Eagulls
Brudenell Social Club
3/5

If you’re aware of Leeds’ current biggest thing, Eagulls, then it won’t surprise you that at tonight’s show there were five inflatable penises and four inflatable sex dolls. It’s not clear who’s responsible but it goes without saying that Eagulls probably condoned their presence. The band has a reputation for vulgarity, recently culminating in a distasteful open letter, which since being understandably derided by almost everyone on the internet, they’ve replaced with a picture of a cock and arse. So that’s cool.

Oddly, the band’s performance itself is far from vulgar, in fact, it’s quite safe. Tonight’s show is Eagulls’ album launch show so understandably the mood is quite celebratory, most of it seems to have been engulfed by Tom Kelly’s face who, throughout tonight’s show, is smiling as much as someone who has had Bill Murray kiss their Bill Murray tattoo. His presence is a welcome balance to vocalist George Mitchell’s drunken detachment.

Kelly’s bass lines are also the most compelling part of the music, his general enthusiasm spilling out through his fingers. An enthusiasm only matched by tonight’s crowd; at any one point there’s usually a person crowd surfing – someone even ran off with one of the inflatable penises. Though from the band’s performance this is an enthusiasm wrought more from the band’s output than their actual performance. The songs are tight and confidently performed, but other than Kelly, the band never succeed in being anything more. At one point one of the inflatable penises lands behind me. Despite my resolve I’m too caught up in the atmosphere and I throw the penis. Perhaps Eagulls too should throw the proverbial penis and bring a bit more of their off stage stupidity into their on stage performance.

Daoud Al-Janabi

photo: Danny Payne