The Grand Return of Miles Kane to Brudenell


After 2 previous sold-out shows at Brudenell Social Club in 2011 and 2018, Miles Kane made his big
return to the beloved venue in 2024, 6 years after the last time he played. But this time it was only him
and his drummer Jennifer Walinetski. Throughout late 2023 – December 2024 the One Man Band
tours in celebration of his latest album have entailed Kane being accompanied by differing amounts of
musicians. In the build-up to his album release, he had embarked on a tour where he played full sets
up and down the country by himself, truly taking the One Man Band to the next level. In the last
instalment of the One Man Band tour, it was a two man band. Support came from Glu, aka Michael
Shuman, the Queens Of The Stone Age bassist who had travelled from Los Angeles to play a string
of shows across the country after support slots from upcoming star Lissy Taylor across Scotland and
local Scouse artist Ellis Murphy earlier in this tour.


Having seen him the week before in Hull at The Welly, I already knew it was going to be an amazing
night. And he absolutely didn’t disappoint. The ever-stylish Miles Kane swaggered out on stage
donning a denim gilet-style jacket with denim trousers split across horizontally and joined together by
sparkly strings out of his eclectic wardrobe. From the moment he walked out on stage he had the
audience completely hooked and how could you not be hooked when he has the ultimate stage
presence that he has. He launched straight into the album title track followed by the classic track
Rearrange‘ which really got the crowd going and is also a personal favourite of mine.


Following on from ‘Rearrange‘ was the second single off the third album Coup De Grace (2018), where he
effectively switched between two microphones bringing a new echoing vocal sound to his song in all
the right places. Kane kept up this energy throughout the whole gig, really feeling his own melodies
and moving around the stage to get up close and personal with the lucky people who secured front-
row spots. He also just had this really joyful energy about him, he really looked like he was having so
much fun playing these shows as I saw in Hull and Leeds. It’s infectious to see how happy he was on
stage and you couldn’t help but smile at it. Kane was also on top form with his crowd interactions
reading out things fans wrote on their phone screens and asking if everyone was invited to the after-
party at a random fan’s house which brought a lot of laughter from everyone else. But as well as being
the man of the people that he is he still kept up the swaggering attitude he’s known for. This really
came across in songs like ‘The Best Is Yet To Come‘, ‘Inhaler‘, and ‘Never Taking Me Alive‘, all
accompanied by his signature screech.


As well as establishing himself firmly as an indie favourite, he has also found success with other
projects like his most recent ‘Miles Kane And The Evils,’ ‘The Rascals,’ and ‘The Last Shadow
Puppets.’ The latter being a hot topic with fans often wondering if a third album will be in the works
any time soon. The fans showed their adoration for TLSP songs when it was just Miles Kane alone on
stage switching from his electric to acoustic guitar to play ‘Standing Next To Me‘. The crowd were also
treated to ‘Aviation‘ as well which was only a recent addition to the setlist since Southampton two days
ago. Business as usual resumed with Walinetski’s powerful drum style being welcomed back to the
stage.


Miles Kane absolutely smashed the rest of his set with a perfect combination of ‘Never Taking Me
Alive
‘ and ‘Come Closer‘ to close out the night. Having now seen him six times I can say he has always
been an amazing live performer and always keeps the crowd going as well as being a proper down-
to-earth guy. His latest effort at Brudenell Social Club was no exception further cementing his position
as an iconic showman who I will always recommend anyone go to see if you ever have the chance.

Words by Ruby Macklin

Cartoon Darkness: The Sunny Nihilism of Amyl & The Sniffer’s 3rd Album

Amyl and the Sniffers are the band-du-jour. If you haven’t heard of them yet, get ready, they’re taking over the scrappy underground of Melbourne’s pub-rock scene worldwide with their third release, Cartoon Darkness. Packing 13 songs into a 33-minute run-time, it’s a pocket-rocket of an album: furiously explosive. 

Upon first hearing Amyl and the Sniffers (far more recently than I’d like to admit), my immediate thought was of the outlawed punk-rockers of early 2000s teen flicks – think ‘Löded Diaper’ from Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Avril Lavigne, in contrast with Hannah Montana. Whilst not the most highbrow of comparisons, I mean that as the utmost compliment; they’ve immortalized the spirit of teenage rebellion and boxed it into an LP.  Cartoon Darkness is truly alive, truly present: aware of the void of that is the modern future, but not depressed by it. This playful energy is a breath of fresh air, amongst the overthought, must-change-the-world mentality that plagues alternative musicians of the adult world.

Cartoon Darkness, a title taken from the lyrics of ‘Doing In Me Head’, epitomises the sunny nihilism of its name. The album is a myriad of social commentary, from gender politics, to the tyranny of social media. A track list that could quickly get depressing, were it not for the band’s relentless positivity and humour. In an interview with hometown publication Triple J, frontwoman Amy Taylor concedes that yes, ‘the world is boring and we’re gonna die’ but she doesn’t want to mourn prematurely, and rather live it up whilst we’re here. If it is a frog-in-a-pot situation, she’s suggesting a pool party. It’s this mindset that gives way to the gleeful, pedal-to-the-metal sound that characterizes the band. Their writing process is exactly what you’d expect. Guitarist Declan Mehrtens affirms that a large section of the record was written on impulse, as ‘The more you have to play a song, the more stale and less excitement is in it’. Whilst he admits that sometimes this method produces ‘dog-shit’, you can hear that life and movement in their work. Giddy Up (2016), the band’s first LP was written and released in a 12-hour whirlwind, and whilst the band have matured since – taking a careful 24 hours to produce this album– their new release is certainly not stagnant.

