BY STUART GLOSSOP
CMAT is the Irish singer-songwriter rewriting the rules of pop with theatrical flair, razor-sharp wit, and emotional punch. Blending country-pop melancholy with indie sparkle and a healthy dose of camp, she’s become one of the most distinctive voices in modern music. Her debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead topped the Irish charts and won the Choice Music Prize, while follow-up Crazymad, for Me cemented her reputation as a master of heartbreak, humour, and high drama. With her third album EURO-COUNTRY on the horizon, CMAT continues to deliver glittering anthems for the girls, the gays, and anyone who’s ever cried in the club. Expect powerhouse vocals, cowboy kitsch, and a live show that’s part Vegas revue, part emotional exorcism. Genre-defying pop powerhouse with a country heart and a cabaret soul.
5th October O2 Academy Leeds
Jade is a rising force in UK pop, blending velvet vocals with razor-edged lyrics and genre-fluid production. Drawing from R&B, alt-pop, and electronic textures, her sound is both intimate and expansive—built for late-night headphones and festival stages alike. With a background in songwriting and visual storytelling, Jade crafts tracks that hit hard and linger long after the last note. Her debut EP turned heads with its emotional clarity and sonic ambition, earning praise from tastemakers and playlist curators across the UK. Whether she’s delivering a stripped-back ballad or a dancefloor confession, Jade brings vulnerability, vision, and a voice that demands attention. Soulful, sharp, and impossible to ignore.
15th October O2 Academy Leeds
Formed in Austin, Texas in 2020, DAIISTAR channel the swirling spirit of late-80s British indie into a narcotic blend of noise and melody. Inspired by the likes of Spacemen 3, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Primal Scream, their sound fuses modulating synths, heavy guitars, and spiraling hooks into a euphoric wall of sound. Their debut album Good Time, produced by Alex Maas (The Black Angels) and released via UK label Fuzz Club Records, made waves across psych and indie scenes, landing them slots at SXSW, Levitation Austin, and Barcelona Psych Fest. With support tours alongside The Dandy Warhols, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and The Black Angels, DAIISTAR have cemented their reputation as one of the most electrifying live acts in the genre. Their latest release—a limited 7″ single “Clear” backed by a Sonic Boom remix—pushes their sonic palette even further into cosmic territory. Whether on vinyl or on stage, DAIISTAR deliver a hypnotic, high-volume trip that’s impossible to ignore.
16th October Headrow House, Leeds
Montreal’s No Joy, led by Jasamine White-Gluz, has evolved from shoegaze cult favourites into one of the most sonically adventurous acts in modern alt music. Since their debut in 2009, the band has pushed the boundaries of genre—fusing shimmering noise-pop, trip-hop textures, and electronic experimentation into a sound that’s both ethereal and visceral. Live, they deliver a wall of sound that’s hypnotic and heavy, with White-Gluz’s vocals floating like smoke over layers of distortion and synth.
21st October, Headrow House, Leeds
Emerging from the UK’s late-70s post-punk scene, The Psychedelic Furs forged a sound that was both raw and romantic—melding jagged guitars, brooding saxophone, and Richard Butler’s unmistakable rasp into a sonic signature that influenced generations. With early albums like Talk Talk Talk and Forever Now, they became cult icons, while Pretty in Pink—immortalised by the John Hughes film—catapulted them into global consciousness. Their music spans art-rock, new wave, and alternative pop, with hits like “Love My Way,” “The Ghost in You,” and “Heaven” still pulsing through indie playlists and film soundtracks. After a long hiatus, the band returned with Made of Rain (2020), a critically acclaimed album that proved their creative fire still burns bright.
25th October Stylus, Leeds University
The Lovely Eggs are Holly Ross and David Blackwell—Lancaster’s loudest, weirdest, and most fiercely independent duo. Armed with a guitar, a drum kit, and a defiant DIY spirit, they’ve carved out a cult status with their raw, surreal blend of garage punk, psychedelic noise, and kitchen-sink absurdism. Live, The Lovely Eggs are a riot—funny, furious, and gloriously unpolished. Expect fuzzed-out riffs, cosmic chaos, and a band that truly gives zero eggs. DIY punk-psych duo with a cult following and a no-compromise ethos.
25th October Brudenell Social Club
