Live Review
Live Review: The Blackout / Yashin / When We Were Wolves – Corporation, Sheffield 6.11.2014
It’s a Thursday night in Sheffield, and the aptly named When We Were Wolves are getting things off to an explosive start on the Blackout’s Wolves tour. Hailing from Wales, the same as tonight’s headliners, these openers are metalcore through and through, and they put the crowd through the wringer complete with an excess of …
Live: The Specials – O2 Leeds Academy 10.11.14
It’s not been heard for a while, but it’s familiar all the same; the chant is ‘Rude boys! Rude boys! Rude boys!’, what with that and the chequered drum kit,it can mean only one thing… The Specials are in town and they’re ready to wind back the clock and have us skanking like its 1979. …
LIVE: JAH WOBBLE’s INVADERS OF THE HEART, Hebden Bridge Trades Club, 7th Nov 2014
It’s been 20 odd years since the last outing of Jah Wobble’s Invaders, with tonight being one of a mere handful of gigs. Originally planned to coincide with a new album of covers and the forthcoming Redux Box Set (now expected in the New Year) they now serve as something of a live prelude to …
Meet: Habitats interview
One band who we fear we may have fallen head over heels with in the last few weeks and months is London quartet, Habitats. If there’s one thing we like to hang our hat on here at Backseat Mafia is tunes (and noisy shit and noodly guitars and time signatures and handclaps, but mainly tunes) …
Live Review: Eagulls / Bad Breeding / Autobahn – Scala, London 30.102014
The Scala, London, is more reminiscent of a bear pit than music hall, with its various perches on three sides overlooking a small stage. First to be thrust in, is fellow Leeds thrashers, Autobahn. Their noise is fierce and raw, the set highlight being Ulcer, with its thunderous bass under screeching guitars, and sequined frontman Craig …
Live Review: Belle and Sebastian – Manchester Cathedral 28.10.2014
Manchester Cathedral is a magnificently historic, Gothic edifice. On paper at least, giving a band like Belle & Sebastian the opportunity to play its hallowed nave appears both inspired and a mite sacrilegious, in a naughty-but-nice way. Is this not the band that sings about getting a “dose of thrush from licking railings” amidst other …
Live Review: Lola Colt / Bird – Hebden Bridge Trades Club 24.10.2014 plus gallery
Is it true to say you can’t get too much of a good thing? Not sure. But one thing is for sure, Lola Colt are a good thing and at Backseat Mafia we certainly can’t get too much of them. Friday night finds us at The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge. Tucked away down a side …
Live Review: Kikagaku Moyo 幾何学模様 – Wharf Chambers, Leeds 21.10.2014
Click on any photo at the bottom of this post to see the whole gallery from the gig. Kikagaku Moyo/ 幾何学模様 have been in my life for about a month now, but somehow it feels longer. I must admit that I did not immediately fall for the band’s considerable charms and it took me a …
Live Review: Spear Of Destiny – Greystones, Sheffield 14.10.2014
I was not a spotty teenager the last time I saw Spear of Destiny. I was a teenager, but I never had spots. I did have my haircut like Kirk Brandon though and I can vividly remember the gig at Leeds Uni. Just as we were going in, the windows were smashed, I lost my …
Live Review: Prides at Brudenell Social Club, 20th October 2014
“LEEDS! How are we doing?!” The crowd roars in response as lead singer Stewart Brock addresses his fans. I quickly shouted “How are you?” and that caught him off guard. That’s the thing about bands; every night they greet a city like old friends but the crowd rarely get to ask the questions. Try it yourself …