Boy Harsher live review: a reminder of the collective joy in clubbing
In a UK exclusive headline show, dark wave electronic duo Boy Harsher took to the stage in Leeds to deliver an all-encompassing artistic experience of hedonism.
On their last trip to Leeds, the dark synthpop duo took to the tiny stage of Wharf Chambers, a cooperative with a venue cap of 180. This time, they graced the stage of the city’s brand-new 1,000-capacity warehouse venue, Project House, an exciting new collaborative project between three Leeds independent giants in Welcome Skate Store, Superfriendz, and Brudenell Social Club.
From my two visits to the new space, it has felt like a much bigger, much brighter version of the Brudenell, filled with the usual crowd of Schöfferhofer-loving punters who make up Leeds’ underground music scene. Everywhere you turn there’s another face you recognise, for better or worse. Although the presence of the historical Hyde Park venue can be felt in the warehouse through its programming and the crowd it brings, aesthetically, it seems like Superfriendz’s baby.
With two bars serving up beer from non-branded taps, a committed colour scheme of green and white, huge windows, and fairy lights and plants adorning the walls, it’s a far cry from the dark and dingy atmosphere of comparable warehouse venues. It almost feels a little too clinical at first, lacking some of the grit and authenticity that endears warehouses to gig-goers. The walls are entirely painted white – only an LED light in the shape of the venue’s increasingly recognisable logo, a green smiley face, breaks up the colour. Galleria, the venue’s accompanying restaurant with a wood grill, is also in the works.
Project House certainly channels the cool of the other Superfriendz venues, namely Headrow House, but it seemed a strange match for the dark soundscapes of Boy Harsher. As we entered Leeds’ newest venue, I couldn’t help but wonder how this expansive and clean warehouse would live up to the duo’s first run in the city, in the intimate, dingy walls of the beloved Wharf Chambers.
After grabbing arancini from Poco en route to line our stomachs, and quickly stopping into Kirkstall’s Cardi Arms for an extortionately priced drink, we were affronted by the all-encompassing sleaze and hedonism of Boy Harsher the second we stepped into the venue. Project House had been decked out with various art installations, including wall projections and a machine-operated dildo in a glass case, which we spent far too long changing the speed of via the button on the floor. One of the installations even allowed for interactivity, showcasing a number of screens – television, phones, tablets – either featuring explicit videos of couples kissing or the spectator when they came into view of the camera.
Aside from showcasing the duo’s artistic vision and providing a unique experience for fans, the exhibition also set the tone for the gig itself. I had been gearing myself up for the night all day, preparing by listening back to Boy Harsher’s back catalogue and imagining how it might fit into the stark warehouse walls. An equally excited sunglasses-ridden crowd gathered by the stage after an opening performance from early Far Out interviewees, The KVB, anticipating Boy Harsher’s first synthy vibrations. They didn’t disappoint.
Vocalist Jae Matthews called back to their last trip to the city, recalling that the crowd was at least “twice” the size (really, it was closer to ten times the size). She also noted their last crowd’s penchant for dance, asking that we bring the same energy. If she had any fears about the audience’s willingness to move, they were quickly quelled as the duo launched into the dark, pulsing tones of ‘Fate’ from their 2019 record Careful.
Producer Augustus Muller was just as committed to dance as his audience, throwing shapes from behind his impressive set up of controls. Drenched in red lights, the duo guided the audience through a set of pure euphoric electronica, including the likes of the newer ‘Westerners’ and old classic ‘Modulations’. Matthews’ vocals are just as silky smooth live as they are on record. Project House’s set-up only served to enhance this, with intense strobe lighting and an impressive sound system. The expansive audience never felt daunting; instead, it felt like a collective experience as everyone immersed themselves in the sleek soundscapes of Boy Harsher.
After ending the set with ‘LA’, Boy Harsher returned for a two-song encore which featured the ethereal ‘I Understand’ from their original soundtrack for The Runner. It was a welcome change of pace, a moment of reflection, and a moment which proved Boy Harsher’s aptitude for more than reverberant club tracks. Finally, the set concluded with the iconic ‘Pain’. The track’s throbbing dark synths got everyone moving once more, falling naturally into the refrain of “Pain, breaks, rhythm” as the set culminated in pure hedonistic joy.
Perhaps surprisingly, Project House provided the perfect venue for Boy Harsher’s dark-wave electronica. The once stark whiteness of the venue faded away into the darkness of the stage and the sound, and the impressive technical setup allowed their electronic goodness to have its full effect. The second the final synthy tones of ‘Pain’ faded away, a friend and I turned to one another to declare our desperate need to go to clubs and electronic events more. Post-uni life quickly converted me to a culture of gigs and pubs, abandoning club culture completely, but Boy Harsher’s performance reawakened a love for electronic events. We committed to this stance, taking our night from the expansive Project House to the cramped Wax bar in the city centre, another silently-accepted Leeds music industry hub, for a couple more hours of unashamed dancing.
Boy Harsher certainly don’t do things by halves. Alongside proving the flexibility of Project House as a venue, their show in Leeds was an all-encompassing artistic experience, a tight set of endlessly danceable synths and a reminder of the collective joy to be found in clubbing.
