It’s been a mad, breakout year so far for Yard Act. With a chart bothering debut album and a rep as one of the best live acts on the planet, we reconvened to check in on what’s gone down.
Words: Jake Hawkes. Photo: Em Marcovecchio.
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Over lockdown, the concept of the ‘Staycation’ was dusted off and given pride of place in the British psyche. The romance of the seaside was resurrected, and the temperamental weather and gale-force winds were gallantly ignored by thousands of holidaymakers trying to pretend they were by the Mediterranean. Seagulls! Fish and chips! Those machines where you put 2p coins in and get more 2ps back sometimes!
Luckily we don’t have to act like we all want to go to Cornwall or Brighton instead of Barcelona anymore, so seaside towns have had to resort to their old tricks to draw us back. Front and centre in Brighton’s case is The Great Escape, an annual festival of new music which is like SXSW, but not as sunny.
Cut to James Smith and Ryan Needham of Leeds post-punk darlings Yard Act in the pub at the end of Brighton pier, trying to avoid being blown overboard. “This might be the furthest out to sea we’ve ever done an interview,” says James, stirring the ice in the unexpecte…