The record opens with the provocative threesome (minds out of the gutter, please), of ‘Jerkin’, ‘Chewing Gum’ and ‘Tiny Bikini’. Whilst I’m not one to be shy – albeit gutter humour– the opening lyrics of the album are so crude I’m reluctant to transcribe them in print. The Sniffers, if you will, are great, producing a classic rock sound reminiscent of Aussie ancestors AC/DC. What really differentiates the band however, are Taylor’s vocals, cutting through the catchy guitar riffs, all guns blazing. The centre of the album mellows into softer tracks ‘Big Dreams’ and ‘Bailing On Me’ (still peppered, of course, with the high-voltage, supercharged likes of ‘Pigs’ and ‘It’s Mine’). In comparison to the full assault of their two previous albums, Comfort To Me (2021) and Amyl and the Sniffers (2019), this slower feel is a new sonic venture for the band, bringing a depth and maturity that I hope to see more of in their future. Still, my top pick is the classic Sniffers tune, ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’, which embodies the spirit of the album, packed with irony, independence, and a healthy dose of vulgarity. It’s a stellar track. 

My qualm with Cartoon Darkness, however, is that it should have stopped there. The record’s final trio is by no means bad, but in my opinion, doesn’t add anything to the album, and it becomes a bit samey at this point. Scathing musical criticism aside, the album composition is great – a vivid, established personal sound with some fun new twists – a concoction that’s put them on top of everyone’s ‘ones to watch’ lists for 2025.

In an age filled with men like Donald Trump, we need more women like Amy Taylor. I hate to fall into the trap of beelining to focus on a female artist’s appearance, but it can’t be ignored – she is SO cool. Rocking a peroxide-blonde Farah Fawcett cut and the booty shorts of ‘Tiny Bikini’, she is truly the star of the show. “Holy mother of god, this is a true rock star” said Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, upon first seeing her onstage. Watching her perform, what comes – or rather races- to mind is Gwen Stefani in ‘No Doubt’, circa Tragic Kingdom (1995).  Whilst there’s an obvious visual resemblance, I think what triggers this association is the gutsy feminism of ‘Just A Girl’, the anger and passion of which reverberates through Taylor’s writing. Her lyrics and tone are a mocking bark, as she shrieks ‘the losers are online and they are obsessed’ in the face of the easily aggravated but essentially empty-mouthed ‘losers’. In interviews she is down-to-earth and genuine; when asked about the influence of literature on her music she just laughs and says ‘I love books’. But this doesn’t at all detract from her intelligence and self-assuredness, rather, she wants to avoid the holier-than-thou mindset, and make the band’s overt political rioting accessible, rather than intimidating. ‘I don’t want them to feel ashamed’ she tells The Guardian, ‘the security guard might live on a farm in Kentucky and shoot animals and eat them – he might not know about, like, identity politics’. Their relentless political focus isn’t lost in the cacophony of Cartoon Darkness, and their experience going into their 3rd album draws a focused perspective onto these, more specific, niches.

With a stint as BBC Radio 6’s ‘Artist in Residence’, and a feature on NME’s top 50 albums of 2024, Amyl and the Sniffers are -literally- everywhere with their new release, and about to embark on a 2025 world tour. They’re starting at home down under, so if you missed them in the UK this autumn you’ll have to wait until mid-July to see them supporting Fontaines D.C. at Finsbury park – in which time they’ll likely have released another 3 albums and topped the charts – it only takes them a day. 

Words by Madeline Royle-Toone

Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Travis at The O2 Academy

Kicking off their Raze The Bar tour at the O2 Academy in Leeds on Thursday 5th December, Jess Cooper reflects on Travis’ intimate, charismatic performance, proving that theatrics are not the be all and end all of pop music.

Opening for the band was an act that felt like an amalgamation of everything grand about British rock history. Hamish Hawk cracked open the crowd with a resounding heavy bass that felt underpinned with an infectious moodiness. It was hard not to see the clear inspirations drawn from across pop history; Morrissey lyrics were peppered with synths of the Pet Shop Boys and the occasional Queen riff. Standouts included ‘Nancy Dearest’ and ‘The Mauritian Badminton Doubles Champion, 1973’ and their set ended with an explosive, cathartic dance break of sorts where Hawk secured himself as a powerhouse performer.

When nine o’clock hit, Travis strolled onto the pitch-black stage and I proceeded to experience the strangest musical whiplash of my life. Out of the speakers blared the theme tune for sitcom classic ‘Cheers’. “Sometimes you wanna go/Where everybody knows your name/And they’re always glad you came” sung out across the Academy. I genuinely sat in a crowd full of people I didn’t know and laughed out loud. It immediately set that tone that we would be watching a group of lads who didn’t take themselves too seriously; they were building a joke that we would be in on. 

They were building on an energy that the crowd had carried through into the venue with them. Outside, the queue was full of banter and chatter. I was standing in front of two boys who were in a seemingly deep conversation about how the Labour party is contributing to climate change by letting farmers keep too many cows. Travis obviously knew who their target audience were and played into their hands amazingly. There were many self-aware remarks about how their new music may feel like a slog to long-time fans and thanking them for their patience in such a self-deprecating but genuine way that you couldn’t help but forgive them.

It was when the group opened up the vault and dust off some classics that you could really feel them come alive. ‘Good Feeling’ radiated that youthful angst of pent-up twenty-something boys. ‘Closer’ was an emotional tribute to loved ones, dripping with sentimentality. As the show delightfully took its time, the set felt breezy; the boys made the adventure through their discography appear effortless. Fan-favourite tune ‘Sing’ acted as a conclusion for this light, easy half of the set, with the stage lit up in neon pinks and purples.

The energy was kicked up a gear as ‘Gaslight’ brought us into that second act of the musical journey. Flashing lyrics on the minimal set and teeming with rockstar energy, ‘Gaslight’ felt like a turning point in the show. It started to feel like Travis were no longer performing their own music, but they were simply appreciating the art. There’s something that lead singer Fran Healy said at this point of the show that has stuck with me since: “Where music really exists, is in this room right now.” Not on streaming platforms, not on social media, but in the real-world venues where thousands of strangers are able to connect with music written and sung by the few artists who dare to put themselves out there. 

