This was a night to celebrate the launch of “Embers” the new single from InFade, click here for my review of that tune from last month. But before I tell you more about InFade there were three other bands bringing their music to the 360 Club at the Lending Room in Leeds, which is possibly one of the coolest and most intimate venues in Yorkshire. First up were We Make Waves, this Leeds five-piece rocked as though they were auditioning to be Asgard’s house band. They passed that audition with style and a bass that was as thunderous as Thor’s mighty hammer, Mjolnir! Bass player Olli Rawcliffe even sported hair and beard close to that of the Thunder God. Amy Kennedy’s vocals backed by such a strong band made me think of what perhaps the Foo Fighters might sound like if they had a female singer. It is also so refreshing to see another female fronted band. Apparently, We Make Waves are in the middle of recording a couple of songs, with which they closed their set. The last of these, apologies I didn’t get the title, was truly epic! Click here to check them out on SoundCloud.
We Make Waves
Next up were Lords Of Power, also from Leeds. Now I don’t believe that they are actual Lords, but fuck do they have some power! It struck me that this might be what Black Sabbath could have sounded like if Paul Rodgers replaced Ozzy Osbourne as lead vocalist, Dave Sowden’s singing is that good! Lords Of Power appear to have been carved from the great oak of British rock lineage; Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Bad Company and many more. Sowden even introduced a really amusing Yorkshire Freddie Mercury crowd chant; “ayup, aaayyyyuup”. Every one of the three band members plays a vital part in giving them their almost off the scale power. It was a shame to hear that bass player, Dan Sugden was playing his last gig with the band. The “Computer Game Loading” was very engaging too. The high point of their set, for me, was “The Devil Wears Shoes” which would fit rather nicely into an episode of Netflix’s “Lucifer”. Click here to check the Lords Of Power out on SoundCloud.
Lords Of Power
The penultimate band tonight was CPSD an eclectic, engaging and highly talented three-piece. If you like funk, punk, blues, electro, heavy metal, Prog Rock or even dubstep, these guys have it all. When they fire up their full sonic assault they don’t sound like a trio, they sound like a full orchestra. There is a sniff of Slaves and the WhiteStripes about them at times and I mean that in a good way. They sound great in recorded form but they take it to another level completely in the live setting. They smash their way into your brain with power that could split a planet in two, just like a rock version of Quake from “Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D”. Click here to check out one of their songs on SoundCloud, but also get yourself to one of their gigs. You will not regret it!
CPSD
After three immensely good bands could InFade raise the bar even further? Well, the answer to that question ladies, gentlemen, punks, goths, funkateers, and every other tribe is that yes they damned well can and they bloody well did! This was a mesmerising performance from a band that is fast shaping up to be one of Leeds finest. When I first met them they described themselves as some kind of a cross between Tool and Earth, Wind and Fire. That statement alone was enough to intrigue me and seeing them live proves that to be a true statement. They wear their funk hearts on their sleeves so proudly that their stage entry music was one of Nile Rodgers greatest songs; “Le Freak” by Chic. Interestingly Richard, the promoter for this gig does not announce the running order until late on, to ensure that the hardcore fan element for each band stick around longer. I never understood why people would come and see “their” band and then not bother to see the rest of the acts, but hey, to each their own right? It worked tonight as there was a pretty solid crowd throughout the night and for InFade. The boys hit the ground running with a punchy set that showcased their musical talents. Max’s vocals are emotional, soulful and show tones of an epic rock voice when belting out their anthemic tunes. Meanwhile, Carl and Jonny are a highly tuned Formula 1 engine that purrs loudly beneath some great tunes. The highlights for me were “Venom” and the aforementioned “Embers”. Like all the previous bands this evening InFade seemed to be having a lot of fun. Showcased brilliantly by Carl’s audience invasion towards the end of the set. This was a great night for all of those who took the stage, but I think InFade just about shaded it against some great competition. Click here to check out their stuff on Spotify and if you missed this gig they will be playing the 360 Club again on Friday 20th September!
InFade
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