Leeds Gig Picks (9th - 15th July)

Tom Gee Band, Monday 9 July, Oporto, Starts 8.00pm, FREE ENTRY

       If you want to opt for something mellow to ease you into the week, then Leeds’s own Tom Gee Band could be the perfect antidote. Citing their influences as ranging from Eric Clapton to Bob Marley and B.B.King, the collective boasting 8 members bring an infusion of authentic blues to Oporto on Monday. Steeped in a collision of sounds resulting from their multi instrumentals, their sound is what they describe themselves as ‘funky soul blues’. Join them for a soul fuelled jamboree.

Futuresound Competition: Heat 10, Euphoria Audio / Our Famous Dead / The Spector Effect / Stations,Tuesday 10 July, The Cockpit, £4

      With a surplus of local bands competing, the heats for Futuresound are well underway having started in June and continuing to run throughout July. Tuesday marks the penultimate show of this week’s heats. Euphoria Audio, Our Famous Dead, The Spector Effect and Stations will be battling it out for the chance to open the Festival/NME Stage at this year’s Reading and Leeds Festivals. 5 runners up will also have the opportunity to play the BBC Introducing Stage. You can even get involved yourself as some of the power lies in your hands to determine who will win!

Runaround Kids + Buen Chico, Wednesday 11 July, Nation of Shopkeepers, Starts 8.30pm, FREE ENTRY

      Wakefield trio, Runaround Kids will play a free show at Nation of Shopkeepers fresh from the release of their new split 12” with Irish band, We Are Losers. After previously touring together, ‘Runaround Kids vs We Are Losers’ was released on 9^th July. You can catch these noisemakers on Wednesday for songs with an Indie-Pop sensibility, bursting with infectious hooks and for an altogether energetic live show. Support comes from Buen Chico as well as DJ sets from No Bones and Philophobia.

Hooray For Earth, Friday 13 July, Brudenell Social Club, Doors 7pm, £7

      Prior to their much anticipated performance at Latitude on the 15^th July, Hooray For Earth make their only other stop in the UK at the Brudenell. Hailing from Boston and having formed in 2006 they have been impressing music aficionados in their hoards with the release of their third album, True Loves, which was released in February of this year for their UK fans.  Their single, ‘No Love’ even experienced heavy rotation by Radio 1 on its release.

The Next Chapter with Jamilah Barry, Friday 13 July, The Wardrobe, Starts 8.30pm, £7

      Singer-songwriter, Jamilah Barry will perform for the last time in Leeds at the Wardrobe, before leaving the North to make the move to London. At 16 years of age, she has a mature vocal that sees her churn out classic hits such as ‘At Last’ from soul legend Etta James with effortless ease; teaming this with her own original material it is a must to see her in a live setting. An impressive talent with this gig being dubbed as unmissable.

 Nite Jewel, Saturday 14 July, Brudenell Social Club, Doors 7.30pm, £7

      Ramona Gonzalez, an LA based songstress performs under the moniker of Nite Jewel. She brings her act to Leeds on the third stop of her UK tour, after recently supporting Chairlift on their North American dates. Nite Jewel is of a similar calibre instrumentally to that of the increasingly popular, Grimes, and not so long ago played the Brudenell herself.  With electro beats escaping the confines of a laptop, it’s a brand of electro-pop drowning in synths with ominous undertones yet her songs remain simultaneously upbeat.