“You’re f***ing amazing Leeds!” exclaimed Josh Lloyd-Watson, as the lights dimmed in the sweaty warehouse of Canal Mills.
Indeed, Leeds is a pretty spectacular place to perform, giving audiences the chance to see some of the biggest bands in smaller settings. Beacons Metro is a festival that embodies this well- where else could you see the likes of Jungle, Wiley and Little Dragon headline a 1,400 capacity space alongside some fantastic support acts?
Speaking of which, amongst Thursday’s trio of support artists, Superorganism proved to be a favourite. With a futuristic, electric style, they’re certainly unique in their musicianship. With seven members squeezed onto a tiny stage, their set featured pixelated projections and homemade videos. Their sound could be difficult to pull off as it relies on tight vocals and musicianship, with multiple layers of harmonies and synths. However, they succeed, with songs such as ‘It’s All Good’ and ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D’ sounding both slick and free.
Jungle themselves were fantastic headliners for the opening night of Beacons Metro, and were absolutely faultless in their performance.
Whilst there’s no word of a second album just yet, we were treated to a few new tracks (none of which are currently available online), including opener ‘House in L.A’, ‘Give Over’ and ‘Beat 54’. These blended seamlessly with hit tracks from Jungle’s self-titled debut, such as ‘Busy Earnin’’ and closing tune ‘Time’. These old favourites were remixed, extended and given new twists to give them a new lease of life.
Never stopping to take a break between songs, the energy the band put into their performance was admirable. The night went down a treat for the audience, with demands for “One more song! One more song!” even after the band had finished their encore and left the stage. Their request was nonetheless met, with Jungle coming back for a repeat of hit single ‘Heat’.
Overall, Jungle’s performance was slick, funky, and full of fun. Keep your eyes peeled for their second album and future performances- they’re not to be missed.
Words and Images by Clare Redman
