There are certain nights at the Brudenell that remind you exactly why this venue has a cult-like pull, and this was one of them. Opening the evening were ATFK, the wildly inventive duo of Amy Thatcher and Francesca Knowles, armed with drums, accordion anmd synths and enough fearlessness to rewire them all. Their set was a kaleidoscope of rhythmic mischief and beautifully crafted, almost post-rock-leaning folk pieces—at once delicate, always utterly hypnotic. With synths, keys and vocals swirling around their off-beat percussion magic, they charmed the room with ease. The crowd, visibly enchanted, leaned ever closer as the duo stretched their sound into something both intimate and gleefully unruly. Their forthcoming album is one to check out on this evidence.
Then came the main event: twenty years on from their self-titled debut, Field Music returned not just as a band, but as the original trio, reunited to celebrate the record that started it all. Leeds was the first of only three anniversary shows, and the Brudenell—long considered a second home—was buzzing with the kind of warmth usually reserved for family gatherings. The Brewis brothers slipped effortlessly between guitar and drums as they tore into the opening run of tracks from the debut, their sound still wonderfully skewed through that unique Sunderland lens. It was all there: the intricate pop craftsmanship, the sideways melodic turns, the echoes of everything from glossy ’70s pop to prog to sunshine harmonies, all filtered into something unmistakably their own.
Rather than a straight run-through of the album, they kept everyone on their toes, swerving into deeper cuts and anniversary-edition additions. “You’re Not Supposed To” landed early, followed by a detour to Tones of Town with a beautifully measured “A Gap Has Appeared” and a gloriously loose-limbed “Got to Get the Nerve,” complete with Andrew Moore conjuring some deliciously eerie organ parts while Peter Brewis unleashed guitar heroics no one saw coming. Moore stepped up again for “Sleeping on the Floor,” giving the long-hidden track its moment in the spotlight, before the band treated Leeds to only their second-ever performance of “17.” It felt like watching a time capsule crack open in real time.
The closing stretch was pure joy: the jittery brilliance of “Got to Write a Letter” followed by the shimmering glow of “You’re So Pretty,” still one of the loveliest things they’ve ever put to tape. And then, of course, the encore—because the Brudenell wasn’t letting them leave without one. “Give It, Lose It, Take It” hit with sharp, joyous precision, before the night came full circle with a tender, emotional “It’s Not the Only Way to Feel Happy.”
Two decades after playing to a handful of curious onlookers at the now-vanished Cockpit, Field Music are still here, still evolving, and still capable of delivering a show that feels both celebratory and quietly profound. On this chilly November night, Leeds welcomed them back like the old friends they’ve become.
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