Nottingham nightlife on a Friday is to say the least, lively. With its rows upon rows of pubs and student demographic, there were plenty of people out on what was a warm evening in the city on May 2nd. Down a little side road is where the action was really happening though, as LEAP took to the stage at Rough Trade.
Now obviously, with the gig taking place in a shop, said stage was more of a raised platform in a modestly sized room meant for intimate gigs. In fact, with the expected concert to be so small, it was a surprise when there was a support act for the band. But a pleasant one that was welcomed.
Cortney Dixon, in a fetching pink leather co-ord and wild blonde hair, warmed up the audience with her indie rock sound matched to a disco beat. With her unique vocals and cute Geordie accent, she certainly gained herself a few new fans that night. Cortney gave the crowd an energetic set, making sure there was never a dull moment, and ensured she kept us engaged with audience interaction.
This included making people laugh with self deprecating humour about her accent, coming out into the crowd and getting individuals to sing lines in her songs and getting us to clap along (a classic). Cortney’s own guitar playing which was a real stand out too. She danced along to her own tracks, and rightly so, because we were all vibing too. Particularly to ‘You Look Good Naked’ which was quite the dancey little tune.
The venue was at full capacity, as many people as you can possibly fit into a room without it feeling claustrophobic, which is why when LEAP arrived on stage at about 8.15pm, singer Jack, encouraged us all to step that little bit closer, so everyone would get a great view of what was about to be an epic show.
Jack was joined by Adam Mason on guitar, Declan Brown on bass and Hector Cottam on drums, making up the London four piece known as LEAP. Stepping out in the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll ensemble, Jack looked like the cool frontman in a leather jacket and sunglasses. They began the show with ‘One Way Out’ which got the crowd instantly hyped and jumping up and down.
The band did not lack on the energy front either. It’s safe to say that when the next song started, the leather jacket and sunglasses got ditched because it was simply too warm. And as the night wore on, Jack’s t-shirt also disappeared for the encore. When I say they poured their heart and soul into the set, I mean that wholeheartedly.
In amongst mosh pits that sent people genuinely flying, and the body heat of strangers dancing close together making it feel like a dirty nightclub (but in a good way), the sweat was dripping off the band and crowd alike. After a series of lively tracks, the band announced that they would be playing ‘Sleepwalker’, a slower track, simply because they were “sweating their tits off.” There were a few moments of quieter tracks amongst their fast, energetic ones, which helped with the pacing and they didn’t mind messing with the setlist slightly to accommodate these as well as some of their new tracks.
‘Waste of Love’ and ‘Sinking’ were the two new tracks that we got to hear amidst familiar favourites, and it’s safe to say they did not disappoint. They also announced that their debut album would be released later this year, which was incredibly exciting for fans. Hector even rather humbly said, “it may be one of the best albums you will ever hear” which was met with much laughter. Big expectations now though.
The set sounded absolutely incredible, and considering it was a small venue, they managed to find the right balance between rocking out and not deafening the audience. It was flawless. The last song, ‘Energies’ was a highlight of the night, because everyone was in high spirits and had loved the experience the boys had given them. To show our appreciation, we got Jack to crowdsurf, again true rock ‘n’ roll style.
They had lots of fans there to support them that night, including OG’s who had been there since the start of their journey. The chant for them to sing their first song was deafening. The best thing about LEAP though is that they are clearly a close group of boys. The winks and smiles they exchanged with each other were heartwarming and their onstage chemistry was infectious.
LEAP also have a lot of time for their fans, as after the show, they stayed around to individually talk to anyone who wanted to meet them, sign merch and take photos with them. They were more than happy to oblige to anyone’s requests. Jack even said how much he loves playing the smaller venues because you get to really know the crowd and they aren’t just a sea of faces. This was certainly proven as they made everyone feel welcome and like part of the performance. They put on an amazing show, and the love their fans showed them for such an event was met with genuine gratitude. It was definitely a memorable night.
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