Sheffield’s iconic music venue, The Leadmill, sold out last Wednesday to welcome Taunton based band October Drift. The alternative/shoegaze band are currently touring the UK after the successful release of their second album ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’.
They were supported by local Sheffield band Minds Idle, whose clean tone guitars and rhythmic drumming contributed to their soft, retro sound and acted as a calm before the storm; an almost polar opposite to the gig that followed.
At the first sign of the band taking the stage, the lively room fell to a quiet murmur. This then stopped altogether when frontman Kiran Roy’s voice echoed out singing the track ‘Ever After’ from their latest album.
Kiran started from the very back of the packed room and worked his way through the crowd, singing whilst moving towards the stage; a uniquely intimate opening to their set. This slow, personal opening then gave way to the wall of noise that was expected of the band.
With Chris Holmes on the drums, Daniel Young on guitar, and Jack (who was covering for the band’s usual bassist) joining in, they kicked off the show as they meant to go on with the song ‘Lost without you’. The blend of chaotic guitars and meaningful vocals that build to a strong chorus, was an example of the band’s unique sound.
The crowd were energised from the very start and matched the strong stage presence from the band with welcoming engagement and cheering.
What struck me from the get-go was simply how loud the performance was. It was impressive how Kiran’s voice was able to overcome and stand out against the feedback of the guitars and the overwhelming drums.
The Independent described the band as having ‘a flourishing reputation for live shows’ and they certainly did not disappoint as this was exactly that: a show.
A particular moment that stood out to me was during the song ‘Don’t Give Me Hope’. Kiran left the stage and made his way across the top of the main bar whilst playing his guitar, much to the bar staff’s surprise.
A song that distinguished itself from the set list was ‘Waltzer’. This single was released along with the new album and is a clear fan favourite as it was well received by the crowd. The recognizable guitar riff instantly got a cheer, and from the first verse the audience matched the band lyric for lyric.
Following this was ‘Bleed’, during which the entertainment continued. Kiran swung from the lighting beams for most of the performance until he descended into the crowd, almost as if he was singing to everyone individually.
Towards the end of the set the band took a first and only break to speak with the crowd and show their appreciation. Kiran expressed his love for the venue and the city, admitting that “Sheffield were the first city to really get behind us.” This, obviously, went down well with the crowd and the cheers broke out into continuous chants of ‘Yorkshire’.
I later had the chance to talk to guitarist Daniel Young in the smoking area who expressed his love for The Leadmill, as so many artists do.
For the set finale, Kiran and Daniel Young climbed down into the crowd, and as a circle formed around them, they played ‘Old and Distant Memory’, a much calmer, mellower track. This personal ending was very similar to the opening and gave the gig a very cyclical structure.
After doing research prior to the gig and hearing about the band’s reputation for live performances, it is fair to say that I was slightly sceptical whether the band’s performance would live up to the hype. However, I was definitely surprised with how good October Drift sounded live from start to finish, and would recommend attending one of their shows if you get the chance, even if it is outside your preferred genre of music.
