Gig review: The Smiths Ltd at The Wardrobe, Leeds

The Smiths’ place in British music history is assured with bands such as the Stone Roses and Oasis citing them as a major influence on their careers.

The iconic Manchester group formed in 1982 but split in 1987 and their chances of them ever reforming, as the Roses and Oasis have done in recent times, are virtually zero.

Yet tribute acts are all the rage these days and bands such as The Smiths Ltd afford fans the chance to bathe in nostalgia and re-live all their greatest hits with unerring authenticity.

The Smiths Ltd formed in Manchester in 2009 and now play at venues and festivals all over the UK, with Saturday’s show in Leeds attracting a packed-out crowd to the Wardrobe.

They use the same guitars, bass, amps and drum kit that The Smiths used on their very last tour to capture that quintessential sound.

Frontman Johnny Turner bears an uncanny likeness to Morrissey, not just with his quiff and dress sense but essentially in how he carries off the Smiths’ tracks quite brilliantly.

Turner, from Audenshaw, almost stumbled into the band by chance after being persuaded to do karaoke in a bar during a family trip to Blackpool.

He took to the mic to sing First of the Gang to Die and realised he actually sounded like Morrissey.

From there, Turner responded to an advert in a local newspaper in Manchester advertising for a singer for a Smiths tribute act.

The group formed out a desire to resurrect the unique and profound musical journey that Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke, and Mike Joyce embarked upon in the 1980s.

The rest, as they say, is history and several years on The Smiths Ltd command a strong following from fans young and old eager to hear such iconic songs being played.

In Leeds on Saturday night, they kicked off with The Boy With the Thorn in His Side and Ask before rolling out full back catalogue of The Smiths’ greatest hits.

There was an energy to their performance, and even the way Turner interacts with fans in between is scarily similar to Morrissey.

Tracks such as Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, How Soon Is Now, Is It Really So Strange?, Sheila Take A Bow, Panic, This Charming Man and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out prompt mass singalongs and leave the audience delighted.

The Smiths Ltd are currently touring England with dates in Clitheroe, Cannock, London, Hull, Manchester, Barnsley and Ashton Under Lyne scheduled before the end of the year.

After their terrific show in Leeds, they come highly recommended.