I’m usually sceptic of the tag line for bands doing an acoustic Q&A….. I amongst others were unsure of what would be in store for the gig ahead. Fear not….. a “stripped back” show featuring 3 of the 5 members of the Southend based band who collectively gave an intimate, yet mesmerising performance of a selection of old and new tracks, representing their showmanship and humour in what was an hour of a Nothing but Thieves masterclass.
A band now on album number four, the opportunity for us to access a band who are more on more on a trajectory to the upper hemisphere of large sold out arena shows, this shiny new intimate venue on the outskirts of Leeds City Centre gave us all an opportunity that doesn’t come around too often in a venue likely never to unfortunately see the band again in the near future.
That being said, the venue…. a quirky setting for hosting the evening….. recently opened but already planned to host some big names. With its open plan setting, the stage snuggled to the left, two well stocked bars and a chilled out garden setting set the scene for the night.
There was no need for any support acts, no fancy gimmicks, the crowd in attendance who had patiently and formally queued for their opportunity to be there, snaking their way around car parks and streets, just wanted to see the band in what proved to be as intimate as the billing suggested.
Nothing but Thieves are now a headline attraction and tickets for this show were pretty hard to get hold of. That said, they casually entered the stage to an enthusiastic applause as Dom, Conor and Joe, entered main stage and assumed their set positions… all in a row and tantalisingly close to the crowd.
There was a gentle welcome and introduction followed by the first song of the night, Overcome, taken from their newly released album, Welcome to the DCC.
Not too many current bands distort the lines of genres as much as Nothing but Thieves do. Their blurge of pop, rock and indie is actually hard to pin down as a specific. And what is also instantly evident from the off, is the talent of each of those on the stage. An acoustic and electric guitar led the tones and melodies, paving the way for the ever impressive and charming Conor, donned in a colourful get up and striking blond hair, his quite literally breath-taking vocals about to be unleashed on us all.
His voice is truly remarkable. Falsetto’s and notes frequently operatically intertwining and caressing each of the songs the band produce. Whether it is the softer ballad style such as the astonishing… Lover, please stay or the rousing, loud anthem Amsterdam…… his voice alone drags you in, holds you and wallops you right in the face and for most, the heart. All this most notably summed up by Joe on the night…. who claimed Conor has the best voice in Rock and Roll…. and on tonight’s evidence, it may be hard to argue.
However, it must be noted that it isn’t all about Conor’s vocals, both Dom and Joe are hugely impressive on their respective instruments and complement one another superbly. The band openly state on the night they are heavily influenced by Jeff Buckley and Radiohead, so it was inevitable that they covered the latter mentioned, haunting and beautiful Fake Plastic Trees…. of which you could be easily forgiven for believing this could actually be their own song.
Emotionally charged songs gave way to splattering’s of light entertainment from the band and there was a huge prominence on audience participation in the aforementioned sceptically Q&A element.
Not set to just one part of the evening however, questions, quips and requests were staggered throughout the night, with the unscripted element leading to genuinely comical moments, but touching flashes also as one notable point of the evening played out. A young fan aged 4, proudly positioned on her Dad’s shoulders, expressed to the band her favourite song was Impossible. The band wonderfully responded by confirming they will play this for her which they told us was not on their setlist. They aptly soon performed the track and dedicated this to her…. subtle nods and smiles directed in her direction followed during the songs performance. A lovely moment.
There was a constant feeling that the band genuinely loved playing the gig, repeatedly joking between each other, willingly signing autographs for the audience and interacting in such a way only an intimate gig like this can allow. If it wasn’t for what appeared a strict deadline to finish – overseen by the powers that be, I reckon they would have willingly continued into the night.
Nine songs in total were played. Each of them performed impeccably in this beautiful relaxed setting with the audience transfixed on every word. It was only just over an hour in total from start to finish, but I for one felt privileged to be there, seeing the band doing what they do, without all the stage paraphernalia and fixed setlists. Just them and their instruments wowing us all and providing us with a connection to a band that seems to be an otherwise unforgotten essential element in the wider world of other artists nowadays.
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