This vein carried on throughout the show, all the way through to the encore. The group came back out and sung an acoustic rendition of Britney Spears’ ‘…Baby One More Time’ before pulling out their so called ‘party trick’ for one of their classics. Whilst playing joyful ‘Flowers in the Window’ the foursome pulled a stunt that quite frankly I’d expect from fourteen-year-old boys, which is why it was so endearing. Healy let go of his guitar, letting his three other band mates play the instrument for him whilst it was strapped to him. That playful silliness was exactly what made the night feel so charismatic and so different to today’s standard gig or concert. You expect to be impressed by fantastical sets, or intricately choreographed dance routines and here I was, quite frankly stunned at four grown men all playing the same guitar together after they’d drunk a couple of ciders.

Closing out with singalong ‘Why Does It Always Rain On Me?’, the band encouraged all of the older fans to jump up and down, inviting them to ‘relive their youth’. It was a let-loose moment that felt like such a perfect encapsulation of Travis’s music and performance style. It was truly phenomenal to just see four lads on stage, strumming the same chords they did twenty years ago with the exact same boyish charm, proving that you don’t need dramatics to put on an engaging performance. You only need a bit of magic.

Words by Jess Cooper.

The Legacy of Manchester’s Most Iconic Club: Interview with Rebecca Hook

Music and Clubs Editor Millie Cain speaks to Rebecca Hook, author of The Hacienda:Threads, discussing the nights, people, and music that made Manchester’s most iconic club.

Late last year, Hacienda: The Threads was announced to release, perking up ears of every 50-year-old ex-raver in the North, and their daughters. Not just a very well-timed Christmas present but a really genuine, evocative insight into the culture the Hacienda created from the eyes of those who built it, with a foreword by Peter Hook. Remembered for its Acid House revelations, subcultures, and less remembered for its financial struggles and the patron’s rising drug use.

Celebrated with a huge launch party hosted at New Century Hall, with Peter Hook on the decks and also in conversation. Joining him on the panel were Noel Gallagher, Ang Matthews, Angela Murray, David Hoyle, Graeme Park, Greg Wilson, Ian Griffiths, and Paul Cons. Described by Rebecca as “A really good night! It was very well received; I was so grateful for the people that turned up and we didn’t expect that. We thought, you know for a book launch, we expected 500, but I don’t know how many were there, my daughters told me 900 people which was incredible. It was fun as well, perhaps these people have known each other for years, so it was just like a load of friends sitting around the kitchen table having a moment really.”

The event supported 3 incredible charities that are close to Rebecca and her family’s hearts, as well as the wider Hacienda community. Mind, Sacoma UK, and the Albert Kennedy Trust all do incredible work with mental health, cancer support, and LGBTQ+ people who are doing amazing work for the homeless. More information for each charity is available at the bottom of the page, and Rebecca mentioned how they highlighted the work they do and helped out as much as they could, please take the time to read at the end.

For myself, my thoughts on the Hacienda are solely shaped around my parents’ experiences that they passed down to me, and Rebecca shared her own memories. “It’s, it’s funny because all, everybody’s got different memories of of the club. Everybody went to different nights. So, it’s actually interesting that the stories in the book were taken fromdifferent experiences and different viewpoints.”

“I like the fact that Andrew O’Hagan and Irvine Welsh did a piece because they’re great friends together. And they went on to write some really interesting books about clubbing and the friendships that people gain from clubbing. And I think with that has to actually be the reason that they they stick out to me is that there were different people that, that we interviewed, obviously are synonymous with the club. And it was nice to hear of other people that are creatives about their experiences.”

“Some were actually quite touching. There were so many places before The Haç where everyone clubbing. So actually, for people to say, The Haç was the only place that they actually felt safe, I thought that was really, really lovely. I mean,the thing that resonates with me most about The Haç was it was label free, I think. Now, everybody, I think everybody feels they need labelling which I agree is important. But, you know, with those labels we had, there was a bit of a label freedom in The Haç. So, it didn’t really matter. People gay, straight, black, white, where you came from, everybody just got on with it and just had a great time. You’re all there the same reason to have a fantastic night and to meet your friends. And I think, I think that was such an important part about The Haç but it doesn’t get that mention, everybody’s so busy talking about the nuttiness and all the madness that went on, which not disputing that it did go on. But people went there for for the right reasons.”

Rave Culture itself has certainly changed though in the years since the Haçienda closed in June 1997, with obviously social media playing a huge role in that. “I personally i think through social media we all kid ourselves, me included. I sit my pjs at 9 at night and think that I’m actually catching up with friends through Instagram or Facebook or on the end of the phone. And I think what we’re all lacking is physical contact. On the night of the book launch, the first thing we did was come up to each other and give each other a hug. That doesn’t happen anymore. Don’t get me wrong, you know, life is so international so you can be, you can be living in Spain or America, and you can catch up with somebody. But, you know, with your general friendships, I think it’s such a shame that we don’t spend more time physically with each other. You know, we all shop online. In the old days, on a Saturday afternoon, Manchester was massive, people getting excited about getting dressed up for the weekend, and that was the beginning of your weekend. You catch up with people, you know, go out for a drink and go to your favourite shops, be it Top Shop, or high-end Vivian Westwood, or all these different places inside Afflecks Palace. But that in itself was a social activity, it was all part and parcel of the night, really. What do you think friendship wise is now? You know, the friends that I made clubbing are still my closest friends, 30 years on. They are, and they come from all different walks of life. The people that I probably wouldn’t have met stay level. They’re of all ages and they’re all, you know, from different backgrounds. I wouldn’t have met those people had I not been out clubbing. What about you? How do you feel about it now?”

Rebecca span the conversation on myself here, with a genuine interest in how clubbing negates our friendships as young people, in a completely different environment. I mentioned my housemates, my best friends, the people I met through university and those I lost connections with through a lack of contact. Andrew O’Hagan’s own book, Mayflies, was one that really resonated with me last year, and the way he intimately described friendships and the people you love really stood out. My friends and I do have a habit of going out and keeping to ourselves, staying in our own group, and there can be a really distinct lack of chatter, especially on University Club Nights. And for clubs outside of these, there can be a real weight to them sometimes an intensity that isn’t always the most comfortable.

