Alive at Leeds, just

Another year another spring visit to my second home in Yorkshire. Ramsay and Jo, in case you didn't realise I have squatters rights. Driven back to Otley by my chauffeur Mr Palmer in new sporty car eschewing some indie band so that I can watch Arsene's last game in Europe (at least with The Arsenal). We lost. At least Dulwich Hamlet won and are into the final play off [stop press. they are promoted into the heady heights that Bath City enjoy]. Thanks for accommodating me Ramsay. After a couple more pints in empty pubs (I guess it is Thursday before a big weekend) we roll home. Shortly afterwards Jo rolls home too.

Friday sees the 2nd day of le Tour de Yorkshire. I cycle to Pool to have a beer at Ramsay's parents and then watch the women start the daunting climb of the Cote de Old Pool Bank. Then I race back to Otley but of course don't beat the women to Ilkley despite them having to tackle the legendary Cow and Calf. For my 20 minute 5 mile effort see below and https://www.strava.com/activities/1548866627

The leaders on the foothills of Old Pool Bank

The Peleton

My Strrava

After a pleasant afternoon with Jo I walk up from Otley to the top of Old Pool Bank, hot enough walking the cyclists must be wishing for the usual British Yorkshire weather, where the throng on the summit are kept off the wrong side of the road (as if there is one) by power mad stewards and coppers. Little less zealous just down the hill and as the leading riders fly up and the stragglers struggle up I get a few good shots including Cav who I seem to photograph often and not intentionally. Then it’s a half hour wait for the roads to open and bus into Leeds. Ramsay is coming back from a beer festival so I chill out on a grassy knoll before we hit the Wardrobe and lig with the movers and shakers of the Leeds music scene. First we see are OUR GIRL who are a pretty damn good way to start the weekend’s festivities with the 3 piece serving up quirky indie reminiscent of Courtney Barnett in both style and content. Worth another listen definitely. Next is CHELOU (pretty sure of that) who are a 2 piece with spacey guitar over alternating real and digital drumming XX stylee. By this time Jon and Scottie have arrived from the West Country and we’re whisked back to Otley where it’s hugs all round with Jo and we indulge in a few drinks ending with French vodka which we really didn’t need but hey it’s good practice for tomorrow.

The leaders nearing the top of Cote de Old Pool Bank

And into the crowds

Cav along with the struggling stragglers

Saturday and yep definitely didn’t need that last drink but we’re all up and out to pick up Malcolm en route to the bus station and X84ing into Leeds. Starting off the day with an early midday start to see KOYO who play a great pulsatingly rocked out veering into the psychedelic hinterlands set ending with a free form psych rock jazz crossover with the added bonus of a sax player. After a climatic ending we chat to Poppy and Tom (drummer) and I tell him it was a lot better than when I saw them on Tuesday and he agrees that the sound was crap then. Better reception than when I gave my opinion of Toy, to Toy, up at the Crows Nest but that belongs to another story. After that we hot foot it to the justifiably legendary Nation of Shopkeepers to catch another near family connection, well, tenuously by parents being close friends, to see our hero Daniel and his band KAWALA. I was a little worried that they’d only have 6 middle aged men dancing badly (check out my half second of fame in previous blog link to video!) as kids were hardly going to be up and about at 1pm regardless of who’s playing but the place is rammed. I manage to wish Daniel good luck and then chat with girlfriend’s dad and mates (thank god someone else of my generation is there) and are then treated to a great set of jangly beat driven songs. Great vocals and guitars. Tight bass and drums. Audience interaction between songs – it should be compulsory for bands to make dodgy jokes between songs instead of studiously retuning their instruments and looking serious, not that your joikes are dodgy Daniel! – brings us closer and they go down extremely well. Veering from indie with a nice sprinkling of poppiness, just enough, to an African / Carribbean beat with that distinctive guitar sound very appropriate to the weather outside and with a stripped down guitar and vocals only number thrown in for free in an unplugged style. Gets us in the mood for the rest of the day. Thanks Daniel and friends. Apologies to both bands that my dodgy camera phone didn't get any pics worth showing.

Start of the day - we didn't all stay together

At this point Ramsay and Jo hop in a cab to go see someone ages away whilst a few of us wander towards somewhere getting distracted by firstly the Millenium Square le Tour fan zone with dodgy Bradford cover band and then distracted by the Fenton for a drink (afterwards: Ramsay “I didn’t know they had any bands on there”; me “they didn’t we played table football”; stunned silence due to incomprehension). Very pleasant and existential as we drew as only even number of balls. Anyways we then catch the fabulously laid back, wittery, whilst demanding SUPERORGANISM who deliver an excellently quirky set with brilliantly crazy background graphics and a dancy not too poppy not too anthemic up beat hands in the air yeah! (under instruction and later dancing like shrimps) songs the nearest being Go! Team for a lazy comparison. We saw Rams and Jo for a while in the gig but they leave early. Sunning ourselves outside Malcolm and I catch up with lives, lig with Daniel and his mates as they pass and find Jon and Scottie. Wander further out of Leeds we flake at the Library Lending Room where the unpromisingly named VUNDERBAR are on and decide to give them a shot. Very good call as they are a fine Boston Rock and Roll band who are shit hot on their instruments and chat with us about ridiculous things (we’re on a roll with audience participation and dodgy jokes). Proper high energy rock jumping across the pre and post punk years and dipping back into the 70s . All at the same time. Fierce guitar solos at times like the pumping action of Wilko Johnson. Great. Come back soon.

