Yard Act, Yes (Pink Room). 25th January 2022

Have you heard of Yard Act? Surely every music fan has right now, or at least all post punk indie Twitter users. These lads are putting in some serious hard graft. We’re in the first week of their debut LP hitting the shelves and they’re digging in deep. Tonight playing a late night mini set at the glorious Yes and signing/selling more albums. I’ve got one already. A beautiful piece of wax from Rough Trade with a die cut cover. Seriously it’s one of the most beautiful records I own. It sounds bloody brilliant too as do the band tonight. They make no excuses about the big promo push. Which sees me and every other devotee in here buying raffle tickets and cassettes and getting them signed. This could seem cynical, who cares about number one albums anyway. They’re actually very fucking nice though, it’s impossible not to get onboard. Number ones don’t matter, because most music fans have given up on the concept and let the charts be ruled by manufactured pop acts and reissues. However, on the occasions that the independent alternative music scene does rise up to get behind something. That does fucking matter. RATM being Christmas number one, it might seem frivolous but it’s reminder that we’re here. THIS is why Yard Act must be number one with their debut this week. So buy the record, or stream it. Stream it over and over and after this week, when the circus has died down. You’ll know this music so well, you can come along to a gig and sing along. For as great as Yard Act are on record, being in the same room as them, well that’s something else entirely. All that satirical wit and energy captured in the studio is on full display from the stage. Things get going with a teasing instrumental of ‘Strip’, before James Smith takes the stage and kicks off ‘Dark Days’. He’s a genuinely great front man who’s quick to credit the people around them helping them navigate this most mental of weeks. ‘Fixer Upper’ gets Yes singing and

‘Payday’ gets it bouncing. From here on the gloves are properly off. It’s a bit beautifully shambolic in places and tests the crowd, of which half seem to be those who’ve just bought into the hype, but this is their 4th gig of the day (see what I mean, hard graft) and it’s a great if short set. They close with the title track ‘The Overload’ and leave the Pink Room’s ears ringing. So now your whistle is wet. Get in on the push for YARD ACT NUMBER ONE. Here, I’ll help you…

Stream - https://open.spotify.com/album/4rXBcuJMRSt4izAwXNrTQu?si=s4nNmDjPS0SYxOMEBnk7KA

Buy - https://roughtrade.com/gb/yard-act/the-overload/lp-plus-2