Yard Act at Patterns, Brighton: Gig review

Yard Act’s performance at Patterns nightclub on Friday, February 18, had the scent of a band rocketing towards the pinnacle of Britain’s alternative music scene.

Pip Blom @ Concorde 2, Brighton: Gig review

In late January, the Yorkshire four piece had come within a whisker of upsetting the major label musical apple cart. The four members of the group had driven up and down the country to promote their debut LP, The Overload, selling the record for £5 a pop.

This national DIY promotion tour nearly helped Yard Act achieve a UK number one, only to be pipped to the top spot by established pop group Years and Years.

Frontman James Smith informed the Brighton audience of this achievement when he first appeared on stage. As well as reminding them to celebrate the fact they had survived Storm Eunice, which had swept through the United Kingdom earlier that same day.

Coming out to the infamous score of the Rocky soundtrack, Bill Conti’s Going to Fly Now, Yard Act showed from the first bell they were heavyweight title contenders, mixing up their power-punching tunes and swift hooks of verbal witticisms with comfortable ease.

The band did not blow their audience away as quickly as the recent 70mph storm winds. When playing the title album track and set opener, Smith frustratingly asked if the audience ‘were actually there’, questioning if they realised it was a Friday night.

While the crowd may have taken a while to warm up, the band-audience friction did not last for long, with the in-your-face protest anthems of Fixer Upper and Payday leading to a mosh pit, a crowd surfer and a band finding their groove.

Little Simz at Brighton Dome – Review

The set was short and sweet, with other album tracks Pour Another, Land of The Blind, Dead Horse and Dark Days demonstrating the bands versatility, as they drifted from aggressive post-punk to upbeat 70’s disco at the drop of a hat.

Special mention must go to frontman Smith. Looking like the love child of Liam Gallagher and Mike Skinner, the singer had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand for the whole set, seeming incredibly comfortable Infront of a small, tightly packed crowd who were in touching distance of his mic stand.

As the band continue to grow over the next few years, Smith’s stock will rise as more people see his ability to spearhead a live performance.

Following the punchy Witness (Can I Get A) and Peanuts, the high point of the show came in the penultimate song, 100% Endurance. A melodic poem which encapsulates a protagonists realistic but upbeat hungover reflection on life, love and relationships.

It’s a handbrake turn for sure, but its message and style demonstrate that Yard Act are not just a one-trick political-punk pony.

After an encore of The Trappers Pelts, it is time for the band members to leave the stage on what was a truly entertaining and eye-opening night. Yard Act will be a name to remember in years to come, but right now they may be one of the best live bands this country has to offer.

Jane Weaver at Chalk, Brighton - Review