The Brian Jonestown Massacre live review: Anton Newcombe leads the psychedelic geniuses in Leeds
Prolific indie rockers The Brian Jonestown Massacre, led by head genius Anton Newcombe, graced the stage of Leeds’ Stylus on Valentine’s Day for a passionate display of psychedelic devotion.
Before the band took to the stage for a whopping two-hour set, an unusual choice of opening act commanded the room; the magician The Magic Mod. Having previously opened for The Libertines and Paul Weller, the magic man, real name Ben Taylor, is no stranger to supporting well-respected musical icons. Taylor captivated the audience with his wit and charm, inviting someone on stage to be his assistant. Despite a fair few bewildered faces in the crowd, Taylor’s performance seemed to go down well, and he received plenty of cheers as he exited the stage.
Shortly after, The Brian Jonestown Massacre took to the stage rather inconspicuously, exuding a laid-back atmosphere that indicated they were entirely in control of their surroundings. Once reached member picked up their instruments, they had the crowd’s complete attention, launching into ‘#1 Lucky Kitty’ from their 2022 album Fire Doesn’t Grow On Trees. The band played with an intense fervour that suggested they were completely in their element on the stage, creating a lucid soundscape that enveloped the 1000-capacity venue.
The band rolled through a number of tracks from their most recent albums, including The Future Is Your Past, which was released last Friday (February 10th). Highlights included the nostalgic-sounding ‘Fudge’, which had the audience gently swaying to its hazy rhythms. ‘The Real’ from Fire Doesn’t Grow On Trees was another standout moment, its pummeling drums perfectly accompanied by Joel Gion shaking his tambourine. However, the band also ensured that fans could walk away having heard iconic BJM tracks such as the indelible ‘Anemone’ and ‘Pish’, which received grateful cheers and singalongs from the crowd.
As the set neared its end, Newcombe’s collection of accompanying musicians seemed to grow, with nine people eventually filling the stage. With complete ownership of the room, they performed mesmerising psychedelic jams with impressive technical proficiency.
However, this emphasis on getting things perfect often led the band to take minutes-long breaks between each song as they tuned and prepared for the next track. Although this wasn’t much of an issue, as this extra preparation made every track’s performance flawless, unfortunately, many audience members took this time to chat loudly, ruining the otherwise transcendental atmosphere created by the band. Still, this is more a reflection of the audience and also the venue, which is arguably the worst in Leeds.
With their incredible performance, The Brian Jonestown Massacre proved why they’re such an essential staple in the alternative scene. Not only does Newcombe know how to write a good song, but in a live setting, these songs translate beautifully. Even if you only know a handful of their tracks, seeing The Brian Jonestown Massacre live is sure to be a spectacular experience.
