The Night Café show their class at a sold out Stylus show

Rishi Shah on 7 February 2022

Leeds was the focal point of a circular journey for The Night Café over the course of the pandemic. Playing Leeds Festival on the release weekend of their debut album 0151 back in 2019, they would not play a live show for over two years – until last year’s Live At Leeds Festival.

Bassist Arran O’Connell Whittle popped into the LSTV studio for a chat just before that set, where he told us just how excited the band were to finally get out on tour this February and play their Leeds date, showcasing their lengthy debut that is firmly ingrained into this generation’s nostalgic indie rock scene. 

Launching into Leeds University’s Stylus with the timeless ‘Finders Keepers’, the young crowd was sent into raptures as ‘Felicity’ and ‘The Way Of Mary’ reinvigorated the energy that created such a buzz around The Night Café. Despite the forced hiatus, the band showed no signs of a lack of chemistry or a single mistake amidst what was a crisp, cohesive set.

Having supported their Scouse counterparts The Wombats and Circa Waves on numerous occasions, and done the rounds at virtually every major UK festival, this set really saw The Night Café mature into their own, unique headline act that truly demonstrated their capabilities. The ticket sales on this tour demonstrate just how far their reach has grown, packing out sweaty clubs all over the country.

A short encore of ‘Addicted’ and ‘Mixed Signals’ perhaps left some fans longing for more material from their latest EP For Better Days. However, it was really 0151 that represented their coming of age, and it is only natural that they completed such an eagerly anticipated campaign with a stunning headline tour to match that will continue on for the rest of February.

The Night Café support The Wombats at Leeds’ First Direct Arena on 14th April, and you can purchase tickets here. 

Courteeners Dazzle Old Trafford at Hometown Spectacle

GryphonEditorAdm on 29 September 2021

There are artists with devout, cult followings in their local area, and then there’s the Courteeners. Alternating between Heaton Park and Old Trafford Cricket Ground, the band returned to the latter for their customary outdoor Manchester show that seems to happen every few years, as they once again proved why they have reached such heights in their great city.

Despite last year’s release ‘More. Again. Forever.’ their setlist has remained roughly unaltered for a number of years; it is truly difficult to imagine ‘Are You In Love With A Notion?’ anywhere than at the start. The crowd was instantly raucous, with sing-alongs drowning out Liam Fray and his band that could have definitely benefited from a little more volume. 

The triple screen layout that overlooked a magnificent Old Trafford added a majestic atmosphere to the gig, as Courteeners firmly cemented their status as a headline act — and no less — which was reinforced by their debut major headline slot at Glasgow’s TRNSMT two weeks prior. With Oasis, The Stone Roses and The Smiths now in ruins, Courteeners have been Manchester’s biggest band for some time now, now rivalled only by Liam Gallagher’s resurgent solo career.

The inevitable climax of ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ after a few acoustic numbers was refreshing, with the band packing their hits into the top and tail end of the set — a distribution that perhaps only Manchester could accommodate, with the crowd still knowing every word to deeper cuts like ‘Fallowfield Hillbilly’ and ‘Lose Control.’ 

It begs the question of if, after their fourth major outdoor show in Manchester, Courteeners will ever make the jump to the likes of Reading and Leeds headliners, or outgrow O2 Academies in the south. However, they will certainly be welcomed back with open arms in their glorious city for many years to come.

In-store and Independent: Sea Girls and The Vaccines take The Wardrobe by storm

GryphonEditorAdm on 18 September 2021

Crash Records’ album release shows have always been some of the not-so-hidden gems in the Leeds live music scene. Illustrious artists in an intimate setting, with the ticket price seeming almost too good to be true. We visited The Wardrobe to catch two indie-rock staples: a rescheduled Sea Girls date as they rapidly approach their second album, and a release day party celebrating The Vaccines’ unique sixth installment. 

Sea Girls: Wednesday 8 September, The Wardrobe

By Seth Fowler

Sea Girls took to the stage with an emotional start. The gig was originally planned for November of 2020 as an announcement for the launch of their new album at the time Open Up Your Head. After a few heart-warming words about being back in business from the lead Henry Camamile, the band kicked off the night with an absolutely phenomenal rendition of ‘Transplant’ one of their new songs.

This was only the start of an incredible night of talent, as the band attempted to pack in as many songs as possible. A few stand out moments were of course the amazing opening ‘Transplant’, as well as a couple of classic and personal favourites ‘Ready For More’ and ‘Closer’. These heard an appropriate reaction from the crowd of Leeds, with plenty of singing along in the main centre area of the venue. Despite the small size of The Wardrobe, it offered a nice and friendly atmosphere in close proximity to the band that was perfect for the hardcore fans.

This was something which Sea Girls did not fail to take advantage of getting right up close and personal with all the front members; although not as close as they would have liked after a disappointing apology from the band that they were unable to join the fans after the gig, due to COVID-19 precautions.

Luckily they made up for it with an incredible final few songs, with the highlight being their newest song to date ‘Sick’, which saw the best reaction seen from the crowd all night; lightening up the atmosphere in a strong last effort. This was, as per the usual, helped along by Rory Young and his insane dance moves while playing, and being the heart of the movement in the band.

If you can’t wait to see Sea Girls then don’t fret because they will be hitting Leeds again very soon at the O2 Academy Leeds, on Wednesday 20 October 2021, with tickets on sale here.

The Vaccines: Friday 10 September, The Wardrobe

By Rishi Shah

As for The Vaccines, there was no time for a pandemic pun or small talk — it was full steam ahead with the tight, rapid live show that their fans love so dearly. Frontman Justin Young’s bulging eyeballs and relentless charisma captivated what has now become a slightly older crowd, as the band celebrated the release day of their sixth offering Back In Love City.

Only The Vaccines could cram sixteen songs into a one hour set, with the more daring setlist choices tailored perfectly to their hardcore fans. ‘Handsome’ and ‘Your Love Is My Favourite Band’ were notable sing-along highlights, and there were significant offerings from their debut record such as ‘Wetsuit’ and the immortal ‘If You Wanna’. Whilst the band showed no signs of ageing, the usually raucous Leeds crowd was a little lacklustre on this occasion, perhaps due to The Wardrobe’s relatively small standing pit within the constraints of its majestic balcony setup.

We were treated to a variety of new material, which sounded colossal in a live setting thanks to the thumping tones of guitarist Freddie Cowan, a pleasant surprise given the slightly vacant feel to the studio versions. An American, Josh Homme-esque swagger translated in the grooves of ‘Wanderlust’ and ‘El Paso.’ ‘Jump Off the Top’ — a track the band have showcased live many times already – proved an energetic modern replacement to former setlist stalwarts ‘Wreckin’ Bar’ and ‘Norgaard.’ 

Whilst the album is definitely a divisive split from their sound of old, this live show epitomised just why The Vaccines have stayed at the top of their game for so long.
You can see The Vaccines live at O2 Academy Leeds next Saturday 16 April 2022. Tickets go on sale here on Friday 17 September at 9am.

Co-written by @seth-fowler and @rishishah90

Header image credit: @sarahoglesby_creative on Instagram