“I agree with you i think that that there is a heaviness about clubbing now that they never used to be. There’s there’s a lot more oh god be it spiking and there’s just not that freedom that I feel I had when I used to go clubbing. I used to spend a lot of time in the Gay Village because it felt so safe, and it was really free. And I love the fact that we could dress up and feel however we wanted, and it was just fun. It was like peace of mind. Sometimes we just have such a lovely time, and I suppose, going to other places now, the big warehouses and stuff like that, it is I feel, a totally different atmosphere. At The Haç we’d do the big nights, they’d sell out, everybody seemed to love them, and they seem to be relatively trouble free which I’m delighted about. But lots of people that went to the house in the in the beginning, actually come to the events now with their kids. And I think that’s actually really nice. I think probably the parents are more misbehaved than the kids.” Agreed Rebecca, from experience. Hi dad if you’re reading this!

“I’m a fan of a smaller venue. That’s my bag. I just love a smaller venue. But that’s just me.  I’ve always been the same. I’d like to say it’s just an age thing, but it isn’t an age thing for me personally. Some people love going into these mad, big places.  How do you think we should change it? Because, you know, at the end of the day, you guys are the people that we need to please.” From going out in Manchester as a teenager, to now being over in Leeds, I think we could all agree that smaller rave venues like Eiger Studios or White Hotel have a shine that The Warehouse Project wouldn’t begin to find. Majorly because they’re catering to a hugely different capacity, but there’s an intimacy in the smaller venues that I think we as a generation are still drawn to.

“Well, watch this space chicken. I really will get these events going. We need to listen to you guys, because, at the end of the day, you’re only as good as your audience. Because, to start with, we had high hopes of doing all sorts of things for the launch. We were gonna do a fashion show. But then the only problem with that was because in the old days, everybody used to be up on the podiums on the stage. Everybody used to be dancing everywhere. And I wanted to recreate that feel with the podium, with the the catwalk. Now, because of health and safety, unfortunately, you’re not allowed to, and you have to have barriers.  I just thought that’s gonna totally take away the feel of what we wanted, I mean we were lucky on the launch night that we didn’t have to have anything around the panel table.”

“It was really important for me that everybody felt included but then you have to realise that you’re only as good as your audience. Everybody was so lovely, nobody trying to be big or clever. It was just a really, really lovely night. People coming up from everywhere asking questions, and everybody was just there to have a nice time. And that’s what you really need.”

With Ian Griffiths on the panel of the launch, and in the book, the once punk, now creative director of Max Mara brought in the huge aspect of fashion for The Haçienda, and Manchester’s culture.

“That’s actually what I was wanting to do the book about, because, as I say, fashion was such a massive part of Manchester’s heritage, really, some really great designers came out of Manchester. If you think the first meat dress was made by a girl called Alison Night. She actually made the meat dress downstairs in the, in the basement of The Haç before a club night. And Linda Sterling is a very famous artist, and she was a performer and wore this dress. And I actually said, what did you make it out of? And they’ve been in Chinatown, and they made this dress up with chicken feet, so it was like a tutu. And you just think, my God, it must smell. But afterwards, that’s why Lady Gaga did the meat dress she’d actually referred to it years later as as the dress that had been born in The Haç. She had it made, but obviously in a different way.”

“But people like Ian Griffiths, he was a student in Manchester, and he decided that he wasn’t that good. So, he was gonna leave, fashion, but a guy called Kevin Cummins, the photographer came up to him one night and he had one of his creations on. Kevin said, ‘ I love this, look can I photograph you?’  So, when Ian got the photographs from Ian he thought, you know what? I can do this. I’m gonna carry on. And thank God he did so. And he was only 17 at the time. So, if you think that he was 17, Kevin was the same age too, all these different people, all of them were students when they started out at The Haç. The thing about they were kids. They were young. There were students. So, it’s sort of it, there’s nothing better than somebody that you care about, someone that inspires you going ‘you can do this’. And I think that’s the thing. Again, through contact. You can’t do that over Instagram. So, we carried on.

“People, even like Paul Smith refer to The Haç as inspiration. Matthew Williamson, Henry Holland, John Richmond, all these people. It used to be that anything went at the time, you could walk in with next to nothing. It was a massive place, and everybody was, was happy to get dressed up, and now I think sometimes people seem to wanna just melt into the background?  I think a lot of the time you’re going out in clothing and you’re just like trying to just dress like what everyone else is dressed as. I feel like people just judge so harshly and can be quite personal about it. Especially with people being so label-oriented with brands. But it’s cool to see their spaces starting to appear, where you can dress a bit more freely.”

“But in the beginning, it was quite funny because I never went out with a handbag ever, so i used to have my best friend Dan as my handbag. So, he used to have my eye drops, my lipstick and that was it. And now, obviously you get designer handbags and you designer trainers and all those types of things. It was never, ever important in those days. The Exchange used to have 49 different designers underneath it. So, at the weekend, it used to be mad. Everybody comes to get the club in gear. It was a really, really important part of town, if not the most important part town. And, and I think that’s what’s missing in Manchester.”

For the future of The Haçienda’s legacy, Rebecca described their club night ambitions “to bring back the new, the heart, the flash, all these different nights and see how they work, and see if you guys wanna come, really. Flash nights well they were gay night, but they were wild. They were very dressed up. It was just mental and there were all sorts of wild things going on. Paul Kong was in charge, and some of his ideas were wild. But again, it was just so free and just so evocative. It was a night of of madness,  always on a Wednesday. And we wanted to get a late license but if you  going to the village then you probably would have loved it.”

Leaving our conversation on a promising “watch this space, darling” was a true pleasure, there’s hope for the future of The Haçienda, and that hope is for us.

The Haçienda: Threads is available online and in bookstores now, a brilliant read with excellent photography, anecdotes & a foreword by Peter Hook.

