Photo Credit: Alicia Woods

ECHOBELLY emerged as one of the most prominent bands of the iconic 90s britpop scene, forming during one of the UK’s most prolific eras of young and rising bands. Following a five-year break, the band reunited in 2009 and has since drawn large crowds to their live performances. Both longtime supporters and newcomers consistently make the effort to see the band for a host of classic songs, with a few unexpected gems too.

While the headliner has been a mainstay of the Britpop scene for 30 years, Wigan quartet STANLEYS are one of the most intriguing up-and-coming acts in the UK. ‘On‘ was released before any of the members were even born, so it’s not surprising that the music of that era has had a lot of influence on their material. As the band took the stage, the audience was quite reserved, but as the show progressed, the audience started to warm to this young and exciting band. It was evident that many new fans were gained that evening, as tracks such as ‘I’ll Try‘ and ‘Why Would I?‘ were warmly received across the venue.

It was time for ECHOBELLY to make their grand entrance following on from a fantastic opener to get their fans warmed up. The crowd let out a yell of cheers as the band emerged from the wings. ‘Today Tomorrow Sometime Never‘ was the perfect way to start the set off as it had everyone in the room singing along. Thirty years later, the fast-paced outro is still powerful and set the mood for the evening, with fans eager to relive their younger years.

Photo Credit: Alicia Woods

The set featured a variety of songs from across the years, with songs from their highest charting record ‘On‘ being the most well-received. However, ardent fans were equally thrilled to see songs like ‘Iris Art‘ and ‘Father, Ruler, King, Computer‘ early in the set. Additionally, acoustic versions of ‘Worms and Angels‘ and ‘Insomniac‘ lightened the mood a bit before ECHOBELLY‘s full throttle set resumed.

When Sonya asked the audience if they were ready for ‘Great Things‘, the response was an overwhelming shout for this timeless hit. For a brief moment, everyone in the room was feeling youthful again as they swayed from side to side and sang along with uplifted hands, all whilst guitarist Glenn Johansson continues to provide captivating guitar lines that accentuate the upbeat chorus that makes the song so beloved by many. The band concluded their set with ‘Scream‘, but in typical fashion, it was a short interval before it was time for the encore.

The crowd pleasing ‘King of the Curb’ picked up the pace once more, with ‘Dark Therapy‘ bringing the evening to a close. ECHOBELLY delivered a fantastic performance in the intimate Leeds venue, with a return hopefully on the horizon.

Photo Credit: Alicia Woods