the darkness

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Review & photos - Asa Medforth

Lowestofts finest exports The Darkness are back with their 8th album and a new tour, Dreams on Toast.

Justin Hawkins, Dan Hawkins, Rufus Tiger Taylor and Frankie Poullain exploded on to the  stage of the York Barbican with the opening track from the new album Rock and Roll Party Cowboy. From the first note it is unmistakably The Darkness. Fully embracing their Glam Rock-esque style and energy in their performance. 

Justin takes great pleasure in demonstrating his full vocal range in a Freddie Mercury like performance hitting those high notes that only some can. He soon had the packed audience hanging on his every word.  The entire performance is overflowing with energy, seeing the frontman perform the splits whilst doing a headstand on the drum risers is impressive for a man who turned 50 on the day of this gig!

The Darkness are true entertainers in every sense of the word, every song on the set list had the packed audience bouncing along. The tracks played from the new album (set for release on 28th March 2025) are rock at its finest. Whether you’re a hardcore fan or the band, rock or just great music played by talented musicians, this is one show you don’t want to miss. 

Note: A full review of their new album 'Dreams on Toast' will be online shortly here at Wall of Sound

Chuff Media

Review & photos - Mo Longfellow

*Disclaimer* I need to apologise. Normally I write notes as the gig plays to help writing the review, but, honestly? I was far too busy enjoying the set to get my phone out and start jotting stuff down, so if this review is a little lacklustre on detail, that’s why! 

Red Sky July brought their wonderful and often haunting harmonies to the Stage at The Greystones in Sheffield on Wednesday night.

The Greystones is a lovely venue and perfect for this type of gig. It’s intimate, and whilst yes, it’s about the music, this gig  was also about the storytelling behind the songs and interaction with the audience and this venue allows for that which I loved. Musically, It was as engaging a performance as I’ve seen in a long time. I don’t think a single person will have left that gig without having had their soul soothed - whether it needed it or not. 

The band, comprising of Ally McErlaine (ex Texas guitarist), Shelly Poole (ex Alisha’s Attic), and Hayley Glennie-Smith-Smith (singer/songwriter extraordinaire), brought their blend of lush harmonies, introspective songwriting, and soaring melodies in abundance.

Shelley and Hayley’s harmonies, which never missed a beat, were amazing and absolutely on point. Their voices blended together, almost like they were one, creating a rich, textured sound that is both exciting and calming. It’s hard not to just shut your eyes and let them take you with them, wherever it is they’re going, when listening to these two. And that’s exactly what I did - no notes, remember?! 

Both Ally and Hayley played acoustic guitar with Shelley breaking out a shaker every now and again, but what really gave the set a lift was Ally’s lead guitar, solos woven in and out of the numbers to bring depth and, if possible, even more feeling. 

One thing that struck me was just how much these three enjoyed playing their set. There was on stage chatter between them and the audience, and a feeling of genuine love for one another. 

They played numbers from their new album ‘Misty Morning’, released February of this year and also their previous works. They even chucked in a few covers, Black Hawk (Emylou Harris) and a really cool acoustic cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark. 

They did an encore of Morning Song which the crowd sang along with in great form. 

As the night drew to a close and the gig ended, the band members hung about to sign albums and chat with the many members of the audience who stayed back to converse. 

It really was a truly wonderful evening and I can’t recommend this band (both studio and live) enough.

Republic Media

Review James Fortune-Clubb

As a longstanding and unashamed fan of Blur and their various musical offshoots - it was great to see The Waeve on their inaugural tour back in 2023 at The Brudenell in Leeds. I wasn't familiar with their first album at the time and didn't know any of the songs they played, nonetheless it was a great gig despite my lack of familiarity - which is always a testament to the standard of the material and the performance.

Fast forward then and amazingly enough, it's now almost exactly 2 years on from that gig at The  Brudenell and we're here to see The Waeve again at another great venue - this time it's the Sheffield Leadmill. It's now almost 5 years in and 2 years since their eponymous debut album, The Waeve are back touring their latest album, last year's 'City Lights' as well as hot off the press new three track EP - 'Eternal'.

