Words by Rishi Shah
Photos by Ben Massey
It’s difficult to believe that Truth Decay, the upcoming full-length project from Surrey rockers You Me At Six will be their eight album. It seems only recently that the band were on their rapid rise, churning out record after record which took them to the heights of Wembley Arena. One of those records was 2012’s Sinners Never Sleep, which turns ten this year - and Leeds and Hatfield were treated to an anniversary celebration like no other.
In the glorious outdoor arena of Leeds’ Temple Newsam Park, now home to the band’s old stomping ground - Slam Dunk Festival - You Me At Six curated a stellar supporting line-up to lead up to their headline slot. Hastings punk-rockers Kid Kapichi, the epic melodies of Holding Absence and the youthful energy of The Hunna set the tone for the rest of the day, as the receptive crowd geared up for the main event.
The ‘Ten Years Of Sin’ celebration kicked off from the get-go with the compelling, addictive riff that is ‘Loverboy’, before jumping into their hit single ‘Bite My Tongue’ as just the third song of the set. Playing the Sinners Never Sleep album in full, and in order, hit a nostalgia button that really transported the audience back in time, with frontman Josh Franceschi at his brilliant best, sauntering around the stage.
‘Time Is Money’ and ‘Crash’ were some particularly memorable deep cuts that the band rediscovered, met with joy and almost a sense of disbelief by the audience, not quite being able to comprehend that their old favourite song had been brought out for one last dance. As the sun set on the first night of sin, You Me At Six’s encore showcased newer material from their number one album SUCKAPUNCH before the inevitable climax of ‘Underdog’.
Bands often get criticised for over-reliance on their older material, and a lack of cutting edge to push their sound forward, yet You Me At Six do neither. Hitting new heights with a number one album in 2021 and bringing back a classic for a one-off special is truly the name of the game, and just shows why their longevity has - and will continue to - prevail.
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