On a chilly evening in the north of England, there’s no better way to warm up than with some Eurovision dance pop… well that’s what everyone told themselves on this bitter Monday in Leeds.
Glaswegian two piece Hyyts are the lone support for the show and their infectious 80s inspired vibes received an exceptional reaction from the crowd. Bad Tattoo, apparently Daði’s favourite song of the bands made a welcome appearance to the setlist as well as a raucous cover of Shania Twain’s You’re Still the One. Hyyts set was full of fun, tunes and exceptional Dad dancing, a definite band to look out for in the future.
Opening the set pondering the question, “Why does the UK boo so much? Are you all hooligans?” The entire Leeds audience knew they were in for a night of top quality banter from the Icelandic trio. If the video for their track Think About Things that went viral during lockdown 2020 was anything to go by, the crowd were expecting six 20-somethings in vivid green jumpers. However, Daði, standing at a wild 6 foot 9 inches (thanks Wikipedia) enters the stage in the most “normal” clothes ever imagined.
Track Hvað með það or its English translation Is This Love?, the song Daði entered for the 2017 Eurovision song contest went down a storm with the die-hard fans plastered to the barricade. The slight language barrier between Daði and the Leeds mob made for awkward, but charming conversation between the front man and sold out crowd. Halfway through the electro heavy set, just before dropping into a techno version of the tweety song, Daði revealed to the crowd “I just realized I’m wearing a dirty shirt… I thought it was water, but now I realise it’s not… please don’t ask for refunds.”
The trio are multi-talented, the harmonies are flawless between them, Daði switching between guitar, keys and various pieces of electronic equipment plugged into his laptop. Blowing away any Monday blues with the song Feel the Love, the trio showcase 70s funk sounding tones (complete with added bongos) which add to the party feel of the song.
Heckled with “play Ja Ja Ding Dong!” from the fictional film Eurovision, the band drop into 10 Years, the song chosen to represent Iceland at the song contest in 2021. Something Magical, the band’s Christmas song, complete with bells goes down a treat but it’s Think About Things that everyone is waiting patiently for. During the song, there are crowd members copying the dance moves that famously went viral on TikTok, smiles lighting up the room- this is what everyone has missed over the last two years, just losing their mind to an absolute bop.
This was a relatively small tour for the Icelandic outfit but they are embarking on a huge tour in 2022, if you’re a fan of funky dance ditties, electro beats and a generally good time, make sure you catch them around the UK next year!
