Instead of tucking into a Sunday roast, I spent last week’s day of rest very much on my feet at M60’s headline set in Leeds. And it was more than worth it…

There are plenty of venues in Leeds that I’ve been to countless times, but the Lending Room was a first for me. Manchester rockers, M60, are a band notoriously known in the upcoming alternative scene and they’re verging on promotion to the next level of recognition. 

Being quite an intimate venue, the Lending Room, on paper, was the best and most adventurous place for the four-piece to play. It allowed fans to have an exhilarating night while they moved deeply to the outfit’s hit track, ‘I Don’t Mind’.

But before they showed Leeds a good time, some immense support acts were on…

Astoria are one hell of a Yorkshire prodigy. They were an ingenious solution for electrifying a crowd before the headline act that night. There was a pure element about the band, and their down-to-earth look resulted in sound waves of positivity. Their enjoyment on the night was clear on their faces, too, which was a sight that we all wanted to see. Music brings us together, after all, and it certainly glues the essentials of this group.

They are a relatively unknown band yet they’re evidently motivated and they’ve stuck to their craft, with a four-show schedule at the moment and this M60 support being one of them.

Freshly cooked up from the Manchester indie scene, Room D are an indie-rock group that are undeniably on the road to success, so seeing them was a treat, too. They’re a band of multiple tastes and, by that, I mean they explore the depths of the alternative spectrum. ‘Your Side of the Bed’ highlighted this in person with its enticing tone, and you got hints of Pale Waves thrown in the mix, too. ‘Neon Lights’ also switched up the vibes that this band follow.

Room D had an ability to gravitate its audience and leave the room’s faces with expressions of joy, clashing head-on with their music and not holding back with the atmosphere they gave off. What’s more, they knew how to harness the best summer vibes within people, and that left us all wanting just one more song. I was subsequently the same; I couldn’t point it out but Room D had that special something that will career them to the big leagues.

Eventually, when all was said and done, everyone was there to watch M60. They were the ticket attraction from Manchester; an alternative free-ride for any crowd to get up and go wild to their gritty tone.

Wasting no time getting started, the band showcased ‘Backseat’ and ‘What Do You Want?’, two menacing tracks that uphold the M60 name within the indie-rock circuit. Development within a song is a must. And from the opening verse to the chorus, they didn’t lack in honing and sculpting the mood for this gig. They were at the wheel.

The lads also played ‘Midnight Paradise’, a new and overt single that has seen success since its release. It’s one that highlights those festival-based, swoon-worthy summer memories that we all share, as well as serving us a side of hard rock.

It was hard as a member of the press for the night not to dive into the small crowd and completely lose myself in the music. The bass could be felt throughout the room, elevating the crowd and making this moment, the only moment.

As I briefly mentioned, ‘I Don’t Mind’ is by far M60’s standout track and it portrays the true genre the band run off. Spotify hosts more than 1.5 million listens for it now, even though it was released alongside ‘Blindside’.

A blend between the youth of today and a more mature crowd, the gig’s attendees were united no matter their day jobs or daily lifestyles. This is certainly a feeling we all cherish following the pandemic, which ultimately saw concerts thrown out the window and into disarray.

So, until next time, M60. Thank you.

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Guest gig review contributed by Daniel Caddick