Live Review

The Music – Leeds Academy

• 15th Aug 2011

When the music’s over…

Leeds is fittingly the home of the final ever gig the for the band, The Music. The stage was set for one of the most emotional and proud moments for the town’s own prodigal sons. For Rob, Adam, Stuart and Phil, based upon this phenomenal electrifying performance, this last ever ‘Music’ gig of their final tour seemed to have more of a revival feel to it than one last farewell. The crowd was full of Leeds locals and those who, like myself, had travelled far for the final part of the bands 3 date UK tour.

From opening song The Dance, taken from the self-titled debut album, Rob Harvey firmly had the sell-out crowd feeding from his hand. With their echo driven vocals and psychedelic guitar riffs, The Music are one indie band you can dance to at an emphatic pace; frontman Harvey showing everyone how it should be done during instrumental cuts.

The set focused heavily on the bands debut album, which included belters like Take The Long Road And Walk It (the band’s first ever demo track), Gettaway and The People.

There was real buzz and excitement within the crowd when high energy anthem Welcome to The North, the second album’s title, was introduced to this memorable night.

Very little was introduced from the bands underrated 3rd album Strength in Numbers – however tracks like Spike, Fire, Strength in Numbers were more than worthy of their place on the 14 track set-list.

There seemed very little interaction with the crowd from Harvey, though after ‘Too High’ he thanked the crowd for their support over the years and through the tough times. The reality of this being the end and closure may have been too much for words of expression.

The band left stage to re-appear for an encore of The Walls Get Smaller. It couldn’t have been a greater way to send the stronghold crowd home. Another proud moment on perhaps the bands most emotional night of their journey together.

As fans left the venue a retro Ambulance van parked up outside with its back doors open, blasting out Gettaway, which led to fans uniting, chanting and dancing on the streets till stewards finally moved the vengabus on.

Four talented individuals and one unique and very rare special combination, it is unclear what the future holds for the lads from Kippax. A solo career has been tipped for Rob Harvey, though the army of revellers who travelled and witnessed this momentous occasion will be hoping that as the dust settles, the thought of a 3rd comeback will be on the cards.

WORDS BY Kevin Park