The last time I was at The Key Club in Leeds was pretty much a year ago, that was for what turned out to be my gig of the year, a performance from Laura Jane Grace that just smashed anything else that year, even standing 2 feet from Iggy Pop, yes really. Anyway I’m back, and could this be the gig of 2026 happening already, well the chances of that are pretty damn good thats for sure. Dead Pioneers are the headliner I’m here for, and its been a very long wait since hearing their last album release ‘Post American’ back in April 2025. The Key Club if you’ve never been before, is one of those small basement clubs that you just know is going to be intimate and sweaty, hidden down below a shopping centre (mall) and very inconspicuous, but these are alway the best places to be either in the audience or playing, and tonight is know exception, with spring just around the corner, what you need is music thats gonna lift the spirits and set the mind adrift, this gig before it even kicks off feels like just the tonic.
So after hanging at the bar for a little while and catching some wonderful chat with a few of the other gig goers, who by the way are just as excited as I am for this to gig to get started, its time for the support, who I’ve never heard of or listened to before tonight, oh I love a surprise. YAKKIE as it turns out are a 4 piece feminist punk band with a mix of heavy yet tuneful sounds, a band that from the off give that “we are gonna smash this support set outta the park” vibe, and boy do they!. A veritable DIY supergroup is how I’d describe this full on punch in the face social, political and activist outfit, with a set full of everything thats great about feminist and rebellion music, from every inch of their being you could see the angst and fury that needed to be unleashed, but with full inclusivity of the throng that were there to sing a long and scream with them. Like I said, this was my first time seeing and hearing this band, but it was so obvious from the delivery of the lyrics and music, that this was a band that meant every single word and note with no holding back, but always with a smile too, its not all about being serious and angry, is how it came across, its about being one with the audience too, and boy is inclusivity needed even more than ever these days. I really hope this isn’t the last time I get to see this band, and if you get the chance do so!. Go check out their latest album ‘Kill The Cop Inside Your Head’ , going off this live performance, I’ll be playing this until it wears out.
How do you follow that then…… well with something just as activist and rebellious all be it from a different angle and country, Dead Pioneers are a force of punk in the here and now that cannot be ignored. They hit this small yet perfectly formed stage in a club that is rammed to the rafters by now, AIM (American Indian Movement) is a perfect song to open the show, its building drum beat plays them on and the chanting pushes the crowd to fever pitch (and this is only the opener). Having only the two full albums at the moment to pull from is something that 100% does not hold this band back, especially when you have songs like ‘Po$t American’ ‘My Spirit Animal’, ’Tired’ and ‘Rage’ to slam this already sweaty crowd into a full on mosh pit frenzy. Until this moment stood two feet away from what has to be one of the best tightest rawest live punk bands on the world scene at the moment, I thought the second album Po$t American from 2025 was just head and shoulders above the opening beast that was the self title Dead Pioneers, but how wrong can you be, hearing songs with such intensity as ‘We Were Punk First’, ‘World Up My Ass’, ‘Juicy Fruit’ and ‘Political Song’, played like they are burning down the house was just so intense and soul affirming, that this was a realisation of just how of the now this band are and both albums deserve every plaudit they get. Almost reaching the end of the set, and how you don’t want it to be, but to then to see Ren Aldridge join the band for the powerful and brilliant ‘Love language’ with her uniquely hardcore sound, and follow that by end of set songs to beat all end of set songs ‘Nazi Teeth’, ‘Working Class’, the superb ‘No Kings’ and of course ‘Bad Indians’ we were left open mouthed and ready for more. And, don’t forget that in-between all this brimstone and fire, you had Gregg delivering some poignant spoken word and thoughts from his note book.
Punk Rock might have taken a back seat to all the mainstream drivel in the last decade or so, but with bands like this delivering music and thoughts to fire up a youth, the world still should and will have room for rebellion against the over endorsed establishment.
You can check out Dead Pioneers through their Website and via their socials, including Facebook.
All Photos Yakkie HERE Dead Pioneers HERE
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