Leave the house? Seems quite likely with all of this going on.
GIG OF THE WEEK
Live At Leeds: In The City
Remember when finding new music meant actually leaving your house? Wild times. Well, dust off your walking shoes and grab your most comfortable gig-watching stance – Live At Leeds: In The City is back for its 17th year of turning Yorkshire’s finest city into one giant, multi-venue celebration of Things You Need To Know About.
This time around (that’s this Saturday, 16th November, date fans), we’re not just covering the action – we’re taking over both rooms at the legendary Brudenell Social Club. Yes, that Brudenell. The one that’s been making musical memories since before your grandparents were cool (1913, to be precise). The venue that’s hosted everyone from secret Franz Ferdinand shows to early gigs by The Cribs is about to get a healthy dose of Dork-approved chaos.
Our main room lineup reads like a ‘who’s who’ of ‘who you’ll be bragging about seeing first next year’, headlined by the incomparable Moonchild Sanelly (trust us, you’re not ready). She’s joined by Master Peace (bringing enough energy to power the National Grid), the endlessly intriguing KEO, and a supporting cast including Humour, The Kites, The Kairos, Weston Loney, Pentire, Slate, and Hang Linton – each one more likely to be your new favourite band than the last.
Meanwhile, over in the Community Room (aka our Hype stage, aka where futures are made), Old Mervs are leading a charge of fresh faces that includes Slow Fiction, EBBB, Neckbreakers, The Manatees, The Guest List, Bug Eyed, US, and Big Sleep. Consider this your chance to earn those all-important “I saw them when…” credentials.
MORE FROM THE AGENDA
But that’s just our little corner of the chaos. The whole city gets in on the act, from Leeds Beckett SU to Hyde Park Book Club, The Wardrobe to Belgrave Music Hall, Headrow House to Oporto, The Key Club to Northern Guitars. Each venue adding its own flavour to this musical feast – like a really good playlist come to life.
And because we clearly can’t be trusted with nice things, they’ve even let us loose with the aux cable at the Official Live at Leeds Afterparty. From 11pm ’til “is that really the time?” at The Wardrobe, we’re joining forces with BBC Music’s DJ Adam Winch-Furness and Leeds Festival veteran DJ Dave Birkinshaw for some post-gig celebrations. Oh, and it’s free entry.
Here’s who you need to see. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
MOONCHILD SANELLY
Meet your new favourite force of nature. With electric-blue hair that probably generates enough energy to power a small city and a sound she calls “Future ghetto funk” (which is exactly as brilliant as it sounds), South Africa’s Moonchild Sanelly doesn’t just bend genres – she ties them in knots and makes them look fabulous. Fresh from casually collaborating with Self Esteem on the brilliant ‘Big Man’, she’s teamed up with producer Johan Hugo for ‘Full Moon’, an album that promises to make convention look even more boring than it already did.
MASTER PEACE
Remember when genres were something people actually cared about? Master Peace doesn’t. Blending the 2000s with the casual confidence of someone who grew up treating playlists like party mix bags, his debut ‘How To Make A Master Peace’ (see what he did there?) is the sound of an artist throwing rules out the window and making something way more interesting instead. Working with Matt Schwartz (Yungblud, Massive Attack), he’s created the kind of record that makes you wonder why everyone else tries so hard to fit in.
SOMEBODY’S CHILD
Led by Cian Godfrey and fresh from touring with The War on Drugs (casual flex but okay), Somebody’s Child’s Peter Katis-produced second album ‘When Youth Fades Away’ captures that magical sweet spot where gritty storytelling meets heart-on-sleeve earnestness. Think stadium-sized feelings in pub-sized packages.
OVERPASS
Birmingham’s latest indie heroes are here to remind us that the Midlands still knows how to make guitar music that matters. Working with Richard Woodcraft (who knows a thing or two about indie bangers, having twiddled knobs for Radiohead and Arctic Monkeys), singles ‘Be Good To Yourself’ and ‘Like No Other’ sound like British alternative music got a Gen Z refresh – and trust us, that’s a very good thing indeed.
ALESSI ROSE
If your bedroom pop dreams had a soundtrack, it might sound like Alessi Rose. Offering the kind of relatable charm that makes you feel seen and slightly called out at the same time, latest single ‘imsochillandcool’ might be ironically titled, but there’s nothing ironic about her rapidly growing fanbase.
HEARTWORMS
Some artists paint with sound – Heartworms sculpts with shadows. Merging post-punk with gothic sensibilities in a way that would make Siouxsie proud, her live shows are less gigs and more full sensory experiences. If Bauhaus had been born in the age of social media saturation (now there’s a thought), they might have sounded something like this.
CARDINALS
When Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten gives you the nod, you know you’re doing something right. Cardinals are carrying the torch for Ireland’s seemingly endless supply of brilliant rock bands, bringing the kind of gritty guitar work and poetic prowess that makes you wonder if there’s something in the Dublin water. Their debut EP sounds like early U2 got into a bar fight with The Pogues – and everyone won.
JASMINE.4.T
Being the first UK signing to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records is impressive enough, but jasmine.4.t’s music more than lives up to the hype. She crafts the kind of intimate, dreamlike songs that make you want to lie on your floor and contemplate existence. In the best possible way.
SOFT LAUNCH
Your new favourite indie boyband, Soft Launch are quite possibly the closest thing to a sure thing that indie has for the year ahead. A switching, swapping, tumbling party happening in real-time, the Irish outfit merge chaos and charm with the sharpest hooks you could imagine. A band with the kind of spirit that demands belief and devotion.
ANNIE-DOG
Some artists arrive fully formed – Annie-Dog seems to have arrived from an alternate timeline where traditional Irish music and indie had a beautiful baby. Her early moves suggest we’re witnessing the start of something special – the kind of voice that makes you want to be there from the beginning.
BALANCING ACT
Working with Richard Woodcraft (him again – busy guy), Balancing Act has mastered the art of making anxiety sound anthemic. Their sold-out shows suggest we’re not the only ones who think there’s something special in their mix of ambient soundscapes and raw emotion. Get ready to feel feelings.
CHLOE SLATER
From the south coast to Manchester (via enough support slots to make any CV creak under the weight), Chloe Slater writes the kind of songs that make you feel less alone in your quarter-life crisis. Singles ‘Tiny Screens’ and the brilliant ‘Price On Fun’ tackle modern life with the kind of sharp wit that makes reality slightly more bearable. Think indie-rock meets anti-pop, but make it relatable.
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