Lucy Spraggan wows crowds with an intimate acoustic set at The Warehouse

Imogen Harper on 23 November 2021

Almost a decade since she first graced our screens, Lucy Spraggan played an acoustic show at The Warehouse on the 4th of November. With support coming from Billy Lockett, a Northampton-based singer-songwriter, the night was a roaring success. In the intimate set, she took the audience through the story of her career. A showcase highlighting the ups and downs of her journey from the X-Factor stage to her latest album Choices.

In true Lucy Spraggan fashion, she got the audience up and dancing from the very beginning with her first major hit ‘Last Night (Beer Fear)’. Joined on stage by keyboardist Josh Cana, the night was highlighted with fan favourites such as ‘Mountains’ and ‘Lightning’ as well as a cover of the classic ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ by The Proclaimers. The latter being a cover that demonstrated her amazing vocals and musicality.

The hour-long set featured upbeat songs from previous albums such as ‘Lighthouse’ from her first album Join the Club in 2013 and ‘Lucky Stars’ from the 2019 album Today Was A Good Day. Spraggan also performed some of her more stripped-back and emotional songs such as ‘Grown Up’ from the 2017 album I Hope You Don’t Mind Me Writing and ‘Choices (Don’t Be Afraid)’- this being the title track of the new album. The line-up of danceable, foot-stomping moments contrasted with moving acoustic numbers made for a beautiful set that left crowds with their hands in the air and tears in their eyes. No song made us more emotional than the downtempo and vulnerable ‘Sober’, taken from the 2021 album Choices. A song exploring her decision to stop drinking and become the person she always wanted to be.

Between musical numbers, Spraggan candidly detailed her life over the past decade. Speaking of the highs she had achieved, such as getting married, touring the UK, and becoming sober. As well as exploring the lows she has faced: her divorce, her addiction, and the loss of record deals to name a few. Hearing her talk about her stories made for an authentic and truthful night that made the audience love her more.

Spraggan ended the night with four songs from her latest album Choices, released in February 2021. The album is a collection of songs reflecting on her personal struggles over the previous year. Whilst the slower ‘Choices (Don’t Be Afraid)’ and ‘Sober’ showed her vulnerable side; it was clear that ‘Run to The Hills’ and ‘Run’ were the songs to leave the crowd with high spirits and demanding more. Lucy and Josh returned to the stage to perform an encore, the first of their tour. A perfect end to the night; an amazing gig from start to finish.

Heirs to the Throne: DMA’S wrap up mammoth UK run in Leeds

GryphonEditorAdm on 21 November 2021

‘Never Before’ (if you’ll excuse the pun) has a band from the other side of the world slotted in so perfectly into the indie scene of the North of England. DMA’S – the honorary Northerners, who actually hail from Australia – finally brought their seminal third album The Glow to our shores with a colossal UK tour that climaxed with two sold-out nights at O2 Academy Leeds.

The reports from Manchester and London’s Alexandra Palace were outstanding. Tales of the best shows of their lives, and of frontman Tommy O’Dell’s voice levelling up to unprecedented heights, were proved incredibly accurate as the band stacked the first part of the set with new material. Matt Mason’s lead tone roared through ‘Dawning’ after the crowd was sent into pandemonium during ‘The Glow’, a mighty release of pent up emotion after such a long wait to hear the track live.

Two offerings from their surprise EP I Love You Unconditionally, Sure Am Going To Miss You came in the form of the epic, nostalgic ‘We Are Midnight’ and the sombre ‘Junk Truck Head Fuck’. In a genre where so many fade into mediocrity, the songwriting ability of these three talents has risen to new heights on each occasion, with their sound a distinct but direct evolution of their dearly loved earlier work.

‘Delete’ and ‘Silver’, as expected, saw the crowd take control with perhaps the loudest sing-along the Academy has seen in recent history, yet it was ‘Hello Girlfriend’ that stole the night. Sounding absolutely gigantic in the flesh, the pounding drums and driving rhythm makes one wonder why the glorious track was not released as a single.

Which brings us to the inevitable climax of ‘Play It Out’ and ‘Feels Like 37’, two tracks that epitomise why DMA’S are such an unbelievable live band. Mason’s enormous tone transforms the room into a stadium, and the magnificent instrumentals of these two tracks, in particular, solidify just why DMA’S will soon be filling arenas and stadiums all over the UK, inheriting the void left by the megastars of the North who came before.

