Yard Act for your Friday lunch concert – recorded at Albert Hall in Manchester on May 23, 2023 by the soundcrew.
A band who have been catagorized as Post-punk/nu-Punk – Indie with an homage to 90s Italo Disco tossed in for good measure, Yard Act have been one of the bright lights in the current crop of Post-Pandemic bands.
Yard Act are from Leeds in the UK. Are composed of James Smith (vocals, lyrics), Ryan Needham (bass), Sam Shipstone (guitar) and Jay Russell (drums). Their debut album, The Overload, was released on 21 January 2022 and debuted at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart. They released their second album, Where’s My Utopia?, on 1 March 2024.
Prior to forming the band, vocalist James Smith and bassist Ryan Needham had both been members of other Leeds-based bands. Smith was a member of Post War Glamour Girls and Needham played in Menace Beach, two bands that released a split EP together in 2016. After the release of the EP, the pair began discussing forming a band together, a plan that eventually came to fruition in September 2019, when the pair moved into a house together in Meanwood. They soon recruited guitarist Sammy Robinson and drummer George Townend who played together in Treeboy & Arc. During this period, Robinson departed from the group, leading to the recruitment of Sam Shipstone. Prior to the announcement of their debut album, the band had only released a total of four singles independently. These singles were then compiled onto an EP, titled Dark Days, released in 2021.
Their debut album The Overload was released on 21 January 2022. The group was “one to watch” in the BBC’s Sound of 2022 shortlist. The group was also named one of Paste‘s “Best New Artists of 2021”. On 1 July 2022, a re-recorded version of “100% Endurance” was released featuring a collaboration with Elton John.
Their second album, Where’s My Utopia?, was released on 1 March 2024.
You’re all caught up – now grab lunch, relax, press Play and scarf your food. It’s Friday, after all.
