Welly: not just Big In The Suburbs

Anya Fernihough on 10 December 2024

“Pop has been gentrified. // I, Welly, and my gorgeous band, are the cure. // This is proper, spit-and-sawdust, chalk-and-cheese, salt-and-vinegar Pop.” (Spotify)

I can’t tell if the gig season kicked off later than usual this autumn/ winter, or if I just haven’t made enough time to check out live music as often as I would like. Nevertheless, I’d had this gig for Welly at the Parish Dive Bar in the diary for weeks. So, on a random Saturday at the end of November, I dragged my flatmate with me on a train to Huddersfield to go and check this band out.

Welly (aka Elliot) is a self-proclaimed “suburban smart-arse” and frontman of an energetic britpop slash indie rock band from Southampton. Probably the best way I and seemingly Elliot (from my research stalking their X account) could describe the band is if the Zero Zombies from Horrid Henry grew up and sang about the frustrations of modern-day suburbia. Their music exudes the irony of current British culture (”Unpack your morals // For Jack Kerouacs novels”, ‘Soak Up The Culture’) and this humour is also translated over onto their digital footprint (”Fuck your sunburnt relic ‘59 telecaster // I want the Mr Blobby Bass”, X). I can’t quite remember how I first came across this band, however I am very glad that their song ‘Shopping’ managed to find its way onto my playlist. If you’re into the likes of Homes Counties, Flat Party or FEET, then this is definitely a band to delve into the discography of.

When we arrived at the venue, we were immediately greeted with retro film and music posters, fruit machines, and pool tables. I felt right at home. Pint in hand, we watched the opening band, Rushbonds, a band based in Leeds with a few shows under their belt already. With their experimental indie/ jazz-fusion melodies and soulful lyrics, it was difficult to not fall immediately in love with their music. After their set, we spoke to them briefly and took some photos for them. Definitely another band to look out for!

On our journey through Huddersfield from the train station to the Parish Dive Bar, we’d kept running into the same group of people. When we were ordering at the bar of the venue, we saw them again and assumed it was just coincidence. It was only when we saw them take to the stage dressed in hilariously nostalgic iterations of primary school uniforms that we realised we’d accidentally been running into Welly and his band the entire evening.

Welly started off his set with an enthusiastic introduction of his band members (Joe and Matt on guitars, Jacob on bass, and Hanna on percussion / synthesisers), followed by the currently unreleased track, ‘It’s Not Like This In France’, that featured the odd lyric in French (as a French student, I was very happy). The banter between songs with the audience was consistent and strong, and Elliot somehow managed to make audience participation not awkward or cringe at all. Some highlights were the demonstration by Joe of the difference between a canter and a trot, congratulating Hanna on her Grade 2 cowbell exam, and nearly getting knocked over by Jacob doing an Angus Young impression in the crowd mid-song. I was quite surprised when they played their most streamed song, ‘Shopping’, quite early on into the set. No complaints from me however, as it was one of my favourite songs by them prior to this performance. Fortunately, Welly didn’t let the energy plateau after that, continuing to deliver song after song that you just couldn’t help but jump around to. Their latest released single, ‘Big In The Suburbs’, was another hit with the crowd, with its driving guitar riffs and witty lyricism. For their final song, ‘Me and Your Mates’, the atmosphere was electrifying, with the whole crowd, Rushbonds included, in a mini mosh pit.

One of the great things about going to these smaller gigs is that you feel a strong sense of community. All the bands stick around to support each other, and you get the impression that everyone is just really happy to be there and to be playing their music to an audience. This gig highlighted the importance of supporting local grassroots music venues; going to shows of perhaps lesser known artists is vital to their survival, as well as a great way to discover new music. Although the crowd was small, I can safely say that this was one of the best gigs I’ve been to in a while. Dancing with the support band, laughing at Welly’s antics, and exchanging banter made the whole experience one to remember. The connection between the band and the audience was unmistakably intimate and real. After the show, I talked to Elliot about what it means to him to be playing these types of shows:

“A lot of small music venues are closing and I think a lot of the bands are quite dire, quite dour, and quite sort of impersonal to the people that are coming to the shows. We try and put a show on that, when we come to these places, it’s a laugh, it’s a reason to spend £7, it’s a reason to try and come to these small venues, which are dying at a rate of knots. I think music has to change if the venues are gonna change.”

