With only two songs online, Yak are managing to stir up quite a storm with their boisterous brand of unruly rock. Playing a homecoming show of sorts (two members of the band hail from nearby Wolverhampton), the band showcased exactly why they’re one of the acts you need to be paying rapt attention to.

Favoured garage rock duo Table Scraps kickstarted the night into a searing scuzzed-up dream. Gearing up to release their debut album this June, the frenetically formidable duo present a unique blend of rambunctious garage rock, complete with driving drumbeats, resounding vocals, and distorted guitar. Deliciously loud and devilishly charming, the two-piece propelled through their set with a potent energy that kept all attentions glued towards the stage. Debut single, ‘Bug’, and soon-to-be-released follow-up, ‘Electricity’, present the band simultaneously at their most raucous and their most tightly honed – guitar head led theremin solos adding an electrifying dynamic to the band’s sound.

Taking things down a notch, The Grafham Water Sailing Club presented their distinctive industrial post-punk whilst shrouded in shadow. Drowned out vocals and eerie synth melodies flooded the room, but washed over most present. Gloomy and ghostly, their set lacked the shambolically exciting energy that brimmed across the rest of the night. Losing the orb that illuminated their previous performances from centre-stage, the focus was shifted from spectacle to soaring sound, but with their frontman vacating the venue part way through the closing song, their show is very much still an act – out of place amidst the anarchic energy that filled the remainder of the night.

Centring their set on their debut single ‘Hungry Heart,’ Yak conquered the stage. Squalling guitars, propulsive percussion, characteristic vocals, and a wry sense of humour held the audience captivated. Bursting with a rousing enthusiasm, there was no denying the proficiency and potential that emanated from the stage. Highlighting their set with a homage to King Crimson – epically swirling guitars, stadium sized drum fills, and killer rock vocals exposing a more masterly side to the group – the three-piece demonstrated the compelling power their talent holds to leave the room fully floored in their wake. Inciting screamed-a-long choruses and a few frenzied dance moves from those who recognised the single, Yak might not have much to show for themselves outside of their live shows just yet, but what they do have speaks for itself. Yak are stepping up to find the world at their feet, and we can’t wait to see where the road takes them to next.

Jessica Goodman
@alotlikejessica