On Monday I was contacted by the guys at Jonny Quits ( see a review of their debut EP here ) about coming to do a review of them and several other bands at Nation Of Shopkeepers in Leeds. Since its a nice change from staring at a textbook; So I went a long and this is what I made of it.
The gig was headlined by an American psychedelic band called 'Night Beats' and the other bands on the bill had a very psychedelic feel from Jonny Quits and The Glass Moths as well as the incredibly entertaining Rent Boys, more on them later...
The Glass MothsThere was already a decent crowd to see the night's openers The Glass Moths and with good reason, the effect-washed and atmospheric sound was tight, accomplished and a real indication of the night to come. The quality stayed very decent throughout but for me the band hit their peak with their last song (I think it was the one below) which had a feel reminiscent of The Doors, especially songs like 'The End' ( click here for a similar kind of feel ). Overall a very good start to the night and a definite band to see around Leeds if you can.
I've seen Jonny Quits before in Leeds ( review here ) where they really made a statement as one of the best new bands in Leeds. Their set tonight kept showing how they keep giving solid performances even when not headlining. Their set contains songs from their debut EP such as the belter 'Alice' and other material that kept the calibre high. Like the previous set, the last few songs were the best of the set and left a high benchmark for the next band.
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This band really blew me away; not only was the music a compelling blend of psychedelic-punk-rock-something which sounded great, but the lead singer was a 6ft crossdresser with a red beret, smeared on lipstick and looked to be wearing some sort of swan, occasionally interrupting his howled and effect-warped vocals by downing god knows what from a two litre bottle. You don't see bands like this very often, so I implore you; go and see them live, you won't regret it.
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This band seem to be causing a lot of talk about them, hailing the resurgence of a new wave of psychedelic rock bands like Temples (not that psychedelia ever went away) buoyed by the success of bands such as Tame Impala. Their set produced some great, tight, expressive music that shows why they deserve the buzz that they've been getting - worthy headliners and certainly a band to watch in the coming months.
All in all it was a great night showcasing a lot of talent of a psychedelic scene that I didn't even know existed locally. Although all the bands put on solid performances, the highlight for me were Rent Boys, however if you ever are able to go and see any of the above bands, do so, all are worth the time, effort and money.
8/10
The venue must also deserve a mention; it had a great atmosphere, great bar and was busy all night, certainly a place to go on a night in Leeds or if you want to see some live music as they've played host some great bands; including the DJ set and after-party of the Foals gig I went to in Leeds earlier this year.
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To round off; there will be no post for the next couple of weeks, however Villainous Folk will return bigger and better than ever,
Peace out