Unsurprisingly It's a capacity gig and a very  expectant crowd tonight at Sheffield's Leadmill - one of the countries best small live music venues and unfortunately the subject of lengthy recent legal battles concerning closure/takeover.

First up though are support act 'White Magic for Lovers' - the latest project of Thomas White (ex Electric Soft Parade and currently touring drummer with The Waeve). They provide a meandering, relaxed, sometimes soporific and dreamlike set of songs, which don't really go anywhere, but in a way that doesn't seem to matter. What the guitar and vocals duo deliver is close vocal harmony, multi-layered with echoes of The Beach Boys, White Album era Beatles and generally the sound of the east coast circa 1967-ish.

It's all very chilled and laid back, including the band being seated for their set (fine for the first few rows of the audience, but giving no sightline whatsoever for those anywhere from row 4 back, frustrating). Whilst White is a hugely accomplished and experienced musician, this is only 'White Magic's' third ever gig and from that perspective alone, it's an impressive as well as enjoyable outing.

"Its'nice to be able to see whites of your eyes" - is  Rose's opening comment, more used to playing bigger venues, whilst Graham apologises for not being able to see his guitar to play well, because of low level lighting... before then proceeding to absolutely deliver his frenetic and usual amazing guitar playing, tonight he's absolutely on fire.

On record, The Waeve is essentially co-singer/songwriter partnership Rose Elinor Dougal and Graham Coxon - veterans of The Pipettes and Blur respectively, as well as both having significant solo careers. And whilst tonight may be primarily the Graham and Rose show - they are very ably supported by their touring band of Joe Chilton on bass, Thomas White (of aforementioned support band White Magic for Lovers) on drums, as well as Charlotte Glasson on violin and saxophone - boosting their live sound.

And what a great sound they make too - tearing through a set which is pretty much a straight split across both albums as well as two tracks from the great new EP. Rose throws the shapes and drives the songs forward, whilst Graham switches, seemingly with ease from guitar to mandolin (apart from initial tuning problems) harmonica, sax and back again... impressively.

It's a great set followed by a fantastically pitched brilliant two song encore.

What a night - one of the best gigs I've been to in quite some time. If you do ever have the opportunity - don't miss The Waeve live, thoroughly recommended.

Set list:

Love is all pain

Broken Boys

City Lights

Undine

You Saw

Over and Over

Eternal

Song for Eliza May 

Sleepwalking

Drowning

Moth to the Flame

Kill Me Again

Sunrise

Encore:

Can I Call You

Druantia

Review & photos Phil Wright

This was no April Fools night, but two 90’s legends on one stage. 

Kicking off with the psychedelic Indi Pop sensation ‘Kula Shaker’, who reformed last year for a new album. With a backdrop of swirling vibrant colours and the Indian mantra sounds, this had all the marks of a great night. Lead singer, Crispin Miles, belted out Indian chants to some amazing music. This was the perfect opening to the night, with plenty of hits including ‘Tattva’, ‘Hey Dude’, ‘Govinda’ and ‘Hush’, which is always a crowd pleaser.

Now was the time everyone was waiting for. ‘Ocean Colour Scene’ helped pave the way for Brit-Pop with their ‘Mod-Rock’ sound. With a slightly more sedated backdrop of old videos of the band, ‘Ocean Colour Scene’ treated us to hit after hit including ‘The Day We Caught the Train’, ‘Lining Your Pockets’ and ‘You’ve Got it Bad’. No Ocean Colour Scene set would be complete without ‘The Riverboat Song’ of course. Simon Fowler’s voice was on top form but, for me, it was about how tight the band was and the harmonies.

The mood was slightly killed by the all-seated City Hall, but this was no fault of the band. The boys from Brum did a belting job. 

I had taken my mate’s son along and, at only 24, he wasn’t around in the early days of both bands, but his words were, “They don’t make music as good as this today uncle Phil. These are legends. Today’s bands are crap in comparison.” I think those words pretty much sum the evening up.

