowd going and filled the big top with positive vibes which were carried on throughout the day. It was also lovely to see Rakel and bassist Bella wandering around Temple Newsham, checking out some other acts throughout the day. 

Dream Wife. Photo credit: @sarahoglesby_creative

The undisputed highlight of the day, in my eyes, was the afternoon set by Australia’s finest export, and Live at Leeds 2019 alumni: Confidence Man. Taking to the DIY Big Top Stage at 4:15pm, the four-piece put on an immense show complete with outfit changes, champagne and impressive dance routines (both by Confidence Man themselves, and the security team at the front of the stage). Truth be told, Confidence Man were always going to be the highlight of the day for me; it was my fourth time seeing the group and they will always hold a special place in my heart – I still maintain that their gig at Brudenell Social Club in the Summer of 2019 was the greatest gig I have ever attended. The band played a range of tunes from their debut record as well as their recently released follow-up Tilt, accompanied by three different outfit changes in their 45-minute slot. Judging by the size and the reactions of the crowd, Confidence Man could have easily worked as a headliner, the atmosphere they created within the DIY tent was simply euphoric and I can only hope that they are invited back again in future years.

After catching the back end of Sport Team’s set on the MTV Main Stage, I headed down to the Dork Presents stage – which was technically two stages which were alternated between acts – to catch Porij, who were excellent, and local Leeds band L’Objectif (who are, apparently, quite big in the Netherlands). Although I did hear some disappointed people in the crowd, who has been expecting an authentic French rock band, the vast majority of the crowd reacted incredibly well to the band’s unique blend of indie, psychedelia and post-punk. The home crowd lead to some great audience participation and, of course, mosh pits. The bassist, in particular, stood out as a driving force within the band – both in terms of performative energy and musical talent, the basslines within L’Objectif songs being definite highlights. The group are fast rising within the local scene, as well as further afield, and seem to be headed for big things – they certainly aren’t one to be missed!

L’Objectif. Photo credit: Jamie Macmillan

After L’Objectif, I did not really feel a need to leave the Dork Presents stage, as Isle of Wight indie band Coach Party took to the stage. Their song ‘FLAG (Feel Like A Girl)’ had been on my radar since hearing it on BBC 6 Music so I was eager to see how they worked as a live band – as it turns out, they are pretty great! Referring to Coach Party simply as an indie band feels somewhat reductive, some of their songs would fit happily within the genre of punk, or at least post-punk, but regardless of what genre they can be pinned to, they put on an excellent show. It seemed as though the people of Live at Leeds were already aware of their greatness, as they pulled a sizable crowd despite clashes with both Sea Girls and Arlo Parks. Deserving of a much bigger crowd, however, was the next act at the Dork stage, Liverpool singer-songwriter Zuzu, who clashed with headliners The Vaccines. I had not listened to Zuzu before watching her set, but I thoroughly enjoyed the music despite it not being the type of music I typically gravitate towards. Dressed as though she had just walked off a Mary Quant fashion shoot in the 60s, Zuzu performed a great set of guitar-based pop songs which evoked empowerment and often anger but in a catchy, poppy way. Unlike a worrying amount of guitar-pop, though, Zuzu’s lyrics are far from vapid and she was refreshingly authentic during her crowd interaction between songs. Moreover, she also sings in her own accent – which instantly endeared her towards me, especially given that it’s a Northern accent! 

The last band of the day, for me, came in the form of another Liverpool act, The Mysterines, who headlined the Dork Presents stage. I was a big fan of early Mysterines singles ‘Take Control’ and ‘Who’s Ur Girl?’ (both released in 2019), and even the more recent single ‘In My Head’, the first single taken from the album Reeling, was on heavy rotation for me when it first dropped in 2021. Unfortunately, none of these songs featured on the setlist for Live at Leeds. In fact, their set was quite disappointing – for such powerful, dissident rock music, the band were quite boring to watch. Their stage presence was incredibly lacklustre, and crowd interaction was minimal at best. Nevertheless, much of the crowd seemed to enjoy the band’s set (which was shorter than advertised), with the sunset over Temple Newsham providing a good backdrop to the mosh pits inside the Dork Presents tent and the bottom of the hill. 

