Easter Sunday is about far more than simply gorging yourself on cheap chocolate eggs… it’s one of those special days of the year with a guaranteed Bank Holiday coming after it, making it a prime date for getting to some live music safe in the knowledge that the next morning brings the promise of a lie in rather than a day at work. Thankfully for me the lords of live music scheduling had decided to organise The Anchoress‘ first headline show of 2025 just down the road from me at the Old Woollen in Leeds.
This was my first visit to the Old Woollen, a part of Sunny Bank Mills – a culture and community site formed as part of the redevelopment of the former textile mill in Pudsey. However, the exterior sandstone walls lead to a surprise when entering the building, with the inside resembling more of a jazz club than a typical Yorkshire gig venue. The set up of having a limited number of small tables instead of the expected standard space led to a relaxed setting, with the limited number of tables meaning separate groups of people were made to sit and interact with each other whilst waiting for the show to start.
A support act coming on and expecting audience interaction for their second song is at best brave at worst foolhardy, but in such a friendly atmosphere Roxanne de Bastion‘s request was gleefully accepted. Indeed, it was not the only time she persuaded the audience to fill in on backing vocals for her, which kept the crowd involved in her performance as she switched between guitar and keyboard led balladry and a breath taking cover of Simple Minds‘ Don’t You Forget About Me.
Following on from two nights supporting the Manic Street Preachers at London’s Shepherd Bush Empire the Old Woollen must have seemed like a different world, but the reduction in venue size did not temper the quality of performance. Looking striking in perhaps the world’s only outfit combining tartan with leopard print it was straight into Show Your Face, The Art of Losing and Unravel, three of my personal highlights from 2021’s stunning The Art of Losing, answering the question of what PJ Harvey would sound like if she really, really liked synths.
Despite the keyboard led dark pop on show and songs touching on subjects such as grief and loss the between song chat prevented the evening getting too downbeat, with discussion of the background to the songs, the challenges of being opening act for the Manics and the nerves around performing new material. The two songs given their live debuts continued in the same vein as previous material, driving further into the furrow of 80s influenced synth pop. Alongside these were a couple of well chosen covers in Bizarre Love Triangle and Small Black Flowers that Grow in the Sky thrown in that complemented the feel and flow of the set rather than distract from it (and as an added bonus I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve ever seen an established artist cover the Manics).
After a finale of The Exchange the lights went up on the delighted audience; sometimes there’s no need for the pantomime of a fake encore when the music and performance were as strong as what had been delivered. Compared to my previous live experience of the Anchoress at the Parish in Huddersfield two years ago the crisper sound in the Old Woollen helped bring the songs to life and showcase the full scope of her and her band. A quick stop off at the merch desk for signed CDs and a discussion about most badly received support acts the Manics had ever had (answer: Ian Brown and Mogwai) I was off home happy despite the fact I’d made it through Easter Sunday without one single chocolate egg.
The Anchoress performed:
Show Your Face
The Art of Losing
Unravel
Once Upon a Lie
Damsels
Let It Hurt
Grow Out
Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky
The Heart is a Lonesome Hunter
Long Year
My Confessor
As We Once Were
Bizarre Love Triangle
All Fall Down
The Exchange
Alex Reviews Gigs 
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