My preferred position. Left Back. In the changing room.

Half of Superorganism without plastic macs

And the other half including diminutive but big lead singer

Straight Outta Boston

Yay!! It’s Brudenell time and I’m feverishly anticipating their new room. By this time it’s swelteringly hot and possibly the best May Day Bank Holiday since workers revolted and May Day began. Hyde Park (Leeds version) is covered in uncovered flesh with the indigenous population trying their best to get sunburnt and although tempted we’ve got more important things to do than sit around drinking in the sun. Having reached the Brudenell we get the pints in and sit around outside in the glorious sunshine boozing. We’re tempted inside by the amusingly named PIP BLOM (later I ask them where the weird name came from, embarrassingly I’m not it’s the name of the lead singer (they’re from Amsterdam) so that’s another band I’ve insulted. The conversation is stopped short). Anyway that’s in the future. For now they’re playing a great set of late 80s heavy indie with a great drummer and bassist. Although great they’re the sort of band who you’d buy the single rather than spend your hard earned on the album. Then we spend the next couple of hours hanging out in the sun chatting and drinking. I think I caught the howl and the hum when at the bar but can’t be sure. Malcolm and I are left which is no bad thing (at least for me – you can ask him) and we get a real bonus in the shape of STELLA DONNELLY from Australia who plays a big guitar, both sound and dimensions, singing about gritty subjects such as hating her old boss (get over it girl) but soon moving onto sexual assault (ignore last parenthesis). It’s sort of first album Tracey Thorn (and that is a comparison that I don’t make lightly as that is a top ten album of all time) with a jokier (OK not all songs) side and Stella entertains immensely. As I say, a real bonus. Vocals are intense, both lyrics and sound, which at times brings tears to the eyes n a wistful otherworldliness sort of way. Brilliant. Next we pop next door to see SUZI WU and her digital drummer and part time synth player Otto. I love her diverse urban sound with cutting lyrics almost Ian Dury-ish in the poeticness (I read that she was compared to him and I agree) but all too soon she’s off. Malcolm’s not so sold but has the decency to say he loved the set when we chat to her outside I dread to think what I’d’ve said if I didn’t like her. Then it’s BOY AZOOGA who are a decent enough indie band.

Pip Blom

A Stella performance

An entertainer despite technical difficulties with guitar (not shown)

Suzi and Otto (if I remember rightly)

Sunset from the Brudenell taxi place

To be honest the Resplendent Pale Ale or whatever it's called and the sun make our last band a little hazy and we taxi back into Leeds as Malcolm’s going to church and I’m reuniting with my posse at YAK who deliver a blisteringly energetic set complete with moshing (yes, I was somehow dragged into it kicking and screaming – I think it may been Poppy and the Koyo  band members). We have the obligatory post post punk now rediscovered rock band member crowd surfing (the singer guitarist who carried on playing) and a jolly good time was had by all. We decide to go for THE HORRORS as the late night clash of bands decision. It’s in an old church which suits them well. Start is dodgy sound wise but it improves and as we’re at the front we witness a great dancy rock infused set that I thoroughly enjoy. Good choice Ramsay and Jo. Next up to Lending Room for another bout of hard core thrashiness courtesy of AVALANCHE PARTY with the singer dodging through the audience and ending up on the bar. OK, only a short distance but looked good. We get taxis back into town which for me is fairly taxing as everyone who I’m with have non working Uber and no taxis are free. Chatting to Ramsay’s work mates is a bit odd what with the Korean getting involved but eventually the two of us left get a cab and end up at the Wardrobe and catch up with the rest for a few hours of dancing to indie (bet I look good on the dance floor), classic indie rave tunes and other miscellaneous stuff. At 3 we’re moved on upstairs where a few hard core can’t stop their feet and I chat nonsense to anyone who will listen and roll rollups for spaced out girls who are dexterously challenged across the street on smokers row where it's all smiles where you from and what's your story, By 4 the place is winding down and we wander around the bus station area eventually getting a cab big enough for the 5 of us (Malcolm caught the last bus back with the family ticket) and on the way back home I’m thinking how much the half moon is lighting up the countryside. Of course it’s the sun and by the time we’re back it’s daylight. We crash and surprisingly I fall fast asleep.

Yakkity Yak

The Horrors with stain glass behind

The Horrors from side of stge

Avalanche Party - note singer guitarist off stage

Sunday is the day after with little sleep but as it’s late morning we can’t get back to sleep. We hang out in the scorching sun in the Palmer’s beautiful back garden and I watch le Tour de Yorkshire on telly. Lunch is Jo’s Fabulous Lentil Stuffed Red Peppers and then we’re off into Otley and a few hundred yards up the Chevin Road to cheer on le Tour as it passes by. After that amazing excitement (I'm not being sarcastic) we say farewell to Jon and Scottie and then it’s round to Malcolm and Lisa’s for her Birthday Pizza Party with the usual suspects out in force. It’s lovely to catch up with them in the sun. After a few hours the restorative effect of rhubarb steeped gin is giving way to the soporific effect of Leffe and a chilly night air. Back home to bed. A much better sleep tho not 100% but it’ll do. After breakfast and sunning (what a weekend!) it’s fond farewells and I’m on the train back to the Big Smoke and home which I’m greatly anticipating as I write this on the packed train.

The crowd

Rossetto in front and stays there to win the stage

The rest

Starting to feel the Cote de Otley Chevin