The Mysterines. Photo credit: Jamie Macmillan

Overall, then, Live at Leeds: In the Park 2022 was a brilliant festival! Contrary to my initial pessimism, I had a great time at the festival and, judging by the reactions on social media, everybody else who went did too! I have never been so happy to be proved wrong. The worry that Live at Leeds would follow Slam Dunk in completely abandoning the metropolitan aspect of the festival in favour of Temple Newsham has also been proven wrong; with a Live at Leeds: In the City line-up already announced for October 2022 – the initial announcement featuring the likes of Working Men’s Club, Los Bitchos and Dinosaur Pile-Up as well as headliners Pale Waves – tickets are available to purchase here. It is sure to be another great celebration of live music within the city of Leeds, and it also means we no longer have to wait a whole year in-between Live at Leeds events, so rejoice! 

New York rap personality Wiki set to play Headrow House in July

Jay Fullarton on 5 June 2022

By now, the New York rap personality should need no introduction, with as much personality as an Action Bronson or an ODB. Wiki was one half of the cult-underground, abstract Hip Hop trio Ratking, who pushed boundaries with tracks like Canal. They emerged amongst the aggressive, hungry, innovative Hip Hop resurgence, amongst iconic supergroups like Odd Future, A$AP Mob, Black Hippy, and Pro Era – in what was surely Hip Hop’s second golden era.

Wiki is coming to Headrow House in Leeds on 25th July, for what should be one hell of a show. He’s always shown love to the UK, featuring a lesser-known King Krule on the classic Ratking track So Sick Stories, and also featuring Jesse James Solomon, and Obongjayar on solo tracks. So, we welcome him to Leeds with open arms, ready to hear his stories behind the mic in the intimate venue. 

After an incredible 2021, which begun with the severely underrated, overlooked side project with NAH, Telephonebooth – one of the grimiest, dirtiest portrayals of New York since Mobb Deep’s The Infamous, but only a brief, 21-minute glimpse into the dark alleyways and gritty underbelly of NYC.

His year only continued with a surprisingly even better LP, Half God, with production across the tracklist from Navy Blue (who also put on quite a show at Headrow House this year). With Wiki’s lyrical displays and gobby inflections, he shows off an almost New Yorkified Slowthai style delivery, or rather maybe, Slowthai mirrors an abrasive, even more chaotic, British version of Wiki… 

Earl Sweatshirt collaborator, Navy Blue – the LA based pro skateboarder, model, rapper, and producer extraordinaire with an already vast discography up his sleeve from over just two years, seems to have mellowed Wiki out – with Madlib style production behind the boards, Wiki shines over choppier, sunnier beats. With a clash of styles that should’ve been too difficult to pull off, their chemistry seems to work so well. A complete shock from the typical eeriness of Wiki’s bodega stock of rhymes and flows. 

From signed to independent, Wiki has remained one crazy, vivid storyteller; he will transport you to New York City with his penmanship, and his combinations of Hardcore East Coast Hip Hop, and Abstract Jazz Rap. Whilst still relatively low key, because of his talents Wiki has been incredibly influential on this new scene of experimental, alternative New York based emcees… Tracks like Roof are just a testament to this. Whilst he was once a Danny Brown type poster boy for weirdo, dark aesthetics, his latest is much less menacing and dingy, more bittersweet, hopeful, and seems to come from a better headspace, with a more personal, human quality to it.

Make sure to check out both Wiki’s solo output, and Ratking’s body of work (despite their split), and make sure you grab tickets while you can here! 

Miles Kane, supported by Brooke Combe, takes the O2 Academy Leeds by storm

Phoebe Hedlam on 5 June 2022

Miles Kane’s first support, Tom A. Smith, kicked things off with some classic indie rock; his charisma drew the crowd in and set things up nicely for Edinburgh singer-songwriter, Brooke Combe who followed. It was clear that Combe understood Kane’s crowd as she got them suitably warmed up with her cover of Arctic Monkey’s ‘Why Do You Only Call Me When You’re High’. Her warm vocals leant itself perfectly to the indie classic and got the crowd firmly on her side as she made her way through her singles, ‘A-Game’ and ‘Impress You’. The catchy bass on Combe’s final track, ‘Are You With Me?’, got the crowd fist-pumping and raring to go for Kane’s performance. I am sure I won’t be the only one in the audience who will be keeping an eye out for what Combe brings out next. 

