LIVE: Glass Mountain & Brooders, Leeds Brudenell.

There are few bands as well matched as Brooders and Glass Mountain. For the past year, both have been staples of the local scene, playing every venue they could get their foot in, touring incessantly, and supporting bands as wide-ranging as Hawkwind and Allusondrugs. As two of the biggest underground rising stars of the northern music roster, a co-headlining tour was inevitable, and with both groups famed for their no-holds-barred performance style, it did not disappoint.

The Old Pink House might seem like an odd choice for a support, with the self-described ‘cosmic pop’ act not exactly what you’d expect to see alongside the more discordant and grungy offerings of the headliners, but they turned out to be the perfect fit. Indisputably catchy, they floated through their set with just the right amount of sweetness, blending syrupy, sing-along choruses with a cool electronic edge that made them truly irresistible. With tracks like Take It Out On Me and Black Hole taking absolutely no prisoners, it’s no surprise they’ll be supporting Manic Street Preachers in the near future, and I’m sure we’ll be hearing much more from them besides.

Harry Whittaker and Treason Kings were a good way to round out the bill, with one being a promising up-and-coming songwriter and the other playing their last ever headline show. Treason Kings have been part of the lifeblood of the Leeds scene for 5 years, so seeing them take a step back to focus on other things is a blow, but they certainly didn’t go down without a fight. Their wall-of-noise, brute force stylings prevailed, with the timeless rock vocals of their self-titled EP carrying them through their more ballad-y moments and ensuring they soared through a victory lap of a set. As for Harry Whittaker, his occasionally psych-laden indie pop proved that he was most definitely on the up-and-up, with his vocals the centre of a set that was both ambitious and charming.

Then of course, it was time for the guys themselves. Both with relatively new releases in Brooders self-titled mini-EP and Glass Mountain’s 'Home In The Weather' video, both bands were on the top of their game, with even the small venue playing to their strengths as high-energy performers.

Though it was Glass Mountain’s first headline show, it certainly didn’t feel like it, as they took to the slot like seasoned pros. If anything, it only made them more thankful and engaged with the crowd, who in turn took the energy to whole new heights. Even in its more mournful moments, the Glacial EP that put them on the map only a year ago stood up to the task, with both the title track and more up-tempo offerings like Medicate showcasing exactly the kind of sweeping, cinematic post-rock the band are so famous for. If that performance was anything to go by, it definitely won’t be the first headline tour we see from them, as anyone who started out the night not entirely convinced definitely didn’t end it that way.

Brooders set went from venomous to sleezy and right back again, with the brash vocals of Thrill Killer even more brutal in a live setting than they are on the EP. The energy was already pretty much at fever pitch when they hit the stage, but they managed to stir things up even further, making it clear (if there was ever any doubt) that they were more than capable of bringing the fire. Even when things slowed down, and the riff-driven hard rock was replaced with spookier, grungier fare, the energy was palpable, and the band’s command on the crowd was absolute. Melancholy was a culmination of everything that made both the band and the gig great, perfectly waking the line between indisputable rock vocals and eerie, atmospheric instrumentation. By the end of the night the crowd were looking a little rough around the edges, and definitely dealing with some serious ringing in the ears, but you’d be hard pushed to find a regret in any one of them.

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