Gig review: Orlando Weeks at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Try as he might, former Maccabees singer Orlando Weeks’s stripped-back set failed live up to audience expectations at the Brudenell Social Club.

If some had come hoping for the guitar rush of Pelican or Marks To Prove It, they found it hard to conceal their disappointment when he instead treated them to evening full of lullabies and painfully awkward, but somewhat adorable flat-capped chat. Perhaps it was just timing, but it seemed more suited to a sleepy Sunday than a freshers’ Friday.

While a smaller band set-up arguably suits his sound as many of his songs are slow and piano-based, it was lost on the heavier hits like Dig, where a drum kit would have worked wonders in bringing the track to life.

With two successful solo albums and a career made by indie band the Maccabees, Weeks is an extremely adept songwriter and able to pile his emotional longings into tracks that are painstakingly beautiful.

A lovely moment of the gig was a pretty song written for his son, where he encouraged the crowd to ‘shhhh’ along with the song. Artistic visuals aided the performance and made me ponder that this, alongside a full band set-up, would have been a much more immersive experience.

A highlight for broken-hearted Maccabees’ fans was a slowed down version of Toothpaste Kisses with added words and a fumbled, extended melody. Couples caressed around this sweet love song. It was a genuinely unique version of the classic.