“We’re Alt-J and we’re from Leeds”: Alt-J stun O2 Academy Leeds with triumphant homecoming show

Benjamin Forrest on 30 May 2022

Once upon a time, all the way back in 2007, a group of friends formed a band within the student halls of the University of Leeds. 15 years, 4 studio albums, 4 Brit Award nominations, and a Mercury Prize later, Alt-J made a triumphant return to their spiritual home of Leeds on the third date of their UK tour. The tour followed the release of their fourth studio album, The Dream, in February which reached number 3 in the UK album charts. 

Their set at the O2 Academy Leeds a good mix of songs from the latest album – the reactions to which were excellent, given how well received The Dream was, both commercially and critically – as well as a fantastic array of fan favourites and other notable tunes from the Alt-J discography. As is to be expected, the best crowd reactions came with songs like ‘In Cold Blood’, ‘Every Other Freckle’ and the all-killer-no-filler encore of ‘Left Hand Free’ followed by ‘Hard Drive Gold’ and, of course, ‘Breezeblocks’. A personal highlight was the inclusion of ‘The Gospel of John Hurt’ from 2014’s This Is All Yours, though truthfully I could not fault any aspect of the setlist. Even the tracks from their latest album which could have been difficult to do justice to in a live setting worked incredibly well, and the crowd seemed appreciative to witness the band’s wonderfully unique brand of folktronica in a live setting – especially given that it had been 4 years since Alt-J had visited Leeds.

The atmosphere at Alt-J was incredibly friendly and joyous, and Alt-J did their best to preserve that feeling – even stopping halfway through ‘3WW’ to check that somebody in the crowd was okay. It came across very well that Alt-J were actively enjoying their performance; whether this was due to the fact it was a homecoming show, or just that it was early on in the tour and they weren’t knackered yet is unclear but either way, their positive on-stage energy translated into the atmosphere of the crowd. The atmosphere was further heightened by the incredible on-stage visuals and light-show which accompanied the performance: the mood and character of each track was captured very well by the visuals which backlit the trio. 

Alt-J are currently touring mainland Europe, with festival dates in Prague, Berlin and Rome set for the Summer months, before setting off on an Australian tour in September. Hopefully, though, the trio will return home soon enough to put on another fantastic show in Leeds. 

Community and Carnage: Turnstile bring ‘GLOW ON’ to the Refectory in Leeds

Rishi Shah on 7 February 2022

One of 2021’s most critically acclaimed albums, transforming the dream-punk of Turnstile’s ‘GLOW ON’ into a live environment posed a new challenge for the Baltimore hardcore outfit. As the band’s growth leads them into larger rooms, the ever increasing gap to the barrier makes the stage diving that is synonymous with their live shows all the more difficult. 

Yet, in the historic setting of The Refectory, which now serves as a University canteen with a balcony cafe, the room – and upper tier – was transformed into a diving board for fans and band members alike to launch themselves off the balcony into the raucous army of followers down below. Quite the upgrade from a chilled morning study space.

Opening with the dreamy, vibrant ‘MYSTERY’, the narrow yet extended room became one gigantic pit of chaos, as fans were treated to this new material live in Northern England for the first time. Nostalgic, older tracks like ‘Fazed Out’ and ‘Gravity’ were interwoven into the set, between a flurry of newer tracks that showcased the complexity and originality of ‘GLOW ON.’ A particular highlight was ‘UNDERWATER BOI’ and its unique structure, as the crowd figured out how to continually match the energy onstage with exact precision.

Whilst bassist Franz Lyons courageously wore a Manchester United shirt with the number 27 on the back, frontman Brendan Yates rapidly abandoned his t-shirt, clambering around the crowd with a hand on the balcony, the whites of his eyes there for all to see – focused as ever. With this album campaign, you really feel the sense of a matured, almost finished article at the height of their powers. Pride and joy resonated around the room, as they closed the set with the unifying ‘T.L.C.’ before departing our shores to tour the USA.

Turnstile headline Manchester’s Outbreak Festival in late June, and tickets are on sale here.

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. 

In pictures: Shame conquer Leeds with a defiant performance

GryphonEditorAdm on 23 November 2021

The energy and grit radiating from Shame frontman Charlie Steen is a sight to behold. Spotted in the smoking area just a few minutes before their set, it was a zero to one hundred transition from his calm off-stage persona into the shirtless machine that proceeded to dominate the stage all night.

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

GryphonEditorAdm 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.

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.