When the weather’s this Baltic, us fans are very much relying on the bands to deliver all the rock ‘n’ roll; I certainly didn’t have that gig-ready look, standing in my Arsène Wenger coat to watch Vaquelin*. They’re a band I’ve now had the pleasure of seeing twice this year, and they’re a prime example of why Leeds’ generally pop- and indie-fronted music scene could be reimagined for rockers. 

The alt band are a four-piece that works so well in unison. Gruff yet crisp vocals, complementing guitars, a rumbling bass that underpins the lot, and precision, full-kit drumming is how they do things — and so well. And on a chilly Thursday, we heard ‘Broken Window’, their latest single ‘Why Does It Scream When I Twist Its Arms Off?’ and, my favourite, ‘The Bona Fide Money Laundering Society’ in testament to that. All instruments were in total harmony, and so the lads delivered the most amplified sound as a result. 

But that doesn’t even cover the ace up their collective sleeve; how many emerging outfits are you seeing two-handed tapping? It’s no mean feat — the sort of serious guitar wizardry that can (and should) really set acts apart calibre-wise. Vaquelin’s lead guitarist performed this so comfortably and effortlessly, and we received a wealth of face-melting, ear-blitzing solos in turn. Such cool stuff. He came down to play in the crowd at the Lending Room as well. The band also made excellent use of pedals to fade chords in and out, create flatlining sounds (give ‘Social Cyanide’ a spin for context) and push riffs to the max. 

They mostly played bangers from their newer repertoire, which always level-up the impact at gigs, but they happened to reignite ‘The Garden’ from their album, ‘Where Dreams Hurt’. 

All in all, with a set quality of that magnitude, Vaquelin deserve to go far. So keep your eyes and ears glued to their socials, to stay tuned with what’s on their agenda in 2025.

*With thanks to the band for the press access.