Weekly > Reviews
Hard Fi - Leeds Metropolitan University
”..we love you Leeds, Leeds, Leeds” goes the closing line of Marching On Together a song that has been chanted throughout the evening by an adoring Leeds public, in anticipation of a homecoming gig for local heroes the Kaiser Chiefs.
And yes they deserve it, but more on them to come in a couple of weeks when we review their show on the 26th April at the same venue, for now let’s concentrate on two cracking support bands.
I’ll start with fellow “Leeds Scenesters” The Cribs (don’t let it bother you that they are actually from nearby Wakefield rather than Leeds). Last year the criminally underrated self titled album passed an unsuspecting public by on the whole. However live is where they seem to really come into their own, the two brothers hammer their way through a combination of the best of the album tracks and a couple of new tracks, before being joined by the headliners for one track and celebrating with the lead singer opening a bottle of champagne with his teeth….this is a foolish thing to do, but very rock n roll, which probably explains why he laughed along with the crowd when he got the corck in his mush! Oh and a special mention to the drummer for some mad, stood on the drum kit with his back to the crowd style drumming!
So where in amongst this great Leeds love in did Hard-Fi stumble, which was really my reason for being there? Unfortunately for them they are somewhat behind the two bands above them on the bill in terms of the following they can attract, so it was the graveyard, early shift for them.
What I should really add onto that is that for the time being they are currently playing out to relatively small audiences, but if tonight is anything to go by then this is something that could change pretty quickly for them.
- Hard Fi
- Leeds Metropolitan University (13th April 2005)
- Category: Live
- Label: Necessary Records
- Support: Supporting Kaiser Chiefs and The Cribs
- Reviewed by: Kev
- Published on: 15 Apr 2005
- Comments: 0
- Beat Surrender Rating:
Weblinks
Add to favouritesThey probably started off playing to no more than a hundred or so hardy souls who were stood with limited interest, drinking a beer in the main room, come the end of the set though and word had spread in the bar that a very talented West London foursome were rocking like absolute bastards through a set that had all the swagger and poise of Kasabian], mixed with the youthful verve of early career Supergrass (not in the sound but in the performance), the main room was getting full now and the bar was emptying.
Now this is fairly unusual stuff for a little known support band, the usual ritual would be for the gaggle at the front to be an ever changing mass as some decide to stay and watch, some quickly leave to return to the bar and the odd few inquisitive folk venture through. Hard Fi though know how to work a crowd, charming and funny in between songs, they rode on the back of the Leeds vibe by bigging up the next two bands, ultimately though it’s the music that does the talking.
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