With his infectious energy, incredible band, and hit after hit, Miles Kane bought the house down on Sunday night at the O2 Academy. 

Miles Kane started as he meant to go on as he opened with the riotous ‘Don’t Let It Get You Down’ from his latest album that is difficult to resist screaming along to at the top of your lungs. What followed was a mixture of hits, old and new, that left plenty of room for Kane to show off his showmanship. Kane made it clear why he has been in the game for over a decade as he treated the crowd to plenty of guitar solos as well as a special guest: Leeds-born Corinne Bailey Rae joined him on stage to sing their single, ‘Nothing’s Ever Gonna Be Good Enough’. Scattered amongst his solo hits was a couple of The Last Shadow Puppet favourites, ‘Aviation’ and ‘Standing Next To Me’, that fit in nicely with the Motown influences of his latest album Change the Show. Kane was supported by an incredible band that matched his energy and stage presence as they helped him to rile up the crowd and get them on his side. A particular highlight was when Kane gave the stage to his sax-player and backing singer during ‘Never Get Tired of Dancing’ which showed the band off to their full capacity as they ensured that no one was too tired to have a boogie on a Sunday night. Another fantastic moment was Kane’s rendition of The Beatle’s classic ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ – a true celebration of the music of the North. 

In short, Miles Kane is an artist who knows exactly what his crowd wants and isn’t afraid to give it to them: something to sing along so loud to, or stamp their feet so hard to, that they may just forget that Monday is just around the corner. 

Eurovision 2022 Grand Final: Ukraine claims its third victory, followed by the UK’s Sam Ryder and Spanish diva Chanel

Víctor Torres García on 17 May 2022

After several months in which fans from all around the world were constantly guessing who would win the 66thEurovision Song Contest, it is official now: the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra holds the trophy of this year’s edition of the festival.

On May 14th, the long-awaited Eurovision Song Contest 2022 grand final took place in Turin, Italy, after Måneskin’s unprecedented success in Rotterdam last year. During the so-called ‘Eurovision Week’, Italy proved to be a good host despite the technical difficulties the organisation was facing a couple of weeks before the beginning of the festival. Not only was it held in an earthly architectonical paradise but also, the venue and the stage itself were favourably adapted to the technological and media parameters this internationally-acclaimed festival required. Furthermore, the three hosts demonstrated their professionality and also added bits of Italian humour and sarcasm to their contributions, which made the show more engaging and certainly amusing. 

The long-awaited voting moment was characterised by ceaseless tension and uncertainty, since it consisted in a fierce battle among Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, which could have been considered the winner of this year’s edition if the votes from the jury would have been the only points to be taken into consideration. However, when the points from the audience (or televoting) were announced, Ukraine became the undeniable winner of the 66thEurovision Song Contest, as it received more than four hundred points from the televoting. The top five of the 2022 edition of the festival was formed by some of the songs fans considered to be their favourites to win. Although countries like Greece or Norway achieved a great position (eighth and tenth respectively), fans believed they would get a higher score, considering the hype around both songs. Another surprise was Czech Republic finishing in the bottom five, concretely in the 21st position, as fans were crazy with this entry since it was released. In general terms, this year’s Eurovision can be classified as one of the most competitive and challenging editions of the history of this competition. 

Kalush Orchestra, the Ukrainian Band who won this year’s festival, came up with a song called Stefania, which is perceived as a Ukrainian War anthem. Mixing folk sounds and rap flows, Stefania is about the hardships of being a mother and the lack of social support when raising a child. The abrupt speed changes and the multiple symbols used, such as the lullaby, provide a realistic depiction of the story behind the lyrics of the song. Women are depicted as both sensitive and strong beings, who have the power to strengthen society and make it evolve. Ukraine’s victory is now understood as a message of sympathy and support from Europe, which transcends the threshold of politics and economic power and makes use of music as a channel to preach unity, freedom and most importantly, peace. 

