Yard Act + Nuha Ruby Ra

The band are tight, every song is performed with surgical precision – it’s proper pop music. It’s got mass appeal and it seems like they as a band have tapped into something.

Opening the night is Nuha Ruby Ra, a curious blend of post-rock, noise and goth rock. There’s spoken word, that slides into shrieks and screams. It’s biting, harsh and forceful. The intensity of the fuzzy bass and shrieking reverbed vocal. ‘I like the strobes, they make me feel good’. The sounds are pulled from a wide range of genres – everything from the cacophonic punk of The Birthday Party or Gallon Drunk, or the post-rock harsh soundscapes of Swans. It feels like the soul of punk rock is being dissected and reorganized on the stage – it’s graphic in its performance.

It’s clear from the get-go that Yard Act have incredible ability at working the crowd. After a run of three songs, halfway through Peanuts. The song stops and James performs what can only really be described as a stand-up set. Raucous back and forth ensues between audience and band. ‘What makes you like this Norwich?’ james asks, ‘inbreeding!’ he’s met with. Shortly after he says ‘Fuck the tories’, he’s met with a cheer and he shoots back with ‘don’t cheer that! It’s too easy.’ ‘Cheese & Wine!’ – ‘What? Sorry? Is this some sort of Norwich thing’. It’s a sort of masterful working with the crowd and a confidence in doing it. Not many bands would allow an audience that much space to chat.

The band are tight, every song is performed with surgical precision – it’s proper pop music. It’s got mass appeal and it seems like they as a band have tapped into something. Locating what it is is a bit of a conundrum in of itself. There’s also such a physical force the band put into the show – James launches himself back and forth, performing a sort of duelling dance with the audience.

Conflict between the band and their audience surfaces on occasion and sometimes uncomfortably. During the latter half of the set, James’ chat was interrupted frequently by chants of ‘Yellows’ – largely an anathema to the foodball ignorant Leeds band – ‘stop shouting colours!’ Though despite that, the band seem to enjoy it. It’s almost something to play around with, they feed off it and James’ energy feels like it’s sourced by this kind of banter. Hence the constant breaks before a riotous musical return.

Yard Act definitely have something interesting, and it’s best seen live. Live is where you can really appreciate them. It’s one of the most engaging performances I’ve ever written about.