Leeds DIY scene newsletter: November 2016

New Living Body single – I Recollect

In July’s column we announced the arrival of DIY supergroup Living Body, featuring members of Esper Scout, Juffage, Vessels, Mayshe Mayshe and Sky Larkin. They have just released new single I Recollect, and it continues in the same affecting, melancholy vein as July’s Don’t Give Up On Me and its follow-up I Choose.

All their singles to date have shown promise but Living Body really hit their stride on I Recollect, with Katie Harkin’s soft refrain sounding glorious atop of the strings, adding warmth and clarity to Jeff T. Smith’s intricate guitar work.

Their debut LP Body Is Working is due on 2 December via Barely Regal Records in the UK/EU and Kingfisher Bluez in the USA/Canada.

Megaflora, Peaness, Crumbs and Drahla

Gem Prout, aka Fancy Claps Promotions, brings us her 74th show with this typically fantastic line-up. Headlined by London's nature loving punks Megaflora, who play shambling pop with emo tendencies and stirring harmonies, this gig continues Fancy Claps’ tradition of hosting some of the best indie-pop bands around today.

Joining Megaflora on the line-up are Peaness, an indie pop trio from Chester who’ve played all over the UK and been featured on BBC Introducing with their classic, melodic take on guitar pop. It’s their first Leeds show, so go and give them a warm Yorkshire welcome.

Completing the line-up are Gem’s own band and Leeds DIY column regulars Crumbs, who make jagged and playfully repetitive Delta 5-inspired post-punk, and Wakefield’s Drahla, who share a propensity for woozy, primitive garage pop with elements of Sonic Youth in their prime. Do not miss!

19 Nov, Wharf Chambers, 8pm, £5 otd

New Woman launch their new single

Leeds' proto-punk garage rock duo New Woman bring their reverb heavy vocals and punk guitar riffs to The Brudenell on 20 Nov to launch their new double A-side single The First Time / Without Teeth You’d Be Nothing, which is due for release on 21 Nov, in special art-print format on the Voice of CHUNK label.

Forming due to happenstance (members Taylor and Bradley booked their first gig off the back of a rough jam recorded on a "crappy dictaphone") they’ve gone on to support an impressive list of acts including Black Lips, Mike Watt's CUD and King Khan & BBQ Show. Expect impulsively messy garage rock – not one for those planning on a quiet night in.

Support comes from the consistently brilliant Mush (imagine a less literate, equally brooding version of The Fall) and brand new band Dead Naked Hippies – we don’t know much about them but the name suggests we should.  

20 Nov, Brudenell Social Club, 7pm, Free entry

Girls That Gig Social Media Masterclass

Leeds DIY column regulars and not-for-profit organisation Girls That Gig are at it again with this very handy event, specifically for creative women to learn how to improve their social media presence. Not explicitly a networking event (though, as they say, there’s no reason why you can’t use it as an excuse to mingle), it’s more of an interactive workshop run by Girls That Gig proprietors Vicky and Megan.

The workshop will provide knowledge and advice on how to brand yourself and build more of a following online, as well as find a market for your brand. They believe that everyone should have access to free content to help them develop and maintain their creative and entrepreneurial skills, and they’re not wrong: if you want a following these days, it’s imperative to have a social media presence, but one that represents you positively.  

By doing workshops like this they are encouraging more women to get involved in creative arts, without money or gender being an issue.

21 Nov, Hyde Park Book Club, 7pm, Free entry

Hard Left and City Yelps

The Royal Park pub hasn’t operated properly as a music venue for quite some time, but it used to be a big part of Leeds’ DIY music scene, having hosted some of the best acts from the Sarah Records roster such as The Field Mice, Blue Boy and Boyracer and Brighter in the 90s.

This gig will feel somewhat nostalgic, then: Leeds’ favourite DIY trio City Yelps bring their disorderly psych-pop to the Royal Park pub on 26 November, supporting US punk/abrasive mod band Hard Left, fronted by Slumberland Records proprietor Mike Schulman and featuring members of Lunchbox, Fire Party and Black Tambourine.

In a world where bands are reluctant to talk about politics, Hard Left are a refreshing antidote: their music focuses on what’s happening now, with the aim of motivating listeners. Their members have been involved with punk and DIY music for nearly a century combined, while also operating the respected labels 555, Emotional Response and indie-pop champions Slumberland. First and foremost, Hard Left are a pure, no-frills punk band, but their live shows also guarantee to be “ripping good fun”.

Royal Park Pub, 26 Nov, 8pm, £5/£3 unwaged

Performance Anxiety – A CBT Approach

Leeds Music Hub is a focal point for local music – “a big billboard for musical goings-on in Leeds, a meeting place, a tangible daytime presence of all things Leeds music and much more beside.” Run by cognitive behavioural psychotherapist Toby Chelms, the aim of this interactive workshop is for musicians to learn how to manage performance anxiety, and it’s all part of their Music & Mental Health series.

Toby’s area of interest focuses on Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) – outside of this, he also plays bass in local punks Get Human and promotes gigs under the moniker Youth Anthems, so he’s the perfect person to be running the workshop.

The session will focus primarily on performance anxiety from a CBT perspective. It promises to be different to standard coaching approaches such as positive imagery, however, and will instead explore understanding anxiety, its relation to performance and some techniques which you might find useful.

30 Nov, Leeds Music Hub, 7pm, Free entry

Don’t Miss…

The Don’t Falter Tea Dance (for indie pop lovers), 12 Nov, Hyde Park Book Club, 4pm-11pm, Free entry

The Real Junk Food Project Fundraiser, 12 Nov, CHUNK, 4.30pm, PWYW 

The Early Years, 24 Nov, Wharf Chambers, 8pm, £5 adv, £7 OTD

Las Kellies, 15 Nov, Oporto, 7.30pm, £6 adv