Planet Earth Publicity

Review & photos - Mo Longfellow

Neil Jones (acoustic guitar & vocals) and Neil Sheasby (bass guitar & vocals) from Stone Foundation played a stripped back gig at The Vinyl whistle in Headingley.

Sometimes, when you go to a gig like this and it’s 8 band members reduced to 2, you wonder how it’ll work or even if it’ll work, and that’s exactly what I was thinking. I can, however, happily report, it really works! 

There was a smallish crowd of people who were all eager to hear what they had to offer, all in good spirits, having had a few boozes and having (probably) perused the plentiful selection of vinyl on offer in store. 

Neil and Neil walked onto the small stage near the front door and told us they were going to play a selection of songs from their new album ‘The Revival of Survival’ and some older numbers.  And that’s exactly what they did, and did it amazingly well. 

They had such a great connection with the audience, creating an engaging experience for everyone watching. There was back and forth with the crowd and individuals who were brave enough to speak up. 

They admitted a few times that they didn’t know a particular number very well or hadn’t played it for ages, but you really couldn’t tell, the sound was incredible. Neil Jones’ vocal is so powerful, you could easily have taken the mic away and have heard him regardless, but he’s not shouting or bellowing, it’s controlled and with so much feeling, it gave me goose bumps. 

The guitar playing is great but it was Neil Sheasby’s bass that I thought was really impressive. Subtly giving each tune that much loved feeling of soul, funk and disco that we all love…even if more subdued than usual. 

Seeing them both on stage, you can see that it was these two who formed the band some 25 years ago. They have a chemistry that is unbreakable, a friendship, it seems, that will never end, a relationship that only the love of music and writing & playing music together can forge. 

Neil snapped a string on his acoustic and while this meant the last song, it wasn’t the end of the evening.  They both hung about to sign albums and chat. 

Two thoroughly nice blokes who are incredibly talented, making and playing amazing music. I’m gonna shoot the full band later in the year at The Brudenell, Leeds and I cannot wait! 

Do yourselves a favour, buy the album and book a ticket to see them live!! 

Review & photos - Anya Weston-Shaw

Frank Turner delivered a triumphant, feel-good set at O2 Academy Leeds, leaving the crowd buzzing as they excited.

The band’s enthusiasm was infectious, with fans passionately chanting back classics like Photosynthesis and Recovery as all members of the band danced and ran around for the almost 2 hour set. Thatcher F**** The Kids, made its way onto the setlist after a spontaneous soundcheck choice to sing the song sparked it’s surprise addition, of course it was met with roaring approval.

Turner’s ability to reignite the crowd post-acoustic set was masterful. During Do One, he swapped the original track’s singalong for a rousing “Yorkshire” chant, setting the stage for an explosive encore featuring Get Better and Four Simple Words, where he had the entire audience spinning like ballerinas.

As fans spilled out into the night, their excitement made one thing clear—this gig was a total triumph. I overheard one person saying to those he was with that next time they had to bring another friend, saying that he may not know the songs but that doesn’t matter as the night out is amazing regardless. 

Sonic PR

Review & photos - Huw Williams

Divorce’s debut album Driven to Goldenhammer has been well received and it’s this record that brings the band to Brudenell Social Club in Leeds tonight.The album is genre-spanning, from tracks like Karen - which builds from the sound of a pretty ballad to incredible grunge-fuelled intensity - to sweet Americana-sounding Parachuter.

Brudenell is sold out tonight and the queue is long around the car park as people vie for the best position in the sold-out Main Room, up close and personal with their favourite band.

Since they burst onto the scene just over 2 years ago, with the accomplished EP Get Mean, they’ve become one of the most exciting bands to watch out for. 

Supporting tonight is Dug, Irish-American folk with a healthy dose of humour. Conor O’Reilly and Jonny Pickett make an interesting duo that still have the feel of buskers on Grafton Street in Dublin. Their folk tales draw on family life, new takes on traditional American songs and the greed of venue promoters. The pair look genuinely surprised that a) so many people have come down early to see them and b) that everyone seems to be having a bloody good time! Their set ends with a ceilidh-inspired circle dance which dissolves into some freestyle partner swinging and a joyful conclusion to an excellent set.

