Review: Skunk Anansie at O2 Academy, Leeds

Warming up the crowd is So Good, a support act that lives up to their name. Their set is a riot of bouncy dance routines and infectious hooks.

It’s more than just a warm-up; it’s a full-body workout, priming the audience for the main event. By the time So Good leave the stage, the crowd is fully stretched, and ready for the headliners.

The stage is transformed into a jagged, dark mountain range, with drummer Mark Richardson perched atop a dramatic riser, flanked by guitarist Ace and bassist Cass. The lights drop, and Skin emerges, cloaked in a long black trench coat, her trademark impish grin flashing as she surveys the crowd.

The opening notes of “This Means War” hit like a thunderclap, and the room erupts. Skin prowls the stage, her voice slicing through the air with undiminished ferocity.

“Charlie Big Potato” follows, its grinding riff and pounding rhythm a reminder of the band’s rock roots, while “Because Of You” cements the sense that Skunk Anansie are here to conquer, not coast.

Skin’s vocal soars filling every corner of this formidable old building and matched by her energy with some well-timed jumps.

After the opening salvo, Skin pauses for her first monologue of the night. “Hello Newcastle!”, instantly provoking a chorus of playful boos from the Leeds faithful.

She grins, soaking up the banter, as the crowd offer some reminders in the form of “Leeds, Leeds, Leeds” and “Yorkshire, Yorkshire” chants. “At least it wasn’t Manchester,” she quips, earning another round of jeers and laughter.

Ever the provocateur, Skin invites the crowd to spank her for the mistake, before moving swiftly on.

The set continues with “An Artist Is An Artist,” the first new single from the upcoming album. It bristles with modern urgency and confronts ageism and the need for validation in the digital age.

“I Believed In You” and “Love Someone Else” showcase the band’s ability to shift from raw aggression to melodic introspection without missing a beat.

When Skin introduces “God Loves Only You,” she delivers a passionate speech about equality and solidarity: “You cannot terrorise individual groups for their beliefs or backgrounds. We are all fucking equal. We have to come together to support everyone.”

The crowd roars its approval, the message resonating as powerfully as the music itself.

The hits keep coming: “Secretly,” “Weak As I Am,” and “I Can Dream” (which is delivered from a circle-pit) remind everyone why Skunk Anansie’s back catalogue is so beloved. “Twisted” and “My Ugly Boy” are delivered with relentless energy, the band locked in and Skin in full command, often leaving the stage to join the crowd, blurring the line between performer and audience.

The main set closes with a furious run through the unlreased “Animal,” “Political,” “Tear The Place Up,” and “Little Baby Swastika,” each song a masterclass in controlled chaos.

The encore is a victory lap: “Hedonism” prompts a mass singalong, “Cheers” and “Whole Lotta Love” (a nod to Led Zeppelin) keep the adrenaline high, and “The Skank Head (Get Off Me)” and “Lost and Found” bring the night to a triumphant close.

Thirty years in, Skunk Anansie remain a force of nature. Provocative, passionate, and utterly compelling.

At O2 Academy Leeds, they proved once again that their fire burns as brightly as ever, leaving the crowd exhilarated, exhausted, and already longing for their return.

They will not have to wait too long as Skunk Anansie are scheduled to play an album launch with Crash Records at the Brudenell Social Club in May.

Good luck getting tickets for that one!