The Brudenell Social Club offered the ideal location for a band like The Vryll Society; local oldies brought a new dynamic to an often student dominated crowd, while the room was intimate enough to accommodate their groove-laden, psychedelic sounds.

As people of all ages filed in, the music of support act Heavy Sons permeated the air, followed by The Strawberries, who described themselves as being ‘‘from your own back garden in Leeds’’. Their rock’n’roll meets blues sound complimented the vibe of the headline acts to come.

The Vryll Society aim to “stimulate both the soul and mind”, a feat achieved through entrancing tracks like ‘La Jetee’ and ‘Deep Blue Skies’. The marriage of intense guitar swells with dreamy blissful vocals captured the attention of what had grown to be a very full audience.

Their stage presence is inarguably compelling, with lead vocalist Michael Ellis (sadly not the MP) cutting shapes as if possessed by the trippy musical magic created behind him. As the disco ball rotated above them, the band seemed almost unaware of the presence of an audience at all. Engrossed by their own music, The Vryll Society created a magnetism us listeners just couldn’t resist.

Their tour is co-headlined with London based band Hidden Charms, who took to the stage armed with catchy songs like ‘I Just Wanna Be Left Alone’ and ‘Love You ‘Cause You’re There’. As the guitars faded out, the audience were sadly left with a sense of incompletion, waiting for an encore that never came.

The gig was an enjoyable way to spend a Wednesday evening, though I’m not sure I’d have ventured too far for it. Nevertheless, The Vryll Society are signed to the reputable Deltasonic Records and plugged by up-and-coming bands such as Blossoms, so the buzz about them this year that shouldn’t be ignored.

The Vryll Society’s latest single, ‘A Perfect Rhythm’, is available on Spotify now.

Andrea Loftus