I think this ethos shone through in their performance. Although my flatmate didn’t really know much about Welly when I persuaded her to come with me, we both had such an amazing night; an electric evening at a venue that perfectly captured the spirit of small music venues. Watching a band like them play was a reminder of why I love live music: it’s an atmosphere you just can’t recreate anywhere else. I think Welly’s appeal is really quite universal, and I’m extremely jealous of all the people that were able to attend their last gig of the tour in Hackney on the 4th of December – it looked amazing!

Words by Anya Fernihough

Make some noise for Maruja: they won’t hear you over their tambourine.

Cassia Bennett on 10 December 2024

Twirling onto stage with flailing arms in such a way that I can only describe as resembling an inflatable man, lead singer Harry Wilkinson makes his way to the microphone while beckoning for applause that the audience readily gives. Joe Carroll on the saxophone (and later tambourine), Matt Buonaccorsi on bass and Jacob Hayes on drums make up the rest of the unique Mancunian band, Maruja. Previously described as ‘jazz punk’, I’d say this categorisation of their music is probably the most accurate label they could be given. With elements of heavy rock, soulful instrumentals and subtly political lyrics, this genre defying band is difficult to describe. 

In an interview with Craig Charles on BBC Radio 6 Music last Friday, saxophonist Joe Carroll describes their live shows as having “moments that are complete carnage” and sections of “free-formy, emotional stuff”. They start with ‘The Invisible Man’, which seemingly has both these elements within the same song, with repeating saxophone phrases that become earworms and lyrics that start at an almost-whisper building to a passionate shout.

Having heard of the frequency of stage dives the band commits to, I decided to stick to lurking more towards the back of Brudenell Social Club. Even though I am a sucker for a mosh pit, I feared I would not even survive the splash zone of a stage dive and refused to spend Wednesday night in A&E after being squashed by a fully grown man. Instead, I observed as the oscillating bodies were sent into an explosive, energetic frenzy. All Wilkinson must do is flick his wrist and the crowd responds spectacularly as he laments into the microphone.

Towards the climax of their lively performance of ‘One Hand Behind The Devil’, Carroll swaps his saxophone for a tambourine and proceeds to carry out the most vigorous tambourine shaking I have ever witnessed. As the drums accelerate, Carroll dives into the audience, tambourine still in hand, and glides atop the fluid crowd beneath him. 

Following that intense performance, the band announces that they will now perform some improvised instrumental. A couple of audience members around me sigh and claim it as a bathroom break or excuse to get a drink, but the rest of us stay and absorb the new noises drifting off the stage. There is something peaceful in letting sound wash over you. I could try and focus on the music, but my mind wanders only for it to then be drawn back to the repetitive intricacies that each musician brings to the stage.

After this moment of calm, the band launches back into ‘Look Down On Us’, before Carroll yet again finds himself within the crowd. However, this time he parts the crowd down the middle and during the opening of ‘Thunder’, confrontationally plays his sax at members of the crowd as he paces up and down the centre of the room. Once he has made his way back onto the stage, the moshing begins once again.

Before their final song, the band comments on the current state of our world and leads a resounding chant of “Free, Free, Palestine!” before launching into my personal favourite, ‘Resisting Resistance’. Fully instrumental, it’s incredible how much can be said without any lyrics. From the underlying drums gradually becoming increasingly more urgent throughout the track, to the mournful sax. It sounds dramatic, but there is such a contradictory sense of despair and hope that descends over the crowd making it hard not feel an ache in your chest, especially given the clearly intended humanitarian and political context.

While we impatiently await the arrival of their first album, I highly recommend you experience them live if you ever get the chance.

