LIVE: Late Night Legacy @Headrow House

Late Night Legacy are an act set apart by their energy, and that’s true both onstage and off. In just two short years, they have grown from a brand new band to a staple of their local scene, touring relentlessly, writing constantly, and even opening for Duran Duran on their way to the top. It’s an impressive bio for sure, but more than any other act I’ve seen, Late Night Legacy are a band you have to see live to truly understand what they’re about. To that end, I made my way to Leeds’ most stylish venue Headrow House, ready to experience their winning Chilli-Pepper-And-Black-Keys, funk rock formula for myself.

First though, there were a whole host of other bands to keep the early arrivals busy, and they soon proved that even a eleven o’ clock line-up shuffle couldn’t put a downer on the night. Stepping in as a last minute arrival were Dear Friends sans brass section, who delivered a sparkling set filled with what is best described as “music that kind of makes you feel like a horse running through a field in a music video.” Despite not being present in full, it didn’t take long for their sprawling, cinematic folk pop to win over the watching crowd, and the constantly switching lead vocals and ethereal harmonies certainly didn’t do them any harm either.

Deacon Brody were next in line, and they proved that sometimes, big sounds can come in deceptively little packages. Despite being a three-piece, the punk rockers from Lancashire delivered an explosive set filled with undeniably catchy choruses and folk-tinged, festival-ready melodies that managed to bring a little of the sunny summer evening from outside to right on stage. Newest offering Hey To The River was a standout, and ensured that even those who started the gig not knowing their name, definitely couldn’t leave the same way.

After a short break, it was down to local Leeds staples Citrus Heights to bring the groove, something, it turns out, that they have in abundance. From start to finish, the self-proclaimed indie groove pop band gave the crowd no choice but to pull on their dancing shoes, and led them through a set filled with irresistible hooks and deliciously smooth vocals. It really was a come up for the up-and-coming, with the guys being another group to have reached an insane level of sophistication despite only playing together for a few short years.

They brought with them a core group of fans who made it their mission to show just how danceable their discography was and that, combined with perfectly formed pop-grooves like Questions, Limitations and of course title track Sweet Things, ensured the rest of the crowd couldn’t hold out for long. It’s rare to write a rock review where the names Bruno Mars and Buble seem perhaps the most relevant, but if Citrus Heights proved anything, it’s that no matter what genre you find yourself in, velvet vocals never go amiss.

Then, of course, it was time for the main event. Though the whole night was in celebration of the band’s newest single I’m An Eagle, the guys delivered a blistering set from beginning to end, proving that there really is no substitute for solid musicianship and pure, unbridled charisma. Previous single Of Our Times delivered the effortless, blues-tinged sophistication you might expect of a band from much further afield than this side of the Atlantic, while a combination of Oversold & Overdrawn’s deliciously sleazy guitars and frontman Kitto’s tried-and-tested showmanship ensured not a single member of the crowd could resist getting involved.

I’m An Eagle kicked off with a word of thanks to actors who made the hilarious music video possible, and ended having kicked the show up to an undeniable eleven. Already a great song, it was made even greater by the crazy, high energy antics of every member of the band, who seemed determined to prove that giving it everything is the new disenfranchised cool. The energy only got more frenzied as the night wore on, with the ferociously addictive My Liberation proving the point at which everything hit fever pitch.

Frontmen getting shirtless on stage isn’t a new thing, and it’s even less surprising coming from a band who cite both the Chilli Peppers and Pearl Jam as their influences, but managing to get half the crowd to follow suit is a phenomenon very rarely seen. As indications go, seeing half an audience decide unanimously that a song is so groovy that listening to it topless is the only way can only be a good omen - even if it definitely took the poor photographer by surprise.

In short, Late Night Legacy proved beyond doubt that you don’t have to be Leeds natives to be an indispensable part of the Leeds scene. In fact, watching them take Headrow House by storm didn’t just make it clear they were ones to watch, it also made it hard to imagine the circuit without them.

#Review #LATENIGHTLEGACY #HEADROWHOUSE #LEEDS #LIVEMUSIC