Temples
The Cockpit
4/5

Where do you think of when someone mentions psychedelia? Spiritual (if drug-fuelled) journeys to India? 1960s LA in the summer? Certainly not the small midlands town of Kettering. Yet from this unlikeliest of places come Temples, one of 2014’s most promising bands.

After their debut album Sun Structures, the four-piece came to a sold-out Cockpit, with haze-pop upstarts Childhood opening the show. With a lively set, the Londoners won new fans as well as alluding to an impressive follow up to last year’s Solemn Skies.

When Temples take to the stage with their album’s lead single ‘Colours to Life’ the reason behind their success becomes clear: the spirit of the 60s is etched into every Doors-esque keyboard riff, spindly guitar line and rising melody, yet their sound is their own and not a rewritten Zombies record.

For the most part the band is as colourful as the glittering eye make-up adorned by frontman James Bagshaw. The crowd sways to tracks such as ‘Move with the Season’ and ‘The Golden Throne’ until closing with fan-favourite ‘Shelter Song’.

It was their immense popularity however that led to their only weak moment. After playing nigh-on the whole album, the encore of ‘Mesmerise’ is lengthened with an improvised middle-section. Whilst showcasing their considerable musicianship, it did cause the band to lose a bit of momentum, but took little away from what was an awe-inspiring show in which Temples brought the Summer of Love to miserable Mid-winter Leeds.

Alex Fowler

photo: hangout