It is still surprising for British fans that the UK came second in the Eurovision Song Contest after many years trying to get a proper result in the competition. However, with Sam Ryder’s Spaceman, it can be said that the United Kingdom has found the formula that guarantees its entries success, engagement and recognition. In his song, the Essex singer talks about finding the light in darkness after difficult times. Demonstrating his vocal range on multiple occasions, Sam achieved a second position for its country, not only by means of a strong and unique pop song but also through a performance packed with lights, which spread hope and positivism and showed Ryder’s stage presence.

Spanish diva Chanel closed the top 3 with her song SloMo. Despite the harsh criticism she went through, the Spanish-Cuban artist, who spend her entire life devoted to the world of arts, proved to be one of the most talented, hardworking and praised acts of the history of the festival. SloMo preaches female empowerment and liberty, inviting every woman to dance and to feel proud and comfortable with their bodies. Chanel also deifies female diverse beauty, highlighting its uniqueness and attributing it a special power of seduction. In addition, she supports her message by means of a breath-taking performance, which combined modern dance moves, high-quality vocals and Spanish-inspired outfits and motifs, such as the use of the fan at the end of the performance. 

Although the previous three were the most remarkable performances of the night, there were other acts which ought to be highlighted, such as the Serbian entry. Konstrakta’s In Corpore Sano is a social criticism to Serbian public healthcare system. In this Balkan country, artists are deprived of the right to access public healthcare and have to be careful not to suffer from any disease, otherwise their monthly income could be notoriously reduced. Despite the ruthless reality the song describes, fans showed tremendous admiration for its message, catchy rhythm and also its eccentric performance. Another outstanding entry was brought by the Norwegian band Subwoolfer. Their song Give That Wolf a Banana provided the festival with the necessary humour so as to make both audience and contestants disconnect from the incertitude and tension the festival may generate. Moreover, it kept the audience guessing who was hiding behind the wolf masks.

Many fans also missed the presence of some entries in the grand final. One of the favourites, Cyprus’ Andromache and her ethnic pop song Ela, could not make it through the finals despite the huge support she received from the audience. The Irish representative, Brooke, found herself in the same situation. Although she did not guarantee her country a place in the Eurovision final, she confesses she is happy with her performance and that it was not probably the right time, showing herself positive, full of hope and willing to improve.

Nonetheless, the country where the contest will be held next year is still unknown. Normally, the winner is in charge to organise the festival but considering that this year’s winner is Ukraine, which is still under military threats, it is not likely that the competition will be held in the country. Although the Ukrainian president showed his willingness to organise the festival in Mariupol, the widely spread tension around the country does not provide any glimmer of hope at the moment. For this reason, the Spanish and the Greek delegations already mentioned that they would be willing to celebrate the festival in their countries in case Ukraine wins. However, many fans also speculate that the UK may be next year’s host. It still remains unknown but it will be announced soon enough so as for the whole continent to start looking for their next year’s star. 

Kae Tempest is unmatched in their performance at Leeds Stylus

Kate Wassell on 17 May 2022

I knew Kae Tempest was a big name, but I didn’t expect their show to have such an impact on me. Their new album ‘The Line Is A Curve’ dropped just last month: a moving, searing record that I wish I had listened to before the show, but am so glad to have found now. Tempest is a distinguished poet, having won the Ted Hughes award and supported the likes of Benjamin Jephaniah and John Cooper Clarke. Their music is the kind to have listeners hanging on every word, dissecting and revisiting each lyric, making for a night of spoken word at its best. 

Shungudzo, Zimbabwean gymnast, TV personality and politically voiced artist, is a support act with enough energy to fill a stadium. Dressed in a long pink ruffled dress, Shungudzo leaves her macbook propped on the side of the stage, while she jumps and skips across the stage of Stylus like a child on a sunny day. She exudates a beautiful energy, her no bullshit statement lyrics received with glee from the Stylus audience; rather than hiding behind metaphors, Shungudzo says exactly what she means. Our generation is the one to make change, she voices near the end of her set: and in her demeanour is bold resilience as well as sunshiny positivity. Tempest’s and Shungudzo’s musical styles may be different, but they have in common a political fury. 