Divorce takes the stage in front of a homemade backdrop: a red car, painted by Felix to represent the title of the album. Kasper Sandstrøm emerges first, taking his seat behind the kit, before Adam Peter-Smith, lead guitarist, heads out front with vocalists Tiger Cohen-Towell (also on bass) and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow (guitar).

The full set of album tracks feature in the show, telling well crafted stories of transformation and searching for meaning and progress. Felix and Tiger’s vocals meld beautifully, effortlessly as they connect with the audience. There’s a strong, if understated bond with the audience, evidenced by the gift that one fan has brought for Tiger - a copy of Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch to go alongside the title of the opening number tonight. 

Moving through the new album tracks, Karen is a highlight matching, even surpassing the journey from vulnerability to intensity on the record. Jet Show continues the grungy-influenced theme, before a real change of pace with Antarctica. All jangly guitars and pretty harmonies, it’s a look into another side of the band, with a story of a break up, alongside the rescue of a newborn calf.    

Where Do You Go? showcased Tiger’s soaring vocal, while the alt-country style ballad Old Broken String is tender, sincere and heartfelt. Whether it’s these minimal moments or the heavier, more visceral sounds from the start of the show, the sound is rich and well constructed. 

Lyrically, they’re very strong, creative in their metaphor and it’s the kind of work that lends itself well to the record. It does take some concentration though to follow the stories in the live environment. It doesn’t encourage people to let go so much, and it’s a more cerebral atmosphere, fans studiously focused on the band, rather than getting brought into the euphoria that a live environment often brings.

It’s a quality performance - but I feel there’s more to come from this up and coming band. To some extent, it’s still early days for them, and their confidence will surely grow as the on-stage experience comes. The energy is calm and chilled, and maybe I just wanted it to ignite a little more and create something unforgettable.

Set list:

1. Fever Pitch
2. All My Freaks
3. Gears
4. Karen
5. Jet Show
6. Parachuter
7. Antarctica
8. Sex & the Millennium Bridge
9. Pill
10. Scratch Your Metal
11. Where Do You Go
12. Old Broken String
13. Eat My Words
14. Lord
15. Hangman

+++++

1. Mercy
2. Checking Out

Chuff Media

Review & photos - Huw Williams

“WE ARE SKUNK ANANSIIIIEEE!!”, lead singer Skin bellows at the top of her voice as the main set comes to a close. No doubt about that. 16 songs up to this point have blown the roof off the O2 Academy in Leeds and turned the people on the floor into a euphoric, sweating throng that ebbs, flows, jumps and moshes on command.

It’s 30 years since Paranoid & Sunburnt announced Skunk Anansie to the world, unleashing tracks like Little Baby Swastika and their hit Weak on to the airwaves. Angry, politically charged, visually iconic. 3 decades later, Skin, Ace (guitar), Cass (bass) and Mark Richardson (drums) still tread that same path, the years seemingly irrelevant to their ability to smash out the raw, emotional noise that became their trademark.

The Academy is sold out for this one and most of the 2,300 people made it down early to see the support act - So Good - warm up the crowd. They were good, but despite their angry, punky lyrics, and constantly giving the finger to the crowd, it felt slightly too “pop” in style. It left me feeling they were a bit too manufactured and manicured to be the “female version of Johnny Rotten”, as the lead singer, Sophie, likes to proclaim herself. 

Still, it’s high energy - certainly can’t take that away from them - and the pink balaclava-clad backing band, coupled with the 3 singers’ dance routines got everyone ready for the headliners - an undeniably authentic, ground-breaking band. 

Mid-90s, they pushed the boundaries as a multi-racial, gender-diverse group, with Skin being one of the first black women to front a major British rock band. Political, angry, full of energy - some things haven’t changed.  

Stalking around the stage to This Means War in a long black overcoat, she delivers her lyrics with menace - “this means war, f***ers!” As she snarls and leans towards the crowd, Skin breaks into her trademark smile, showing just how much she relishes being on stage and whipping up this crowd.

