Prides – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 7/10/2014 Live Review

Prides – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 7/10/2014 Live Review

            You’ll be hard-pushed to find a synthpop band nowadays that not only creates great dance music but that performs it as powerfully and as loudly as Prides, a Glaswegian trio that were only formed in 2013 and are already leaving their stamp on the music scene.

                About 150 people gradually packed into the quaint little venue, and opening act Polo, formerly GirlsOnDrugs, commenced the evening. Although their songs were primarily unknown to the audience and their set was quite slow and tranquil, a fantastic cover of Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Do I Wanna Know’ was enough to win over the opinions of the still crowd.

                Duo The Wild Curve played their third ever live performance to perfection, contrasting with Polo by playing tunes that were loud, brazen and full of flair. The two juggled a mixture of instruments, from guitars, to drums, to keyboards as well as vocals and there was a circus-like feel to their set that was entertaining and well-played.

                Finally, Prides entered the stage to an impatient crowd. ‘I Should Know You Better’ carried the energy and power that set the tone for the rest of the night and Prides just didn’t stop giving. ‘Out of the Blue’ was the peak of the set, due to it being released it on Spotify that same day and having a place on the FIFA 15 soundtrack. Sweat was flowing aplenty from both crowd and band; big, beltering choruses and an earth-shattering bass drum made the compact room seem to vibrate. Their cover of ‘Roar’ by Katy Perry went down a storm and finale ‘Messiah’ was an anthemic explosion. The entire gig was a mass of colour and dance, and both the crowd and the band loved every second.

                Prides are definitely ones to watch – having already supported Blink 182 alongside Neck Deep at the O2 Academy Brixton and headlined the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds Festival this year, we can expect big things from the Scottish trio. 

Arctic Monkeys - 'Do I Wanna Know?' Single Review

Arctic Monkeys - 'Do I Wanna Know?'

      Just when you thought they’d fallen off the face of the earth, Steel City’s finest returns uninvited into the heart of Britain’s music scene with the spine-chillingly electric second single from their fifth upcoming studio album, ‘Do I Wanna Know?’

       Drummer Matt Helders immediately feeds a thread of strong and steady beats, enabling O’Malley’s bass and Turner’s ominous guitar riffs to speak volumes with their brooding and surly tone that ooze sex appeal and are sure to entice the hearts of thousands in a live audience. At once, it is clear that this is a song crafted with the intention of following a heavier and darker route for a more mature and experienced band that has surfaced from the depths of light-hearted songs such as ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor’ and ‘My Propeller.’ This is shown perfectly when the song climaxes into a chorus of ‘crawling back to you…’ complete with falsetto call-and-response from Helders and infectious twangs of Alex Turner’s guitar that hang heavy with subtle angst, artfully mirroring the tenor of ‘R U Mine?’, the debut single from their forthcoming album ‘AM.’

     Still, Alex Turner sticks to his Yorkshire roots with sullen colloquialisms such as, ‘do you ever get the feel that you can't shift the tide that sticks around like summat in your teeth,' - a reminder that yes, this is still the humble band from Sheffield that had a fast track to fame in 2005. 

     Consequently, this is a promising taste of the long-awaited album set for release on 9^th September. It is saturated in depth and torment yet is still easy on the ears with its infectious rhythm that will surely imprint itself upon the minds of many. This is a mellow and easy-going tune which may not tickle the fancies of everyone, least of all those who are still yearning for ‘the old Arctic Monkeys,’ but it is undeniable that Arctic Monkeys have more than proved themselves over the years and this end result is remarkable for the little band from Sheffield that have definitely earned their stripes.