Kae enters the stage, and after yells of awe and appreciation have died down, they address us before they begin playing. ‘The Line Is A Curve’ will be played in its entirety, they tell us, and there will be no breaks between any of the tracks. A buzz fills the room; the anticipation of such an immersive album experience is palpable. ‘Speaking between songs cringes me out’, they joke, but there’s something so thrilling about this prospect: immediately the separation between audience and artist feels smaller, somehow, like we’re about to go through something not just standing in front of them, but with them.

Sound engineer for their tour, Hinako Omori accompanies Kae on synths, the sound waves rolling underneath Tempest’s cutting words. Like so many hip-hop artists, Tempest tows the line between rap and poetry. Something feels different about them, though. Their lyricism takes precedent over the fairly sparse production of their tracks, but they pull from the wide scope of sound: the featured artists on ‘The Line Is A Curve’ include Lianne La Havas, Kevin Abstract and Grian Chatten, to name a few, which together stretch out from the genre of hip-hop and bring known but surprising voices to each track. Tempest’s spoken delivery also sets them apart, of course, and their attention to detail is evident: there something that is needed to be said in their lyrics. 

And it’s their lyricism that is the main gift of the night, masterfully painting images with their words. In ‘Salt Coast’ we’re pulled into a tempestuous landscape: “soaked coast, foul wind, old ghosts, scrap tin”. Standing in pulsing golden light, the image of a twisted tree behind them, they personify nature – “the browning of your leaves” – and politicise it too – “the tyranny and hate of Britannia rules the waves”. Track ‘Smoking’ follows soon after, a commemoration to their past self. Having come out as non-binary in 2020, Tempest’s nods to their past female identity, “that girl from the past that laid the foundation stones”. They repeat, “there can’t be healing until it’s all broken, watch me break”. It feels like a celebration and separation, like a coming apart of something that once existed but no longer does. Kae’s recognition of her former identity feels like this throughout the new album, never taking over the tracks completely, but colouring them. 

It’s ‘Grace’, the album’s closing track, that brings me to tears. Ending ‘The Line Is A Curve’ section of the gig, Tempest’s voice rings clear over a simple guitar melody: “there are things I have to say about the fullness and the blaze of this beautiful life.” In all its unassuming nature, the track is breath-taking.

Kae Tempest’s set at Stylus was unlike any gig I’ve been to before. Performing their 2019 track ‘People’s Faces’ at the end of their set, they gesture to us, the audience: ‘My sanity’s saved, ‘Cause I can see your faces’. And every face is beaming up at them. You might already be a fan of poetry, or you might think spoken word is pretentious and underwhelming. I urge you to stick on a track of theirs, or better yet, buy a ticket to a show, and experience for yourself their brilliance.

A chat with The Goa Express ahead of their first headline tour of the UK

Benjamin Forrest on 15 May 2022

Originally formed as teenagers in Burnley, The Goa Express have since been claimed by every music scene from Manchester to West Yorkshire, their unique brand of psychedelic, garage-punk influenced indie music gaining them a sizeable following. The group have been steadily rising in popularity since their initial release, ‘Reincarnation of the Lizard Queen’, in 2016 and are now set for their first headline tour around the UK – including a date at Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds on the 18th May. I spoke to lead singer James Clarke, and his brother Joe who plays keys in the group, to get their thoughts going into the tour and find out a little more about The Goa Express. 