A friend of mine said to me the other day that Skin has one of the most relaxing voices on the radio, referencing “The Skin Show” on Absolute Radio. Nothing couldn’t be further from that perception in Leeds, as her power and intensity relentlessly lifts the energy in the room throughout the show.

Backed by the best stage set I’ve seen in the Academy in Leeds, full of black spikes and spiders climbing down the back wall, it’s an assault on the senses. Loud, furious, heavy guitar and some life-altering bass chords have the crowd vibrating, trying their best to keep up with the energy that Skin exudes on stage.

By the time we get to Weak, mid-way through the main set, Skin is on the barrier in control of everything before her. By the next song, I Can Dream - their second single from 1995 - Skin is in the crowd, a circle pit fizzing around her before lifting her up and carrying her back to the barrier, with sheer joy on her face. So much, in fact, that she’s back in there at the end, forming an all-female mosh-pit this time, another boundary being broken, smashing another stereotype.

It’s been a masterclass, from a band that performs with natural chemistry, built over the years, and the raw punk energy of the most iconic of singers. They came to tear it up, and Skunk Anansie certainly left their mark on the crowd in Leeds. 

Review & photos - Levi Tubman

Marisa And The Moths have been making a lot of waves recently, and a band I’ve been wanting to see for a while, and tonight they’re at one of my favourite venues so it’s already looking positive before the doors even open. 

Up first tonight are HCK9, a 3 piece who rely on a backing track for the rest of the band, something that’s becoming more popular with varying degrees of success. Theres no worry here though as the sound is tight and solid with a real energy, especially from local vocalist James Brown, no not that one, who finishes the set saying come see us when we’re headlining, I don’t need to be told twice! 

Following them up another power trio, Black Orchid Empire. A little more frantic with wild drums the frenetic guitars and rumbling bass fill the room again with the sound of a band who can’t be far off headlining themselves, another perfect fit for the tour. 

During both bands, Marisa herself is out in the crowd, cheering on the bands, filming and photographing and joining in with the crowd. It’s a nice little touch showing the singer isn’t full of ego. 

The audience are certainly hungry for it when the band take the stage with a pushed surge in the in the usually calmer venue. Taking a gentler start to the night its Needy, starting with slow palm muted guitars and soft warm vocals, it’s a fantastic track that swells up and down bringing out Marisa’s phenomenal voice.  

The bands vocalist and namesake has a huge vocal range with the tone and power to match. As good as she sounds on records and live videos its nothing compared to hearing her sing in person, especially down at the front hearing some direct from the source. As they rattle through the set, there’s minimal conversation between songs with the crowds, instead the crowd participation comes mid song.  

Marisa is constantly moving all over the stage, from end to end in a single song, getting down low to sing to fans of for photos calling out to people in the audience, while guitarist Alez is sticking his tongue out and pulling faces to the crowd for photos and dancing about. Not to be outdone Bass player Liam, after taking a fans phone who was filming him on to the stage with a close up of every member and the audience, leaving him with a veery unique video, dropped down into the audience walking around talking to people while still playing, although losing a battery and signal part way, it’s a fun twist by a band who seem to live to have fun! This is all rounded off by a crew member giving out glowstick bracelets, were all now in the 90’s festival mood. 

At this point the band start to leave the stage apart from bass player Liam who talks about a song he wrote over lock down when they did online live shows, picking up a guitar he threatens to release it one day and if we don’t like country then feel free to visit the bar. I’m saying this as a bass player myself, I don’t think a crowd has ever wanted to hear a bass players passion project, but were in tight were lot leaving. 4 minutes later the audience erupts with cheers and applause! Hi voice was born for country, it has just the right amount of gravel in his tone for the genre with a catchy melody and guitar work, its fantastic and we need this on a future album! 

Following this up Marisa returns to the stage for her own solo number, acoustic guitar in hand. Its gentle and quieter, it’s a song full of emotion and feeling, easily gripping the audience and holding them tight and silencing the room.  Both solo performances break up the set nicely while managing to fit neatly. 