Sydney’s Gang of Youths set to support Sam Fender in Leeds

Imogen Harper on 18 November 2021

Following the announcement of their third album Angel in Realtime, Gang of Youths are out to impress in Leeds later this month. As the guests of Sam Fender on his sold-out arena tour, they have traveled the UK playing to crowds of thousands. They will be making their stop at First Direct Arena, Leeds, on the 24th of November. 

First formed in Sydney back in 2012, the indie rock group are on par with the likes of Arcade Fire, Muse, and The National. With a mix of cinematic soundscapes, stunning vocals and influences taken from indigenous music; Gang of Youths create an unforgettable sound for anyone who listens.

The release of their new single ‘Tend the Garden’ marks their fourth preview of the new album, to be released on the 25th of February 2022. Singles released so far this year include ‘The Angel of 8th Ave’, ‘Unison’, and ‘The Man Himself’; all tracks to be found on the upcoming album. When describing the LP, the band said the album is “about the life and legacy of Dave [Le’aupepe]’s father”. With themes of grief, death, and faith; the album is set to be an emotive and compelling collection.

The group is described by the Guardian as “a band who always swing for the fences”. In addition to their shows with Sam Fender, Gang of Youths have recently announced a headline tour of the UK and Europe in March of 2022, during which time they will visit Leeds again – this time at Leeds Beckett student union on the 8th of March. This tour will be quickly followed by a North American tour, before the group return to Australia to play some shows in July. 2022 is set to be a busy year for Gang of Youths! With the release of their new album and their world tour, fans can expect great things over the coming year.

Gang of Youths are set to support Sam Fender on the 24th of November for the sold-out show at First Direct Arena. If you didn’t manage to get tickets for the show, the group is returning to Leeds in March – tickets for that show go on sale on the 19th of November and can be found via the Live Nation website.

Pom Poko release weird and wonderful second album Cheater

Benjamin Forrest on 2 February 2021

January saw the release of Cheater, the second full-length LP by Oslo’s finest art punk outfit Pom Poko. The album was released via Bella Union, an independent record label operated by Simon Raymonde of the Cocteau Twins – so, inherently, anything put out on Bella Union must be worth a listen. In a similar vain to Cocteau Twins, Pom Poko have managed to create their own weird, wonderful and distinctive sound which really comes into its own within their latest offering.

Their 2019 single ‘Leg Day’ gained airplay on radio stations such as BBC 6Music, and the band were fairly high up on the bill for Live at Leeds 2020 (which obviously did not go ahead). Pom Poko seem to be on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream of alternative music, and if this record does not tip them over the edge then there is no justice in the world. Every track is so perfectly crafted and yet simultaneously chaotic you cannot help but stop in amazement about what your ears are actually hearing. The melodic siren song vocals of lead singer Ragnhild Fangel are backed up by a vicious menagerie of noise and distortion reminiscent of an acid trip at a Mudhoney show – it shouldn’t work, but it does. 

The name Pom Poko comes from a 90’s Studio Ghibli film in which mythical creatures with shape-changing abilities use their supernatural powers in order to combat the urban development threatening their forest home. To an extent, I think that is a good representation of the band in terms of them using all their outlandish and unusual musical devices to combat the banal, grey, commercialised nature of so much of the music being released as of late. Pom Poko are determined to prove there is still a place for originality and experimentation in music. 

Cheater fluctuates between moods, from the dreamy almost-dreampop atmosphere created on ‘Andrew’ and ‘Body Level’, to the out-and-out punk chaos of ‘Andy Go to School’ and ‘Look’ yet, weirdly, it never feels jarring when listening in the context of the album. ‘Curly Romance’ is perhaps the best example of how Pom Poko are able to effortlessly switch moods, often abruptly, even within the same song. Listening to this album is like being caught up in a whirlwind except it is simply euphoric and, for want of a better word, fun. ‘Like a Lady’ is the standout track on Cheater as it sums up, for me, everything that the band means, as well as being a perfect development upon their previous work – it blows ‘Leg Day’ out of the water, despite how utterly incredible that song is. 

The band put their uniquely explosive sound down to a clash of their ‘jazz school training and experimental leanings’, and if jazz school incorporates even a fraction of the tumultuous debauchery present on Cheater, then sign me up! 

Pom Poko are set to play the Community Room at Brudenell Social Club in September, and I am looking froward to witnessing their rapturous chaos firsthand.