Y Not Festival - Sunday

Making sense of what happened at a festival can often be confusing and challenging; so it is with great apologies that we present to you the rather late roundup of the third day of Y Not festival accompanied by its very own SoundInPhotos Gallery.

As the rain subsides once more on Sunday but the clouds overhead remain ominous, our first stop is to the main stage as we feel that we’ve neglected it this weekend. As we arrive to a flock of animated seagulls taking over the screens, Dingus Khan are treating those brave enough to go out so early on a Sunday to a feast of a set. There’s subliminal messages, synchronised dancing and a mighty lead vocal performance all in one short set.

From here we make our last visit to BBC Introducing for Saint Raymond. He’s massively inoffensive but aside from a few whimsical songs its hard to see mass-appeal within the music and the same can be said for the wonderfully named yet tragically boring Pineapple Thief inside the third stage (although if Radiohead’s The Bends is your favourite record, you’ll thoroughly enjoy them).

From here it’s back to back joy though as MaybeSheWill pull off possibly the strongest instrumental set we see all weekend (sorry 65Days, MaybeSheWill edged you on intimacy and crowd-likeability) before Wet Nuns bring a huge crowd in from the rain into their dark and powerful breed of rock’n’roll.  This Autumn may finally be the Nuns’ time to shine.

Inversely in power but not so much in enjoyment, up and coming starlet Lewis Watson treats a rather busy second stage to half an hour of music taken from each of his four EPs. His latest single Calling is a standout for the festival and possibly our summer as his enthusiastic fans sing every word back at him.

Then comes something we were not expecting. If you’re aware of The Computers you’ll know that not only have they produced two rather contrasting yet wonderful records and toured with both The Subways and Pulled Apart By Horses, but also they’ve mastered the art of performing live; mostly from sweaty shows by the South Coast and Kingston. Their time at Y Not however, proves to be the set of the weekend with only one act left to see. Their blend of sharp suits and raucous behaviour turns out to be the perfect formula and there’s not a muddy, tired face that leaves the Giant Squid Tent happier and sweatier for it.

Which leads to the biggest surprise of the festival. Once chart and Reading and Leeds toppers The Darkness, actually still have it! Yes, the glam-rock dream has faded and yes,  the budget’s slipped and yes, it does get annoying not knowing over half the songs of a headline performance, but with showmanship like Justin Hawkins and his band create, who even cares? Chants to their simple logo, crowd surfing and mass sing-alongs bring Y Not to a strange and wonderful ending before we try and fail to watch Jurassic Park in the cinema tent.

Braden Fletcher

Live at Leeds '13

The 1975 at Live at Leeds

Sound Influx started Live At Leeds 2013 with a visit to The Wardrobe on the Friday night to catch Bearfoot Beware and Wet Nun’s sets. Although Bearfoot Beware entertained, it was Wet Nuns who really impressed. The duo created a sound of a volume seemingly beyond their means. That sound was full of huge riffs and thunderous drums, and boy was it LOUD. Their blend of lo-fi blues/punk really must be experienced live to have its sheer power appreciated fully.

Wild Swim

On the Saturday, it was a long walk to the Brudenell Social Club (buses/taxis are cheating, apparently) to catch the end of Wild Swim’s set. Their emotional songs with Wild Beasts style keys and vocals were certainly worth the walk, especially closer ‘Echo’. Next, to the Faversham, where Swiss Lips’ energetic set surely won them some new fans. The band’s sugar sweet vocals, synths and drum machine beats are easy to hate, but after seeing them live, this cynical view might just have changed for some. The Manc popsters really did bring a fun atmosphere, and live, their sound is just much less, well…annoying. One band who didn’t need to convince anyone was Dinosaur Pile-Up. The local lads certainly know how to whip up a crowd and there were circles going from early in the set. But my god were they loud. Loud is to be expected and anticipated from this band, but ears ringing four hours and the lasting regret of forgetting earplugs isn’t. This was a bit of a shame as it meant the set wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been.

Swiss Lips

After a break for burritos (the ultimate festival food, probably), we got ourselves to the Stylus to see the fantastic MØ, who’s energetic stage presence combined with infectious pop songs made for a really great set. The use of projections as a backdrop was a nice touch, adding an extra dimension to the show for those at the back. ‘Pilgrim’ and ‘Glass’, with Singer Karen Marie Ørsted prowling the stage in a leopard print bomber jacket. From one definite highlight of the weekend and straight on to another, I managed to get to the front for Savage’s set. That renowned intensity wasn’t hampered too much by sound difficulties with singer Jehn’s mic. Once these problems were fixed the launched into a full on rendition of ‘Shut Up’, and there’s probably some irony to be found in there somewhere. The rest of the set, with rumbling bass, punchy drums and, of course, Jehn’s fierce, intense vocals made sure that savages’ performance stayed in my mind for a good long while. They scared and thrilled in equal measures and SI loved every minute.