The Burnley quintet includes two brothers – James and Joe – James states boredom as a predominant reason for the formation of the group, “We came together largely through not having that much to do in Burnley and largely through meeting in school. We all met in school, always to hung out together and then didn’t really have that much to do other than going to each other’s houses and muck around, there’s limited opportunities in small towns”. Speaking of small towns, though, The Goa Express has been heavily tied to the rising scene in the Calder Valley. Todmorden and Hebden Bridge seem to be breeding grounds for great groups at the moment, with the likes of Working Men’s Club, The Orielles and The Lounge Society putting these towns on the map. At the epicentre of this scene is The Golden Lion, a pub and independent venue established in 2015 which now also operates as a record label (Golden Lion Sounds), releasing records for artists such as Henge, The Lounge Society, and even Jarvis Cocker! Asked about this thriving local music scene, James explained, “Waka – Richard Walker – who runs the Golden Lion with Gig, we’re both from Todmorden so we’ve grown up there, we know the faces quite familiarly, we’ve just known him for ages. Although it seems like quite an unsuspecting place and a, sort of, little hidden little town in the middle of nowhere it’s probably not that unsuspecting when you’re there. It’s full of crazy characters and wacky people. Golden Lion was a bit of a refuge for us growing up, when we didn’t have anything else to do, anywhere to go, anywhere to listen to the sort of stuff we wanted to listen to”. The Golden Lion is a prime example of the absolute importance of independent venues for the development of new artists and music scenes, and the existence of bands like The Goa Express would surely support that claim!

Thus far, releases from The Goa Express have all come from independent labels, with early singles on Wrong Way and Eli Records and their recent singles on Ra-Ra Rok Records. The single ‘Be My Friend’, which received praise from Steve Lamacq on BBC 6Music, featured on the Counter Culture 20 compilation by Rough Trade. The Goa Express are an undeniably independent band, Joe detailed the benefits of this approach for the band, “Luckily we’ve still managed to maintain a good level of control over what we do and the people we meet and what trajectory you want to go down. I think eventually we won’t be against having the support of a label but we’re trying to do that on our own terms and keep as much control as possible”, he went on to explain “We’re not gonna spend our entire music careers being independent but it works for now and we’ve not needed anything else. It’s quite difficult coming from no involvement in the music industry to just all of a sudden having a shit ton of deals in front of you, managers and lawyers and all this kind of thing. It’s been nice for us to take it slowly and build up trust with different avenues”. The band are currently witnessing a great deal of success being signed to Ra-Ra Rok Records so, presumably, there are already a few major labels sniffing around – watch this space!

Blending psychedelia, pop, garage rock and indie, The Goa Express have a fantastic and thankfully non-generic sound to them. Asked about their influences, James lists, “A lot of Spiritualized, a lot of Brian Jonestown Massacre, a lot of stuff that was revivalist of 60s stuff but came later on in the 90s. Obviously your generic Britpop stuff and things that were dead catchy but largely the stuff that remained a little bit underground and revived certain movements that were lost in a bit more of a contemporary way”, before adding, “As well as all the classic shit that everyone listens to”. The psychedelic influences were definitely more noticeable on the bands earlier tracks, and that is something the group will admit to, “We’re less psychedelic now, none of us like that track [Reincarnation of the Lizard Queen] at all, we probably borderline hate that track. It’s funny to look back on and thing that that long ago we were still trying to get our stuff out there”. Describing the reasons for the development in sound, the band said, “We’re a bit more selective, the sound has just kind of evolved gradually, it’s never been coordinated to end up in a certain genre”.

Speaking to the Goa Express brothers it was refreshing to see their lack of pretentiousness in their approach to music and their band, perhaps it’s their Northern roots or the fact that they are fairly early on in their trajectory of success – either way, it is clear to see that The Goa Express exist largely through a simple love of good music between close friends. Prior to setting off on tour, which began in Nottingham on the 10th May, I asked the brothers about how they would approach their first headline tour, “Just go and enjoy it and embrace it. This time around, considering it’s our own and it’s a headliner, just try and make a good impression and not take things that seriously. If one show is wicked that good, if one show is bad and no one shows up then so be it, who cares?”. The two highlighted the Leeds gig at Hyde Park Book Club (which you can purchase tickets for here) as one they were particularly looking forward to. The group were supposed to play on the Oporto stage at Live at Leeds last year but had to pull out the night before, if the disappointment felt within those attending the festival is anything to go by then the Leeds gig is sure to be a good one, and James assured us “We’ll be there on time and in top form”.