An evening of the coolest jazz vibes and astonishing talent all round. New found favourites Mangorata kicked off the Jazzland Sessions in swingin’ style.
Jazzwise Magazine described Emma Rawicz as “a force to be reckoned with” and DJ Lubi brought her to the perfect intimate venue for her Leeds debut. Heavy Jazz Fusion in Hyde Park.
I saw Supergrass play live a few times during their britpop heyday but somehow I’d managed to neglect Gaz Coombes’ solo career. I was pleasantly surprised and slightly entranced by his beautiful vocals and melodic music at this stripped down performance.
Setlist: Matador / Wounded Egos / Salamander / Oscillate / Sonny the Strong / Deep Pockets / White Noise / The Oaks / Hot Fruit / Oxygen Mask / The Girl Who Fell to Earth / 20/20 / Detroit // This Love / Walk the Walk
The last of my postponed/cancelled COVID gigs. Let’s hope that we never return to such dark and devastating days. Thankfully many live music venues survived lockdown and the aftermath of COVID complications but some simply couldn’t carry on. Hard times lead to hard decisions.
Artists: The Ukrainians / From East to East / Brigadistas
Venue: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
Date: 6.3.22
An evening of sorrow, solidarity and defiant celebration as the Ukrainian community of Leeds came together to raise awareness of Russian atrocities and the invasion of their homeland.
Yard Act – again! The 4th time I’d seen them in a month. Perhaps you can have too much of a good thing? Worth it one more time though to see the magnificent Babi Ali supporting and collaborating on the encore.
Setlist: Strip / Payday / The Overload / Witness (Can I Get A?) / The Trapper’s Pelts / Fixer Upper / Peanuts / Dark Days / Tall Poppies / Pour Another // Rich / Dead Horse / Daft Punk Is Playing at My House (with Baba Ali)
Setlist: Leafy / Unsmart Lady / Strong Feelings / Her Hippo / Sit Down Meal / Viking Hair / More Big Birds / Traditional Fish / New Long Leg / Magic of Meghan / Scratchcard Lanyard // TBC
A late night final push the get Yard Act’s debut album ‘The Overload’ to the top of the charts upon release week. Crew cajoled the crowd into buying additional copies of the album with cassettes being the only remaining format as the chart sales deadline loomed.
In the end the album entered the charts in the highly commendable no. 2 position with ‘Night Call’ by Years & Years claiming the top spot.
Setlist: The Overload / Witness (Can I Get A?) / Payday / Dark Days / Pour Another / Rich / Tall Poppies / Human Sacrifice / The Trapper’s Pelts / 100% Endurance / Land of the Blind
I missed the first three bands but did arrive in time to discover the marvellous Mermaid Chunky setting the experimental electronic tone for the main act. Snapped Ankles gigs are always a sight to behold; from shamanistic costumes to ‘log synth’ instruments. If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise.
Setlist: Rhythm is Our Business / Letter from Hampi Mountain / The Evidence / Shifting Basslines of the Cornucopians / Undilated Lovers / Forest of Your Problems / Rechargeable / I Want My Minutes Back / Jonny Guitar Calling Gosta Berlin
Meat is Murder, 35th Anniversary Tour. Once again, The Smyths ‘unite and take over’ Brudenell Social Club for their annual three night residency. This time performing my favourite album by The Smiths. A rare chance to hear this collection of songs performed with such panache and authenticity.
Another much dealyed and belated album launch show for the band’s ‘Night Network’ album, which was released during the COVID lockdown. Originally planned as an acoustic set, The Cribs decided that a long awaited return to their spritual home should be a full-on gig, and rightly so!
Setlist: Goodbye / Running Into You / I’m a Realist / Our Bovine Public / Never Thought I’d Feel Again / Diamond Girl / I Don’t Know Who I Am / Siren Sing-Along / My Life Flashed Before My Eyes / Come On, Be a No-One / Shoot the Poets / Screaming in Suburbia / Swinging at Shadows / Be Safe / Mirror Kissers / Men’s Needs / Pink Snow
Previously postponed by COVID, the long awaited album launch show for ‘A Hero’s Death’ was the first of two sets to take place at Brudenell Social Club that evening.
Many people hadn’t been to a gig for 18 months, so this was an incredible return to live music and a reminder of what we’d all been missing. It was over before we knew it but the whirlwind energy whet the appetite for things to come . . .
Setlist: A Lucid Dream / Televised Mind / Big / I Don’t Belong / Oh Such a Spring / Sha Sha Sha / Boys in the Better Land / Too Real / A Hero’s Death
Following a 14 month enforced hiatus, due to COVID restrictions, it was amazing and slightly emotional to return to Brudenell Social Club. A socially distanced (sit-down) Sunday afternoon saw the welcome return of The Smyths and live music.
Safety in small numbers required limited capacity and table service but it all felt very safe and civilised; like a band doing ‘a turn’ at an old school working men’s club. Perhaps matinee shows should become part of the new normal?
