Last time I was at Headrow House was in November 2024; Wolforna had packed the venue for their sold-out EP release show. And oddly, at the Friday instalment of the Dark Arts warm-up series*, their drummer still had a presence; on stage videoing for Dopplr.

While the three-band event wasn’t as busy on that same Wolforna scale (thanks to the storm’s howling winds and all the cancelled trains), it was certainly a show attendees seriously enjoyed. Myself very much included.

Although Turnspit had opened, I’d arrived in time to see MLEKO, a Manchester-based seven-piece, take to the stage first. Their niche struck a balance between chilled yet industrial, post-punk/alternative, with a trumpet and a saxophone adding the je ne sais quoi. Purple lights cast an enchanting, inviting ambience on the room and, as their set developed, they seemed loosely reminiscent of a grungy Opus Kink. 

Their multi-instrumental MO meant MLEKO delivered a pretty theatrical performance, where a mix of riffy chords and Bon Iver-like plucked strings came together in a sort of transcendent, film score-esque setup you could get lost in. Meanwhile, their frontman’s roared, emotive vocal style complemented the staggering sounds so well. And all in all, they nailed the kind of darkly mysterious vibe that the Dark Arts title inherently promises.

Dopplr were quite different. The modular duo plated up futuristic synths, in an almost professional button-crunching fashion. As though Nintendo had orchestrated the whole thing. It was giving computer scientists at a rave, in the most complimentary way. And they benefited from strobe lighting to match.

The synths were obviously the tangibly exciting elements they couldn’t have forgone, but the live full-kit drumming wasn’t just commendable; it was technically fantastic. Usually, you get electronic artists turning to backing tracks or SPDs for the drums, but nope, these guys stick to the old-school, real-life skin-thumping and it made the night. 

That was Record Weekly’s first gig of 2025, and what a bloody grand one. 

Dark Arts — the main all-dayer — will be on at Belgrave Music Hall on Saturday 15th March. Be there or be square — it’s going to be a treat! Courting, Home Counties and more? Bliss.

*With thanks to Super Friendz for the press access.