Words by Cassia Bennett

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

Hannah Howard on 8 December 2024


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Words by Hannah Howard

Review: Infinity Song’s Live at Leeds Debut

Lucas Assagba on 8 December 2024

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

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

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

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

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

Words by Lucas Assagba

Review: Eszter Vida’s Live at Leeds Debut

Lucas Assagba on 8 December 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

Words by Lucas Assagba

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

Charlotte Trenbath on 8 December 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Words by Charlotte Trenbath

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

Ruby Smith on 8 December 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Words by Ruby Smith

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

Aria Aristotelous on 8 December 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Words by Aria Aristotelous

Talk Of The Town: Silverfish

Joseph Macaulay on 8 December 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Words by Joseph Macaulay

Michael Kiwanuka at Brudenell: Small Changes Brings Soul To The Social Club

Francesca Lynes on 8 December 2024

To experience live the heavenly sounds of Michael Kiwanuka in the intimate gig space at the Brudenell Social Club was nothing short of a privilege. As we awaited for Kiwanuka to step onto the stage, the anticipatory chatter around me grew. But there was a shift in atmosphere once the set began; the hushed, focussed faces in the crowd around me confirming that I was not alone in understanding just how joyously momentous the evening was. 

As I arrived at what Kiwanuka would later call this ‘legendary venue’, I could see the queue snaking from the door almost to the security gate. In the November cold, I pulled my jacket tighter and my hat lower – unaware of the rich warmth of the gig that would follow the chilly wait. 

Inside, mid-century table lamps, an old television, and a homely worn rug, all bathed in the blue stagelights contributed to the intimate, almost cosy atmosphere and added to the crowd’s building anticipation. For the first of the two sold-out shows of the evening, the crowd huddled in as first the band, then Michael Kiwanuka, walked onto the stage. Smiling throughout, Kiwanuka glanced to his band for reassurance before uniting them in the start of ‘Lowdown (part i)’, my personal favourite from the new album, Small Changes (2024). 

Kiwanuka’s unique voice matched and occasionally exceeded his recorded versions, as the best live music can, but the standout figures from the set were the two female backing vocalists, Emily Holligan and Simone Daley-Richards. Filling the space with harmonies that voluminise an impressive discography, the three voices layered together culminated in an altogether spiritual musical experience. At one point, I closed my eyes to hear the richness of soul and sound in the finger-plucking intro to ‘Light’ (from 2019’s Mercury Prize winning album Kiwanuka) and allowed myself to be surrounded by the glorious gospel-esque harmonies. The magnitude of the sound produced was underplayed by the down-to-earth stage setting, the low-key on-stage communication and the familiar atmosphere built by Kiwanuka. The crowd are equally enamoured, phones only taken out of pockets by a small few who wished to save just a few moments of the performance on video.  

Kiwanuka is singular: his traditional style timelessly melds into carefully thought-through experimentalism. Despite this excellence, a sense of familiar warmth remains integral to the set: the backing singers gently tapping tambourines, Kiwanuka’s voice layered over perfectly. Many artists choose not to speak in between songs which can be effective but Kiwanuka spoke with the crowd briefly but genuinely. When Kiwanuka compliments his time visiting Leeds, a man in the crowd playfully shouts ‘Where’ve you been?’ to which Kiwanuka laughs and the audience laughs along, entirely settled into the comfort of the evening. In the times where it is just Kiwanuka’s voice carrying us through the melody, I occasionally noticed the band members watching him with a look of admiration that mirrored the faces in the crowd. 

Amid the noise of post-punk and Brat-pop dominating current music trends (I still have space for these both!), Kiwanuka’s exploration of music is in some way as warm and comforting as his homely set, but with a truly transcendentally uplifting sonic atmosphere that is a genuine treat. Listening back to Michael Kiwanuka’s discography after the concert I am reminded of the exceptional qualities in his music, yet I find myself yearning for the all-consuming ambience of the live experience. There really is nothing like it.

Words by Francesca Lynes.