Yard Act put on a show at the O2 Apollo Theatre as a mix of disco infused tunes, post punk bangers and a bag of fizzy fish created an unmissable atmosphere.
The Leeds quartet compromised primarily of lead singer James Smith, guitarist Sam Shipstone, drummer Jay Russell and bassist Ryan Needham have brought their own brand of post punk across the UK.
Support act Hang Linton kicked off the night in his own whacky way as he came onto the stage with a suitcase and rattled off household items on sale in a fictional shop.
If this wasn’t strange enough, he made the crowd do dog impressions before going into a heavy guitar led track.
‘Automatic’ was a standout song with his infectious flow backed by a drum and bass track.
Linton’s brand of zaniness was only a taste of what was to come.
GUSTAF followed as the American five piece brought their art punk style to the show.
To prove this one of the members, Tarra Thiessen, brought out a tray filled with bells, a tin can, and a rubber chicken as she danced non-stop for every song – think Bez from the Happy Mondays but if he went to art school.
The theme of dogs reoccurred in this set for the track ‘Dog’ which was backed by a constant bark from Thiessen.
The lead singer Lydia Gammill had a great stage presence, as her vocal delivery filled out the vast theatre.
She even provided a flute intro for their song ‘Happy’ which was is a great introduction to anyone interested in the band
They delivered tight set of punk tunes with their own Avant Garde style and made for a great appetizer for the top of the bill.
Yard Act came on to the stage with the with the opening track ‘An Illusion’ from their sophomore release ‘Where’s My Utopia?’ a slower introduction to a night which was no short energy.
This new set of songs laced with their newfound electronic, disco style still maintain the soul of the band with Smith’s lyrics as cutting and raw as ever.
The political commentary shines through on track ‘Fizzy Fish’ which comments on think tanks as Smith throws a bag of the sour sweet into the pit of people below.
What adds to the whole performance is the two backing singers/dancers who really spark songs into life and add an extra layer of fun to make it a real stage show.
The hour and a quarter set was performed with the joy which it clearly brings to fans.
However, they do not want to dwell on the past too much so instead of choosing a song from their first EP to play they brought on a spinner wheel as a fan Ewan spun to land on the tongue and cheek ‘Fixer Upper’.
Their early post punk songs are still popular with their fans as ‘The Overload’ and ‘Dead Horse’ delivered their sharp hooks as the crowd shouted the words back in unison.
Whilst the band have experimented with their new sound, they played it with a new lease of life compared to their early work.
A standout performance came from ‘A Vineyard for the North’ the closer to their new album as the band put their heart into a track that will surely be a staple of their live shows going forward.
The problem a band can face is an unresponsive crowd to a change in sound, but Yard Act buck the trend as arguably their new dance infused tracks stole the big moments of the night.
Their encore kicked off with the ‘100% Endurance’, the track is an anthem for their fans as they open their arms to Needham’s slick bassline backed by the organ like piano.
They ended the night with the eight minute ‘The Trench Coat Museum’ as the support acts came out to do a choreographed number whilst the crowd had one last dance.
Their live shows bring this new album to life and Manchester embraced a night of ace music by a band on top their game.
Images by Joe Mulhaney
