Liverpool rock outfit Courting made an appearance at the iconic Brudenell Social Club in Leeds on Monday 17th February in support of their new album ‘New Last Name’. The band are in the midst of a massive UK tour which is set to be followed by a number of European dates through to the end of April. ‘New Last Name’ sees the band evolving in their sound, indulging more in guitar led tracks with pop sensibilities whilst also maintaining the electronic, glitchy sound of their 2022 debut ‘Guitar Music’. The band were supported by Manchester 5-piece Duvet and Leeds’ very own No Wukkas.
Credit: Charlie Barclay Harris
No Wukkas opened the night with a set of ferocious intensity, through their manic vocal performances paired with relentless rhythm and time signature changes. Their set was truly captivating throughout with each member of the band shining and being so precise and tight in songs where most musicians could easily get lost. This was the first I’ve ever heard of No Wukkas and I don’t think I could’ve had a better first impression, really excited for what the future holds for these guys.
Up next were independent post-punks Duvet. I was able to catch Duvet last summer at The Ferret in Preston and was immediately impressed by their song writing, stage presence and overall sound as a group. I was glad to see that in Leeds they were just as good, if not better than my first time seeing them. The main thing that really caught my attention were that the band felt a lot more aggressive than before which I think really worked for them to help get crowd in the mood for Courting. The entire group played extremely well however it was vocalist Grace Walkden that really stole the show for me through her amazing vocal and stage presence.
Then it was time for the main event, Courting graced the stage and opened with ‘Emily G’, a track that seems to be a fan favourite from their newest record which prompted an early sing a long from the crowd. The song seemed to act like a calm before the storm as after that they smashed right into ‘Tennis’, a track with a blasting instrumental courtesy of the driving bassline and drumbeat. Once the song hit the chorus the entire room was filled with a level of energy that the crowd hung onto for the entire set.
As the show continued, the band treated the crowd to tracks both new and old with early single ‘Popshop’ being a real personal highlight of the set. Something that I wondered before seeing the show was how cohesive the gig would feel with Courting’s sound over the years evolving and changing. For example, I wondered how a poppy electronic track like ‘We Look Good Together (Big Words)’ would work in a set with a song like ‘Grand National’, a fast paced post punk track. After seeing the show, I was really impressed with how well all the songs worked together with the setlist structure and live sound from the band bringing a truly exciting and enjoyable yet totally cohesive experience.
Another highlight from the night was the almost nine minute ‘Uncanny Valley Forever’, a song that has gained a real cult following in the Courting fanbase with the track being shouted out and requested multiple times throughout the night. The song is a true experience with fantastic and engaging song writing from frontman Sean Murphey-O’Neill and an absolute explosion in the second half which was mesmerising to see live. Fans were also treated to a cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Bad Idea Right?’ which the band debuted at Maida Vale Studios for a BBC Radio 1 live session earlier this year.
The set closed with the two-song punch of ‘Loaded’ into ‘Flex’, two songs which I firmly believe are the strongest the band have released thus far and sounded unbelievable in a live setting. The tracks showcase the best of what Courting have to offer with singalong sections that beg to be shouted amongst a crowd with bouncy instrumentation that drives the songs forward.
The gig really showed why Courting are one of the most unique bands in the UK currently as they delivered a performance honestly unlike anything I have seen before. ‘New Last Name’ saw the band pushing their sound further with resulted in some of their best material yet, meaning I cannot wait to see what their next record holds for them and how their live show will also progress in the future.
Courting’s remaining tour dates:
13/2 – Nottingham, The Bodega w/ Cosmorat
14/2 – Manchester, YES w/ Sterling Press
16/2 – Glasgow, King Tuts w/ Sterling Press
17/2 – Edinburgh, The Mash House w/ Sterling Press
18/2 – Newcastle, The Cluny w/ Flat Party
19/2 – Sheffield, The Leadmill w/ Duvet
20/2 – Southampton, The Joiners w/ Saloon Dion
21/2 – Norwich, Voodoo Daddy’s w/ Saloon Dion
22/2- Bristol, Exchange w/ Cosmorat
27/3 – Paradiso – Amsterdam, NL
28/3 – Botanique – Rotonde – Brussels, BE
1/4 – Point Ephemere – Paris, FR
2/4 – L’Aeronef – Lille, FR
3/4 – L’Ubu – Rennes, FR
5/4 – Rock School Barbey – Bordeaux, FR
7/4 – Auditorio CCOP – Porto, PT
8/4 – Musicbox – Lisbon, PT
9/4 – Maravillas – Madrid, ES
10/4 – Heliogabal – Barcelona, ES
11/4 – Paloma – Nimes, FR
15/4 – Schokoladen – Berlin, DE
16/4 – Molotow – Hamburg, DE
17/4 – Bumann & Sohn – Cologne, DE
4/4 – La Roche Sur Yon, Quai M
13/4 – Zurich, Bogen F
19/4 – Osnabruck, Popsalon Festival
20/4 – Dresden, Polimagie Festival
24/05 – Liverpool, The Hanger