Marisa is a vocal powerhouse, she seems to let her voice fly from quiet and low to screaming out massive high energy notes and back again with hardly any effort, you know it’s a vocal workout that’s taking a lot to perform over and over but live its made to look effortless with practiced skill. 

This is not a band that comes on stage relying on one member, Alez guitar work often following the vocals lends power to the sound, with is solos delivering the same pitch and energy while bringing it down when needed, really letting himself go especially on tracks like How Did You Get So Weak. Filling up the lower end, bassist Liam, while a professional musician, seems to be the bands humour, constantly laughing and making comments to the band and crowd, he’s there to have as much fun as he can but underneath that his bass lines run throughout the songs not missing a note and not afraid to go up the fretboard he adds a lot of dynamics the music. 

Behind these, drummer Alex is not a man to keep time with the classic rock beat of kick and snare, every song is full of fills with the toms getting just as much use as the rest of the kit while at times hitting the cymbals almost in anger, a lot of tonight’s songs would have lost something with a standard rock drummer. 

This is a band with so much talent and energy it’s easy to see how they’ve gotten popular but also hard to see why they’re no bigger than they already are. It must be just a matter of time before we see them in bigger venues with no doubt bigger and louder sets. It’s been a fantastic night of music from 3 different bands all of which deserved to be on the stage, it was a shame that there were a few audience members there on the creepier side, with more than a few vile comments and suggestions about band members and audience, but luckily true fans where in the majority.  

Set List :

1.  Needy 

2.  Skin 

3.  Tied up 

4.  Get it off my chest 

5.  Wither Away 

6.  Fake it till you make it 

7.  Borderline 

8.  Liams Solo 

9.  Maris Solo 

10.  Gaslight 

11.  Devil 

12.  Slave 

13.  How did you get so weak? 

14.  Choke 

15.  SAD 

16.  Just like me 

17.  Who are you waiting for? 

Review & photos  - Dave Flerin

Support for the Scream tonight is provided by Dylan John Thomas, and charming, whimsical songs are the order of the day with from this very talented, and (relatively) young Scot. He’s a phenomenal folk guitar player with an intense character and the sort of voice that makes you sit up and listen to whatever he has to say. 

He’s certainly a much more engaging one-man-and-his-acoustic performer than Ed Sheeran et al. He also throws in a solo cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Big Love,” and Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” with his four-piece band. In a morally fair world, Dylan will justly go on to have success.

At the anointed hour (around 9pm) Bobby enters stage left, dressed like a slightly skewed, off-his-tits alt John Travolta; white suit and black and red cowboy shirt. Primal Scream put down an early marker, opening with the unfeasibly groovy “Don't Fight it, Feel it”. 

This iteration of the Scream sound note-perfect; a brilliant live version of their recorded selves; and tonight they’re able to conjure up both subtlety and power with equal aplomb. 

They’re no longer a ragged indie band, they’re showbiz pros these days who know how to deliver a musical spectacle. With two spangly powerhouses on backing vocals, a proper femme fatale on bass, kick-ass drummer, Andrew Innes on guitar, and a multi-instrumentalist on sax and keyboards they produce a sound big enough to rattle the roof tiles of this old building.

Tonight, we get indie Scream, rock Scream, psychedelic Scream, and disco Scream; all immaculately styled out. They lose the crowd’s engagement slightly with a couple of slower numbers, but when you can casually drop “Loaded” into your set, you know you’re gonna be okay. An extended version of Country Girl follows, with Bobby leading audience participation with the f-word being the key component. 

The crowd is a bit nonplussed by the choice of encore, with “Melancholy Man” slightly pissing on the party mood. Lounge Bobby might have to reconsider that one for the rest of the tour, however well they perform it. Everything's made alright again with an uplifting “Come Together” in which the backing singers give it an almighty lift, bringing a massively soulful vibe to the music. And with a boisterous “Rocks,” the show is over. 

Given their ages, I’m unsure how relevant they are to the young, but as experts in reinvention and with a back catalogue like theirs, they should rightfully be around for a while longer.

Dawbell