LIVE: Kazoopa Festival, Multiple Venues, Leeds, 26.11.16

Any of the cynics who moan about the lack of good new music about are obviously yet to experience anything like Kazoopa Festival. Though it may have been the inaugural event, Kazoopa embodied everything that’s actually pretty fantastic about the state of new music at the moment: some incredibly exciting bands and a proper sense of community.

That’s what ultimately made Kazoopa so good: everyone seemed to know each other. Not in a cliquey way, but rather in the sense that everyone seemed out to support their friends; no competition, just excitement and encouragement.

Comradery aside, however, the bands – regardless of what their friends may think – were expertly picked and therefore, very, very good. And while I wish I could have seen/written about everyone, I’m merely human. So, here’s a run-down of what I saw and who I liked:

Sunspots:

I’ve vowed never to meticulously plan festivals ever again. By all means, aim to see certain bands but 9 times out of 10 you end up bitterly disappointed; and you don’t discover new things by accident. Thus, with no plan at all, having been in Leeds for no more than 15 minutes, I stumbled upon Sunspots. Taking over Oporto, Sunspots proved just how fine-tuned a band can become in little over a year, and just why they’re become such a name in their hometown.

Judas:

Despite seeing Judas’ name plastered over Facebook and gig posters, I hadn’t given them too much time. I’d convinced myself that I had listened to them, because of just how inescapable they are, but I hadn’t. And they’re inescapable for a reason. An ode to both the minds behind the festival, and the band themselves, Headrow House was surprisingly full for so early in the day; full of people who were not only willing to see the band but to join in with a sing-a-long to their latest track ‘Love Is The Enemy’. Incredible.

Bright Young People:

Admittedly I didn’t manage to catch the whole set, but what’s a city festival without a little bit of headless running around to see half sets? We could do regret, or we could talk about what I did see and what I have seen from Bright Young People in the past. A band that belong on the stage, Bright Young People have all the wit, charm and talent a band could want – and Kazoopa fest just solidified that.

Kashmere:

Taking over Milo Bar for the second time, Stockport’s Kashmere have an unmatched energy that could fill any room; and while Milo is only small, Kashmere go at it with dedication that could fill an arena. Between their last single ‘Blow Your Mind’, and ‘Porcelain’, which they were taking the studio the next day, everything about Kashmere is foot-tappingly, ear-wormingly enjoyable.

The Tapestry

Among the very, very new bands, Kazoopa also played host to some with a little more experience. While it allowed some bands to play some shows that are still very early in their career, it sadly also allowed The Tapestry to play one of their very last. Calling it a day with a final gig on Boxing Day, Kazoopa was The Tapestry’s penultimate show – and they certainly weren’t going to go off without a bang. Playing an extended set well into the night, Verve bar saw all the dancing, stage invasions and lost shoes you could want from a set. A sad goodbye, but a brilliant one nonetheless.

And that was that.

With venues closing at an alarming rate, festivals like Kazoopa provide an important platform for bands to meet and grow; for people to get excited about new music. And that’s exactly what it did.

Melissa Svensen
@MelYeaahh