Leeds Review

GIG REVIEW: DelphicPremium Article
May 17 @ Leeds Metropolitan University


No-one could accuse Delphic of filling out their live set with unnecessary padding.

At 55 minutes – including encores – their performance at Leeds Metropolitan University was certainly to the point.

The danger was perhaps that the fast-rising MADVERTISEMENT anchester band left themselves open to grumbles about value for money.

Nine numbers culled from their debut Acolyte seemed a relatively meagre offering for an expectant audience.

Yet, in other respects, this four-piece are a band full of promise.

They write songs that are poppy enough to get played on the radio yet rave-y enough to appeal to a dance crowd.

Their lyrics are catchy yet sufficiently open-ended to invite multiple interpretations ('Let's do something real', 'Give me something I can believe in', ''Just tell me nothing's wrong today').

They like busy strobe lights.

Most importantly, when they lock into a groove they combine appealing elements of New Order, Orbital and Underworld.

If at times James Cook's bass was a little overpowering (most notably in the opening number Clarion Call where you could feel it buzzing in your chest), elsewhere there was a pleasing counterpoint between Matt Cocksedge's chiming guitar and Richard Boardman's squiggly synths.

During the extended jams of Doubt and Acolyte they made a stunning combination.

In another setting Delphic would be great. Indeed they should go down a treat at Glastonbury this summer.

Duncan Seaman

Taken from Yorkshire Evening Post