Gig review: The Lovely Eggs at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

The arrangements around the venue were comforting without being intrusive, largely relying on the politely requested co-operation of the gig going public, supplemented with discrete improvements in security and queuing.

Universally the requests were heeded, such is the respect and value placed upon the Brudenell as in intrinsic element of the Leeds cultural scene alongside the elation felt by all to finally be able to watch quality live music with like-minded souls.

The venue wasn’t packed, assisting in building back confidence, but the sonics created by Ross and husband David Blackwell more than filled the space. The band’s new album I Am Moron is a more polished affair than its predecessors, somewhat reluctantly released during lockdown when they knew they couldn’t promote it, but still spawning a chart-topping track featuring the punk godfather Iggy Pop, I, Moron. The iconic singer joining the stage through an ethereal backing tape halfway through a set which fully covered the Lancaster band’s full repertoire, the louder punkier tracks reflecting life before Moron, Magic Onion and The Return of Witchcraft in particular giving rise to a headbanging audience and high kicking Ross. Lyrically, The Lovely Eggs have always been entertaining, no more so than on You Can Go Now or their first ever single, I Like Birds But I Like Other Animals Too.

Equally as engaging were the conversational moments, transporting the audience to Holly and David’s front room where they chatted to each other about various domestic situations, not least the latter’s attempts to raise funds during lockdown by selling stuff on Ebay (there’s still a Vintage Micky Mouse Soap available, £26 at the time of writing).

More importantly, Ross only had only positives to say about the venue and their concern about the industry they love during the most difficult 16 months they’d ever known. The Brudenell’s Nathan Clark had rung the band during lockdown to check they were OK, could the venue do anything to assist and ensure their survival, lockdown gigs, whatever, anything. It’s this attention to the bands they promote that makes the venue’s impact industry wide, not just restricted to Leeds. The Lovely Eggs repaid the debt in spades, a psychedelic, dirty punk masterclass, an elative launch for whatever the Brudenell next has planned and the remainder of the Eggs on tour.