Mind is a UK Charity fighting for mental health. For support, respect, and for you. For information and advice to help yourself or someone else, visit https://www.mind.org.uk

Sarcoma UK is a national charity that funds vital research and offers information and support to anyone affected by sarcoma https://sarcoma.org.uk

Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT) helps LGBTQ+ people aged 16-25 find safety, security and new pathways to fulfilment who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness https://www.akt.org.uk

Words by Millie Cain, in conversation with Rebecca Hook.

Back in The City: Live at Leeds Returns

Close your eyes and think back to mid-November. What were you doing on a Saturday? Most likely sleeping in? Shielding from the cold? Resting up from a weary week? Not me. I was striding from venue to venue, catching 10 different live music acts across a 12-hour span whilst furiously taking notes on all and proving to myself just how unfit I’ve gotten with every 15-minute sprint between sets. You’re probably wondering why I was undertaking such an adventure; I’m wondering how you read that paragraph with your eyes closed, you freak of nature?!?!? Either you have supremely thin eyelids or failed to follow my directions, either way, your attitude stinks and you can leave it at the door of this article. For I was doing this for Live at Leeds in the City, the wonderful one-day marathon of a music festival which I had the honour of covering with Head of Photography Bella Wright. Albeit exhausting, Live at Leeds in the City was a spectacle, a true celebration of the talent pool that is the rising music scene across the UK, and as such I intend to regurgitate my thoughts of the day onto this article with all the glitz and glamour that made up the festival. For that I need you to imagine (eyes open of course this time) and attempt to feel every strobe light, every guitar strum and every shoulder tackle from a gentleman who has just lobbed his pint into the air, liberated by his favourite indie-rock bands distorted riffs. This was Live at Leeds in the City.

The day began with intimate and vulnerable sets from Oliver Pinder and Talia Rae. Our humble beginnings at the Doghouse and Headrow House tapered our appetites and eased us into the fray of ringing ears and aching achilles. The passionate vocal beauty on display lit the musical fire in our bellies, driving us on in our quest for festival immortality. Our hunger led us to The Key Club for a midday set from a new band on the scene, Soft Launch. Their set had it all; catchy key riffs, band members swapping instruments like a game of hot potato and passionately free dance moves that the compact Key Club stage could hardly handle. Whilst their early set seemed tough to top, the best was yet to come.

Image Credit: Bella Wright

By now the line between hunger for music and sustenance had been blurred. Due to dangerously bloated queues and overwhelming time pressure, our dreams of nourishment in the form of Belgrave pizza were snuffed out (haunted, harrowed and ultimately hangry relieving this trauma). We pushed on in the spirit of hometown pride to see Leeds’ own L’Objectif, who despite recent changes to their lineup gave a seamless post-punk-infused masterclass. Boasting a live crispness most bands travel far and wide to obtain, the hometown four-piece displayed a variety of great tunes rather early into their career that left me hungry for more (no pun not intended… I still yearn for that pizza). Several binge-listens later and I can proudly call myself a L’Objectif fan post Live at Leeds.

No pizza? No problem. As any self-respecting university student will understand, Greggs was there for us in our darkest hour. Fueled by the spirit of the north, we arrived at The Gryphon’s home turf: Stylus Leeds University Union. Rising indie starlets Overpass were next in our sights. Contrary to popular belief, this article being released a month after the festival not out of journalistic laziness, but because I was waiting for my Spotify Wrapped to reveal Overpass’ ‘Beautiful’ as my top song of the year. With this blatant favouritism in mind, I can tell you the Birmingham band gave a performance of pure indie bliss to a clamouring fan base. Frontman Max Newbold’s longing voice was reflected by countless adoring followers, and the buzz in the room was telling of the bright future that the Midlands four-piece are on the road towards.

Image Credit: Bella Wright

We next began the march out west to Brudenell. Young band The Guest List was our objective, and whilst their technical prowess was evident, their lesser experience failed to match some of the brilliance on show at this festival. They have the makings of something special, and I still eagerly await to see what the future holds for them, but they have a little way to go. Still, they are grafting and paying their dues on support slots as all young bands must and it is clear they will return soon much higher on the bill should they continue on their path.

Back to the city centre, rife with exhaustion. The special sets we’d dreamed of seeing were right ahead of us, in anticipation I could see the lights (upon further review this could just have been hallucinations from the lack of oxygen courtesy of our hasty speed walking).  Mercury Prize winners, and Leeds homecomers, English Teacher were set to be a spectacle after toppling the regime of London-exclusive winners that has spanned a decade. The spirit of the Leeds music scene was packed into the Beckett Student Union, feverishly fervid as the crowd brimmed. The punchy bass riffs ebbed and flowed amongst both heavy guitars and tender percussion, and the ever-present crowd played a big part in raising frontman Lily Fontaines’ poetic lyrics upon the shoulders of Yorkshire pride. Potentially the epitome of what support for grassroots music can create, English Teacher’s brilliance really represented what this festival is all about and I’ll be damned if I don’t express my excitement for what they come up with next.

Image Credit: Bella Wright

Another 15-minute jog 8 hours into the day now (thank God we’re passionate about live music otherwise my hamstrings would’ve given way by now). Act 8 of the day was a brief yet divine view of Stone’s frontman crowd surfing their final track and whilst we didn’t catch their full set, my heart was contempt with this holy visual. Our actual reason for returning to Stylus once more was The Royston Club, a personal favourite band of mine and for all intents and purposes THE rising stars in the indie guitar scene. Playing to a rowdy and rambunctious crowd, The Royston Club rattled off unreleased tracks and fan favourites alike (along with a supremely well-received ‘Disco 2000’ cover). The tight guitar riffs and gut-wrenching harmonies had even the most stoic of dark fruits music enjoyers swooning for the Welsh wonders. The Wrexham quartet are the next big thing, that I can say unequivocally, and despite this being my sixth viewing of them, my excitement never wavers. See them before the crowds become masses, the ticket prices become extortionate, and the bandwagon is overburdened with diehard indie fans. 

