Another Wednesday and another 3:2:1 night at Huddersfield Parish Bar. For some, Wednesday is the dullest night of the week but who can resist three free bands, £2 beers and 1 something else I never partake of (shots maybe?).

The taxi driver home is usually very pleased to see me given there’s not much going on anywhere else. Northern towns huh?

Anyway wednesday this week was Vazon’s turn to headline. No disrespect to the 2 guys of Vazon, my chronic backache finally did for me, but before I slow hauled back up the steps of the cellar bar, I had already had a stellar night.

Never get old dear reader; rather than 3:2:1, my evening was replete at 2:2.

First up were The Leodensians.

Every day is a school day, as my belated research tells me Leodensian is the term for someone hailing from Leeds. Had I known, I would not have asked the band where they had come from. Doh, why do I never lose an opportunity to look gormless.

The Leodensians are a bright and breezy teen foursome. I’m not going to lie, this was a bit of a choppy set (and the evening had the dreaded “technical issues” to boot), but also it was a set of huge promise.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Charlie told me she and the band were nervous over how they would go down in a line-up of heavy music. As it happened, she need not have been troubled, the set was a mixed mashing of lighter and heavy and it warmed the heart if not the room (haha on this winter night of – 6).

For me, The Leodensians are brightest and show most promise when they move away from creating the standard indie style banger. To my ear there were elements of swing, definitely poetry and scuzzy east coast punk (American coast not Skeggy).

In context, their Arctics cover could be discarded, and I think they have grown beyond anything but the odd cheeky cover in their set.

Musically The Leodensians definitely have the chops, and there were times where each of their instruments yielded to their clever fingers, where the resultant sound gave me a broad grin. Each band member has the talent to stretch it, and in my book they should.

Who knows which direction that might take them – they have only been playing together for a year. There’s a new single released next week.

Moving from much promise to complete finished product, our next band were OMMIS from Wakey.

These lads are in their early 20’s and confident and totally entertaining performers. I couldn’t help but think these lads are worthy of a bigger stage and a larger audience.

Musically, I thought fans of the likes of Pearl Jam and Kings of Leon would be happy in these guys company, although there was also a solid rock sensibility underpinning.

New single B.T.S.D cements that OMMIS sound, a good solid pulsing beat, heavy guitars and beats, and a strong professional sound. Clearly this is a band steadily and successfully building up a solid catalogue of songs.

Lead singer Simmo teased us with the promise of some nips, playfully pointing out that before he flashes his body for our entertainment, he wanted to prove he was a voice. He quickly established that voice with a strong solid, tuneful set with the band just as polished and poised behind him.

Given the rock thrust in the band, Simmo’s vocals were powerful to ride above it and be easily heard. Later on during a vocal interlude he joined the audience, cross legged enjoying the rest of the band.

Despite the freezing temperatures, we also got that flash of that extensive chest tattoo work before the end of the set. A natural energy packed, extroverted lead vocalist who fitted effortlessly into the musical backdrop his bandmates were weaving. Perfect.

* words and night images by tiggerligger