Photo credit: Tony Nellis Photography
Leazes return to Think Tank on 5 April for a show they are calling a “thank-you” to the home crowd that has backed them from the start.
That alone gives it a bit more weight than a standard hometown headline, but so does everything around it. This one sold out quickly, and the band say that hit home in a big way. More than that, it made them stop and take in what has been building lately. They point out that this is already six sell-outs in a row, which still feels wild to them in itself. Seeing this one go as fast as it did seems to have confirmed something back to them: people are connecting with what they are doing, and they are doing it the right way, for themselves as much as for everyone else.
That is what makes Think Tank feel important. Not just because it is sold out, and not just because it is Newcastle. For Leazes, it is a chance to be back up close with the people who have been there from the beginning, in the city that shaped them, after a year where the rooms have got bigger and the crowds have grown with them. They talk about it as both a celebration and a statement. A moment to recognise what is happening, then push on again.
Their recent single I’ve Been Waiting feels tied up in that same shift. They say it always felt a bit different from what they would class as their “bread and butter”, mainly because it came from looking inward more than usual. They describe themselves as “massive observationists”, more naturally drawn to commenting on the world around them than looking in the mirror, so writing something that pulled together their own internal journeys and the wider journey of the band gave the song a different kind of meaning. They do not see it as a reinvention, but they do call it a sign of internal growth, and probably the best line they give it is this: it feels like “an open love letter to ourselves, fans and family.”
That says quite a lot about where they are now. They stop short of saying they have fully found their sound, but they are clearly more settled in it. More confident. More sure of what works for them. As they put it, they are not just chucking stuff at the wall anymore. They know who they are, and the writing feels tighter because of that.
The last year sounds like it has changed everything. This time a year ago, they say they were struggling for regular monthly gigs. Since then, they have ticked off bucket-list venues, played in front of thousands of people and sold out shows back to back. They describe it as feeling like a dream sometimes, which feels fair enough. But for all of that movement, they are still very clear on one thing: being a band from here matters. If it all ended tomorrow, they say they would still just be glad they got to enjoy the ride. At the centre of everything is the bond between them, and that is what keeps it all grounded.
Touring with The Rosadocs seems to have pushed that on even further. Leazes say those dates threw them out of their comfort zone in the best way, especially when it came to learning how to win over rooms full of people who did not know them yet. They talk about changing sets last minute, turning some moments up, toning others down, and learning in real time what lands hardest. More than that, it was also their first proper run of travelling and doing gigs back to back together, which seems to have confirmed to them that this is exactly the life they wanted. There is a lot of warmth in the way they talk about that tour too, especially the welcome they have had from The Rosadocs. They say watching how they carry themselves and connect with a crowd has raised their own standards, and by the sound of it there will be a few tears when the tour ends.
Those bigger shows have changed their confidence too, and they are honest about that. It is not just the size of the room or the number of people. It is the fact those faces are often complete strangers. In cities where they do not know one person, they are still getting lyrics sung back to them, still hearing compliments that properly stay with them afterwards. For them, that has been one of the clearest signs that they are in the right place, with the right people. “YOU LOT!” as they put it.
There have been a few milestone moments along the way as well. Headlining BBC Introducing at The Glasshouse is one they describe as pivotal, the kind of night where you actually stop and take in how far things have come. The comedown sounds like it took a while too, with “at least 6 hours, 3 rounds of tears and a cuddle off the cat” needed afterwards. Then there was coming back to HMV Newcastle, where they played their first ever live gig. That one seems to have landed differently again. More emotional, more reflective, more about stopping and appreciating the journey rather than racing straight onto the next thing.
The Think Tank bill matters to them for the same reason. They are full of praise for Katie Grace and Joe Bartley, calling them two of their favourite artists. Katie had already impressed them when they played together at Sebright Arms in London, while Joe Bartley is spoken about almost like family. They adore him, his sound, his manner, basically anything Joe Bartley. There is even the suggestion there would have been “hell to pay” if he had not been on the line-up. It makes the whole night feel like something they are genuinely proud of, not just a headline slot with names added underneath it.
And when it is all done, what do they want people to take away? Interestingly, not just Leazes themselves. They say the band are not the most important part of it. What they want people to remember is that feeling of being carefree for a while, forgetting yesterday and tomorrow, and just being in the room together in one moment. Though they would also quite like people to remember Joe’s outfit, otherwise by the sound of it he will be huffy.
As for how fast things have moved, they do not pin that to one specific moment. They say it has been more like “riding a really fast escalator” — you do not notice it moving at first, but suddenly you are further along than you expected. That feels like one of the best ways of putting it. Exciting, a bit dizzying, and a reminder to enjoy it while it is happening.
And beyond Think Tank, there is more coming. Their answer to what is next is basically one word: LOADS. New music, new festivals, new cities, and what they say is the biggest support slot yet.
Which is probably why this sold-out show feels important. Not just because it is home, and not just because it is a thank-you. It feels important because Leazes sound like a band who know something is building, and 5 April at Think Tank is one of those nights where they get to stand in the middle of it and feel it properly.
Read the full Q&A here.