Dinosaur Pile Up

After getting slightly lost, SI managed to arrive at the beautiful Holy Trinity church in time for Sóley’s sound check. Her set was beautiful, even despite a quite impossibly loud argument breaking out halfway through, which left a slightly awkward, embarrassed atmosphere lingering for a few songs. However this went away as throughout the rest of her set Sóley created such beautiful, haunting songs which had the audience in a sort of hushed reverence, befitting the church setting. ‘Pretty Face’ and ‘I’ll Drown’, with its echoing, sampled vocals, were the highlights of a truly captivating performance.

Embers were a last minute addition to the line-up, and although they clashed with headliners The Walkmen, they were un-missable, as a band who have played too few shows since they first burst onto the Manchester scene. And they didn’t disappoint, creating huge, reverberating songs that filled the tiny, boiling Nation Of Shopkeepers from wall to wall. It may have been the walking, or the heat, or the lack of sleep, but SI may have found ourselves getting a little emotional towards the end of their set. Embers’ blend of shoegaze and post-rock is immensely impressive live, and SI implores you to go and see them.

After realising that I had missed ‘The Rat’, SI is ashamed to say that we left The Walkmen’s set early. A whole day of intensive band watching, walking and getting lost in Leeds had taken its toll and we needed a bit of a sit down. As the Stylus was packed (and rightly so) for The Walkmen, we wandered down to The Mine to Watch Sky Larkin. To end the weekend with a band who have been a part of the Northern music scene for many years seemed fitting somehow, and was really quite special. It seems they have only got better since we last saw them all those years ago.

Live At Leeds, though exhausting, was a thoroughly fantastic festival with a great atmosphere. And, for this writer, who had never been to Leeds before, it also proved a fantastic tour around the city and some of its impressive venues. The only downside was missing so many bands due to clashes , walking or both. Honourable mentions go to The Crookes, The Staves, Micky P Kerr and King Krule. We’re sure that there’ll be plenty of opportunities to see this lot soon though. Roll on Live At Leeds 2014!

Words: Holly Read Challen
Photos: Braden Fletcher

Live: Wet Nuns – Birthdays

“I don’t know why they booked a bunch of heavier bands before us.” Drummer Alexis is miffed. Wet Nuns are in London to promote their new single Broken Teeth and the bands on before them have screamed in deep voices words like “DOOOOOMMM” without even a hint of Dalston’s finest irony. Luckily, things always make sense at a Wet Nuns show.

As the bull-horns are placed on the drum kit, the lights kept to a minimum and arguments with the crowd about previous London shows, converse and the geographical heritage of the two members of the Sheffield band (neither are from Yorkshire) are complete however; that mirage of sanity goes out the window. Surely something can make this evening make sense? I mean, Sound Influx did this evening pay a fiver for a rum and coke in a part of London that five years ago he would have expected to been able to at least buy a double for that.

The music. Thank goodness the headliners play music! The aforementioned new single sounds fresh amongst a series of songs that make the Black Keys look like posers whilst rock and roll screams on in El Camino’s tracks.  Racing through an hour long setlist in order to fit it into a 45minute slot seems to suit the duo, complete with bull horns on Alexis’ drum kit power through tour-track Broken Teeth and sound like a tighter unit than we’ve ever heard them before in the process. Tracks such Heaven’s Below turn frontman Rob from relatively unassuming chap into rock colossus as his command of the guitar and powerful roar takes the relatively small venue by hold and the crowd by storm.

From this point, its rather difficult to tell what happens. The Nuns are so loud and the crowd begin to be so raucous that it’s impossible to take even phone notes from where Sound Influx is stood, right at the front. For this, we apologise. For imparting the knowledge upon you that as far as bands that make you want to rock without sounding dated in the slightest; bands that spend time joking with the crowd before kicking into no-nonsence two-piece heavy-blues; bands that won’t stick out in a tiny Dalston venue nor Reading stage but will stand out anywhere; you want Wet Nuns. 

Braden Fletcher