Last Friday I was delighted to be attending the album launch gig for Wakefield band Skint & Demoralised. This was made all the more special by the location, the fantastic Chantry Chapel in Wakefield. I’m not sure which I was looking forward to most, the music or the venue!
This was the second time I had seen Skint & Demoralised play, the first being at Live @ Leeds in 2009, so I had a good idea of what to expect from them. Their style is hard to pigeonhole, which is not a bad thing, they mix indie / alternative guitar rock with spoken word, creating a great individual sound. They list their diverse influences as Billy Bragg, Jonny Cash and the Arctic Monkeys, amongst others.
Matt Abbott is a talented and engaging front man, ably supported by his band. Their set ranged from uplifting songs about heady nights out with catchy lyrics & hooks, through reflections of everyday life, trips to the sea-side and also passionate anti BNP poetry.
The evening was a relaxed affair with many friends & family of the band squeezed into the tiny venue all singing & dancing along. Skint & Demoralised have had a rocky couple of years, they looked like they were going to break through to the big time on more than one occasion and maybe this will come pretty soon (Steve Lamacq from BBC 6 Music seems to be a fan playing them on his show).
With this release of their second album I expect we’ll be hearing a lot more of Matt Abbott et al. I’d highly recommend you buy a copy of their CD (or download it), I’ve certainly had it on repeat since buying it at the gig.
As an architect I couldn’t leave you without a mention of the Chantry Chapel. It is across the road from the new Hepworth Gallery and if you are in the area it well worth stopping off for a quick look. You may even have driven past many times and never even noticed!
You don’t have to be religious or a fan of old buildings to love this unique slice of architectural history in the heart of Wakefield. It is a tiny chapel built in the 1340’s on the original bridge crossing the river Calder, and it is one of only 4 left in the country of its type. Externally it is very ornate with many ,slightly weathered, original features still remaining. It clings to the edge of the bridge in the middle of the river and I have no idea how it still remains standing after all these years! This was my first time inside the chapel and it was great! The stained-glass windows providing a beautiful back drop to the performance and with the carved timber ceiling, stone floor and the intimate size it made the whole experience incredibly atmospheric.
In short; great unique band, great unique venue, great evening!