Dork’s heading to Leeds next month to take over a stage at Live At Leeds, with a line-up that features former Dork cover act VANT alongside other faves Get Inuit, Dead Naked Hippies, Idles and loads more. It’s going to be great.
To get us in the spirit, Dead! – who’re also on our bill – have put together a playlist featuring their fave live tracks: from cult classics like Brand New’s ‘Sowing Season’, to just regular classics like The Who’s ‘My Generation’. It’s all there.
The Who – My Generation
The energy, the theatrics, the windmilling, the carefree attitude, the fucking exploding drum kit on tv (Smothers Comedy Hour 1967?), the destruction – it was an embodiment of youthful energy, a real testament. We saw these guys live at the Isle Of Wight festival a few years ago and it sounded amazing, but to have seen them back in the day must be incredible.
Kano – T-Shirt Weather
Kano and his band. Catching him at Brixton last year was something else. His backing band was comprised of a shit hot brass section and one of the best live drummers I’ve ever seen. A lot of the drums on his most recent record are quite chopped up/computer programmed and quantised and heavily swung, but this drummer was perfect with every hit while performing his heart out. 5000 people smiling and having a good time singing their heart out to ‘T-Shirt Weather’… it was a sick night
The Computers – Music Is Dead
A mate persuaded us to go and see this band at a pub after our show one night. Going off the name and the suits I thought it would be some indie project… I’ve never been so wrong. 2am, a tiny bar overflowing with bodies, guys showing up in burgundy suits crowd surfing their gear to the “stage” cause it just wouldn’t fit. The singer was forced to spend the whole show on his cab screaming his head off like some rock and preacher about our souls. Watching that show was a complete game changer, they’ve lost the punky element now and went full blown Motown but it’s still kinda cool.
Guns ’N’ Roses – Don’t Cry
The live video of them at the Ritz ’88 is like a lesson in unadulterated, arrogant, theatrical rock music. We had to reference them quite a bit in our last recording sessions – you can’t be a “rock” band without respecting what they did, and how they did it live.
Placebo – Every Me Every You
We’re all big Placebo fans. They’re probably a bigger influence on us and our writing than we notice. Sometimes when you go and see a band live they manage to play through a set sounding flawless without the need for stage antics and sfx. That’s something those guys can do fantastically every time. Cut the fat and just play an incredible show.
The Strokes – Soma
They did a thing called MTV $2 Bill which I think was like an actual series but kind of before our time; search for The Strokes’ performance it’s fucking great.
The Smiths – How Soon Is Now
Think it’s obvious if you’ve seen us live where we take influence… we like their promo shots too.
Brand New – Sowing Season
It takes some of us a little longer than others to get into Brand New, and that’s fine, it happens to lots of guys… When they played Alexandra Palace a couple of years ago Jesse just walked out, asked the lighting tech to turn all the lights up, 21 songs later says “thanks we’ve been Brand New”, and then they walk off stage. That was all it was. Fucking incredible. They just played and gave it everything. It was borderline a cathartic experience, to be honest.
Muse – New Born
Matt Bellamy is one of those singer/songwriters that managed to end up as a guitar god as well, and it really shows live. I couldn’t tell you at all or offer any insight or theories on how a bit of wood with six strings still to this day turns people on all over the world. The art of a ‘guitar hero’ is becoming more and more of a rarity these days but fuck, Matt Bellamy, you really nail it. Check out their Live at Wembley DVD when he’s wearing the red suit. Incredible.
Live At Leeds will take place on 29th April. Visit liveatleeds.com for more information.