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The Bug Club / British Birds – Crookes Social Club, Sheffield 18.02.2025 – Backseat Mafia
Crookes Social Club buzzed with anticipation as a sold-out crowd gathered for an electrifying night of live music, provided by British Birds and headliners The Bug Club . Kicking the evening off was British Birds, a four-piece indie/power pop ensemble hailing from Chorley, UK. Their set was a masterclass in crafting instantly lovable yet slightly angular tunes, sweetened with infectious hooks and impeccable vocal harmonies. From the opening chords of “That Monster,” the band exuded a charismatic energy, effortlessly engaging the audience with their witty banter and effusive stage presence. By the time they wrapped up, British Birds had the crowd eating out of the palms of their hands. The…
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Young Knives / Max Blansjaar – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 7.02.2025 – Backseat Mafia
A near-capacity crowd packed into the Brudenell Social Club on Friday night, eager for a night of sharp-witted, high-energy indie rock. Support came from Max Blansjaar, who quickly won over the audience with his personable charm and endearing stage presence. His indie-rock set was tight and engaging, but it was his between-song patter that truly sealed the deal – effortlessly funny and self-deprecating, he had the crowd laughing along and, by the end of his set, completely under his spell. Then came Young Knives, bursting onto the stage with electrifying energy, launching straight into Fit 4 U and setting the tone for the hour or so that followed. The setlist…
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Emily Barker – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. 26.01.25 – Backseat Mafia
If you wanted the perfect chilled out Sunday night, you could have done a lot worse than heading to Brudenell Social Club last weekend. The place already has such a relaxed vibe, but throw in Australian singer-songwriter Emily Barker and her particular brand of Americana tinged folk songs, and it’s the perfect wind-down. Kicking things off though was compatriot Liz Stringer. The London-based artist hails from Melbourne originally and her stories are beautifully crafted, drawing the audience in to her battles, but with a delicious undercurrent of Aussie humour. Go and give The Metrologist a listen to start with, but Stringer has new music out tomorrow (on all the familiar…
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GUN – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds – 10.12.24 – Backseat Mafia
GUN, Scottish rock stalwarts that you’ll doubtless remember from the 90s, brought their Hombres tour to Leeds’ legendary Brudenell Social Club. Shooting to prominence off the back of a couple of good albums and a big hit with their cover of Word Up, the band were a regular fixture on the rock and festival scene through the mid 1990s. After a few personnel changes and a fourth album that didn’t match the expectations set by Gallus and Swagger the brand took a lengthy break. But, GUN have been back, around the fringes of the rock scene for the last dozen years and have a further 5 studio albums behind them.…
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Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls – Brudenell Social Club, 15.07.24 – Backseat Mafia
There are some simple rules at his gigs, Frank Turner tells us before things really get going. “Don’t be a dick” naturally. And, “if you know the words to any of the songs, you have to sing them”. Both were assiduously adhered to at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds. The night had kicked off brilliantly with two fine tour supports, handpicked by Turner to accompany him on this leg of his seemingly never ending touring journey. Essex-based singer-songwriter Ben Brown gave us a thoroughly entertaining half hour of acoustic indie-folk, interspersed with witty chat that even involved an impromptu auction of the t-shirt he was wearing on stage! The Meffs,…
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Fenne Lily – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. 19.06.24 – Backseat Mafia
Ensconced stage left, Fenne Lily almost seems to offer centre stage to her band. However, it’s the songwriting and arrangement of the Dorset-born folk singer’s songs that really come to the fore throughout this intimate performance at Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club. Up against the Euros, Lily expresses her gratitude that we have chosen to spend time in here this evening, even while the football is on the big screen outside. She does concede though, that we can watch it on our phones if we so wish. There is not a person in the room though, that can take their eyes off the quartet on stage, as they expertly craft some…
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Junk Nails Are Taking Over Our Social Media Feeds
Every editorial product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission. As with anything else, there’s a place for low-maintenance manicures in anyone’s routine — after all, who can deny the appeal of “rich girl” nails? — but if you’re a maximalist, there are even more design options to choose from. You could consider “vagina” nails (yeah, you read that right) or the social media-favorite “coquette” nails. Or you could opt for the latest trend making the rounds: “junk” nails. The look, which is one-part frenzied and two-parts spectacular, is essentially just doing whatever the hell you want with your nails.…
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HighSchool – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 16.05.24 – Backseat Mafia
Following the release of the latest EP, Accelerator, which we gave a resounding 9 out of 10 at Backseat Mafia, HighSchool hit the road on their European tour and we caught the show in Leeds. The Australian indie band bounced up the 3 steps on to the stage in Brudenell’s Community Room, but to a muted response as only around 100 or so made it to the gig on Friday night. Up against a couple of other big events in town, not least Leeds Utd play off semi final, maybe it was just bad luck with the timing. Certainly, with a band on the rise like this, I expected to…
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Starsailor – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 08.04.24 – Backseat Mafia
I’ll be honest, it’s been a long time since I’d thought about Starsailor. They’d briefly punctuated the beginning of my working life in the early 2000s, but then had faded into the background. Not so for the completely packed out Brudenell crowd, bursting at the seams with 400 devoted fans. The band had continued to make music on and off over the years, but now they’re back with their 6th studio album, Where The Wild Things Grow. Anticipation of something new is high of course, but there’s a nostalgic mood in the room too. Reminiscence of Starsailor gigs past, super fans regale (mostly) willing listeners with facts and stories. There…
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“Brush-Lights” Are Going Viral on Social Media
Every editorial product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission. We’ll be the first to admit our social media feeds are one of our favorite places to find new trends. Whether it’s Pinterest, TikTok, or something else entirely, we’re always keeping our eyes peeled for the latest and greatest new looks, especially when it comes to hair color. Lately, our Instagram feeds have been flooded with a new highlighting technique that is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before: “brush-lights.” Similar to balayage, the method is interesting, to say the least, but the final results are stunning. In our opinion, it’s…
