Upon nights out in Leeds, my relationship with Shazam seems to grow persistently stronger, and within 5 minutes of arriving at Just A Little’s Swinging Speakeasy I knew Saturday night would be no exception. Returning to the good ol’ Canal Mills, Just A Little’s latest booking welcomed a variety of music and tea lovers alike with a line up of The Correspondents and the legendary Mr Scruff.

Having heard of the brilliance of Mr Scruff’s DJ sets, the night was promised to be a delight, yet I don’t think any kind words or stories or videos could have prepared me for the sheer excellence of his four-hour set. Surrounded by projections of fellow cartoon comrades, Mr Scruff teased an exotic mix of soul, jazz and disco. It wasn’t long before he blared his own classics, driving the crowd into a communal twist, turn and bop, ending with the one and only ‘Get A Move On!’. Perhaps only disappointing in comparison to Scruff’s expertise were electro swing duo, The Correspondents. One certainly can’t fault their charisma and dress attire, but it dulled down the atmosphere.

Always surprised by the delights of the artists in Room 2, the Milkman Delivers DJs made a fine addition to the swinging speakeasy. Bouncing in to the room to hear Todd Terje’s edit of Lindstroms Ęg-gęd-ōsis, Noa delivered an exceptional set, perfect for those wishing to wiggle themselves senseless and experience something a tad groovier.

As per usual, the Just A Little team delivered its quirky decorations, transforming the mill into a 1920’s swinging wonderland, once again demonstrating they know how to throw the funkiest parties in town.

True to form, Mr Scruff has put his entire set up on the inter-web for all you lovely folks to enjoy and Shazam from the comfort of your sofa: http://download.mrscruff.com/code/mills1

Ellie Wilson

(Photo credits: The Orange Press)