Exhausted, we reached The Wardrobe where Lime Garden’s immaculate stage presence and wonderfully vibrant tunes breathed new life into our night.  They exuded confidence and pride in their music which was second to none throughout the day. Their gorgeous blend of indie pop, disco and surf melodies almost took a form of their own and jived around the room on my behalf (my legs had now given way, but my soul had never been more at ease). Their infectious performance drew a day of music mastery to a close.

Image Credit: Bella Wright

Many festivals often are forced to choose between quality or quantity for their lineups. Live at Leeds in the City 2024 refused to play this cruel gauntlet the music overlords throw down. At any moment it felt as though we were to be thrown off our planned schedule, we could seek refuge in the nearest venue and find a hidden gem. Whilst this did not occur, due to mine and Bella’s supreme cardiovascular ability, sheer determination and a good chunk of luck, the acts we handpicked to catch in advance did not disappoint in the slightest. Live at Leeds in the City 2024 was a true depiction of how magnificent the upcoming music scene in the UK is today and my calendar will be marked for next year’s marathon.

Words by Dan Brown

Sports Team come out of the Wardrobe with a bang

On the run of their ‘Boys These Days’ tour, Eszter Vida reviews their art rock/post-punk band’s sold out return to Leeds’ iconic The Wardrobe.

Our story begins in 2021. Post-pandemic. Neighbourhood Weekender in Warrington. The 2 most depressing combinations of places and times to be alive, set right on the field I used to get pissed on to speakers blaring Arctic Monkeys, aged 16. Alex Rice launching himself into a crowd of Twitter fiends, because let’s face it – no lad from Warrington is ever self-identifying with the Cambridge grads uniformed in polo sweatshirts (but we’ll return to my point on target audiences later, don’t snap at me just yet). It feels like Sports Team are always there for the satire of it all just when we need them.

Now 2024. We’re still in the thick of political turmoil. The Wardrobe in Leeds. Sports Team always seems to be on a run of following up a multitude of global disasters with a new album cycle each time, and I think that oddly sums up the nature of this band. Without being too ambiguous, post-punk bands are now having to keep up with the times, in fear of cancellation or industry plant comparisons. God forbid, we want more authenticity from label backed artists.

Known for their dynamic, high energy sets, Sports Team are a band that play into the satire of being a British band. It’s no wonder that the home city of Gang of Four at a venue right next to a music university producing an identical entourage of bands sells out in an instant. But in this live setting, the performance felt like we were all in on the joke, poking fun of privilege and everyone’s individual place in the current state-of-affairs. We’re a long way from Aldershot, but Leeds is exactly the melting pot where indie bands thrive upon the legacy of the ones that came before them in its historic scene. It’s only the merry homecoming of drummer Al Greenwood.

The support for this tour reflects the best of up-coming bands, brewed in the same art-rock sphere. Mary in the Junkyard is no exception, with their gothic, new wave sound and their magnetic hold on the crowd. The room quickly filled in anticipation, whether you were swarming at the front, warming up at the bar or clawing through the awkward staircase barriers that lead to the pit section of the Wardrobe.

Bursting on first with ‘Camel Crew’, they knew to play to their dedicated fans’ appetites and to feed them well with their classics. The crowd instantly connected with old favourites like ‘Happy (God’s Own Country)’, ‘Lander’ and of course, ‘M5’. There was not an air molecule between us all in the pit as the room exploded into madness and the camaraderie of the band on stage sweeped the room entirely.

Building up heat for their 3rd album Boys These Days, I can safely say it’s one to look forward to just from the recent single release of ‘I’m In Love (Subaru)’. It’s Rice’s facade and the irony of the lyrics he sings that embraces their unapologetic nature of leaning to more new wave and pop influences like Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music. The rest of the instrumentalists, composed of Greenwood on drums, Rob Knaggs on vocals and guitar, bassist Oli Dewdney are the centre of pushing the tempo while keyboardist Ben Mack debuts flashy synthesisers next to the other tracks’ signature punchy riffs, played by guitarist Henry Young. The live performances can be unpredictable, and tonight’s setlist of new and old shows testament to embracing their evolving sound as a group.

Some memorable moments from being in the crowd: getting bit in the mosh pit, the lack of deodorant, the erupting combat in the pit. You couldn’t get this from any other band’s tour. The two most optimistic conclusions: Sports Team are back with a promising third record and there’s nothing that sums up the relief of seeing them back in action than the tweet used by the band to announce this tour in the first place below. 

Image Credit: Instagram via @sportsteam

Words by Eszter Vida

Role Model at Manchester O2 Ritz – ‘No Place Like Tour’

On November 13, Role Model (Tucker Pillsbury) took to Manchester O2 Ritz, bringing a splash of the US over to the UK, for the third appearance of his world tour, No Place Like Tour.

Self admittedly, before the gig I had only heard bits of Tucker’s music, the odd song here and there whenever they made appearances on my Spotify shuffle. With ‘forever&more’ and ‘Oh, Gemini’, being just a couple of notable mentions as some of his most well-known tracks, I wouldn’t have exactly called his music style ‘my kind of thing.’ Excited but unexpecting, I set off on the hour-long drive from Leeds, travelling to the background hum of the night’s support act, Matilda Mann, and getting myself ready for the night ahead with Role Model. 

Matilda Mann opened up the evening, setting the tone with her stripped-back vocals, conveying delicate and raw emotions throughout several one-of-a-kind acoustic tracks. Mann treated the audience to several unreleased tracks from her upcoming album release, Roxwell, with audience favourites including ‘Say It Back,’ and ‘Dazed & Confused.’  With anticipation for the evening already building, Matilda’s performance was the foundation for what was gearing up to be one extremely magnificent live experience.

On this cold, rainy Manchester night, Role Model set the room ablaze with what can only be described as an unexpectedly confounding stage presence, surpassing all expectations. The energy from his bouncy, countrified pop tracks (and an abundance of heartbreak-induced ballads) perfectly reflected his most recent 2024 album release, Kansas Anymore. A fun take on The Wizard of Oz, the tour radiated nostalgia and comfort, creating a space and an environment that is unique to any live performance that I had previously experienced. If there’s one thing that he knows how to do well, it’s making the audience feel valued, present, and completely indulged in the intimacies of the performance.

