It's been a little while and I'm sorry, January isn't anyone's favourite month is it?
One of the better things to come out of January however, was a wonderful evening I spent at Oporto for Chalkpit Record's Leeds launch party to celebrate their move up north! It was a great night showcasing three of the label's fantastic northern acts and rallying support for the label in their new home town.
Chalkpit Records was originally founded on the Isle of Wight in 2016, with the purpose of nurturing a new wave of rock stars. Artists amongst their roster include Nakamarra, Reminders, Tai High Hawaiian and Charlie O'Riain. Having recently opened a new, northern HQ in Leeds, Chalkpit have been welcomed into the scene and are sure to be an important elevator of talented music-makers going forward.
I took my camera along to their launch party so I figured I'd introduce you to the three awesome bands that kicked off a new, northern era for Chalkpit Records...
(Disclaimer: Oporto seemed to only have one spotlight that worked so sorry to the rest of the band members that can't be seen very clearly in the pictures!)
SUNFLOWER THIEVES
An endearing beginning to the evening, Sunflower Thieves opened the show with their soft harmonies and stirring lyrics. The Leeds-based duo treated the audience to an array of delicate vocals and melodies as easy as a summer breeze. Singing songs from their debut EP 'Hold The Storm' and their most recent release, a beautiful ballad titled 'Two Halves' which enchanted us all. The girls delivered such a gorgeous, soothing and spell-binding set, it was really quite transporting. A promising start to the evening, they have a new fan in me.
VIOLET CONTOURS
Next up were Violet Contours, who I have to say were incredible. From the off, their funky riffs had their hooks in you. Upbeat tunes full of jaunty guitars, Violet Contours evoked a more playful, daring atmosphere which could be felt throughout the whole room. The York-four piece had a such an identity to their sound; it was polished, witty and charismatic. Their sound was like a strong, fruity cocktail, it had a punch to it and you knew you were going to have a good time. I loved their tracks 'D.O.T.' and 'Pixar', every element of their sound coming together to create tracks that are original, infectious and contemporary. Aiming towards their first EP in 2019, I for one, am definitely going to be keeping an ear out for when these guys drop new music. Head-turning songs and great performers, don't miss out on these guys.
GREEN GARDENS
Finally, but in no way the least, came the charming young quartet that is Green Gardens. Their tracks were of a light, indie composition with stress-relieving qualities and elements of romance and nostalgia. Confident, they won over the crowd with their endearing personalities during between-song transitions, giving the audience a good view of their relationship as a band. Their co-vocals added nice layers to their running through green fields tempos; the perfect sound to play on a summers afternoon, lying on your back in the park, basking in the sun with your friends.
They also played an extremely new song, which I didn't catch the name of, admitting to only having played fully twice. They played it seemingly without a glitch however, and had a lot of fun with it on stage. It had more grit than their others, and a huge guitar riff compared to some of the softer tracks we'd heard earlier. It was a great set to finish the evening with, a wonderful round up of the music we'd seen so far.
The night was a great success for Chalkpit Records and Leeds' scene, everyone who attended was there because they love music within this city and want to support it. With such ripe talent in the Leeds area, I'm excited to see how Chalkpit's arrival will stimulate the scene and encourage it's growth. If they want to develop the next generation of rock stars, I have no doubt they will be left wanting in Leeds.
A huge congratulations to Chalkpit and welcome to Leeds! Hats off to all the bands that played as well, of course. Let's keep feeding this city's love of music and live shows, good luck to you all!
Until next time everyone.
Holly.
Sunflower Thieves:
Violet Contours:
Green Gardens:
Chalkpit Records:
