Artists: Jay Chakravorty / Ruben & Alana / Tom Blankenberg
Venue: Left Bank, Leeds
Date: 22.5.22
There are so many ways to use a piano; from its purest classical form to a tool for experimentation. At these regular sessions curator and host, Simeon Walker, invites a selection of musical contemporaries to perform and showcase the versatility of the instrument whilst making such events accessible to all. Always beautiful, often surprising.
Artist: The Belgrave House Band
Support: Laura Kindelan
Venue: Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds
Date: 20.5.22
So much more than a covers band; The Belgrave House Band are an incredibly talented collective who carefully consider the albums that they perform, and clearly put their heart and soul into doing so. If you’re gonna do ‘Ziggy’ you’ve gotta do it right. They nailed it!
Artists: Secret Affair / The Truth / The Vapors / Squire
Venue: Old Woollen, Farsley, Leeds
Date: 14.5.22
The old guard met the dawn of a new era as mods and modettes young and old filled the Old Woollen for a Mods Mayday gathering. The ageing fellas with feather cuts mingled with a new generation of the ‘in crowd’ who appreciate the past but bring a contemporary twist to the mod scene. Isn’t that what it was originally all about?
Performances varied in quality with Secret Affair being notably disappointing compared to when I’d recently seen them at Brudenell Social Club.. The Vapours played the standout set, still having the sound and energy of their era.
Artist: Gary Numan
Support: Divine Shade
Venue: O2 Academy, Leeds
Date: 12.5.22
The Numan renaissance continued with the Intruder tour. Songs from the newly released album and its predecessor (Savage) strongly held their own against a back catalogue of pioneering synth sounds and electronic anthems.
Setlist: Intruder / Me! I Disconnect From You / Halo / The Gift / Metal / Here in the Black / Is This World Not Enough / Films / Pure / Resurrection / Down in the Park / Everyday I Die / Dead Sun Rising / Cars / My Name Is Ruin / Love Hurt / Bleed / The Chosen / I Die: You Die // A Prayer for the Unborn / Are ‘Friends’ Electric?
Artist: Mattiel
Support: Le Ren
Venue: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
Date: 9.5.22
The über cool and ever stylish songstress returned to Brudenell Social Club on her Georgia Gothic tour.
Artist: Stereo MC’s
Support: Clint Boon [DJ Set]
Venue: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
Date: 6.5.22
Gettin’ Deep Down & Dirty with the Stereo MC’s at ‘The Brude’. Timeless tunes took the roof off a full house.
Artist: Blondie
Support: Johnny Marr
Venue: First Direct Arena, Leeds
Date: 4.5.22
Originally planned for 21.11.21 with Garbage as the support band but rescheduled to 4.5.22 with Johnny Marr supporting (an equally welcome substitution).
Johnny Marr Setlist: Armatopia / Panic / Night and Day / Spirit Power and Soul / This Charming Man / Getting Away With It / Walk Into the Sea / Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want / How Soon Is Now? / Easy Money / There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
An evening of pop art and rock royalty. Blondie toured without Chris Stein (due to a heart condition) but with the addition of Glen Matlock replacing Leigh Foxx on bass. Debbie Harry lacked the moves and vocals that she once had but was still a formidable and focal front woman at 76 years old.
Blondie Setlist: X Offender / Hanging on the Telephone / Sunday Girl / Picture This / Mother / Fade Away and Radiate / The Tide is High / What I Heard / Atomic / (I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear / Shayla / Union City Blue / Long Time / My Monster / Rapture / Maria / Dreaming / Heart of Glass // Fragments / Call Me / One Way or Another
My Gigography 