Leeds band Yard Act perform special homecoming gig to support grassroots venues

Yard Act perform in front of a hometown crowd at Belgrave Music Hall Credit: Belgrave Music Hall

One of the country's biggest new bands has played a special, small-scale gig in their home town of Leeds to support the live music industry following huge losses caused by the pandemic.

Rock group Yard Act's debut album Overlord last week entered the charts at number two and became the biggest selling debut album on vinyl this century.

Sir Elton John named them as one of his favourite new bands.

And on Tuesday night the four-piece performed a homecoming concert at the Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds tonight as part of Independent Venue Week.

The initiative supports grassroots venues.

Sybil Bell, founder of Independent Venue Week, said: "For the last couple of years everybody has been in lockdown and not going out as much.

"This is the one week we're saying to people get off your sofa, get off your screen – going to a gig is where you see live music, discover live music."

The music industry has suffered huge losses over the last two years as live performances, have been all but cancelled because of coronavirus restrictions.

According to new research, the live music sector is in £90 million of debt after the struggles of the pandemic, with businesses losing an estimated £3.8 million before Christmas because of the Omicron wave.