A Yard Act to follow - Leeds quartet showing no sign of slowing down

From lockdown rehearsals to Mercury Prize nominations, Yard Act have well and truly torn up the rulebook since its formation in 2019.

- Dennis Morton

The Leeds-based four-piece burst onto the UK music scene during the Covid-19 pandemic with their debut album The Overload, which went on to be nominated for a Mercury Prize. Since then, they've shown no signs of slowing down.

Now enjoying a rare moment of calm between last year's whirlwind second album tour and the approaching 2025 festival season, guitarist Sam Shipstone and drummer Jay Russell took time out at their rehearsal space to speak with the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"We've had more of a chance to sort of be in our own beds for once," said Jay. "We've been quite at it working on new material and stuff, but it's nice to be in Leeds for a bit."

Their second record, Where's My Utopia? - released in March 2024earned widespread acclaim and took the band across the UK, Europe and North America.

"People always say the second album is difficult," Sam reflected. "But the first one was difficult because you're doing something new and want it to go alright.