Osees prove their legendary status at iconic Leeds venue, Brudenell Social Club
When I was a teenager, I stumbled down a rabbit hole of KEXP performances on YouTube, finding myself particularly drawn to bands such as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Thee Oh Sees. Since then, the latter have released various albums under various guises, currently settling on Osees.
Unfortunately, over the years, I’ve missed every available chance I’ve had to see the prolific Californian garage/psych rockers – until I was blessed with the opportunity to see them twice in one week.
The John Dwyer-fronted band headlined London’s Wide Awake Festival on May 27th, playing an incredible hour-and-a-half performance as the sun set over Brockwell Park. I was astounded by the band’s sheer stamina and energy, and I couldn’t wait to see them at a considerably smaller venue – the legendary Brudenell Social Club – a few days later. As part of their UK tour, Osees booked two nights at the iconic Leeds venue, located in the heart of the student suburb, Hyde Park.
Brudenell Social Club opened its doors in 1913 as a popular working men’s club. However, as the area began to attract more students, the venue expanded to become a gig space in the early 1990s. Since then, it has become one of the country’s most well-known small venues, attracting bands of all sizes, from local acts to established icons like The Fall and Tom Jones.
With two 400-capacity gig rooms inside the venue, every performance at Brude is guaranteed to be intimate and atmospheric. Having seen some incredible artists at the venue over the past few years, from Father John Misty to Black Midi, I knew seeing a band as raucous as Osees in such a small space would be unforgettable.
First on the line-up was Psychic Graveyard, a noise rock band I previously caught at another essential Leeds venue, Wharf Chambers, last week. Their abrasive sounds emanated from the small room as hoards of middle-aged men made their way inside. As a woman in my early 20s, I was in the minority – something I’ve unfortunately had to get used to.
At ten past nine, Osees took to the stage without any significant entrance, slipping into position with ease before launching into ‘I Come From the Mountain’. From there, Dwyer and his bandmates pummelled through a setlist of over 20 songs, which included popular tracks such as ‘Toe Cutter – Thumb Buster’, ‘The Dream’, ‘Animated Violence’ and ‘The Static God’.
Osees radiate an effortlessly cool image, telling humorous anecdotes about their love of the venue between songs, with Dwyer unafraid to call out annoying audience members. A few minor technical issues arose, but Dwyer worked through them with veteran skill. From start to finish, the band abounded with energy – how they could play such intense tracks for 90 minutes straight is beyond me.
Not only is this review a celebration of Osees’ incredible live performances, but it is also a love letter to Brudenell Social Club. The venue, which radiates a communal atmosphere (it’s also incredibly accessible), consistently provides the perfect space for bands like Osees to perform utterly memorable sets. If you ever have to chance to see Osees or attend a gig at Brude, I couldn’t recommend it more.
