401. Shame: Leeds Beckett Students’ Union [19.11.21]

Artist: Shame

Support: The Goa Express

Venue: Leeds Beckett Students’ Union

Date: 19.11.21

Another hot ‘n’ sweaty night at Leeds Becket SU (the venue that I still refer to as ‘Leeds Poly’) for the Drunk Tank Pink tour. A mosh pit to behold; savoured from the safety of the gantry.

Quality and practical merch; I couldn’t resist the Shame work shirt.

Setlist: Alphabet / 6/1 / Concrete / This Side of the Sun / The Lick / Nigel Hitter / Tasteless / Born in Luton / March Day / Dust on Trial / Harsh Degrees / Angie / Water in the Well / Snow Day / One Rizla / Station Wagon

385. IDLES: Leeds Beckett University [7.9.21]

Artist: IDLES

Venue: Leeds Beckett University

Date: 7.9.21

Through a combination of missed opportunites or COVID cancellations, IDLES had evaded me as a live act up untl this point. But it was worth the wait.

Hot, sweaty and intense; the long overdue ‘Ultra Mono’ album launch gig was all I had hoped it would be. As a frontman, Joe Talbot is menacing and mesmerising in equal measure – he looks like he’d blow your house down and then give you a hug.

Setlist: Colossus / Grounds / Mr. Motivator / Mother / Anxiety / 1049 Gotho / Samaritans / Divide and Conquer / War / Reigns / Faith in the City / Television / Kill Them with Kindness / Love Song / Never Fight a Man with a Perm / Danke

358. Foals: Leeds Beckett University [24.10.19]

358a_Foals [241019]Artist: Foals

Venue: Leeds Beckett University

Date: 24.10.19

Just five months after the launch gig for ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1’, here we were again for ‘Part 2’. Leeds Beckett SU was predictably packed for the earlier of another two album launch shows. As before, pre-ordering the album from Crash Records, Leeds resulted in a ticket to an exclusive gig.

The highlight had to be Yanis Philippakis on one of his trademark walkabouts; in this case running the length of the room and climbing the stairs to play guitar from the gantry, just a few feet from where I was standing.

The effort and energy to perform two shows in a single evening results in such gigs being fast and furious with no faffing around. Just the way it should be.

358b_Foals [241019]