His well-known live performance-bit of announcing himself as numerous different artists garnered amused laughs from the audience, from The 1975, to an unexpected (and very random) Ed Sheeran, with an especially loud outcry following a ‘hey, we’re Ross Lynch,’ if you know, you know.  With a little pinch of all-American flair, the evening’s energy was palpable, seen in a sea of cowboy hats, bows, and a happy-go-lucky attitude from the crowd. You felt grateful to be there, and lucky to be in the moment of such a beautiful, magical experience.  The evening’s energy was palpable, and gave Role Model’s music a whole entirely different meaning, tied to an evening that surpassed all expectations.

In fact, if the gig had been one month earlier, I can almost guarantee that ‘a little more time,’ would have made it into my Wrapped Top 50. Right there, standing in a room with hundreds of other strangers, Role Model found a fan in me.

Role Model is set to continue his tour February 2025, in Australia. Matilda Mann is also set for an exciting month, as her new album, Roxwell, is due to release on February 28, with pre-save now available.

Words by Mia Stapleton

Anthony Fantano: Why are we letting one man decide what is good?  

Anthony Fantano, or TheNeedleDrop on YouTube, made his fame for his brutally honest album reviews. With a cult following and a plethora of controversies under his belt, I want to know why he is considered an influential voice within music criticism. 

Some of his 10/10 albums include the sound of summer 2024, Charli XCX’s Brat (2024). Along with this, is the genre bending To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) by critically acclaimed rapper Kendrick Lamar. Both of these albums are no surprise to me. They’re inventive, whilst still dominating the mainstream. Songs like ‘360’ by Charli and ‘King Kunta’ by Lamar were popular with old and new fans alike. They also both performed well in the commercial charts and wider public sphere. ‘Brat’ peaked at number 1 in the UK Official Albums Charts as did ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’. 

In contrast to these well-loved popular records, is Death Grips’ album The Money Store (2016) which was also awarded a 10 from Fantano. As a big fan of the comedian James Acaster (this is related I promise), I became quickly familiar with many experimental albums from 2016. For those unfamiliar with Acaster’s podcast and book project, he became obsessed with finding, listening to and rating albums made in 2016. One of these included ‘The Money Store’, an experimental, aggressive, hard yet rewarding listen. The experimental nature of this album clearly strays away from the mainstream with a peak at number 18 on the UK Albums Charts. Although Death Grips have their fan base, a cult one at that, they haven’t particularly made it to the mainstream unlike other artists with albums that Fantano deems 10/10. 

I understand the notion that music critics are supposed to challenge listeners and highlight underground artists however, with Fantano it seems that his views are extremely personal to him rather than his intentions being to introduce new music to followers. Instead, he mass reviews new releases and decides what he likes about them and if he thinks it is deserving of a high or low score. In a way, I suppose that’s the point and that people have become accustomed to waiting for his own personal review of the work of their favourite artist. However, with a following of over 2 million, it feels that many may have fallen into the trap of swapping their own opinions for his. In order to understand how he has this enormous sense of authority as a ‘tastemaker’, it’s important to look towards another dominant force in the music review scene: Pitchfork. 

When some borrow from Fantano for their opinions, others look to Pitchfork. The popular music website scores albums from a 0-10 to one decimal place. When I was first attempting to understand the larger music scene (aka when I started listening to 6 Music instead of Heart), I took Pitchfork’s word as gospel. I trusted what they had to say because they were professionals and their position as critics is respected (mostly). But even they get it wrong. In 2021, they published a list of scores they wished they could change and included the rescores. There are many big names on the list including Lana Del Rey, PJ Harvey, The Strokes, Grimes and Wilco. 

However, the one which stands out to me is Charli XCX’s EP Vroom Vroom (2016). It probably comes as no surprise that I have been a fan of Charli’s work since her inception. Firstly, I managed to link almost every point in this article to her and secondly, I have taste. Her finally getting the respect she deserves in her industry warms my heart. However, her earlier, trailblazing work in the hyperpop sphere was largely looked down on as too leftfield. She worked tirelessly for people to finally understand her and a large part was this EP. Produced by the late SOPHIE and including other large names in the PC music scene such as Hannah Diamond, this EP helped popularise the genre that Brat (2024) took large parts of its inspiration from. The score given to Vroom Vroom (2016) was a 4.5 and Pitchfork wished they could change it to a 7.8 claiming that there was ‘nothing more homophobic’ than the original score, which is true. The issue with the flat number scoring means that there is no room for interpretation. A long form review of an album, EP or single can celebrate the successes and failures combined. However, when that nuanced review is paired with a score out of 10, people look at the score first. The scoring system makes it seem like a pass or fail test system. There shouldn’t be a mark scheme for artistry.  

The popularity of these scores is largely ‘rage bait’. People online, mostly on Twitter (now X) and Reddit, will likely disagree with the marks to some capacity. This conversation can obviously be a useful publicity tool by getting the fans and reader to do the work for the writer and artists. When a fan speaks on a score, this includes highlighting the artist and song as well as the writer and publication. Why should music fans trust scores that even the reviewers can’t get right? And why should we let one man decide what’s good? In my personal music utopia, Anthony Fantano is dethroned as a sort of ‘music god’ and stripped of his power. Instead, there are a variety of voices which are widely accessible and the work of artists isn’t distilled down to one number. 

Words by Kate Moxon

An Evening with Vampire Weekend: Gig Review

Vampire Weekend are no stranger to the live music scene. Active since 2008, this all-American college band formed in Columbia University became an asset to festivals around the world, headlining since 2010, and garnering worldwide acclaim. An enthralling pastiche of alternative rock, indie, pop, jazz, ska, and classical, their discography boasts five albums and no shortage of variation. With the announcement of a UK tour alongside their newest album release, Only God Was Above Us (2024), I ran to Ticketmaster to catch their December 2nd gig at the O2 Apollo. I had high expectations for the night, and I cannot say I was disappointed in the slightest. 