Rescheduled time after time and then cancelled due to COVID restrictions. In a world without live music we were compensated with a live streamed gig from Baxter Dury’s home. Dark days and strange times.
I judged a book by its cover, and it paid off. Knowing nothing about Prettiest Eyes, I went to this gig because the flyer caught my eye. I wasn’t disappointed by the usual Brudenell seal of approval.
Little did I know that this would be my last gig for over a year, as COVID-19 and lockdown life quashed the live music scene.
Setlist: La Maldad / Prance / Don’t Call / Mira Nena /. / LSD / Marihuana / Alright, I’m Ready to Go / The Eye / Sorry / The Shame / It Costs to Be Austere
Where there’s muck, there’s Brass. The north’s finest brass funksters got down and dirty with their unique sound and style. Brudenell was packed with a hometown crowd who have seen these guys go from strength to strength over the last few years, mixing their own ballsy brass tunes with ‘full-blown’ covers of club classics.
Brudenell Social Club provided the sights and sounds for my final gig of 2019. The Community Room hosted football inspired graphics from Bands F.C. and Dorothy. Meanwhile, Dirty Laces and local favourites, Skylights took to the stage in the Main Room. Two bands who are destined for good things in the year to come . . .
When in Rome, Kill Me [30th Anniversary]: Time marches on and the ever-loyal legion of CUD troops fall in line.
No longer do chants of “you fat bastard” come from the crowd, as few of us are the skinny young things that we used to be. However, the music is timeless.
Earlier this year I’d missed seeing Henge at Bluedot Festival but the enthusiastic sound of the crowd made me think I should have been watching.
On this night, Henge touched/beamed-down to Brudenell for a gig like no other. I’m not a fan of novelty bands but Henge are a truly alien exception. Their never faltering facade, endless energy and knowing humour had the whole room wanting to believe that the band are actually from another planet – which, of course, they are!
Elbow were playing in the other room at Brudenell on this night. However, those in the know were elsewhere watching The Murder Capital hold their own in the Main Room. A moody and moving set to launch their much anticipated debut album.
A Sunday evening in September and student season isn’t yet in full swing. So I head down to a free gig at ‘The Brude’. A chance to sink a beer from the quiet bar and see something different.
Which key members can leave a band before it becomes a tribute act? The purists argue that there is no Dead Kennedys without Jello Biafra – but based on tonight’s gig, the haters are cutting off their nose to spite their face.
With most of the classic lineup in place and Ron ‘Skip’ Greer on vocals (since 2008), the band sounded as authentic as ever and performed a raucous ‘best of’ set, in the packed-out venue.
Jello has dismissed the current Dead Kennedys lineup as “the world’s greediest karaoke band” – but to quote Gordon Gekko; “greed is good”, as was this gig.
Setlist: Forward to Death / Winnebago Warrior / Police Truck / Buzzbomb / Let’s Lynch the Landlord / Jock-O-Rama / Kill the Poor / MP3 Get Off the Web / Too Drunk to Fuck / Moon Over Marin / Nazi Punks Fuck Off / California Über Alles / Bleed for Me / Viva Las Vegas / Holiday in Cambodia / Chemical Warfare
Just a few days earlier, I’d seen Easy Star All-Stars perform their ‘Dub Side of the Moon’ set at Bluedot Festival. As good as that was, the band are so much better in an intimate venue, where their musical interpretations can be truly savored as the soul fills the space and the dub shakes the room.
There’s great satisfaction to be had from seeing a band play live before they’re endorsed by the likes of Jools Holland and BBC Radio 6 Music.
Those in the know were at this gig, to see some authentic antipodean punk and Melbourne’s finest mullets. Punk’s not dead but its hairdresser might well be.
Celebrating their 30th anniversary, The Orb returned to Brudenell Social Club with an epic greatest hits set. Timeless tunes that have been replayed and reworked for three decades – and yet, sound as cutting edge today as they ever did. Ambience with attitude.
Astounding energy and vocals from the sparkly, sprightly sexagenarian.
Setlist: All in a Rage / Good Morning Universe / Broken Diamonds / We Are / Thunder in the Mountains / I Explode / Neon Womb / Obsolete / Be Proud, Be Loud (Be Heard) / Rebel Run / Telepathic Power / Brave New World / Echo Beach / It’s a Mystery / Angel and Me / Sensational / Danced / Leya
I only saw a couple of the bands at this event, but Dead Naked Hippies stole the show with a their edgy post-punk style and charismatic front-woman (Lucy Jowett).
The gig also promoted the release of the ‘Young Male Rage’ single, by one of the most absorbing bands currently emerging from the Leeds music scene.
An impressive blend of styles and sets with both bands clearly destined for success. Such gigs prove why it’s always worth arriving in time to see the support band; catching up-and-coming acts who will soon return as headliners.