After the release of their sophomore album, ‘Where’s My Utopia’, Yard Act depart from the britpoppy, post-punk box they put themselves in with their debut record, ‘The Overload’, broadening their horizons with a sound more akin to synth-electropop, swapping out heavy and grungy guitar riffs for catchy hooks and understated dance beats. While lyrically retaining lead singer James Smith’s quippy and poetical gab, his droll brand of humour remains the band’s unique selling point.
Last week, they took over Manchester’s O2 Apollo, not far from where the Leeds quartet originated. Smith, talking of this venue in particular, in his thick Yorkshire brogue, professed, “I’ve stood right where you are and watched hundreds of gigs here. I set a goal in life to play this stage, but I never thought it’d ‘appen.” Yet here they are, topping the bill, supported by the chaotically charismatic American art punk band Gustaf. Consisting of Bez-like backing singer Tarra Thiessen, who dances interactively with the crowd, wielding a cowbell as opposed to maracas. While lead singer Lydia Gammill slaps herself repeatedly in the head to each timely yet disorderly drumbeat as she sings the chorus to the highlight of their set, their biggest hit, ‘Book’.
The neon orange lights blaze the stage alight as lead singer James Smith swaggers on bearing his archetypal trench coat, comically mimicking binoculars out of his hands to look out over the thousands who’ve come out to see them. Joking to begin with, but as the cheers continued, he seemed genuinely overcome, taking a step back for a second, before sheepishly moving towards the microphone. “Fuckin’ hell!”
And before the cheers have even ceased, they start up the ska-esque beat of ‘An Illusion’; with beautiful overlapping harmonies from backing singers Daisy and Lauren, whose wild, unapologetic limb-throwing moves create a spectacle throughout the show. Smith’s chorus is probably the closest he comes to singing, as opposed to ‘Dead Horse’ up next, exhibiting the epitome of a Yard Act track: Smith’s signature sprechgesang; Ryan Needham’s deep and grinding bass; and Sam Shipstone’s, stop-starty, stabbing guitar that cuts through Smith’s madcap shrieks, changing gear when you least expect it to spark a series of mosh pits. The high energy carried through to ‘When the Laughter Stops’ with Needham’s earworm of a bassline and Daisy’s vocals working together to fashion a groovy chorus.
Smith comfortably returned to his spoken-word delivery that’s reminiscent of an amalgamation between Jarvis Cocker and poet John Cooper Clarke. With a hint of influence that he previously acknowledged himself from an early Alex Turner (on the Arctic Monkeys debut album), spouting throwaway references to ostensibly meaningless yet somehow profound local novelties.
‘We Make Hits’, the track that pens the Yard Act origin story, was next: about how Needham and Smith, ‘two broke millennial men’, formed a creative partnership that sparked the beginnings of this larger-than-life band. Smith sang his introduction to Needham with his arms wrapped around his shoulders, “And this is my best friend in the world!”. ‘Down by The Stream’ offers a bit of respite before ‘Dream Job’ that unites fans both old and new as their most popular hit from the new album. People mimic the corresponding gestures to the Northern adlibs of approval (that are the iconic dance moves out of the music video).
Beginning with ‘100% Endurance’, the one track every fan knows all of the words to. Containing a moment that will no doubt be recounted by this gig’s attendees, when everyone grasped their mate, mum, dad, girlfriend, or boyfriend and followed James Smith’s lyrical instructions. The band finally closed with ‘Trench Coat Museum’, inviting the support act on stage to engage in a choreographed, high-energy dance routine alongside the backing singers. All in combination with the track’s incredibly catchy synth loops and Ryan Needham’s intoxicating bassline to conjure up a grand finale that sends the crowd into utter mayhem.
Words by Jack McMeechan