With no opening act, the band kicked things off with a collection of songs from their debut album, Vampire Weekend (2008), including ‘Mansard Roof’, ‘Oxford Comma’, and ‘Bryn’, against a stripped back set – black and white with the band’s logo. It was during the thrilling ‘Ice Cream Piano’ that the backdrop fell, revealing the extended band, including a violinist and trumpeter. 

The band curated the following setlist with care – a rousing mix of older and newer songs punctuated by lengthy instrumentals, which highlighted the extent of their talent not only as musicians, but as performers. The energy in the crowd was immaculate, wavering between wanting to sing along to the catchy songs and just admire the atmosphere of frontman Koenig’s vocals with the live instruments and coloured lights illuminating the hall. 

‘A-Punk’ was perhaps the most anticipated song of the night – the band’s most famous track, and a staple in the indie scene since its conception. The iconic opening riff played, and the cheers of 3,500 people reverberated across the venue. At this moment, it became clear why Vampire Weekend hold the reputation they do in the music scene – they had Manchester jumping up and down and screaming in unison. The first part of the show ended with ‘Hope’, a perfect conclusion that mixed piano, drums, and the repeated refrain “I hope you let it go” – a showcase of the musical extent of the touring band. 

With Koenig’s declaration that the Vampire Weekend portion of the concert was ending, the band returned to the stage to announce that they were taking audience requests for songs to play. If this doesn’t display their artistic spontaneity, I don’t know what does. With no more practice than the question “What key is it in?”, the members played nine songs, ranging from ‘Five Years’ by Bowie to ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ by Carey – the perfect way to kick off the festive season. The conclusion to the evening featured cult favourites ‘Worship You’ and ‘Ya Hey’. 

Reflecting on the night, my only wish is that they had played for longer, despite their two-and-a-half-hour set time. Vampire Weekend are indeed a veteran act, and this night only reinforced their legendary status. The band will continue their UK tour in London, before taking their set to mainland Europe later in December.

Words by Uma Bagalkote

Cacophony – Paris Paloma Casts a Spell on Brudenell

On the 28th of November, Paris Paloma graced Leeds as the ninth and final stop on her UK tour after the release of her new album Cacophony. The album has amassed over 240 million streams on Spotify since its release in late August, with hits including ‘Labour’ and ‘Drywall’as fan favourites. Originally from the Midlands, Paris has gained acclaim for her music since 2020 and now has an impressive 6.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The strong themes of sisterhood and feminine rage against a consistently misogynistic society that feature in her songs, have struck a chord with many women across the world.

But onto the show! Newcomer Nadia Kadek stepped in to open the last three shows in place of Luvcat and delivered a mesmerising performance. Gentle and compelling, Nadia took us on a journey of yearning and forgiveness and held the audience in a trance. Although Nadia hasn’t officially released any music yet, make sure to check out her Instagram: @nadia.kadek for performances and demos. And, if you send her a dm, she’ll send you a secret song! My personal favourite song she performed was Green Car – check it out!

Paris kicked off the show with the first song on Cacophony: ‘My Mind(now), with the audience smoothly chanting along. Accompanied by George and Jim, on bass guitar, and drums and keys respectively, Paris began casting her spell on the audience. Notable standouts for me were ‘Knitting Song’, ‘Last Woman on Earth’, ‘The Warmth’ and ‘Escape Pod’ (from the perspective of Laika, the first dog sent to space ☹) although the whole album is a joy to listen to.

During a break for her band, Paris sat down with us to play ‘Triassic Love Song’on her acoustic guitar,a song about the famous ‘Triassic Cuddle’, (look it up!) just one of her many songs from clever perspectives. This song also included a ‘call and response’ section, which scratched an itch in my brain perfectly. Furthermore, Paris fits perfectly into the ‘Ancient Gods duo’ of Hozier and Florence + The Machine, so if you’re looking for new music following similar themes exploring divinity and mythology, then I urge you to take a deep dive into Paris’ discography.  

Moving on, Paris’ most popular song ‘Labour’ was played as the encore, and every single person in the room knew the words. It gave me goosebumps. ‘Labour’ discusses the invisible emotional, physical and sexual labour that is forced upon women, especially in relationships and how exhausting it is to carry. Resonating with women all around the world for its calling out of weaponised male incompetence and unfair expectations of women, ‘Labour’ has catapulted Paris into the spotlight, and for good reason.

If we had a daughter,
I’d watch and could not save her

                              —-

It’s not an act of love if you make her
You make me do too much labour

In a similar vein is ‘Last Woman on Earth’, which discusses the important issue of bodily autonomy, focusing especially on how the female body can be mistreated after death at the hands of men. Paris explores choosing ‘the flame over desecration’, and ‘leave me to the beasts and bears, I’d rather that the feast was theirs’, and pleads with us, the listeners, to respect her wishes. It’s an uncomfortable song, but unfortunately a necessary one to tell, especially in our society’s increasingly unstable political climate. But I digress.

The background set was beautifully hand-painted, featuring wolves, bears and forests, and added to the captivating atmosphere of the gig. There was even an exchange box at the merch stand, where audience members could pick up old books and leave little notes and friendship bracelets to swap with other people. The vibes were so welcoming and safe, which unfortunately, can be rare at some gigs – there was even a dancing circle after the set was finished!

So, to round off, I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of the captivating performance of such a wonderful breakthrough artist, and I thoroughly recommend you see Paris on her next tour! Unfortunately, Leeds was the last stop on the UK stretch of Cacophony, and up next for her is North America in March 2025. But I’m sure she’ll be back soon. Check out Paris’ latest release: ‘The Rider’, written for the new Lord of the Rings animated film: The War of the Rohirrim, which is out in cinemas! And make sure to stream her album Cacophony on Spotify now – happy listening! x

Words by Aeryn Pettifor